#and. does anyone understand the diego sparrow dance... off?

[dykefive]

(another) bite sized s3 trailer recap

[danwhobrowses]

Umbrella Academy Season 3 - Quickfire Thoughts

So over the weekend I cranked up the Netflix and binged the third season of Umbrella Academy. Another enjoyable run with its own chaotic shit going on has run its course

So here's some quickfire thoughts of it

I would've been fine if the Umbrellas and Sparrows did indeed settle their differences with a Footloose dance scene

Throughout this season I continue to be baffled by the inconsistency of Luther's powers, like Season 2 he tanked a missile but a swift kick to the head or a curved sword does him in? It just feels weird. I still think the seasons are making him dumber too.

Marcus was an idiot for touching the big ball of fiery death, but I'm surprised he didn't just show up given Klaus' powers

The Vanya to Viktor stuff was done extremely well, Luther was sweet in wanting a gesture but it was nice that it wasn't blown up into anything, nothing really changed and that's the point

I see that a lot of people are at least joking that the Sparrows 'caught the Umbrellas' dysfunction' but really it did seem like it was always there. Ben did make a note that the Umbrellas 'fight like we do' after the Allison and Viktor argument and there was at the least tension already there, what unraveled them was simply the same thing that unraveled the Umbrellas, they lost one of their own. Marcus died and like with Ben and the assumed death of Five, the group started getting at each other's throats and looking out for themselves

I'm glad we got to keep Lila around though, I was a bit let down when it looked like she'd just have the cameo

While I didn't care too much for Alphonso or Jayme - who seemed to be more rotten in the inside and using their status to intimidate and do what they want - it was a shame to kill them and Marcus off so early, frankly I would've liked to have seen a lot more of the Sparrows

I don't understand how Ben survives Harlan's accidental mass matricide since he too would've been connected to Viktor, also what this 'pain' he's talking about was because we saw their heads pop before they showed signs of labour, also babies could still survive if the mother died and wouldn't the energy just go someplace else?

If I had a nickel for every time Robert Sheehan got stabbed through the chest and then realised he was immortal I'd have two nickels, which is less than a dollar but still, it happened twice

I don't really understand why Five felt that he needed to complete the cycle of his Founder self, who lives in a paradox-proof box. Surely that means he could live a different life and his founder would not be subject to the Grandfather Paradox itself?

When did Lila get pregnant? Because quite some time did pass between Season 2, her in the Infinite Switchboard, and her in Berlin. Feels like long enough time would've passed to be showing, or at least not be drinking alcohol. Sushi seems to be her craving though.

So...does Stan come back at all or what? He got blitzed

Corrupted Grace didn't really pay off in the end does it, she's just a minor obstacle

Despite all things in hindsight I did like Klaus' bonding with Hargreeves, the problem seemed to be that he always had an ultimate agenda. It's a shame though that Klaus still isn't allowed to use the fullest extent of his powers

In fact, powers seem to matter less and less for some of the Umbrellas; Diego doesn't alter a single projectile, all he does is play with his own knives, we've mentioned before Luther's power inconsistency as well

Sure Fei, shake the beehive, that was a solid idea...

Ben's sulking got on my nerves a lot, he wants the role but not the responsibility

I did find it odd that Luther didn't pick Five to be his best man, given their whole JFK adventure, it just seemed like they were closer than him and Viktor

Why isn't Luther allowed to be happy? It was just a long-winded wait of the other shoe to drop, first death and then Sloane's disappearance

Was it not obvious to anyone else that the seven stars on the lobby floor was the algorithm? I mean it kinda stood out given that there were seven and it had an asymmetrical pattern

And the main thing: Fuck Allison.

Her whole turn is just terrible really, she was dumb for not being familiar with any rule of time travel ever (if Footloose exists Back to the Future certainly existed which is the simplest explanation that changing the past affects the future), then she uses her anger to be an awful person to her family; adopting aggression, emotional blackmail and literal murder and using grief as a weak justification. She's as much to blame for all this as Viktor is given that she's the one who Rumored Viktor into thinking he didn't have powers but she wouldn't admit that shit at all. Always the victim pretending like she had enough when really she just wanted someone to punch who wouldn't punch back.

And then the ending, where Allison gets to have her cake and eat it, just because she cut up Hargreeves head doesn't mean she's redeemed in my eyes. She got zero comeuppance for her actions and now everyone else gets to suffer the consequences.

Overall, I liked the season, there's more to go with it but there was a lot of stuff that left a bitter taste in the end, lot of stuff unanswered too.

[frederickthegreat]

my thoughts on TUA season 2

(spoilers, obviously)

- opened with Klaus and Ben, my kings. Klaus’s hair looks so weird straightened while short 

- AWESOME opening soundtrack 

- seeing all their powers so controlled makes me wonder how they leveled up to that skill in the alternate timeline. like the only time we saw Klaus use the powers of other ghosts in the correct timeline was when two of them caught him falling out of the sky. however Diego did end up controlling bullets and Allison used her voice to technically kill one of the Swedes

- the homeless man screaming Allison’s name alongside Luther... funny shit

- big teddy bear Hazel

- Elliot was fucking awesome i think he was a great addition as a side character. rip tho :(

- honestly i don’t understand why Diego would WANT to save JFK. like it’s not that big of a deal. does he not understand what messing with the timeline can do??

- Lila... impeccable

- Sissy and Vanya... impeccable <3

- yeah and fuck u Carl

- ugh, Klaus’s beard. disgusting <3

- Ben and Klaus definitely act like they should be, given that they’ve been stuck with each other for over a decade. i’ve seen some people calling Klaus an asshole for not telling his siblings about Ben, which is completely understandable (cause he was an asshole), but I’m guessing it was because he was afraid? that sharing Ben with his siblings would mean that he would lose him to them, or his siblings would find him selfish, or they would ask something of him that he couldn’t give. if that makes sense

- that ghost bitch comment was funny tho 

- to the guy who called Klaus pretty boy at the bar: sir you don’t know what you’re getting into

- Raymond!! he’s such a sweetheart, i really liked him in the show. i’m really happy that Allison has found a bit of normalcy (as normal as the 1960s Civil Rights movement could be). it shows how passionate she is about what she believes in: even though she knows the movement is far from over, even back in 2019, she’s not gonna abandon it

- Allison staring at the moon every night: either thinking about Luther or how the moon blows them all up. maybe both

- of course Luther would be working for Jack Ruby

- awesome cinematography during the mental asylum escape 

- yeah it makes sense that the Handler would still be alive. she was a cool villain. although it would’ve been awesome to see how evil a fish could be

- Diego’s plan was pretty stupid. that’s my boy

- honestly they revealed how Klaus started a cult really well by having one of his followers find him at jail. Klaus, ever the musical aficionado, of course writes his scripture based off of pop songs

- Raymond and Klaus meeting!! that was cool to see how their paths connected

- Lila painting Elliot’s toenails green. ugh i love that crazy bitch

- i LOVE how they incorporated the umbrella man!! tbh i’ve always believed he was the one behind the assassination. Lee Harvey Oswald was framed 

- honestly a bit understandable that Luther was planning on killing Vanya? cause he had no idea who she is now, but them reuniting was actually really sweet. he’s grown up so much

- the Swedes and their cats.

- the Umbrella company building with the nuclear family mannequins... creepy, awesome shit

- baby pogo baby pogo baby pogo baby pogo

- shanked diego shanked diego shanked diego shanked diego

- did anyone else get vibes from Klaus’s episode opening that he was an escort to the old woman? like how he was being shown off at her arm or something and getting out of jail from a call from the governor. idk maybe the lady was just very taken with him, as anyone would be

- Elliot, our helpful king

- Allison and Klaus’s reunion was so sweet!! i’m so glad they got to interact so much more in this season 

- Ben getting Raymond out through a haunting... hilarious

- sweet intimate moment between Lila and Diego

- Ray meeting Luther was hilarious, but i do feel for the poor guy. i mean i’m not in love with my adoptive sister but still

- the sit-in was really well done and beautiful while terrible. the ‘riot’ that ensued was very appropriate for today’s setting 

- D-Dave

- honestly i was scared that Klaus was gonna be overly attracted to him or whatever, which would be weird cause he’s years younger than Klaus, but honestly, at the core he just wanted to save Dave’s life. even if it means never meeting him in a different timeline. he truly loved Dave. and that ptsd flashback was done so well

- i knew Lila wasn’t trustworthy but i didn’t REALLY expect that! 

- Vanya and Luther talking with each other, Luther admitting the apocalypse wasn’t all her fault. beautiful

- the Majestic 12 reminds me of the conspiracy theory that only a few families control basically everything in the world. the Majestic 12 may be based off of that, idk

- idk about everyone else but Klaus’s scorpion and the frog story made total sense to me! frogs ARE bitches

- the diner scene.... ugh. it really shows that the two of them did fall in love and they did stupid in love things, like talking about their family, about why Dave wanted to join, favorite colors, favorite foods, etc. however that’s seen later on when Dave visits the compound

- yes it’s very disheartening when Klaus is attacked, but honestly i think it had to happen, just like the riot had to happen. the 60s weren’t a fun time for lgbt people and poc. it was only going to be a matter of time before the show HAD to acknowledge the consequences of Klaus’s ‘flamboyancy’ in 1963 Texas. it doesn’t make it right or easy to see, but it’s realistic. 

- it also makes sense that Klaus fell off the wagon after experiencing something like that. yes we all would’ve liked him to stay sober, but sobriety and recovery aren’t linear. 

- Allison is so happy with Ray can we please drop this pseudo-incest plotline let’s MOVE ON 

- Texas Grace ! who is not actually Grace rip (i think? i was a bit confused lol)

- the scene with Harlan running off was really upsetting but we got to see those weird light particles that we saw in the first season

- Pogo Pogo Pogo Pogo

- Klaus being a dick to Ben again, as brothers do. i do feel bad for Ben though it must be sooo frustrating. that scene with him and Allison was really sweet and funny tho

- i just have to say that Luther and Diego are so fucking funny this season it’s awesome. like there are a LOT of good lines overall by everyone but they’re hilarious. “At least he didn’t shank my ass” “no bro, he shanked your heart”“Dads part of a sinister CABAL that’s plotting on killing the president.” “a caBAL?”“You two still a thing? *leans in* do we need to talk?” “No, she’s married.” “Woah dude... that’s rough.” and countless others

- the sibling reunion!! 

- Klaus really does get left out of everything tbh

- Ben :(

- sisters and Klaus!! that was so awesome to see. and Klaus’s hairpins, Vanya saying she’s gonna tell Sissy she loves her, their dance sequence, Klaus calling Allison out on that incest. beautiful

- the fucking Swedish cover of Hello was PERFECT i mean i was sad for the Swedes but it was hilarious. there were a couple beautiful shots of the boat on fire though

- god it must’ve been so traumatizing for Allison to be thrust into such a hostile place with no voice and no way to contact her family

-  idk about you guys but long live Team Zero

- calling Ben that he was becoming their father was a bit uncalled for 

- the fact that Klaus didn’t help Dave’s chances, and in fact escalated Dave’s own timeline.. his trembling hands... robert sheehan is an amazing actor

- the Black president bit lmaoo loved it

- the way Reginald spoke to Diego.. i’m gonna throw hands with an old man

- Klaus LITERALLY looked like he was having a seizure and they all just... played it off?? 

- poor, poor Carl. nah fuck him lol

- that bloody opening scene was awesome! and thank god Five got to say fuck. the fact that it was about a candy bar makes too much sense

- Robert Sheehan acting as Ben: amazing showstopping spectacular he’s so talented

- the whole multiple Fives and Luther bit was honestly really funny, and i immensely respect smaller Five over bigger Five. 

- yes Klaus, you survived a family of seven. you got this

- not sad about Carl dying one bit!

- Ben... that was such a beautiful scene. not just the content of the scene, but the cinematography. Ben fading away... Vanya hugging him... ugh. the main takeaway i had from that scene is that at the core of it all, Ben and Klaus love each other immensely. they have a weird, dysfunctional, fucked up relationship, where Klaus is an asshole and Ben definitely shouldn’t of possessed him without his consent, but they’re still brothers, and Ben forgives him. 

- oof Ben’s funeral was hard. also was it just me or did Klaus’s kid actor sound weird? like it sounded like Robert was dubbing his lines 

- all the siblings back together again!!!! Klaus going with Vanya to save Harlan!! Vanya telling him Ben forgives him and that it wasn’t Klaus’s fault Ben got stuck with him!! everyone in the car!!! be still my beating heart

- yeah didn’t see Lila having powers coming tbh. i really feel bad for her she’s had such a rough and traumatic life, especially with the Handler as her only parental figure

- the Swede brother and Five putting down their weapons: “enough.” the Swede wanted revenge for his brothers - an eye for an eye, but there was a mutual understanding between the two of them: they would do anything for their family. if the Swede hurts one of the Hargreeves, Five would never stop coming after him. i thought it was very beautiful 

- mmm Reggie’s foreshadowing coming into play. proud of u Five

- the ending was so beautiful. everyone got closure in some type of way. except now Klaus is alone with nothing but his dog tags :(

- EMO BEN HAHAHA WTFFF?? is Lila in the sparrow academy? why was Ben’s portrait over the mantle piece? did Five disappear?? is the sparrow academy just older versions of the siblings who stuck around?? so many questions

FINAL THOUGHTS

- Ellen Page’s acting consistently blows me away. she is amazing 

- beautiful cinematography, funny writing, pretty good acting. i didn’t like the soundtrack as much as i did the first season’s, but some of it wasn’t bad.

- i’m glad ben got peace, but i’m also glad justin min isn’t gone for good. his social media presence is too vital for us

- i swear to god if they keep treating klaus as a joke and don’t let him get any actual development like everyone else had (he barely got closure with Dave, he reconciled with Ben through a second party) next season, i’m gonna riot. PLEASE i want to learn more about his powers now that Ben is gone. what happened to seeing tons of ghosts when he’s sober??

- Luther and Diego were probably my favorite duo of the season, I’m so happy that they’ve reconciled and are bonding more. 

- just seeing Vanya grow and be happy was amazing 

all in all, really wonderful season. i probably liked it better than the first one. now it’s time to consume fanfiction and maybe finish my own (check out “god doesn’t want him and neither does the devil” on ao3!)