#ben hargreeves deserved better

[1-jar-of-stars]

i think gerard way should be able to hit steve blackman with a chair. as enrichment

[fivewantscoffee]

Yeah, if it was going to be a broken timelines issue, it would make so much more sense for Five to be the reason they are broken in the first place. I wish we'd gone with that instead of... you know.

Then the subway existing has an actual point, because the inciting incident was when our Five (the original Five) time travelled for the first time. And they still have to sacrifice the current versions of themselves to fix that but it isn't all bleak and for nothing.

Reginald and Allison's world still ends because of the Cleanse or whatever, but that isn't where it ends.

Five transports them all to the subway and sits them down to explain what's going on. The constant, non-stop apocalypses aren't random: they're a symptom of the broken timelines. They're trying to repair themselves by ending the world because they were never supposed to exist in the first place.

Five gets to have his total breakdown over being the reason the world keeps ending, then Lila eventually proposes a way to try and fix things.

Cue to the Hargreeves having to try and find their original timeline, getting lost for some time and all that.

Diego and Lila work out their issues. Allison gets to address her entire S3 Thing. She apologises to Luther, and then they can maybe have a heart to heart about how Allison got Claire back, but it cost Luther his wife.

The six-year timeskip is explored in some more detail, revealing what they did after separating at the end of S3, the hardships they faced, how they reconnected and got to where they were when the season began.

So, they find the right timeline eventually. They step out into Five's apocalypse and travel back in time to the day he time-travelled for the first time. The plan is to convince him not to.

They don't know if this is going to work, but it's all that's left to try. If they do nothing, the apocalypses are just going to keep on happening regardless. They can keep running, but there will always be something world-ending right behind them.

So they wait for Five to run out of the academy, all of thirteen and about to ruin his life in a jump our Five has regretted since the day he made it. This time, they confront him before he jumps.

They convince him not to time travel, telling him exactly what it is this jump will lead to. Five doesn't soften the blow or mince words; he needs his past self not to time travel, to never use this facet of his powers again.

Time wasn't made to be messed with.

They succeed, Five's past self doesn't time travel. He blinks back inside, to his room presumably, because he's not about to face Reginald right now.

The Hargreeves all stand around for a moment, looking at the Academy, at each other. Eventually, Klaus nudges Five. They all turn around and leave, too.

They end up at a park, where they sit down, they talk, and as time passes, they start to feel it.

The future - their past - is being changed.

All of the offshoot timelines are being erased, and theirs might have been the first one, but it is still an offshoot. In changing the past, this version of Five is also no longer the original. We get an actual, heartfelt goodbye before they all go.

Next, we see Five and his siblings as young adults in the original, fixed timeline. They're all nineteen, and as we bounce around from one character to another, we see what they're up to:

Luther walks into a coffee shop. He orders something, and as the camera pans to show the person at the till, a French exchange student who looks a lot like Sloane is revealed to be taking his order.

We see a floor being mopped. It's Diego in a slightly bare-looking apartment, large cardboard boxes scattered all around while he listens to music and dances to it. He's clearly in the process of moving house, and Eudora is there to help him. Grace's cross stitch hangs on the wall.

Allison is at an audition. She looks excited and a little bit nervous, but mostly happy to be here. When her turn comes around, she is 100% ready for it.

Klaus, Five, and Ben are all doing their own thing. Five is attending a university lecture. Ben is alive. Viktor is seen playing the violin, using his powers.

Finally, Lila is at the airport, boarding a plane. She puts on a pair of headphones, and music starts blasting. Fade to black.

The narrator says his part about how on the eighth day of August 2024 absolutely nothing happened. It was a normal day. The end, credits roll etc. etc.

[mydarlingmylifeandmybride]

When jennifer asked ben what made his past few years difficult, i fully expected him to say that all six of his siblings died and not that he was in jail because of money crimes

[eris-perish]

FINALLY made Umbrella Academy fanart cuz i remembered i have free will, drew my fav duo Klaus and Ben. Also slightly redesigned Ben's ghost because ti make more spirit like cuz I wanted to

Essentially drew my headcanon which is to try and get over his fear of ghosts, Ben suggested summoning animals. It worked but he failed to control his powers summoning human ghosts as well

[florzzzs2]

klaus & ben (sparrow)

🔮🐙!!!!

[inkpotsprite]

The people that continue to be mad at Alison for season three are the very same people who cheer on Wanda and Loki, characters who have done things that are just as bad. I know it's a different fandom but my point stands.

Wanda and Alison in particular are very similar in a lot of ways. But where fans cheer Wanda on, they all but crucify Alison.

Not to mention, they hold a grudge for how Alison behaved towards Viktor, as if Viktor didn't slit her throat in season one.

What she did to Luthor is inexcusable. Though no one bothers pointing out that it's pure character assassination, like they do when other characters such as Five and Viktor do messed up/abhorrent things.

Even before season three, her character didn't get the grace other characters in the show did to mess up, grow and change. Barely anyone acknowledged or celebrated her character growth in season two. Or her efforts in season one.

I just have never liked how the fandom as a whole treats Alison's character while they baby and woobify Klaus, Viktor and Five.

Anyway, Alison's awesome, appreciate her.

[bubbipond]

tbh the most tragic part about season four is the fact that I had to go another entire season without Umbrella Ben.

[merakicharm]

Ben in s3 last ep finding out that the guardian spirit of Hotel Oblivion was a samurai and immediately going bitch are you serious rn? and being so unamused and disgusted will never be not funny to me.

[emlynphoenix]

SPOILERS

Why did they have to do that???? Huh?

They ruined Lila, Five and Diego's relationship for what? How did Five and Lila having a relationship help the plot? Diego and Five died angry at each other all because the writers decided to ruin their characters. Lila would not cheat-especially with Five who she referred to as shorty and boy. Five is all about his family-he would never do that to Diego-no matter how long he was with Lila. He would've asked her about her kids, why her and Diego were struggling. He cares more than he is given credit-despite being sassy and bitter.

Why did we have more loose ends than answers??

I'm frustrated as hell, and wish season 4 was actually good. I will always love Viktor tho-

Luckily, we still have seasons 1-3. I thought Five was ace-what do I know...

The finale left me with questions, not closure. They erased all 43 from existence. Rob warned us by saying don't expect anything. Lila and Five were platonic soulmates until this bs. Diego said "you hate bracelets" did the writers forget the characters?

[hellomagicalsouls]

looking @ u Steve Blackman. don't let S4 umbrella academy suck ass.

let them be happy and stay happy for once pls I beg of you

[helaintoloki]

hi can you do a ben hargreeves angst where klaus is still able to see him in season 3 and he sees how close y/n has gotten to ben sparrow you can do whatever you want with it

warnings: language, lots of angst

notes: okay i actually loved writing this you are a genius for coming up with this scenario

summary: Ben is forced to watch you fall for a completely different version of him

Ben once thought having to watch the woman you love live her life without knowing you looked on as a spirit incapable of communicating with her was the worst fate imaginable.

But he was wrong.

Watching the woman you love grow close to another version of you while you can do absolutely nothing to interfere was more torturous than any other possible outcome.

Ben absolutely loathed the Sparrow with his entire being. He couldn’t understand why you would even consider trying to get to know the man- he was a complete jerk, absolutely hostile, and not at all understanding or compassionate to the dilemma your team found yourselves in. Ben also thought his haircut was stupid, and the Sparrow’s demeanor gave the ghost a sense of second-hand embarrassment every time he talked.

And yet you were drawn to the man like a magnet, and how could you not be? He looked and sounded exactly like what you imagined your Ben would have if he had survived the accident and been able to grown into an adult alongside you. Despite his callousness and his blatant lack of trust in you, you were eager to learn more. Did he like the same things your Ben did? Did they share the same interests? Were their mannerisms the same? You desperately needed to know, and the Sparrow did not deny you this. Though he held a certain sense of disdain for your team, he wasn’t prideful enough to turn down the company of a pretty girl who seemed to follow him around like a lost puppy. He took advantage of your kindness and your vulnerability, and your Ben hated that he could do absolutely nothing to stop this.

You sit on a lone bench and watch as the Sparrow completes his workout for the day. He’s allowed you to tag along so long as you don’t get in the way, and you agreed. You’re completely mesmerized by his toned arms and grunts of effort that escape his lips as he lifts weights, and Ben can only roll his eyes.

“Seriously? This guy?” He asks you in exasperation, but of course, you don’t hear him at all. This doesn’t deter him from continuing his attempt to persuade you to stay away from the Sparrow. “You are way too good for an asshole like him. He’s just using you to feed his ego!”

“Do you like to read?” You ask the man as he sets down his weights and reaches for his towel to wipe off the sweat from his brow.

“Read?” He retorts haughtily, almost offended by the notion. “What am I, a nerd?”

Ben knows neither of you can see him, and yet he flips the man off anyway in response to his answer. Your shoulders visibly deflate at his words, and the ghost can only frown and attempt to place a comforting hand on your shoulder. It goes right through you, the coldness prompting you to shiver involuntarily, but it makes him feel better to know you can at least sense him in some way.

“My Ben liked reading, so I just thought maybe you would too,” you offer meekly, prompting the Sparrow to roll his eyes.

“Alright, new rule. You wanna hangout with me? Then don’t bring up ‘your’ Ben. Got it?”

“Right, sorry,” you murmur quietly while awkwardly fidgeting with the rings on your fingers. You hover over the one on your index, the purple gem gleaming in the light. Ben knows that ring because he gave you that ring, and that’s why it nearly kills him all over again when he watches you hurriedly remove it and hide it away in the pocket of your sweater.

“You shouldn’t have to apologize for being you,” he gently reprimands you with a sigh before focusing his harsh gaze on his lookalike. “And you should stop being a dick to quite possibly the nicest girl you’ll ever meet. You don’t deserve her, and I’ll never understand why the universe decided you should get to have her.”

Of course, his lecture is unheard and has no impact on the scene that unfolds before him. He watches in gut wrenching agony as the Sparrow seats himself beside you on the bench, his rough hand coming to rest gently upon your thigh and squeezing to get your attention. Your eyes almost seem to sparkle as you look up at him in search of validation for your efforts to get to know him. There’s a shift in the air that fills Ben with dread, and despite all his efforts to stop it he can do nothing to prevent your lips from meeting the man’s in a purposeful kiss.

Your heart flutters in your chest as the Sparrow pulls away and carefully tucks your hair behind your ear, his voice coming out in a soft whisper as he says, “You’re with me now. Forget about him.”

And to Ben’s absolute horror, you obediently offer a silent nod in agreement to his command.

[inkspiredwriting]

The Perfect Birthday

Five Hargreeves x reader

A/N: This little one shot is for @craftyangelpainter. I hope you had a great birthday, and I hope this puts a little smile on your face

Warnings: none

It was a warm afternoon at Five and Y/n’s house, the living room festooned with balloons and streamers. Y/n’s birthday cake stood proudly on the table, a beautiful creation with intricate frosting, baked by Y/n herself because, as usual, she didn't want to burden anyone. Five had worked tirelessly to pull this day together, ensuring everything was perfect for his wife. But as the hours ticked by, the cracks in the celebration started to show.

The whole family had gathered at Five’s insistence, which had been no small feat. As much as they had been through together, getting all the Hargreeves siblings in the same room often felt like trying to contain a tornado in a jar. But for Y/n, Five was determined to make it happen. She deserved it.

Lila and Diego arrived with their three kids in tow, looking tired but managing some smiles for Y/n. However, it wasn’t long before Lila started mentioning their need to head home early. “We’ll have to leave soon,” she said, half-heartedly stirring her drink. “The kids have school tomorrow, and Diego and I are running on fumes.”

Five clenched his jaw. He understood, of course, but this was Y/n’s birthday—one day for his wife to feel celebrated by the people she had grown to care about.

Across the room, Klaus sat huddled on the couch, looking anxious. Without his powers, he had been jittery, afraid of everything from the weather to his own shadow. “I’ll be honest,” he said, his voice shaky as he glanced around nervously, “I’m just trying to keep my anxiety at bay. All this... mortality stuff is really getting to me.”

Ben sat at the far end of the table, scowling at nothing in particular. He poked at his food, clearly uninterested in engaging with anyone. “Can we get this over with?” he muttered. “I don’t even know why I bothered coming. I don’t like any of you.”

Allison, who had been on her phone for most of the gathering, finally piped up. “I really need to get back to Claire,” she said, glancing at the clock. “I promised her I wouldn’t be gone too long.”

Luther, ever the optimist, was the only one genuinely thrilled to be there. “Come on, guys, it’s Y/n’s birthday!” he exclaimed, trying to rally some enthusiasm. “Let’s at least try to make it a good time.”

Y/n, for her part, was putting on a brave face. She moved around the room, smiling, offering food, making sure everyone was comfortable. But Five could see the disappointment in her eyes. She had spent so much time thinking of others, doing everything she could to make his dysfunctional family feel welcome. And what did she get in return? Barely any effort.

As the evening wore on, Viktor stood up, slipping his jacket on quietly. “I need to head back to Canada,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “The bar isn’t going to run itself.”

That was the final straw for Five.

He slammed his drink down on the table, the sudden noise silencing the room. Everyone turned to look at him, surprised by the outburst. Five rarely lost his temper now, but when he did, it was impossible to ignore.

“Are you kidding me?” Five snapped, his voice sharp and filled with barely-contained fury. “You ungrateful assholes.”

Y/n’s eyes widened, and she instinctively reached out to touch his arm, but Five wasn’t done.

“Except Luther,” he added quickly, pointing at his taller brother, who looked caught between relief and awkwardness. “At least he’s trying. But the rest of you? Seriously? Do you even hear yourselves?”

Diego frowned, stepping forward. “What’s your problem, Five? We’re here, aren’t we?”

“Oh, you’re here, alright,” Five retorted. “Physically, maybe. But mentally? Emotionally? You couldn’t care less. Lila and Diego can’t stop talking about leaving, Allison’s glued to her phone like she has something better to do, and Klaus is too busy wallowing in his fear of death to even be present.”

“I have reasons for that!” Klaus interjected weakly, but Five ignored him.

“And Ben?” Five’s voice rose. “Ben can’t even pretend to care. He’s sitting there like we dragged him here against his will.”

Ben crossed his arms, glaring at Five. “I don’t need this,” he muttered, but even he didn’t try to walk away.

Five took a deep breath, trying to rein in his anger but failing miserably. “You know who’s done everything for you? Y/n. She’s always gone out of her way to help you, to make you feel like part of this family. She’s been more of a sibling to you than most of you have been to each other. And now, on her birthday, you can’t even pretend to celebrate her?”

The room was dead silent, the tension so thick it was almost suffocating.

“She bakes for you, she listens to your problems, she does everything she can to make this dysfunctional mess of a family feel like home. And what do you give her in return? Excuses. Half-assed effort. This?” Five gestured around the room, his frustration boiling over.

Y/n looked mortified, trying to tug at Five’s sleeve, her voice a soft plea. “Five, it’s fine—"

“It’s not fine, Y/n!” Five cut her off, his voice softer but no less intense. “It’s not fine. You deserve so much better than this.”

He turned back to his siblings, his green eyes blazing. “You know what? If you can’t even give her a few hours of your time to show her how much she means, then you can leave. Go back to whatever it is you think is more important than being here for her.”

There was a long pause. Lila and Diego exchanged guilty looks, while Klaus shuffled uncomfortably. Even Ben seemed to shrink a little under Five’s fierce gaze. Allison put her phone down, looking at Y/n with something close to shame in her eyes.

“I…” Viktor began, but then he sighed, taking off his jacket. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Y/n.”

Luther, ever the peacemaker, stepped forward, a warm smile on his face. “Let’s start over. We’ll stay as long as you want. It’s your day, Y/n.”

The others slowly nodded in agreement, clearly shaken by Five’s outburst. Lila gave Diego a small nudge, and he sighed, nodding. “Yeah, we’ll stay. Sorry, Y/n.”

Klaus, looking awkward but sincere, added, “I’ll, uh… try to be less scared of everything.”

Ben grumbled something under his breath but didn’t move to leave. Even Allison offered a small smile. “I’ll stay. For you, Y/n.”

Y/n, who had been standing quietly beside Five, finally spoke. “You really didn’t have to do that,” she said, looking at her husband with a mix of affection and exasperation. “But thank you.”

Five pulled her into a gentle embrace, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You deserve it. You always do.”

And for the rest of the evening, the Hargreeves siblings did their best to make up for their earlier behavior. Laughter filled the room, stories were shared, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like a real family gathering. Five kept a protective arm around Y/n, making sure she knew just how much she meant to him.

As the night wound down, Y/n looked around at the scene and smiled. “You know,” she said quietly to Five, “it wasn’t the perfect birthday… but it’s pretty close.”

Five smirked, kissing her cheek. “I told you I’d make it happen.”

And in that moment, Y/n knew just how lucky she was to have Five, even in the chaos that surrounded their lives.

[your-gym-partner]

Now that I've had time to think about it, the ending was bullshit too. These people, who have been abused, traumatized, and thrown through the wringer 10 ways to Sunday, have their stories come to a close by sacrificing themselves, only to not be remembered by anyone and reincarnated as flowers?

Nah, fuck that shit. The Hargreeves deserved to have happy endings.

Luther deserved to find Sloane and start a family with her.

Diego and Lila deserved to go to couple's therapy and come out on the other side stronger than ever, and to see their kids grow up.

Allison deserved to watch her daughter grow up into an amazing young woman.

Klaus deserved to re-discover true love and know some semblance of security (financial, housing, love, etc.) in his life.

Five deserved to finally relax and spend the rest of his days amongst the company of his family.

Ben deserved to survive and discover what makes him happy, whether that be with or without Jennifer.

Viktor deserved to go back to his bar in Canada, have a stable relationship, and give himself enough time-off to see his family more often.

They all deserved better.

[the-jennifer-incident]

I have been building up the Jennifer incident in my mind for the last 5 years and I knew the show version would never live up to what I imagined, but I didn't think it would be this bad??

I mean we're all in agreement that the fanon version of The Jennifer Incident (that Ben was protecting a girl called Jennifer on a mission, lost control of The Horror and it ripped him apart) is miles more compelling and emotionally engaging from a character perspective right?

That a member of The Umbrella Academy, a group labelled with the vague & lofty goal of saving the world, but realistically a family of fucked-up selfish kids, sacrificed themselves to save someone "insignificant"?

We all agree that that's a much better explanation than apocalypse-inducing sex scenes right????

[my-adhd-gremlin-blog]

I am as disappointed as everyone else is with the final season of The Umbrella Academy, but I also have some of my own Thoughts™️. Allow me to weigh in.

We can all agree that the finale was absolute dogshit, right? I've seen a lot of commentary about the character assassination of Number Five, and the cursed as fuck crack ship that should've stayed in the deep recesses of ao3, where no one could find it. But there was also absolutely no character development for any of them in the end? Not really?

Luther still has unresolved daddy issues (why else would he be squatting in the condemned building of the Academy?). And he just, what, gave up looking for his wife? Luther "loverboy" Hargreeves. The man who chased and pined for Allison almost his entire life gave up on HIS WIFE after/within six years? No way.

Diego's character basically went nowhere. Four seasons, and he still didn't come to any kind of realisation that, hey, maybe he is enough. No. If he isn't in Luther's shadow, he's insecure about his marriage, or his powers, and being "strong enough." Everything was a competition to him, even though he was the only one competing. He deserved a little bit of self-love, but apparently, "self-destruct" is all he gets.

Allison had her ups and downs, and they let her end on a fucking down? Her arch was the most disappointing. We literally see her trying to be a better, more honest person in s1, and then a human rights activist in s2. Her powers are morally grey, sure, but she had so much potential. Then she just straight up becomes a villain and has barely any redemption for it? Her character started on a high. It was natural progression for her to hit a low. But not that low. And she never really came back up from it. In six years, it seemed like she made no real effort to make up for what she did. A couple of good decisions do not make up for a multitude of bad ones.

Which brings me to Klaus. I wasn't sold on sober, germaphobe Klaus to begin with. I thought it was just a little bit too out of character. But I'll take that any day than what happened to him this season. And to his credit, his hypochondria after losing his powers at least made sense. But he'd made so much progress, not just on his sobriety but on embracing his powers rather than being afraid. (Also, he and Allison being codependent on each other like that was not healthy).

This season made Ben, as a character, pretty much pointless. From the beginning, it seemed like his death was supposed to bring the Academy together, narratively speaking. It was his "purpose" to die and become a sort of martyr to his siblings (I mean, it didn't work, so even then, Ben kinda died unnecessarily). But in reality, his death wasn't a teachable moment, it was just murder. And without Ben, the story still would have ended the same way. Any of the children born from the marigold could have brought about the cleanse, it didn't necessarily HAVE to be Ben. And with the number of timelines there were, it was probably inevitable that it would happen in at least one of them. They all died pointlessly, but Ben's deaths were especially pointless.

Viktor was about the only character that DID have some development. He finally stood up to his father and received at least some validation for his mistreatment as a kid. Not that it ended up mattering because his relationship with his siblings was practically non-existent at this point. All he'd ever wanted was to be a part of the team, and yet apparently made no effort in six years to see his siblings and actually be a part of the family. It makes no sense for his character.

I hate that Lila was a damsel in distress for most of this season. She's a grown woman who we know is fully capable of standing up for herself, but it felt like she was reduced to just her role in the family. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with being a mother or a wife, but that seemed to be ALL her character was this season, when we know she's more than that. The one thing she got to herself was taken away from her coz it hurt "poor Diego's feelings 🥺". Grow up 🙄. And I am not touching the other thing with a ten foot barge pole.

Now, obviously, there's Five. People have already talked about how his character was completely butchered this season. No, Five of the past would not have given up so easily. Despite the jabs and the squabbling, Five loved his family. He fought hard to get back to them when he was stranded. After a struggle like that, why the fuck WOULD he stop fighting to keep his family together?

I'm not saying all of these characters had to be good, outstanding citizens by the end of the show. But they should have at least had a journey from season one. Instead, they either went backwards or in circles. And in the end, none of it mattered anyway.

This season was so fucking stupid. It completely undermined the rest of the story. What was the point in literally anything that happened in the previous seasons if it was just leading up to all of it being erased? This is some, "and it was all a dream" bullshit, and I'm not here for it.

[yanderetheumbrellaacademy]

Opinions on Jealous! Ben? maybe both TUA & sparrow academy?

Oh? He seems like he's quick to jealous because of insecurity Tw: Toxic Relationships, NSFW

Ben Hargreeves [The Umbrella Academy] (If he never died)

He's more secure than his counterpart, but he still has insecurities

He's not nearly as aggressive as his counterpart, even though he has a fleeting thought every now and then

He's very passive thought he can get physically violent if it gets to that point

If someone is flirting with you, at first he won't step in

His mind will take a dark turn with thoughts like, 'Oh, she deserves someone better', 'She's going to leave me', 'She found someone better', but then his mind takes a darker turn of wanting to keep you for himself

'Who the hell does she think she is?', 'I'm going to fucking kill him', 'I want to bash his head in with a brick', etc. I think you get my drift

Though, when he sees you getting uncomfortable, those thoughts disappear

He wants to protect you, so he'll step in, ignoring the person flirting with you and coming up with an excuse to pull you away

"Thanks Ben. That guy wouldn't leave me alone," You chuckle, before kissing his cheek

His face errupts in red, but you're already gone before he can do anything about it

Ben Hargreeves [Sparrow Academy]

At first, he pushed you away in fear of you leaving or hurting him

It takes him a long time to let you in

Once he lets you in, you can't leave him, so don't try

He confines in you with things he'd never tell anyone else

You're more submissive than him, like a lot, which makes it a lot easier for him to control you

BUT, that's a topic for another time. We're here for jealousy

He's deeply insecure in himself and his position in the family, so when he sees someone trying to hit on you, it makes his blood boil

He wants to rip them limb from limb and devour there body

Jealous Sex is hard and rough with him. It's kind of his way to solitude your relationship

^ Usually he's soft and gentle, because it's important to him, but when he's mad or jealous it's a 180

He calls you mean names like, Whore, Slut, Bitch, etc

He's madder at you than he is with the person who was flirting with you

He thinks it's your fault, because you should of told that person "Oh, no I'm taken and I would never even think of getting a drink with an ugly piece of shit like you." But you didn't

It'll take a few days for him to come from this intense anger

He'll stay away from you, which can sometimes make his anger worse

He'll soon turn this anger towards the person who deserves it, the guy who was flirting with you. He's going to hunt them down and kill them & it's going to be violent

Once they're dead, he calms down a lot and he becomes nicer to you

He'll get you flowers and chocolate to apologize for his attitude

It'll seem perfect, until the cycle repeats itself and he gets jealous again