#brelly

[spatial-jump]

Spoilers for all episodes of the Umbrella Academy Season 4 and profanity below.

What the actual fuck was that finale?? Was I watching the same thing directors looked at and went, “Yeah, this is cool!”

Those last two episodes were a total shit show. An absolutely horrendous finale to a wonderful TV show.

The first thing I am so fucking pissed about is how they’ve written Five in this season. They ruined him. They tore apart the aloof apocalypse-obsessed arsehole who loves his family, destroyed it, spat on it, and then danced on the grave before crushing it under an anvil.

In no fucking timeline whatsoever would Five and Lila be a thing. I understand where some people would come from to defend it — that yes, they were both isolated for seven years and could only find company in each other, distorting their relationship as they sought comfort which mistakenly and incorrectly transpired into ‘love’. No, it’s messed up. It’s so fucking messed up and creates unnecessary drama that the writers probably wanted since they were undeniably lacking in the finale. When I first saw the camera angles and shots they were getting prior to Year Five in the subway, I was naïvely thinking, “Surely not. Please don’t tell me this is where I think it’s going.” And lo and behold, I was right. And I’ve never hated to be right so much in my entire life.

Lila (WHO HAS THREE ADORABLE CHILDREN WITH DIEGO, BY THE WAY) has known Five for absolutely ages — since he was in the body of a thirteen-year-old child. Mentally, he’s however many decades older. Regarding the actors, Aidan and Ritu, themselves, there is a fifteen-year gap between them. But my point is, Five is not a home-wrecker. Five is the type of character who would not deliberately fuck around with his brother’s wife because he absolutely adores his family. It’s not in the nature that has been presented to us, and goes completely against his values — and for what? To serve exclusively as a shitty love triangle so that Diego and Five would fight in the finale and break up the family even more at the most crucial point for them?

Five is your textbook example of a pragmatist. He knows how to prioritise, and would certainly not decide that the time to fight Diego was when two of their siblings were badly injured and another had merged to bring about the Cleanse — a.k.a. end of the world, again.

I am so, so disappointed with this, especially as Five is the character I’ve had the strongest attachment to, ever. I think I’ve managed to disconnect S4 him from the first three (that fucking greasy rat’s nest hair of his has finally been given a beneficial purpose), but I’m still sick to my stomach.

Anyway, next thing: the episodes. I know we were told in advance about how there were only going to be six episodes, and we knew they had a lot to fit in to make it work.

It didn’t. It was executed very poorly. I understand some fans didn’t like the unnecessary subplots and fillers from the previous seasons, but S4 was a bit too rushed? I mean, they found and drank the marigold within the first episode. And floundered around at the end, not even bothering to stop the Cleanse until it had been aired on TV. I get they might’ve wanted to make the show more fast-paced, but it could’ve been handled differently. They didn’t have to do a ‘Stranger ThingsTM’ and make four goddamn films for a Part One. They just needed to properly iron out everything, and that didn’t happen, which is a massive shame.

The finale itself (not the erasing their identities, but from the moment Ben is shot) deserves some YouTuber to pick it apart with a four hour video until it’s dust. It was badly structured. Normally, you see a rather pleasant — not exactly linear, but in the concept we’re progressing positively — pattern as the episodes and plots build up to the finale. We see the family find out about an apocalypse, they fight and break off individually, then they slowly pair up, eventually coming together to save the world. This was not like that.

Instead, you had one sibling fucking around in a subway with his physically much older and mentally much younger sister-in-law, another that was hopelessly obsessed with a girl he just met (but no hate for him — no one exactly told him that being closer to Jennifer was just harming them both and the world), one germaphobe who, despite not taking drugs or drinking, is off looting money wherever he can find it and deciding that was the moment to pay off his debts??, three others doing fuck knows, and then the last one who actually gives a shit, teamed up with his hideous father, and tried to prevent him from killing Ben as long as possible because he knows what it’s like to end the world, and is therefore the only one who did anything useful. God, that was a long sentence, so I’m sorry for those of you who struggle with it.

The finale was not your Umbrella Academy finale. Once everyone had (I say this in the lightest way) been ‘brought together’, they had no bloody idea what to do. In the meantime, they’d disbanded about three times within the thirty minutes of screening because of petty fights and the drama I’ve already discussed. Five leaving them at the most essential moment (due to Lila and Diego, blah, blah, blah) was an error in his character. This old man has survived through apocalypses, the one who tries to round everyone up despite everything he has seen. Even with his doubts in the S3 finale, he was still there — and his doubts were shared enough that they created a majority. In this S4 finale, there was no majority. It was just Five, and Five alone. There were gaping holes and shredded pieces of the beautifully developed characters the show had done so well in portraying. They did this with Allison during that scene in S3, where they took her villain arc too far. There are so many flaws in this, and there is definitely many people out there who can communicate it better and more concisely, but here is my two pennies anyway.

I have a lot more thoughts, but I’m currently bone-tired. I might post another rant if I remember anything else — but don’t be too surprised if it’s Five x Lila related.

I am thankful and appreciative that the Umbrella Academy was one of the lucky shows that saw its way to the very end, but I think all of us are entitled to a little disappointment at its quality and execution as it was brought to a close.

[kimberlyshaws]

[fivesillydandelions]

I'm going to miss them 😭

Via x

[glitchxs]

So, now that it's over, and I've given everybody enough time to watch all the seasons:

I'm breaking my silence on the numbering system.

If you haven't memorized them,

Number One: Luther Hargreeves

Number Two: Diego Hargreeves

Number Three: Allison Hargreeves

Number Four: Klaus Hargreeves

Number Five

Number Six: Ben Hargreeves

Number Seven: Viktor Hargreeves

Now, since we figured out these numbers, the fandom has been all,

"Oh it's in order of powers! Luther has (or had, as a kid) the best powers! And Viktor is seven because he 'had none'."

"Oh but that doesn't make sense! Ben's power is so much cooler and more lethal than Luther's!"

Bullshit. I'm breaking my silence.

Yes, fandom, you were on the right track.. ish.

These numbers were assigned based on how easy to manipulate each sibling was. These numbers were based on how terrifying, or hilarious, Reginald Hargreeves found each sibling.

Luther was stupid, he was easily toyed with and he would listen to everything his dad said. He was number one because Reginald could do whatever he wanted with him and wasn't at risk of getting attacked or even questioned. Reginald could poke, pry, test, train, whatever he wanted with Luther easily. That's what made him number one.

Viktor, on the other hand, was disobedient. He didn't listen, he wasn't easily manipulated, he killed all the nanny's, he terrified Reginald. Hence, the last thing he could possibly think to do-- because he is a maniac control freak-- was to put a stop to it. He couldn't lose! He has to make Viktor think he's nothing.

You can figure the rest out.

☂️

(Edit: Allison being told to betray her sister and DOING SO!! Five jumping despite Reginald's permission!! Ben not wanting to go on missions!! Come on.)

[darkphoenix180]

[geekgirl750]

I know the running fan theory now is that Five's "real" name is Max, but my personal headcanon will always be that Five's name was Quinn/Quincy which means fifth son.

Cause like get it: Five's name would LITERALLY mean five!

Idk that just seems like something he would do if he had to pick a "normal" name.

[danandfuckingjonlmao]

ok some things i LIKED about tua 4 since we all have talked exclusively about what we hated (SPOILERS AHEAD):

idc what anyone says the baby shark bit was iconic every time it came on i jammed

klaus had a comic book storyline from hotel oblivion!! let’s go source material!!

diego and luther being himbos

allison and klaus friendship

the entire birthday party scene was hilarious and fun and so THEM ok

the road trip scene that was in the trailer such iconic sibling goofy clownery they’re fucking idiots

klaus. he was in it. any time i get to see my little freak is time well spent.

incredibly unpopular opinion but i liked the ending i think they need an end from the cycle of apocalypses and suffering like they deserve a rest they’ve earned it and it was sweet that they all went together and the “i love you guys………but you’re all such fucking assholes” and then “fuck you” and everyone laughing and crying and THEN AND THEN ALL THE CHARACTERS FROM THE VARIOUS SEASONS BEING AT THE END i was SOBBING

klaus having a podcast of himself giving himself affirmations like that’s so funny

they actually gave somewhat of a shit about each other like diego was so DAD my babies have grown up but not too much they’re still fucking toddlers

lila is so pretty and funny and hot and unhinged she means so much to me

lila and klaus friendship!! lila and allison!! bonding!!

gene and jean were SUCH classic umbrella academy characters. loved them.

viktor gets all the pussy

i cannot stress how much all of the group scenes were so fucking sibling i love them ok

NO LUTHER AND ALLISON INCEST THANK FUCK

THUNDERBOLT THE GHOST DOG <3<3<3

klaus and claire oh my god i love uncle klaus so much and he loves her so much

seeing sober klaus and how hard he tried and then the heartbreak when that went away because he’s KLAUS he’s gerard way’s trauma self insert. as much as i want klaus to be safe and content and free from all this bullshit it was just so consistent and i can appreciate that. and i cried like a little bitch it was truly devastating but it was just sooooo klaus. also getting to see him make it incredibly clear that he didn’t want his powers back—him being the ONLY ONE who didn’t want his powers back—was important to me idk. and he was LOVED like he has a family!! he is cared for!! ahhHHHHHH!! love it

claire was great and getting to see her and allison and their tumultuous relationship and their love for each other after all of these seasons of allison looking for her and just wanting to be with her daughter

klaus got dave’s dog tags <3

more flashbacks to brellie kids!!

getting answers to some series-long mysteries

the underground subway system between timelines was so fucking cool and mindfucky 100/10

klaus’s look being reminiscent of s1 sorry that was my favourite klaus look ok

their sort of evolved powers when they got them back

so many good one liners and comedic scenes

ben being a crypto bro is SO FUNNY

will add stuff as i think of it. this is incredibly out of character for me i am an eternal pessimist but i did enjoy s4 (mostly because, as an eternal pessimist, my expectations are always low) so here we are.

[moonlit-void-to-the-far-unknown]

As much as I hated the Lila/five pairing just on character stand points and the fact five and Lila would honestly never do that to Diego, like come on, but like if Ritu Arya was looking at me and laughing like she did in the like montage of them moving through the timelines and was trying to make the best of it by being excited about gumballs, I would end up falling in love with her just as fast as five did. Like we would all fold and fall in love with her in like .2 seconds. And don’t you even try to deny it, look at this beautiful woman and tell me you wouldn’t be heart eyes at her

Now my opinions on how they could have done their whole thing below:

Do I wish they had made it a ‘brother-sister companionship, as two people who truly get what the other has been through and are each others wobbly support system’ yes that would have been amazing, maybe give five a long term girlfriend in the 6 years, one who he’s having trouble connecting with because he’s been through 3 end of the worlds and 45 years alone and then the commission stuff. And in the 7 years Lila and five are trying to get home, they both connect with the other on how they feel about it all and five helps Lila understand Diego more by explaining why he is the way he is, and Lila helps five understand how to open up to his partner, and sure if you want them to kiss for whatever reason, make it like a

“Yeah that was weird right? I thought it was like a thing we had but yeah let’s never speak of this, and we do not tell Diego, I don’t need him trying to stab you” and then have a lil laugh session. And maybe five hides the notebook cause he kind of likes the life in the greenhouse but the fight is more

“I have children who need me! You have a girlfriend who loves you! We have to try.” And five being so tired of the running to save the world gets on the train, goes home but as they blink to the house five wants to go back to that peaceful world, of no running of safety in a bubble. The whole explanation of they were lost for 7 years happens, five maybe is still a bit of a dick because like emotions and things. We learn what’s happening with Ben and Jennifer.

The whole store fight happens

Maybe he takes his partner maybe he doesn’t but he ends up blinking back to the subway platform again and then we get the meeting with the other fives, we understand that the end has to be a full sacrifice of the siblings.

Five returns to the hotel, and everything continues, Lila and fives partner go to the subway, but both of them get off at the last minute. And five finds them and his partner who has been with the siblings this whole time or most of the time just shrugs cause five is what she wants and she doesn’t wanna be in a timeline unable to remember him, idk you can make something up but they all go back to the hotel, and the ending happens, but five holds his partners hand and she just smiles at him as they are erased from everything, and yeah would it be a little odd? Sure.

But it would be better then what they ended up doing which was five hurts his brother and dies feeling alone and used.

They could have had five and Lila end up romantic but turned it into something different. And they realize it’s not a thing they ever wanted really it’s more they were stuck together for so long emotions got a little hazy.

Give five someone, but don’t give him someone who is already someone else’s entire heart.

Diego and Lila have 3 kids together *4 if you count Stanley as a figurative son*

Five deserved his own person, like Luther deserved to have sloane, and Allison deserved to have Ray, Viktor deserved more time with sissy, and Klaus with Dave. You don’t have to pass one around to the others just because she’s still there. You can give us a new person for five. It’s not even the weirdest thing this show has ever done -Klaus having a cult cough cough-

They had a way to do this, and they just picked the worst timeline train to stop on.

[randomness-is-my-order]

it’s been over a month since tua finale and i’m still not over how colosally they fucked it all up. like imagine having gold in your hands and deciding to trade it with trash.

[atriza]

Always Mine

Yandere Five Hargreeves x Reader

Summary: Five Hargreeves is portrayed as emotionally cold and calculating, but his feelings for you have become an obsession. What begins as intrigue toward your intelligence and unique presence turns into dark possessiveness. Five struggles with jealousy as you interact with his siblings, believing only he can truly understand and protect you. In a tense confrontation, he expresses his obsessive need to keep you to himself, insisting that you belong with him. His possessiveness intensifies as he refuses to give you a choice, making it clear that he won’t let anyone take you away from him, whether you want it or not.

Word Count: 863 words.

**Content Warning:**

This story contains dark and potentially distressing themes, including obsessive behavior, violence, manipulation, and psychological distress. It portrays a relationship that is unhealthy and toxic, where one character exhibits controlling and possessive tendencies that lead to extreme actions.

If you are sensitive to these themes or find them triggering, please consider skipping this story.

Have Fun Reading!

Five Hargreeves had never considered himself the emotional type. His siblings often called him cold, calculating, or indifferent. But no one knew the storm that raged within him when it came to you. It wasn't that he wanted to feel like this — no, it was just something that happened, slowly, quietly, and before he even realized it, you became his entire world.

At first, it was subtle. You were just another variable in his equation for survival, someone who happened to be near during his travels through time. He appreciated your intelligence and wit, a companion who could keep up with him. That was rare. He liked rare things. You were different, and that intrigued him.

But soon, intrigue turned to something far darker.

He couldn’t stand seeing you with anyone else. Every laugh you shared with Diego or the soft smiles you gave Klaus made his blood boil. Why were they getting your attention? Why weren’t you looking at him? He was the one who knew you better than anyone. They couldn’t protect you. They didn’t understand you. But he did.

One day, when you were sitting quietly reading a book, Five appeared by your side, as he always did. His presence was like a shadow—imposing, intense, but oddly comforting in a way that only Five could be. You looked up and smiled at him.

“What is it, Five?”

“Why do you spend so much time with them?” His voice was low, deceptively calm, though there was an edge to it, something unnerving.

You blinked, slightly taken aback. “Them? You mean your siblings?”

“Yes,” he said, his gaze never leaving yours. His green eyes were sharp, like they could slice through you if they wanted to. “You’re always with them. Laughing. Smiling. They’re not your family.”

“Well, neither are you, technically,” you teased, trying to lighten the mood. But the cold expression on his face made your smile falter.

“They don’t deserve you,” he muttered, stepping closer. “They don’t see you the way I do.”

“Five…” you said cautiously, but he was already standing directly in front of you, close enough that you could feel the heat radiating from his body. His hands found your wrists, holding them firmly but not painfully.

“You belong with me.” His voice was barely a whisper, but it sent chills down your spine. The possessiveness in his tone was unmistakable. It wasn’t just affection or friendship. This was something much deeper. Darker. Dangerous.

You swallowed, trying to pull back, but his grip tightened ever so slightly.

“You don’t need anyone else,” he continued, his lips now so close to your ear that his breath tickled your skin. “They don’t understand you. They’ll only hurt you. But I won’t. I’ll protect you from them. From everyone.”

“Five, this isn’t… you’re being intense,” you managed to say, your voice trembling slightly.

“Intense?” He chuckled softly, though there was no humor in it. “No, I’m being honest. I’ve seen the future. I know how this ends. You’ll be mine, always. No one else can have you.”

You shivered at the finality in his words. It wasn’t a question or a request. It was a statement, like he was declaring it to the universe itself.

“Five, I don’t—”

He cut you off, pressing his forehead against yours, his eyes locking onto yours with a ferocity that made it impossible to look away. “Don’t fight it. I’ve waited too long. Been through too much to lose you now. And I won’t let anyone take you from me.”

You tried to pull away again, but he didn’t let go. His fingers wrapped tighter around your wrists as if daring you to resist.

“I’m not giving you a choice,” he said, his voice a low growl. “You’re mine. You’ve always been mine. And I’ll make sure it stays that way.”

You could feel your heart racing, your mind swirling with confusion and fear. This wasn’t the Five you knew — or maybe it was. Maybe this was the real Five, the one who had been hiding beneath the calm, collected exterior.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he murmured, almost soothingly, as if he genuinely believed that what he was saying was for your own good. “I’ll keep you safe. Forever.”

As his grip loosened ever so slightly, you realized there was no reasoning with him. Not now. Not ever. Five Hargreeves wasn’t someone who let go of what he wanted. And what he wanted was you.

Always. Forever.

Whether you wanted it or not.

[air--so--sweet]

TUA Season 4 Spoilers

I was so sure we would and then so disappointed that we didn't get, two Ben's in the one body/Sparrow Ben getting Umbrella Ben's memories. And it just occurred to me, the timelines bleeding together, the Keepers having memories of their alternate timeline lives - the plot literary was set up in a way that meant he was primed for it and we still didn't get it. Even if you want to do the nonsensical Jennifer and him become the blob plot you could still have it happen. Have him say something to Viktor in passing that only their Ben could know and that's part of why Viktor is so hell bent on helping him, because he realises some part of Sparrow Ben is also their Ben, even if it's just his memories. Or have Ben remember his sacrifice for Viktor and therefore he feels a connection to him and so will listen to him and accept his attempts to help and it adds further motivation for him to sacrifice himself for Viktor again (even though I hate that he did that, especially when Viktor dies literally what, like a half hour later?).

Have him start to have memories that make him desperate for familial connection to the Umbrellas but they don't see him as that Ben and he's been telling them he's not their brother for years now so he feels unable to forge a connection now. Have him be rebuffed by Klaus of all people, the closest one to Umbrella Ben and the only one who gave Sparrow Ben a chance, and have that loneliness, that desire for love, push him towards Jennifer. Especially as Sparrow Ben has always been a traumatised lonely kid deep down who cant express that because he's been taught it's a weakness. I mean, Klaus practically said as much to him last season and I honestly thought that was where the story was going, that that was why Ben didnt realise something abnormal was happening and that he was being manipulated. But no, the particles were attracting them and made them think and act similarly was the reasoning, and they had no agency at all.

Also making them both say 'I always loved this movie' in reference to The Blob wasn't clever, it was just cheap. Like, considering the tone of the scene it takes place in, it didn't feel like a joke, but if it was meant as serious foreshadowing that's actually worse.

[freetobeafcknriot]

YOUNG BEN & VIKTOR HARGREEVES IN THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY SEASON FOUR EPISODE FOUR (2024)

because i can count the things i liked about season four on one hand and one of them is definitely viktor hanging out in (og) ben's room and trying on his domino mask as ben does his own thing and lets him, the two of them sharing comfortable quiet.

[kimberlyshaws]

[fivesillydandelions]

I'm just glad we're together in the end

[nostallgica]

is it bad that i would actually join destiny’s children