#the Klaus/Five dynamic is interesting

[clockwork-crimson]

my favorite thing about klaus is how inadvertently useful he is. he’s not even trying to help out or be a team player, yet he ends up being the 2nd most productive sibling in getting shit done. luther and diego run around acting like headless chickens constantly, and klaus just walks on screen looking like he just came back from hell (which isn’t far off from the truth) like “hey, here’s an extremely vital piece of information you guys have spent the past 3 episodes looking for—i’m gonna get wasted now.”

[freetobeafcknriot]

FIVE & BEN ft. checking up on your little brother.

[leajoyrambles]

sorry to get angsty on main but I really wanna see a crossover fic where Five Hargreeves meets Bruce Wayne and the topic of, y’know, what would you do for your family, the morality of killing in a given context, etcetera comes up. And a bit of dialogue just going like

Bruce: But once you cross that line, where does it stop?

Five: It doesn’t have to stop — they just have to live.

[zev-rynna]

I remember liking Five Hargreeves so much because of how unique his character was. The nuances in the way he thinks, acts and actually feels inside. The tsundere vibes of “I love you and I will protect you but you will never hear it from me”. 60 years old man stuck in a kid’s body, all that rage pent up in a tiny body and a kid’s face. Five was an all in all very interesting character that lives in the gray area.

Then season 4 went and butchered that. He’s now a brooding character who decided to run away and get stuck in the timeline because he’s emo that his love life failed. Acting exactly like how a person in early 20s would instead of acting like the 60 years old man he is.

His dynamics used to vary depending on which siblings he hangs out with. Remember Season 1 Five with Diego? Season 3 Five with Klaus? Season 3 Five with Viktor? Etc etc… then boom in season 4 it is as if those dynamics did not exist. Lmao.

RIP to a well written, gray, nuance, and beautifully complicated character. Now destroyed, ripped into pieces, and burnt to the ground (literally).

[laurrelise]

oh dear god i fucking hope not

am i going crazy or did anyone else notice that in S3E9 of tua it's insinuated that klaus and sparrow ben did the shabangbang? i swear to god i never picked up on it before but in my most recent rewatch i was like "okay... they wake up after a drunken night that neither of them can remember.. both shirtless.. sprawled out on the floor and on the pool table.. klaus is in his undies.. he also says something about ben opening up his 'kimono' to him..." AND later in the episode luther asks five if ben hooked up with anyone and five just smirks and doesn't answer. not to mention ben and klaus were cuddling when all of the siblings were outside after luther and sloane's wedding. y'all i swear im not crazy, watch the scene where they wake up the next morning and tell me there isn't some kind of tension there. tbh it's probably some more queerbaiting weird sibling sh!t that the writers are pulling cause let's be honest i do not put that past them. it just caught me so off guard and i haven't seen anyone on here mention it so far.

[3njoythesil3nce]

Plot holes/crappy writing in TUA 4

• Five, the guy who spent 45 years in an apocalypse and went back specifically to save his siblings from the same fate, ended up betraying Diego with such lightness and unjustified hatred and almost left the whole family because he got rejected by Lila?

• Five and Lila together just because Five needed a love interest when up until a season ago they had a sibling dynamic and Lila was madly in love with Diego

• In the end they decide to sacrifice themselves to destroy the Marigold but then they all reincarnate as Marigold flowers? and there is literally half a bottle of Marigold left intact in Diego's van?

•why in the hell was Lila shooting laser from her eyes? where did that power come from?

• Luther regains his powers and gets his monkey body back even though it has NOTHING to do with his powers since he morphed into that after Reggie saved his life by injecting him with a serum in season one

• in the end, all the past villains are shown together in the correct timeline when they all should be from completely different times

• Five feels like a COMPLETELY different person, the decharacterization was unreal.

• Klaus' new powers are shown for a second and then for the rest of the season he's basically reduced to a prostitute, ruining all the anticipation of seeing his true strength that has been building up since season 2 and nullifying all of his self improvement

• why was Jennifer in a fucking squid?

• in the end how are the children alive if their parents never existed?

• Ben and Jennifer were completely USELESS. and they were supposed to be key characters of the season

• Abigail's storyline made NO sense at all, she was supposed to be one of the most important characters in the show since the foreshadowing of her presence starts in season 1 and then she is reduced to two scenes in which she basically goes "fuck you Reggie for destroying the world, now I'll destroy it too as punishment" ???

• when Five meets the other Fives in the diner he doesn't show any symptoms of Paradox Psychosis

• Ray and Sloane are cut out of the show with two lines without explaining anything

• Diego dies without saying goodbye to his children

• Jean and Gene barely have a role in the whole season

• Allison sacrificed everything and everyone for Claire and their relationship is reduced to 3 scenes?

[rebelumbrella46]

Let’s just be honest—The Umbrella Academy was essentially cancelled after Season 3, but given the massive fandom, Netflix gave them the chance to wrap up the story with a final season. It’s similar to what happened with Shadowhunters—it was cancelled, but after the outcry from fans, they were given two more episodes to tie things up.

For me, the first two seasons were masterpieces. They truly became my comfort show and introduced me to my comfort characters. This might sound cheesy, but it’s true—when the first season aired, I was going through a rough time in my life, and I held on to this show like my life depended on it. Season 2 arrived amidst the pandemic, and it was a light in the darkness for me as well. Even with the massive success of Season 2, I think Netflix hesitated to greenlight another season. I remember waiting for an announcement, and it felt like it took forever.

Season 3 was filmed during the pandemic, and if I recall correctly, Netflix cut the budget for visual effects. So, the season didn’t quite live up to the expectations set by Season 2. Regardless of its flaws, I enjoyed it, but I would have enjoyed it more if the writing hadn’t been so sloppy and, at times, cheesy.

But this last season? It feels like fanservice—and not even good fanservice. For example, the Lila and Five thing? The enhanced powers? The Jennifer Incident? All of it fell flat. Klaus’s storyline this season was basically what I wanted to see in Season 3, but it was delivered too late and added nothing meaningful to the plot.

But was the main plot really supposed to be about Jennifer? Who cares about introducing a new character in the final season instead of focusing on saying goodbye to the beloved main characters?

The subplots were boring. Klaus’s storyline was fanservice, but it felt like they just threw us a bone to appease years of fans asking for Klaus to get his comic powers. And it was insulting. Ben and Jennifer in love? Unrealistic and boring. The train station? Who came up with that cheap idea? I thought it would be a place built by Reggie, but there was no explanation at all.

The apocalypse no longer feels exciting or even important. There’s no sense of urgency anymore.

The family dynamics—the strongest part of this show—felt odd and weak. Pairing Viktor with Reginald was boring. Lila and Diego’s drama? Nonsense. And what was the point of Claire? I thought she would be the main conflict of the season, with everyone banding together to save a character we’ve known since Season 1, who has emotional ties to every Umbrella.

And where were the villains? To make it as interesting as Seasons 1 and 2, you need a great antagonist. Like Hazel and Cha-Cha, The Handler, Reginald, or even an antihero like the Sparrows, Harlan, or the Commission. Why not make Abigail the greatest threat? Or bring back some of the former villains?

What about resolving old family drama, so that if the show’s end was going to be the family sacrificing themselves, they could all go in peace?

Instead, they didn’t address Allison’s betrayal at all. They created a huge rift between Five and Diego. Nothing for Klaus and Ben. No Umbrella Ben. No Sloane. Why is Lila even here anymore? Why didn’t she just ditch out like Ray and leave Diego with the kids to be a single dad? That would’ve made more sense coming from Lila than from Ray, to be honest.

For me, the writers, producers, and directors knew this show was cancelled, so they didn’t even try anymore. For me, the ending of season 3 was meant to be the ending of the show.

I watched Game of Thrones after it ended, so I didn’t experience the same level of rage, disappointment, and betrayal that fans felt. But now, I do.

[tootalltech]

the more i think about tua s4 the more it’s like. wow they really just lost steam after the first four episodes huh? like the first four weren’t amazing necessarily, but there was some interesting stuff being set up. i wanted to see what would go on with ben and jennifer, or where the hell five and lila were, or how they would fix some dynamics within the group like between klaus and allison. and i thought gene and jean were kind of good villains, like they were just on the classic tua spectrum of funny, unsettling, and weird. and then it’s like they just didn’t know how to wrap any of it up. like i would fully believe that the ending of the show was not how they meant to conclude it, but they couldn’t think how else to “fix” things in so little time. the five and lila thing i still just really don’t get the purpose of, but it did still feel very rushed and maybe the writers didn’t want to try and figure anything else out about the subway thing they created and five’s new powers being connected to it. and that problem is solved if they have five and lila give up looking (no matter how out of character it is for both of them) and create some lame sibling drama to fill the screen time they could’ve used to explain any of their own world building. not to mention that they then go “oh actually none of it matters anyway because they’re gonna destroy all those timelines and there will just be one real one”- which now that i think about it is another plot hole but that’s another post.

anyway. i guess what i’m trying to say is that some of season 4 was fine. like. the “you’re a good brother” moment from diego to five who looks a little guilty yet touched bc he knows he’s still kind of lying to diego, but he also knows if he were in lila’s position he wouldn’t want his partner to just be told that he’s getting himself into dangerous situations again like that? that’s good. that’s diego, lila, and five’s dynamic right there. lila thinking it’s absolutely hilarious that diego would ever think she’s cheating on him with five? that works, because it is ridiculous. and lila and five both sneaking into the keepers meetings at the start was very in-character for both of them as well. they’re the two former commission agents who get bored with normal life very easily (another reason it makes no sense to have them settle down with each other, lmao). it’s like they understood the three of them decently well before the fifth episode, and when it started they just kind of lost the plot. so i personally will just be ignoring the last two episodes. diego and five love each other even if they are both very grumpy sometimes. and diego and lila still have communication problems but they also are never going to leave each other (and hey, even david castañeda understood that). and then five and lila are commission frenemies who on some level still can’t stand each other but also know they need to work together a lot of the time. and i’m sure they and the rest of the umbrellas figure everything out and stop the fourth apocalypse and live happily ever after. the end.

[drspencereidshairtie]

Season Four of The Umbrella Academy was really really something for me because I had disliked lila since the very second they first introduced her. I remember being actively relieved when the show confirmed my suspicions about her, because i had felt a bit bad at first for judging her for no tangible reason.

I never really warmed up to her, in fact i actively hated her by the end of season two (which only went on to get 50x worse in season three with the whole he's our son / just kidding / whoops he's dead / haha im pregnant by the way thing) and then of course season four happened.

I actually almost kinda liked mom!lila. I was like oh, she can be human. She CAN be likeable. Maybe, just maybe, she's not a monster. I liked her new dynamic with Diego, and i enjoyed seeing her being a stressed, caring, normal mom and having a mundane life...for about two seconds. Then the whole 'book club / not book club / let him think I'm CHEATING on him' thing happened, and i was swiftly reminded that there was a reason i didn't like Lila.

Then she gets a power. It was actually a chance for her to be interesting and have character growth beyond just being a mom and wife. They could have used her to show what it's like when marigold interacts with someone who's never before had powers; they could have had some kind of fun training montage, like they did with Klaus and Reginald in season three when he discovered his immortality; and they SHOULD have done something of consequence with it, like having her accidentally hurt someone, or damage something important, idfk but, like, literally fucking anything!!!????!!!!???!!!!??? 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Instead, they just gave her stupid useless eye lasers that she uses about three times, can't control at all, and never comes up again. And it feels like they did it because they knew Lila was a weak character that couldn't stand on her own without the context of the rest of the umbrella academy, so they had to kinda 'even out the playing field' somewhat, even if it defied any and all logic and reason.*

Which, in my case at least, was an unfortunate choice. The one thing I'd actually somewhat liked about Lila was that, despite her personality and history, she was, for all intents and purposes, just an average human. I like seeing regular people in shows about abnormal folk. They give a nice context to the chaos, even if they too are 'chaotic' characters, you know?

Just when I thought she couldn't get worse.........well. I don't think i have to explain what happened. It was so much worse because Five had always been one of my favourite characters and OH MY GOD,,,,,,, HE WOULD NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER DO THAT! HE WOULD NOT DO THAT???? And you know I'm not just saying that in a delusional 'i know him better than the writers do' fan way, because pretty much everyone is in agreement.

He LITERALLY would not fucking do that. ESPECIALLY with Lila, who he's always disliked at best and actively tried to KILL at worst, and especially not now that she's his BROTHER'S WIFE and not to mention the MOTHER OF HIS BROTHER'S CHILDREN????

Anyway, that was my final nail. I no longer just hated Lila and passively wished she hadn't been added to the show, I wanted her dead. I wanted her to be killed off, or have something happen where five returned to the correct timeline but Lila couldn't for some reason, I just wanted her gone and SOON. I think it was probably what killed season four for most people, not just me. I think that if Lila had never existed, or at least hadn't made it to season four, or hadn't gone with five and................

If that hadn't happened, I think it could have been salvageable, even despite the one million and one problems with the season.

TL;DR: I genuinely, truly, deeply believe that the main issue with season four of the umbrella academy was the overarching existence of one 'Lila Pitts.'

(Don't even get me started on her almost jeopardising everything at the last moment in the final episode. I almost broke something in sheer frustration, because OH MY GOD we literally don't have time for this the world is ending infinitely and your life is not more important than the life of a single slug muchless the lives of BILLIONS of people- deep breaths, dustyn. Deep breaths.)

[aimportantsheep]

Some fun headcanons for Klaus, Porsha, Nooshy, and (since he’s my favorite) even more about Darius!

Klaus Kickenklober:

Perfectionist Tendencies:

Klaus has an immaculate routine—everything from his diet to his exercise schedule is planned down to the minute. If something disrupts it, he becomes hilariously irritable.

He spends hours perfecting his choreography but will never admit how much effort it takes. He’d rather people think it comes naturally.

Hidden Passion:

Secretly a fan of vintage musicals but acts like they’re “beneath him.”

Loves tea more than coffee, but drinks coffee in public because it feels more "refined."

Unintentionally Funny:

Klaus’s bluntness often makes people laugh, though he never means to be funny. He’ll say something completely serious, and everyone will assume it’s a joke.

He’s bad with modern slang. Nooshy once said “slay,” and he thought she was being literal.

Porsha Crystal

Social Media Queen (obviously):

Porsha has a massive following online and posts daily updates about her outfits, rehearsals, and random thoughts. Her fans adore her chaotic energy.

Unpredictable Talent:

She’s surprisingly good at skateboarding. Nooshy taught her a few tricks, and now she insists on bringing her board everywhere.

Can do makeup perfectly in under five minutes, no mirror required.

Heart of Gold:

Despite her spoiled upbringing, Porsha genuinely cares about her friends and will defend them with her whole heart.

She’s the first to cheer someone up when they’re down, often with wildly over-the-top ideas like throwing a surprise party.

Quirky Interests:

Loves conspiracy theories and has a whole notebook dedicated to researching them. She swears aliens are real.

Collects novelty mugs and insists on drinking her coffee from a different one each day.

Nooshy:

Street Smart:

Knows every shortcut and hidden gem in the city. If you’re lost, Nooshy is your go-to guide.

She’s amazing at bargaining and can talk her way into getting almost anything for free.

Loyal Friend:

She has a protective streak, especially with the younger cast members. If someone messes with them, she’ll show up ready to throw hands.

Hobby Enthusiast:

Has a surprisingly good singing voice but keeps it to herself, claiming it’s “not her thing.”

Even More Darius Headcanons!!! 🩷🩷🩷🩷🥹🙏

Center of Attention:

If Darius walks into a room and no one notices, he’ll “accidentally” drop something or hum loudly to make sure they do.

He tries to act unfazed when he’s complimented but secretly thrives on the praise.

Artistic Side:

Loves sketching but is terrible at it. He’ll show Louisa (My oc) his attempts, and she’ll have to stifle a laugh while complimenting his "abstract" style.

Writes overly dramatic song lyrics in his downtime, but most of them never see the light of day.

Surprisingly Messy:

His home is the perfect mix of luxury and chaos. Expensive furniture? Yes. Clothes and scripts strewn everywhere? Also yes.

He has an organization system that makes sense only to him, like keeping his socks in the kitchen drawer because it’s “convenient.”

Hilarious Vulnerabilities:

Gets grumpy when people don’t laugh at his jokes, even though they’re sometimes awful.

Dynamic with Louisa:

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

He’d be the type to tease Louisa constantly, but the moment someone else does it, he’d shut them down with an intense glare.

If Louisa’s ever upset, he’ll do anything to make her smile, even if it means embarrassing himself.

[bluesyjean]

"Barber Banter May Offend" is still one of my favorite little details in S1E7. Some thoughts:

That entire sequence is excellent on levels that the first season hits so many times. The narrative is so compelling in this episode (Klaus meets god and finds out Reggie killed himself, Five collapses of blood loss from a wound he hid for like an entire day, Diego is wanted for murder of a woman he loved, Viktor's outburst to protect Leonard who then loses That Eye, Allison speeds off to confront him without the knowledge that the audience has) literally every character is going through it. I have love for all the seasons, but man, the first one is so tightly written and hits all the emotional beats for me.

Ben has a great dialog with Klaus here too, when he tells him that Luther would go after him if he was in his position. ("I know you didn't mean to die violently at a young age" is still such a great line after Klaus regrets his comeback.) The banter feels so much like siblings and you can feel Ben's frustration and tragedy so well in moments like this.

I also love and miss season one Luther (and Diego). I'll never understand why Luther got so much hate when he's at his most complex and interesting in this first season. I really feel for him, living in isolation for four years on the moon only to find out it was for nothing, because Reggie never even read his reports. All this not long after his body was mutated when he obviously worked incredibly hard to be a perfect soldier and must have at least taken some pride in how he looked and how his father viewed him. It's no wonder he reaches a breaking point.

Diego was my absolute fav in the first season, and while I still adore him, he and Luther got downgraded to comic reliefs as the series went on. Which was great at times, but man... he was so raw in season one and my heart broke for him constantly. His determination to avenge Patch, while also trying to settle his conflicting feelings over Grace coming back (when it was so hard for him to shut her down the first go-around) is something I could write much more about.

The Diego/Allison/Five dynamic is so good here and I wish we'd gotten more of it. Five is unconscious most of this episode and still, the breaking into Leonard's house and the dialog between them is more naturally funny than anything in S2/S3 if you ask me. (Said with love.)

Anyway, rewatch is ongoing. I've barely written about my favorite season, so maybe I'll sum up some more thoughts by the end of it. I'll never get tired of talking about these losers, or how much love I have for this crazy show.

PS - the choice at end of this episode of a Radiohead song... perfection.

[zalisok]

TUA Rant #2: Pacing

Spoilers ahead:

I also want to talk about the pacing of the show: it was odd.

The first episode was already a bit odd for me: they took quite a long time to introduce the characters, but it didn't seem like enough. A bit contradictory, but still. 5 years passed snice the last season and some changes seemed pretty sudden. I want to know more about Diego and Lila's budding tension, Viktor being bad at dating, Klaus becoming a germaphobe (which lasted for, like, 2 episodes. I get that it's linked to his powers but it was still a bit disorientating), Luther becoming a stripper professional dancer. But with 6 episodes I think they did try to do the best they could, and I'm not going to give them any more shit about it, I do understand that it's hard.

There were scenes that didn't need to be there. The scene where they were puking in the van. It went on for a long time (in my mind it was, but it was probably a minute or two). And the Five and Lila scenes oh my god that plot point took up so much time and went absolutely nowhere except hinder the main plot. Like what was the point.

Klaus' (and Allison's) sideplot went absolutely nowhere. It was interesting to watch and I was invested, but it didn't help push the main plot like Klaus' sideplots usually do. It was just there.

Diego and Luther's sideplot did link back to the main plot, but only for a bit. At least their dynamic was fun to watch (Maybe I'll do a post for all the characters a bit later).

I was cool with the first four episodes. I was genuinely interested in a plot and there was a feeling of suspense, a mystery to be solved. I thought the plot points above would link back to the apocalypse somehow. But they mostly didn't, and that was a bit of a letdown. There were so many parts that were just irrelevant, and when you have limited runtime, that's not ideal.

And in turn I feel like a lot of plot points that needed to be expanded upon just WEREN'T. And a lot of it had so much potential and were genuinely interesting to me.

For Jennifer: why was she in a squid? Why did she have durango in her body instead of Marigold? What happened to her family? I want to know more about what the Cleanse actually is. Why does it appear the way it does? Why does it get bigger and bigger? Why did the reaction of two particles create a Lovecraftian horror-esque creature? Why is it named "The Cleanse"??

For Abigail and Reginald: what exactly happened when she synthesized the particles? Why did she synthesize the particles? i want to know more about her and Reginald. Is she an alien as well? Why can she change skins? And why is Reginald an alien? How did he manage to get a whole village under his control? What was his school for wayward boys? And why did that memory machine ever exist, what kind of technology is he cooking in his basement?

For the Umbrellas: Why did their powers return the way that they did? Some of them changed a bit, some of them didn't, some of them got extra powers. Was there any explanation for that? I feel like I have a lot of questions that weren't answered.

And the subway! The idea of it is so cool and it has so much potential. I wish it was explained more.

The ending was really hasty to me. The death scene was way too sudden. The Five deli scene was out of place (to me), though it was interesting to watch. It was like BOOM i guess we all have to die now. It didn't land well.

I do feel like the pacing would have been done better if there were 10 episodes. Some aspects of the show would have been made better. I also think some of the show's plot was sacrificed for comedic scenes. I always enjoy a fun scene but personally, I don't think that should have been the main point of the season. If they didn't have the time to really expand upon the new plot points to make a complete narrative they shouldn't have added so much in.

[umbrellalavender]

Umbrella Academy spoilers:

I’ve just finished the show.

I’m balling my eyes out on my sofa. Yet at the same time I feel so emotionally numb.

I enjoyed this season so much!

I don’t know if the ending was satisfying or not. I just don’t know. It made me feel something.

I was singing along to I Think We’re Alone Now just crying at the end. And I was screaming seeing all the characters back. And when Gabriel Bà was in it! (It might have been better if I watched it yesterday, considering that’s the day Pogo said?)

There were some moments that just really hit! Lila sending her family off to another timeline knowing that she’s going to have to sacrifice herself. Her and Allison knowing that their children aren’t going to have parents. And just seeing them on the field all happy made me cry so much.

I hate to admit that I wasn’t satisfied with Ben’s ending. I thought it would be a bit more emotional, but it just kind of sucked that he didn’t get that time with the others at the end. The effects when he was turning just made me laugh as well. Ben’s my favourite so I’m annoyed he didn’t get that time.

Also, I do kind of ship Ben and Jennifer. I’m not that familiar with MCR lore, but they remind me of the demolition lovers. When I think about them, I think about the ending of I Never Told You What I Do for a Living, “And never again, and never again, they gave us to shots to the back of the head and we’re all dead now.”

Umbrella Ben’s death hit me so hard! I was expecting this really emotional moment, but the lack of emotions in it really made it.

One: Ben was sent on this mission despite not wanting to go.

Two: They were made to blow up something with a living being inside. Ben didn’t want to blow up someone.

Three: Reginald shot Jennifer and his own son with no remorse what so ever. In front of his siblings!

Four: Ben and Jennifer’s body being the title card felt so brutal!

Five: Reginald wiped their minds so they wouldn’t remember what even happened to their own brother.

Six: He put the blame on his siblings! And gave that utterly shit eulogy! Somehow, that funeral scene found a way to become even more shitty, which is quite impressive!

Honestly, I think this was the best way to do it. There are so many questions around it too. Was Pogo aware of what happened? Was Ben? I get the idea that Umbrella Ben remembers being shot, but he probably wouldn’t know who killed him. Ben wouldn’t know that his siblings didn’t know?

I love Abigail and Reginald! It took me by surprise that Abigail was responsible for this and that she wanted the opposite to what Reggie wanted. Reggie had done all this to bring her back and she wanted to end it all. In a way, Reginald is quite similar to the children with his motivations and it really shines through this season. Colm Feore plays him so well! He’s funny and detestable at the same time.

I also really enjoy the subway system! I think it was a really cool way to show them travelling through timelines.

This might be controversial, but I enjoyed the Five and Lila situation. I’ve seen quite a lot of hate for it. But it made an interesting dynamic when they got back. And it also makes sense for the characters. They had been stuck jumping through timelines for 7 years.

I love that there are quite a lot of comic references in here. A small one is that I recognised who Jennifer was before her name was revealed because her name badge was the same design as the comics. Pretty proud of myself for that one!

But mostly that Klaus got to have his Hotel Oblivion story arc (it is Hotel Oblivion, right).

I have calmed down a little bit after writing this. It really feels like the end, you know? There’s no easy way to just bring the characters back in my mind and I don’t like that. I feel like after every season, I just feel smaller and smaller because of how many timelines they introduce. And this one is the same. It does a much better job at making me feel small. I still feel like there are many mysteries, which would be fun to delve into fanfiction for!

So, yeah. Long ramble about season 4. I enjoyed this season so much. And this show has meant a lot to me over the years. I can’t believe it’s over.

[spaceorphan18]

Umbrella Academy Thoughts

So. I did end up finishing Season 4 last night.

I need to preface this with -- I actually really do love this show. The first season of it is still one of my favorite TV stories. I love the characters. I love the sibling dynamics. I love superhero element - where the powers feel fresh or interesting spins on old things. Five and Klaus are just everything.

I didn't love love Seasons 2 or 3, but they were solidly good.

But they could have left things be after Season 3. They could have left well enough alone. Because Season 4, man. What???

Okay, onto spoilery things.

I will say, I really love the concepts and ideas the season had. The strange alien goo stuff wiping everything out while enhancing powers? Sure, fine. The train station that went to different time lines -- inspired, loved that. Even the idea behind the ending -- I could get behind if done correctly.

They had six episodes to tell a really compelling story and just... didn't. Most of it was a waste of time, a bunch of it didn't make sense, and some of it was just plain stupid, and it really breaks my heart that a show that was so, so, so brilliant when it started descended into this mess.

One thing I did like was Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally as the two cult leaders. They were fantastically cast, and did a great job even when the scripts descended into nonsense. I wish they had a stronger ending, but great choice in the casting department.

I have to wonder - the first episode is pretty solid, and I actually like the idea of their lives kind of sucking in their happily ever after era, which thematically makes sense when they wrap around to being erased. Another great idea. But I wonder -- did they get the note that it'd be six episodes after they started writing? But there's a definite shift after the first couple episodes that started to feel like both they were trying to cram in too much to the episodes and that there wasn't enough plot to really make an interesting story. The pacing was incredibly weird.

So... let's talk about the rest of the characters, shall we?

Luther -- I honestly loved his characterization in this season. He was great! He also had really nothing to do, and the whole thing at the CIA's office was a waste of time. Why did we need that sequence, especially when it took up an entire episode?

Diego -- I feel like they made him a little too much of a loser? I also kind of missed his banter with the other siblings. He just felt like a shell, which was intentional, but never got any redemption? Which -- like, if you're going to erase the characters, and this goes for everyone, give them some kind of satisfying growth or ending before they're gone.

Allison -- I'm amused that everyone just kinda let it go (honestly, I don't even remember what she did do, I only watched Season 3 once, but I remember it was bad) but I am glad she got to not be the bad guy this season. Finally. She had some nice moments. Again, didn't really do much ultimately.

Klaus -- my god, the biggest waste of time during the whole season. I love where they started him. But why did he get the stupid subplot of him being a medium? Why did we go there? It's like they needed him out of the way, and buried in a box. You can see the -- how do we get there of it all. But none of it was needed. And it's clear they had no actual idea of how to get him into the main plot. Because he does nothing. And it just... breaks my heart because I love his character so much.

Five -- *sigh* Five is my /favorite/ character, and just... what?? The biggest BIGGEST wasted opportunity was not having more shenanigans related to the train station. Could you imagine if he brought everyone and they all had to timeline jump? It would have been so cool! The concept was brilliant and amazing and just... what?? I did love the diner of Fives. That was inspired and a taste of what i really wanted. But instead they waste all that opportunity on a love triangle. And I get that maybe they were going for Five having character growth of thinking about more than himself? Kind of? But then they missed idea of their whole character who spent three seasons trying to save EVERYONE and not himself, I just... I can't with it. I can't.

Ben -- I'm fine with the Ben stuff, mostly. He was the main plot, it worked until the end when it dissolved into stupidity and shit monsters.

Victor -- At least he got to be part of the main plot in a meaningful way. I did like he and Hargreeves teaming up. It was one aspect that did work for me. I've always felt they never gave Elliot Page enough to do, when he's one of the stronger actors, but at least he didn't get the worst things to do.

Lila -- Oh my god. back to the love triangle stuff. I don't mind her, or the fact that she and Diego had a shitty life. It's fine. But the love triangle was so uninspired. So felt like I've seen this kind of thing a hundred times before. It was so terrible that they needed to waste their time on it. Why? What did any of these characters do to deserve it? It's like, the show, every time it diverged from interesting sci-fi concepts and attempted human drama just kind of failed. And it's sad.

Jennifer -- I... still have so many questions. How did the anti-marigold stuff get into her in the first place? Why was she in a squid? Just... what??

Regi and his Wife -- They've always been so vague about them. I wish they had explained just a little bit more. Just have a little more context and I think it would have gone a long way. The characters just didn't ask enough questions of them, and the story felt thin and unrealized as a result.

Okay... The ending...

When you get to the point in your story where you're CGI'ing a giant shit monster, don't you think it's time you're probably done, done? Like if you are doing this creatively? You've run out of ideas and you're just scrapping the bottom of the barrel. It's just... kind of sad. Everything about it is sad.

As for being erased, I don't actually hate the concept, but man do I hate the execution.

There was a way that could have been incredibly narratively satisfying. You erase them, and then go back to the beginning, and the kids get to live and grow up on their own. Then for the last sequence (loved that they brought I think I'm alone now) you have seven strangers pass each other in the park not knowing each other. And that would have been fantastic, you know? A way for the characters to live on and still uphold the ending.

But what we got? It just felt... so muddled? Like -- how is Claire's kid alive when she never existed? Same with Diego and Lila's kids? I don't understand it!! And the cameos were cute -- but why not bring back everyone? I just don't think it makes a whole lot of sense the way it plays out.

The entire season needed a rewrite, better editing, stronger character focus, and it would have been brilliant. Because the ideas are there. The concepts of this season are great. But maybe they ran out of time? Maybe Netflix switched things on them last second? Or maybe the powers that be aren't that great at their jobs?

Idk, idk. I don't blame the actors (or the crew) they did what they could to salvage the messy, messy script choices.

But I think what makes me the saddest is that it's such a botched ending, this show, that really was so good in the beginning, will end up being forgotten by time because of its ending. In ten years, people will probably forget this show ever existed because we've all moved on not wanting to go back to it.

What a disappointment.

[wolfwoodscigarettes]

UMBRELLA ACADEMY S4 SPOILERS!!

what the hell was that????? like we were going so well, i was loving the family dynamic, the comedy, the odd town and five's subway thing!!! it was interesting, kinda refreshing, honestly so good! but then it completely went down hill

they tried to introduce a lot of characters and left the old (and loved) ones in the back like... what the hell was that storyline for klaus? and lets not even mention that shit they tried to pull between lila and five... i cant be the only one who practically skipped all of the garden scenes

and ben and jennifer's rushed love story??? were we supposed to be liking it???

but lets get back to lila and five, because i've got a lot to say

i was really excited at first because i thought it'd stay in something like enemies to friends or something, with their occasional bickering and funny scenes

but what the hell was that???

and whats up with five at the beginning telling diego "only an idiot would risk their family like that" (reffering to having an affair or something close to it) "and lila's no idiot" ??? was that supposed to be like idk foreshadowing or some shit????

i have a few more things to say but it's like 6am... im completely regretting having pulled an allnighter for this crap

[the-sun-and-the-sea]

umbrella academy season 4 spoilers :(

This show meant a lot to me in 2020-2022 and even though I’m not as into it now i was still really excited for season 4. I was enjoying the first episode or two even though it felt really different than the other seasons but as it went along i just started to feel more and more like tua has been over for a long time already :(

I did like a few things about s4. I enjoyed the Klaus and Allison dynamic a lot and how their relationship was developed. I liked seeing another flashback from their childhood and finally learning how Ben died (although…idk what that even was). And it was satisfying that Viktor got to say his piece to Reginald.

Here are some other thoughts:

I kept expecting Sloane to show up but no. She just disappeared at the end of last season and we never figured out where she went??

Apparently Ray and Allison are no longer together but we never find out why or when or how or any of that. Where is Ray?

I would have loved for Viktor to be able to reach out to Ben at the end, paralleling their scene together at the end of season 2 where Ben saved Viktor. I really thought that’s where they were going with that.

Ok Five and Lila. Just going to leave that there.

No but since when does Five (who survived 40 years in the apocalypse, killed the Commission’s board, and worked tirelessly for weeks to save the world so that his family would be safe) just decide to leave and let his family die?? What

We did not need romantic love between Five and Lila. Not necessary.

Also I’m sort of confused, why did ghost Ben never tell klaus that Reginald killed him?

Why was Jennifer in the squid

I don’t understand anything about Jennifer actually

I’m also confused about what Reginald and Abigail were doing can someone explain

I used to think i had a strong understanding of this show despite its complexity sometimes but not i don’t think that lol

I think the ending is fine, but i wish Ben was there with them. I was so excited to see that this would be a Ben-centric season…that’s not exactly what i meant

I love ben and he deserved better

Also five said something in one of the earlier episodes like “this is why i never got married” like what about Dolores??

I wish Allison’s actions in season 3 had been addressed more. That was a really contentious season for her and i would have loved for the siblings to work through some of that. But no. Six year time skip

When i think of tua i’m always going to think of seasons 1 and 2. There’s so much interesting stuff to work with that I’ve loved writing/reading about these past four years. I don’t think I’m going to be spending a lot of time with seasons 3 and 4, but i might continue writing about the earlier seasons. That’s about all i have, lmk if you have tua thoughts!