If you’re going to do a series with superhumans, you have to do it right with the heroes struggling to save the world. The Umbrella Academy does just that in the season one finale, well, at least for a few minutes.
In the previous episode, Vanya is distraught over what she did to Allison, but winds up killing Leonard for his lies and manipulation. The Hargreeves brothers manage to save Allison, however, she won’t be able to talk for some time. Hazel and Cha-Cha go head to head until The Handler appears while Vanya returns to the Academy, but since her siblings know what she did to Allison, they lock her up in a cell. However, Vanya’s powers flare and she is seen escaping at the end of the episode.
The White Violin
The episode begins “long ago” where a much younger Hargreeves (Colm Feore) brings a violin to his wife, however, she tells him to take it with him and find someone who will love it as much as she has. She says she will die there, but she won’t allow him to, and tells him to leave. He releases some kind of energy into the air as missiles launch in the distance. We then see Hargreeves at a wharf set to board a ship and upon his arrival, he finds his way to a store called D.S Umbrella Manufacturing Co, which is for sale.
In the present day, a now changed Vanya (Ellen Page) with her pale skin and ice blue eyes escapes from her cell and Pogo (Adam Godley) tells the siblings to flee the Academy. As she makes it upstairs, she peers into the rooms of her siblings and recalls various memories of them being mean to her before she destroys their room. Meanwhile, Diego (David Castañeda) and Klaus (Robert Sheehan) race around in search of Grace, but Diego gets knocked out by falling debris. Klaus realises the roof is about to fall, but Ben is somehow able to drag them to safety.
Vanya continues destroying the Academy when Pogo tries to bring her to sense and make her stop. While her appearance returns to normal, she asks if he knew and he claims Hargreeves hoped to protect Vanya from herself. When he confirms he knew, Vanya uses her power to lift him into the air, throws him across the room, and impales him.
The siblings escape and Diego thanks Klaus for saving his life. As Vanya leaves, she destroys the Academy completely. Luther (Tom Hopper) tells them that Pogo and Grace died when Five (Aidan Gallagher) rushes towards them and says the apocalypse is still on as Harold was merely the fuse, but Vanya is the bomb. As the helicopters begin circling, they all disperse.
‘Barracuda’ by Heart begins to play as Vanya dons a suit and takes her violin with her, and also destroys a car when the driver yells at her. While taking the bus, she recalls seeing the violin near Hargreeves and he allows her to use it.
A Second (or Tenth) Chance
The Handler (Kate Walsh) points out how poorly Hazel (Cameron Britton) and Cha-Cha (Mary J Blige) have done and the pair try to speak up for themselves. Hazel then says if they were to do what they were told, they should have killed each other and he explains the messages. The Handler realises what Five has done and offers them a new mission: protect Vanya Hargreeves at all costs. If completed, Hazel can resign and be with Agnes, and Cha-Cha gets a new partner and her record expunged.
Meanwhile, the siblings meet up at a bowling alley and Luther wants to stop Vanya, but Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman) and Diego agree they have options. However, when Klaus sees an advertisement in the paper about her concert, Luther and Five agree to stop her. When Klaus speaks up, Luther shuts him down until Diego stands up for him, which is clearly the first time ever. He explains that Ben actually saved Diego’s life and tries to demonstrate, but it doesn’t work. Klaus then lets it slip that Luther lost his virginity which causes Allison to walk off. Luther goes after her to apologise, but she says she needs his voice as she wants to call Claire. He speaks to Claire for the first time and says things that he clearly intends and feels towards Allison.
The siblings start to discuss their plan when a group of agents from The Commission come in guns ablazing. Diego hits one of them with his knife, which causes the agent to fall and start the sound system and lights. ‘Saturday Night’ by Bay City Rollers starts blaring and Luther begins hurling bowling balls at them, while Klaus opts to throw a cake. With no way out, the siblings exit via the bowling lanes.
As for Five, he receives a message from The Handler and realises he received it because one of the sweets he took had a tracker in it. He opens the fortune cookie and finds a note with the motel room number on it and makes the jump. He arrives at the motel to find The Handler and she offers him a few options and he realises it was a distraction and jumps back to his siblings.
Afterwards, Hazel say The Handler’s deal isn’t real as they’ve caused far too much trouble. They follow Vanya and after Cha-Cha undoes her seatbelt, Hazel drives forward and she goes flying through the window. Hazel arrives back at the motel with The Handler having a shower and shoots her in the forehead. He frees Agnes and they kiss.
The Apocalypse Is Nigh
The concert begins with Vanya assuming her spot as first chair and the siblings arrive at the theatre. Allison wants to go in alone, but Luther isn’t for it at first and eventually allows her to enter. However, Diego realises Luther is using Allison as a distraction so they can get Vanya. Allison is in awe of Vanya until Diego and Luther come rushing at Vanya from both sides of the stage. With a flick of her bow, she sends a tidal wave of energy towards the crowd causing mass panic and she plays at a more intense level. The Commission agents begin entering the theatre while Allison is not happy about what Luther did and motions that they need to get the violin off Vanya. Five arrives while Klaus is outside getting a bite to eat and Cha-Cha is walking towards the theatre.
Klaus runs into the theatre and his hands begin to glow blue and he’s able to make Ben manifest, which allows him to use his monstrous tentacles to kill some of the agents. While Ben and Klaus are tearing apart agents (and also feeling super proud of himself), Cha-Cha appears and Diego and her go head to head. However, Diego can’t bring himself to kill Cha-Cha because Patch wouldn’t be happy with his choice.
Vanya continues playing which sees her clothes and violin begin to turn white while the theatre starts to crumble. The brothers decide to come at her from all angles in hopes one of them will make it to her, but she uses her bow again and this time holds the four men in the air with chords of light. However, behind her, a crying Allison holds a gun to Vanya’s head and sees her brothers are dying, but instead of shooting her, she places the gun right near Vanya’s ear and shoots. Vanya drops her brothers and a beam of light shoots from her and hits the moon. Vanya collapses, but she still lives. However, it seems the moon is exploding with asteroids coming right for Earth…
Five says it doesn’t have to be the end and says he’ll use his ability to time travel and take them with him. Hopefully. They all agree to go, but Luther is concerned about taking Vanya with them except Five says she will always be the cause of the apocalypse unless they fix her. Holding hands, Five creates a portal and we see the younger versions of them until they disappear and the theatre disappears in fire, along with the end of everyone else, including Cha-Cha, and Beeman. That being said, Hazel and Agnes are seen leaving in a blue light with a briefcase in tow!
Overall Thoughts?
What a season! What a cliffhanger! Firstly, I didn’t give this episode a 10/10 because it’s episode 10, but more so because it just had everything rolled into 45 glorious minutes. From the banter and quips to the emotional moments and plenty of action, the episode also saw each character get a significant amount of screentime while also pushing for last moments of character development. I’ve said it numerous times in other recaps, but Klaus is possibly my favourite Hargreeves sibling, not only because he’s played by Robert Sheehan, but mostly since he’s severely underestimated and he’s finally given his big moment in the episode. This was clearly obvious with his siblings shocked to see their brother Ben, or Number Six, appear to assist them in defeating the agents from The Commission.
As for the ending, well, let’s hope we’ll be getting a second season to see how the Hargreeves siblings go in trying to fix Vanya. Perhaps every season will just see them ultimately fail and bring on the apocalypse until finally they get it right five seasons later? No? Regardless, I want more.
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