The Umbrella Academy is almost back for another round of the Hargreeves siblings severely screwing up timelines. This time, they’ve messed things up to the point that the Umbrella Academy doesn’t exist in this new timeline. Last season, they all ended up in 1960s Dallas, Texas, with another apocalypse brewing surrounding JFK’s assassination. So, let’s do a quick-ish rundown of what happened in The Umbrella Academy season two to get ready for what’s coming. And the best way to break it down is sibling order.
Here’s your official recap of The Umbrella Academy season two.
Editor’s Note: Although Viktor Hargreeves went by a different name in seasons one and two, we will use the name and pronoun that this character now uses.
Luther/Number One
Luther drops into 1962 and begins to work for Jack Ruby, who killed Lee Harvey Oswald in real-life. He initially doesn’t want to help Five with stopping the apocalypse (again). Luther finds Viktor and apologizes, is heartbroken over Allison’s marriage, and reveals that he went to see Reginald, who coldly rejects him. He eventually reunites with all the siblings (a combination of Five’s excellent wrangling and sheer luck/coincidence encounters). Luther nearly pairs up with an older (in appearance, not age) Five to kill his Five and have the former time jump into 2019 correctly, but doesn’t go through with it. In the end, he comes out rather unscathed on a personal level but confused about the new timeline.
Diego/Number Two
Diego ends up in September 1963 and realizes that he could possibly save JFK. Of course, going around town yelling that the president will die soon lands him a mental institution. It’s there where he connects with Lila, a fellow patient whom we (and Diego) discover is the daughter of The Handler, a high ranking member of the Commission. And, we later find out that Lila is one of the children born on the same day as the Umbrella Academy siblings who can mimic others’ powers. Anyway, they escape and Diego is determined to save JFK despite Five warning him that the assassination not happening is what leads to a nuclear apocalypse.
Diego and Lila get into a contentious relationship because, well, they cannot trust each other. Right before the siblings are set to use their one-way ticket to 2019 (more on that later) she kidnaps him. She tries to force him to work for the Commission after The Handler assumes total control. It doesn’t work, he escapes, and discovers that Viktor will destroy an FBI building, which will lead to a war with Russians. He goes in with Allison, Klaus, and ghost Ben to stop Viktor but gets knocked out. The assassination takes place and Diego goes to 2019 with his siblings.
Allison/Number Three
Allison gets a rough deal this season. She ends up in 1961 and unable to speak for a while after Viktor sliced her throat in season 1. Of course, as a Black woman, she’s in a dangerous time when segregation and racism run rampant. But she lands a job at a salon and meets Ray. He’s a local civil rights leader planning a series of protests to get attention with JFK’s impending arrival. Allison becomes a part of the movement, proud of accomplishing something without verbal manipulation. They fall in love and marry with Allison hiding her powers and past from him.
But, as her siblings start to pop up and situations arise where she needs to rumor, the truth comes out. He sees the good and horrific in her powers. Allison parts ways with him to stop Viktor and he declines her invitation to come to 2019, saying he has work to do in his time. Allison doesn’t rumor his memories of her away (at his request) and leaves him a goodbye letter.
Klaus/Number Four
Oh Klaus. Only he could arrive in 1960, start a whole cult, and encourage people with ‘90s music lyrics. He discovers that Dave, his former lover from a time traveling escapade, is there. He tries to prevent him from enlisting and dying in the war, but Dave’s too under the thumb of his homophobic uncle to listen.
Klaus and Ben go through their normal banter as the former dips in and out of Allison, Five, and Luther’s pathways before temporarily going back to his cult. He even lets Ben use his body to experience being alive for a short time, including a reunion with Diego. It’s always a good time with Klaus.
Five
As usual in every Umbrella Academy season, Five is the center of most major developments and action. He ends up at Doomsday on November 25, 1963, three days after the assassination. Five runs into Hazel, who tells him that there will be ten days to save the world. The Swedes kill Hazel and Five jumps away. He meets Elliott, an observant conspiracy theorist who witnesses and documents Umbrella arrivals in the alleyway. With his help, Five starts the always-difficult task of wrangling his siblings.
He makes a deal with The Handler to kill the entire Commission’s board in exchange for a briefcase to get everyone back to 2019. Everyone doesn’t make it on time, obviously, and Five comes up with a plan to meet “old-Five,” who makes the jump that stuck him in a young body, to get his briefcase to go to a new timeline. He eventually sends a homicidal old-Five there but the briefcase gets destroyed. Secrets come out about Five, including him killing Lila’s birth parents for The Handler to have her. They eventually get a briefcase from the new Commission leader when after The Handler’s demise. Five reverses time to save Lila’s life and get the Swede responsible for The Handler’s death to leave the Academy alone.
Ben/Number Six
Ben tries to get Klaus to stop meddling into Dave’s life, tosses some funny jokes around, and even helps Klaus pull off a floating magic trick. But we get to see his heart when he’s in Klaus’ body. He confesses his feelings to a crush, puts his feet in the dirt, and enjoys food. In the end, Ben shows up for Allison, Klaus, and Diego by getting into Viktor’s body, calming him but also causing himself to depart to the afterlife. Thankfully, we will see him again via a Sparrow version. And he’s a real d*ckhead.
Viktor/Number Seven
Viktor’s journey in The Umbrella Academy season two is interesting. He lands in October 1963 with amnesia. He ends up being a caretaker/nanny on a rural farm for Sissy and Carl, a couple with a son Harlan. (There’s no confirmed diagnosis for Harlan but it’s implied that he’s on the autism spectrum.) Carl is a cruel drunk and Viktor gets close to Harlan and falls in love with Sissy. He initially doesn’t believe what Five and Luther say about his past nor the future but soon realizes they’re right. Contention arises when Carl pieces together the love affair and Viktor gets on the radar of the Swedes and the FBI. Viktor uses his powers to evade trouble and save Harlan’s life from a near-drowning, imprinting a version of his powers on him.
The FBI accost Viktor, accusing him of being a Russian spy and torturing him with LSD and shock therapy until his powers unleash. He nearly explodes the building near Kennedy’s parade motorcade until Ben intervenes. In the end, Viktor takes his power back from Harlan and parts ways with Sissy. Or, at least he thinks he took Harlan’s power. The boy is left with telekinetic abilities and Sissy leaves Carl to begin a new life sans Viktor.
Of course, there are many more details and tidbits that can’t fit here. Now it’s time for the Kugelblitz, Sparrows, insults, and bad decisions. Bring on Umbrella Academy season three.