“On the twelfth hour of the eighth day of August 2024, absolutely nothing out of the ordinary occurred.”
It’s been quite the wait for the arrival of the final season of the Netflix original series “The Umbrella Academy.” With a bittersweet ending: the world’s ending … again. Do the Hargreeves have what it takes to set things right one last time?
“A Litter of Child Superheroes in Short Pants”
The first episode opens to an effortless montage. We are met again in this final season with our heroes six years into the future since we last saw them, giving us that Umbrella Academy flair we all so adore. Passing through each character’s life and new beginnings, we view how they have coped with and moved on from their superhero lifestyle. A bartender, convict, germaphobe and stripper are not our usual run-ins when it comes to the Umbrellas, and that assumption carries through as emotions unravel.
This was not the only surprise upon viewing this new season. We are introduced to new characters: Jean (Megan Mullally) and Gene (Nick Offerman) who are our new dynamic duo behind the conspiracy of the ending of the world. I will say, this plotline ran through rather quickly and I wish we had more time with our new characters. However, buckle up because there’s lots more where that came from.
Mission to Maine
“The Cleanse,” the conspiracy followed by Gene and Jean’s cult “The Keepers,” has an astronomical tie to the Umbrellas and mishaps of their pasts. They’ve saved the world time and time again and in doing so has led to this finale which is the ultimate test for our high-strung heroes. Without their powers and trust, it’s hard to watch as this family tries to come together one more time to save humanity.
Within the next episode, it’s not long before the Umbrellas are given a chance to regain their powers. I was hoping to see a different take from our powerless family and how they would take on the world this time. There is an intense undertone as we watch each character try to gain control of their stronger power.
Although within that there is also large amounts of room for comedic effect. Something the production team does well is mix these high emotions and create some wonderfully memorable scenes. One of these being each hero barfing their guts out to “Baby Shark” on their way to Maine. I can guarantee there are plenty more laughs where that came from.
Within this overarching plot of saving the world, several subplots spur up as the team begins to split up, giving audiences a break and views into the characters’ lives. This has been done a lot in past seasons, but with the shorter nature of storytelling in the six-episode season, there were definite moments where I was craving for more.
Within Ben’s (Justin H. Min) storyline, we meet a new character, Jennifer (Victoria Sawal). A mystery to the audience, as we come to get to know her, things begin to unravel quite quickly, maybe even too quickly, as we sit on the edge of our seats wondering what will happen next. Suspense is an easy feat for “The Umbrella Academy.” The attention to detail is so tight and thrilling to view as audiences uncover each step along the way.
The Finale Is Finally Here
A satisfying but brutal ending for this family, this season was definitely a shocker in many ways. Evidently, the storytelling was messy and had its ups and downs as writers followed patterns from previous seasons. Overall, it gave audiences the closure we needed from our beloved superheroes.
