Umbrella Academy season 3 ending explained: Here's how it sets up season 4

23 June 2022, 15:17

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By Katie Louise Smith

What happened to Sloane? What timeline is Allison in? What was Reginald Hargreeves' plan? Why did they all lose their powers? Which Ben is that in the mid-credit scene? SO MANY QUESTIONS!

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So, you've just finished The Umbrella Academy season 3 and now you're wondering what the hell just happened? Right? Don't worry – we've got an endless list of questions too. Let's talk about it.

The final episode of season 3 sees the Hargreeves siblings involved in yet another timeline-altering, universe-resetting, plot twist situation that has a catastrophic and game-changing outcome for everyone. This time, however, the end of the world it's not quite solely their fault.

Throughout season 3, it becomes clear that Sir Reginald Hargreeves has... plans. Those plans factor into the final episode of the season in a big way, uncovering a huge reveal about his end goals.

Based on what we've seen, with a little bit of speculation thrown in for good measure, here's how The Umbrella Academy season 3 ending sets up the plot of The Umbrella Academy season 4.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for The Umbrella Academy season 3 finale!

Umbrella Academy season 3 ending explained: What happened to Sloane, Allison and Hargreeves? Picture: Netflix

Umbrella Academy season 3 ending explained: What happens?

In the final episode of The Umbrella Academy season 3, we finally learn what Sir Reginald Hargreeves' plan was all along. He needed the Umbrella and Sparrow siblings in order to power a machine that would completely reset the universe.

After failing to unite the siblings, Hargreeves kills Luther as a way to gather the remaining children in the White Buffalo suite, before ushering them through the passageway to the Hotel Oblivion as the Kugelblitz threatens to kill them all. He also locks Klaus out, leaving him to get killed by the Kugelblitz too. (Klaus is now immortal though, so his death doesn't last long.)

With everyone now locked firmly in the Hotel Oblivion, Hargreeves sends the siblings off in groups to find the sigil. One by one, the siblings all encounter a different deadly Guardian, and end up getting split up in the hotel's inter-dimensional hallways.

Umbrella Academy season 3: What was Reginald Hargreeves' plan? Picture: Netflix

Once they all return to the lobby, Five figures out that the symbols on the lobby floor form the sigil. Seven of them (the Seven bells, Five soon realises) stand on the seven stars before the final Guardian can kill them. Reginald stops Allison when she steps forward.

Five, Diego, Viktor, Lila and Klaus, along with Ben and Sloane step on the stars. Once they're all in place, the hotel reveals its true self – it's actually another dimension.

The siblings end up frozen on the spot as Hargreeves begins harvesting the marigold particles from their bodies in order to power the machine, but in doing so, he's draining the life out of them. He intends to kill them in order to reset the universe.

Allison kills Hargreeves to make him stop. The siblings are free, but Allison – who made a deal with Hargreeves, presumably so she could be with Claire again – ultimately decides to push the button and reset the entire universe, as Hargreeves intended.

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What was Sir Reginald Hargreeves' plan?

The final shot of the season sees Reginald standing at the top of a skyscraper with his late wife Abigail – who is now apparently alive in this new timeline/universe.

Based on his actions in the final episode, it looks like ol' Reggie has been playing the long-game across several timelines, going all the way back to the flashback in season 1 where he releases the Marigold particles into the atmosphere as his wife lies dying in her bed. His ultimate goal? To finally be with Abigail.

In a flashback scene from season 3, we see Hargreeves purposely build the Hotel Obsidian on a pocket of mysterious energy. He then likely spends the years researching Oblivion, and eventually figures out a plan that will allow him to reset the universe, using the marigold particles that have been residing in the bodies of the Umbrella and Sparrows for years.

What happens to Allison after she pushes the button?

While it's not revealed, it's hinted at that Hargreeves made a deal with Allison that she would be reunited with her daughter Claire. And it seems like he was a man of his word.

Immediately after Allison pushes the button, the screen goes black and we see her getting out a taxi, letting herself into a house and running up the stairs to find Claire asleep in bed. She reunites with her daughter, and then we see Allison's husband in the season 2 timeline, Ray, standing in the doorway.

Claire and Ray never existed in the same timeline, but now they apparently do.

The questions surrounding Allison's new timeline will no doubt be a huge plot point for season 4. What strings did Hargreeves pull in order to make Allison's impossible dream come true? Why are Claire and Ray in the same timeline now? Why are Allison's wounds still visible, while the rest of the siblings barely have a scratch on them? Did Allison lose her powers too?

Why did the Umbrella Academy lose their powers?

While Allison is transported elsewhere, Five, Klaus, Diego, Lila, Viktor, Luther and Ben emerge from an elevator and step out into a courtyard where the Hotel Obsidian previously stood. A bust of Hargreeves can be seen in the park, stating that he donated the memorial plaza on October 1st 1989 – the birth dates of the Umbrella and Sparrow children.

While Luther is now alive, he is no longer built like an ape. Five and Diego realise their arms and fingers are back. And then they all soon figure out that they no longer have any powers.

It looks like season 4 will follow the Umbrella siblings as they try to get their powers back.

Umbrella Academy season 3 ending explained: Why did they lose their powers? Picture: Netflix

What happened to Sloane and where is she?

Sloane does not emerge into the courtyard with everyone else, despite her being there when Allison pushed the reset button. It's not currently known where she is – or if she even exists in the new universe.

At the end of the season, Luther sets off to try and find his wife. Season 4 will likely focus on his mission to find her but the big question is: Does she even exist in this new universe? And if she does, will she even know who Luther is?

Umbrella Academy mid-credit scene: Which Ben actually is that?

If you stayed long enough after the end credits on the final episode, you'd have seen a very brief scene that sees Ben on a train in South Korea. The train is the exact same train that Ben's mother gave birth to him on in the opening scene of season 3. However, had been debating over which version of Ben we were actually seeing.

Now, showrunner Steve Blackman has confirmed that is actually Sparrow Ben. Speaking to Decider, Steve said: "I can only tell you that it’s the Ben from this season and it is alluding to something for next season. So, it is a mystery. I’m glad you actually watched. A lot of people missed it already. But it is a Ben from this timeline, but something that’s going to be coming later on."

Honestly, season 4 could not come soon enough.