It has been two years since The Umbrella Academy season 3 ended with the Hargreeves siblings surviving a showdown with their father, Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) — or at least a version of him — at the Hotel Oblivion. As with previous seasons, there are consequences to these life-or-death actions in The Umbrella Academy season 4, as they find themselves in a different timeline without their powers. In this alternate reality, another Reginald is a dominant force, but his wife, Abigail (Liisa Repo-Martell), is not deceased, which could make a huge difference in the outcome.
When the siblings first step into this reality, it's 2019. Still, with no means to get home, Viktor (Elliot Page), Luther (Tom Hopper), Klaus (Robert Sheehan), Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), Diego (David Castañeda), Ben (Justin H. Min), Five (Aidan Gallagher) and Lila (Ritu Arya) have been forced to find a way to get by.
While their father's death reunited them in the first season, they haven't stuck together as a unit here. For starters, Ben is from the Sparrow Academy timeline. Other previous ruptures contribute to the fragmented sibling dynamic. However, a birthday party and a kidnapping ensure it is time for the Umbrella Academy to come together, and there is a way for them to regain their powers.
A six-year time jump
Before catching up with familiar faces, Dr. Gene (Nick Offerman) and Dr. Jean Thibedeau (Megan Mullally) are introduced. The married couple is interested in purchasing artifacts purported to be from other timelines. One such item is a movie called Love on Loan 2, starring Allison on one cover and a different actress on the other. Other items include New York 2000 Olympics memorabilia and re-elect JFK buttons. Rather than pay the guy, they shoot him dead. The Thibedeaus are definitely a couple to fear despite their folksy appearance.
In 2025, Luther calls to see if Viktor is coming to Diego and Lila's daughter's sixth birthday party. Viktor seems reluctant to leave his bar in Nova Scotia to attend. Living this new normal sees each sibling trying to get by with varying degrees of success.
Luther was an astronaut and now wears a spacesuit, working as an exotic dancer. Diego is a delivery driver who angrily throws packages from the van, and Allison does commercials instead of being a movie star. A now-sober Klaus lives in Allison's basement but is terrified to leave. Meanwhile, Ben is released from jail after serving time for crypto fraud, reluctantly taking Luther's offer to live at the now-delipidated Hargreeves mansion.
Five is the only one whose career is flourishing, working at the CIA investigating people who think there is a multiverse. At one meeting, an undercover Five shares his experiences — including the fact that he is 63 years old. One attendee invites Five to "a real meeting" of a mysterious organization known as the Keepers.
Sibling reunion
Allison wants Klaus to take Claire (Millie Davis) to Grace's birthday party, as she needs to prepare for a TV pilot audition. The truth is that Allison thinks her siblings blame her for where they are now.
The tension at the party between the now-married Lila and Diego stems from Diego thinking that Lila is keeping something from him.
Every interaction between the adults is awkward, and the only one who seems outwardly happy is Luther (although he is working hard to put on that smile). When Lila goes out to the van to get more soda, she sees Allison vaping in her car. Lila persuades her to join the party.
Even Viktor has come to celebrate, but before he makes it into the building, he is tasered by a stranger and dragged away.
The Keeper meeting
After the party ends in disaster, Lila lies and says she has to attend book club. Going by the name of Nancy, Lila is working undercover at the same exclusive Keeper meeting as Five. Unlike Five, this isn't for a covert agency, as Lila is using it to get out of the house and give herself some time away from her three kids and Diego. Lila says it's cheaper than therapy and has already proven fruitful: "These losers might be onto something."
Gene and Jean are the leaders of The Keepers, which has now spread nationwide. The "Umbrella Effect" presentation explains some issues plaguing this timeline. They believe they can restore the correct timeline, which will cure "timeline sickness."
Artifacts and shared memories of another world prove their theory, and they have multiple images of the Umbrella Academy as children. They say the elite class, like Reginald, benefits from this conspiracy. The couple explains they must bring about "The Cleanse," which is either the end or a restoration.
After the meeting, Lila and Five go to a cafe to discuss what they have just seen. A suspicious Diego has followed his wife and thinks she is cheating on him with a mystery man.
Saving Viktor
A ransom note for Viktor leads the siblings to Sy Grossman (David Cross), who explains he did this to get the siblings in one place. Sy says he couldn't leave anything to chance, "especially regarding the Umbrella Academy." It is a name they haven't been called in six years, and Five says it no longer exists.
Sy has a newspaper clipping of them saving the Eiffel Tower (which they never did) and says it was in a box of things belonging to his daughter, Jennifer. Apparently, Jennifer is under the thrall of The Keepers. Five agrees to this mission and says they will find Jennifer in 24 hours. The reason? One item in the box is a glowing jar, which contains marigold — the very thing that gave them their powers in the first place.
At a Japanese restaurant, they debate whether they want their powers back. Only Ben seems intent on taking this leap. When everyone else votes to stay as they are, Ben takes the marigold and spikes their sake. "See you on the other side, f*** faces," Ben says.
All episodes of The Umbrella Academy are available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
