How is Sir Reginald Hargreeves still alive in The Umbrella Academy season 3? Played by Colm Feore, Reginald Hargreeves is an extra-terrestrial who immigrated to Earth after his unidentified home planet fell to ruin. Establishing himself as an umbrella entrepreneur and conspiring with influential clandestine organizations like the Majestic 12, Sir Reginald spent decades as a prominent figure in Earth’s history. He also (seemingly) created 43 super-powered babies using a mysterious jar of lights, and in 1989 adopted 7 of these as his “Umbrella Academy.” By the time Netflix’s adaptation begins, however, Sir Reginald is already deceased.
In Umbrella Academy season 2’s finale, the Hargreeves siblings return to 2019 from 1963 Dallas after saving the world from yet another apocalypse, but find they’ve been replaced by an entirely different group of heroes (save Ben) calling themselves the “Sparrow Academy.” Stranger still, Sir Reginald Hargreeves himself is alive and well, living in Hargreeves mansion alongside his kids. Why isn’t the world’s worst adoptive father dead in The Umbrella Academy season 3’s Sparrow timeline?
Sir Reginald’s survival comes down to the very nature of the Sparrows compared to their Umbrella counterparts. In The Umbrella Academy‘s original timeline, Number Five’s disappearance and Ben’s messy death broke the Hargreeves siblings apart. Allison left and became a star, Viktor wrote a tell-all book, Diego turned into a vigilante, and Klaus got high, leaving only Luther doing his father’s bidding. Knowing the Umbrella Academy must be united in order to save the world, Reginald arranged his own demise with Pogo and Grace, hoping the death would bring his children together once again. A funeral takes place during The Umbrella Academy‘s series premiere, and the ploy proves successful, with even Five returning (not quite intentionally). By contrast, the Sparrow Academy never broke up. And not only are they together in The Umbrella Academy‘s season 2 finale, every indication suggests they’re the perfect superhero team. Because of this, Sir Reginald wasn’t required to sacrifice his life in the name of reuniting the Sparrows.
Reginald’s presence in The Umbrella Academy‘s alternate timeline poses an intriguing question: how has this new crop of children reshaped his life? From the footage glimpsed thus far, the Sparrows appear to be model students – perfectly loyal and obedient without any of the dysfunction that tore the Umbrella Academy apart. However, The Umbrella Academy season 3’s trailer reveals how Pogo abandoned the Hargreeves family to become a tattoo artist. The CGI chimp was like another son to Reginald, so whatever drove him away must’ve been severe, hinting towards a darker secret beneath the Sparrow Academy’s perfect veneer. Sir Reginald might’ve created a superior crime-fighting team by choosing different children in 1989… but has he given rise to a completely different problem?
Now that their dad is alive again, the Hargreeves siblings finally have an opportunity for closure in The Umbrella Academy season 3. The original timeline’s Reggie died while his children still carried hangups and unresolved baggage from their traumatic upbringing, and meeting their dismissive younger father in 1963 did nothing to heal those wounds. Now that Sir Reginald is older and a father to seven adopted children (albeit totally different ones), the likes of Luther, Diego, Klaus and Viktor might be able to finally lay some paternal demons to rest.
Want more Umbrella Academy Articles? Check out our essential reading below…
- The Umbrella Academy Season 3 Cast & Character Guide
- Every Song In The Umbrella Academy Season 3
- What Was The Jennifer Incident In Umbrella Academy Season 3?
- Who Is The Narrator In Umbrella Academy Season 3?
- Umbrella Academy Season 3’s Viktor Transition Was Perfectly Balanced
- What Does The White Buffalo Mean In Umbrella Academy Season 3?
- Every Sparrow Academy Member In The Umbrella Academy Season 3 Explained
- Why They’re Called The Sparrow Academy Instead Of Umbrella Academy
- Umbrella Academy’s Hotel Obsidian (& All Oblivion Changes) Explained
