Umbrella Academy Season 2 Review: Saving The World From The Apocalypse... Again

Season 2 of "Umbrella Academy" dropped on NetFlix last week. Just a quick recap for this somewhat complicated story. Last time around we met the six estranged Hargreeves siblings after the death of their father Reginald. Each was born on October 1, 1989. When forty three women who were not previously pregnant all gave birth at the same time, Reginald bought seven of the newborns. He was a strict disciplinarian who openly despised children and experimented on them. The kids later discover each has a special power:

Number One- Spaceboy- Luther- he's an astronaut with a very strange ape body.
Number Two- Kraken- Diago- he's a vigilante and has some mad knife skills.
Number Three- Rumor- Allison- previously a famous actress. She can control people by suggestion.
Number Four- Seance- Klaus- he can communicate with the dead but also has a drug problem.
Number Five- unnamed- He's lost at the beginning of the series but later returns. He is an old man trapped in the body of a 13 year old.
Number Six- Horror- Ben- he was able to conjure up monsters. He is dead but appears to Klaus.
Number Seven- White Violin- Vanya- She is the only one with no superpowers (or so we think). She is treated by Hargreeves as less than the others. Vanya wrote a best selling book about her siblings (which they are not happy about). She also plays a mean violin.

At the end of season 1 the siblings (precisely Vanya) ended up destroying the world. Vanya's previously hidden powers cause the moon to crash into Earth-- thus killing everyone. In the split second before the end, Five scoops the others up and transports each to Dallas in a different year in the early 1960s. But something is still very wrong because the world ends again. This time with the USSR invading the US in 1963. They must rush to stop the apocalypse AGAIN.

Much of season 2 has each sibling living a separate life. Vanya has amnesia and is staying with a farm family. Alison has married Raymond Chestnut. Both are active in the civil rights movement. Diego ends up in a mental hospital. There he meets fellow patient Lila. Luther has become Jack Ruby's body guard and is in a fight club. Klaus starts a cult. And no matter what he says, they wont believe he hasnt a clue what's going on. Ben (now a ghost) continues to hang out with Klaus (since he can see the dead). I enjoyed getting to know each of the siblings better.

Hazel gives Five a time traveling suitcase (and the Frankel film) before being killed. In Hazel and Cha Cha's place this season are three Swedish assassin brothers. They're OK but I'd prefer to see Cha Cha and Hazel again.

The Handler makes a gloriously campy return (after being shot in the head). She had a steel plate in there that kept her from being killed. She is none too happy about being demoted in the Commission. She now has to report to AJ. He's a fish in a bowl atop a robot body. Both AJ and the Handler HATE each other.

The siblings reunite to stop the assassination of JFK. Otherwise, the US will blame the USSR for the death and launch a missile strike. The USSR will retaliate and everyone will die. They eventually learn (thanks to Diago snooping around the Commission's Infinite Switchboard and the Frankel tape) that the bomb which goes off and it's actually Vanya again. That poor girl cant catch a break.

She has been captured by the FBI and is being tortured. Diego, Allison, and Klaus risk their lives to save her. In the end it is ghost Ben who is able to inhabit her body and turn her "off" (for lack of a better term). Unfortunately this means the end of Ben as he finally heads to the light. What a touching scene.

Papa Hargreeves.is in a shadow organization known as the Majestic 12. He finds out they're behind Kennedy's assassination. He take off his human mask. There's some sort of blue alien lizard under there but we only get a glimpse from the back. He then proceeds to kill everyone in the room. The (presumably "real") Grace makes an appearance. Android Grace is based upon her. We also learn a little more about Pogo. He was one of the chimps being used in the space program. He was badly injured and Reginald injected him with some substance made him super smart.

In the end, Vanya and family go to help Harlan (Sissy's son) who has autism. He and Vanya have a psychic connection and he cant turn off his powers. The Handler finds them. She has recalled every Commission agent from across time and commands them to kill the siblings. There's an epic battle. The good guys eventually win.

At this point there's not much left of the Commission. AJ was eaten by the Handler. She had tricked Five into killing the Board previously. And the Handler is presumed dead but I wouldnt count her out. She's looked very dead before. Herb is now in charge. Dot is by his side.

In one of the surprises of the season, Lila (who was raised by the Handler) is revealed to be one of the 43 children. The Handler had Five kill her parents so she could raise the child. It seems Lila can absorb anyone's powers (at least for a short time). The siblings ALMOST convince Lila to join the family but nope.It looks like this might be the end of the siblings but Five saves the day again. Someone please give him a MVP award.

The crew heads back to their time only to discover things are very different. Reginald is there.He did not commit suicide. He announces there is no Umbrella Academy. He heads the Sparrow Academy. We just see their shadows. Reginald says he has no idea who the siblings are. We see a young Ben. He's also very much alive but doesnt recognize them either. Did the siblings actions create an alternate timeline? Are they in a multiverse?

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). A fun season where we get to learn a bit more about each of the Hargreeves silings. Standouts this season include: Five and Vanya. Excellent job by Aidan Gallagher and Ellen Page. Kate Walsh as The Handler also delightfully hams it up in every scene. Her outfits are to DIE FOR. The show is worth watching for her if nothing else. Great acting, great cinematography and great musical choices make "Umbrella Academy" a must see. I really hope there's a season 3. Please don't let the story end here.