Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Umbrella Academy season 4.
Summary
There are many valid criticisms ofThe Umbrella Academyseason 4, butone of the biggest issues with the final season is its bizarre Five and Lila story.The Umbrella Academyseason 4’s endingis disappointing after multiple seasons following the Hargreeves family, as their fates aren’t particularly satisfying. None of the Hargreeves get a happy ending in the final season, and the sacrifice they make during the series finale doesn’t feel earned. In fact, it makesThe Umbrella Academyseem pointless, as it undoes all the prior outings.
It’s no wonderThe Umbrella Academyhit an all-time lowon Rotten Tomatoes, as season 4’s ending isfar from what the Netflix show deserved. It’s bad enough that the last six episodes render the Hargreeves' growth and four-season journey pointless, condemning all of them to nonexistence. But beforeThe Umbrella Academydoes this, it commits an even greater sin.It ruins two great characters with an oddly placed love story, ensuring that viewers — and the other characters — are less inclined to like them before they take their final bows.
The Umbrella Academy’s Broken Rotten Tomatoes Streak Was Inevitable After Netflix’s Controversial Decision
The Umbrella Academy is getting more negative feedback than usual, but season 4’s broken Rotten Tomatoes streak was inevitable after 1 choice.
Five & Lila’s Affair In The Umbrella Academy Season 4 Is Absolutely Baffling
There Was No Reason For This Final Season Storyline
Five and Lila’s affair inThe Umbrella Academyseason 4 is incredibly baffling, and one has to wonder what the writers were thinking by including it. Putting aside the disturbing logistics of this relationship — Five looks significantly younger than he is in the series, and his actor is more than a decade younger than Ritu Arya, who plays Lila — there’s just no reason to include this romance subplot. The final season wastes a lot of time on storylines that don’t go anywhere, and this is one of them.The Umbrella Academycould have dedicated this time to something more important.
It’s also hard to appreciate Five and Lila as individual characters after their season 4 affair, andThe Umbrella Academywon’t get a chance to redeem them.
It’s also hard to appreciate Five and Lila as individual characters after their season 4 affair, andThe Umbrella Academywon’t get a chance to redeem them. WithThe Umbrella Academyending,viewers will maintain the uncharitable view they now have of Five and Lila. Diego also perishes knowing that his wife had an affair with his brother. And Five and Diego never get the chance to mend things before the Hargreeves sacrifice their lives. This is disappointing all around, and it’s hard to see the benefit of including such a controversial subplot in the last few episodes.
Lila & Diego Deserved Better In The Umbrella Academy’s Final Season
They Were 1 Of The Netflix Show’s Best Couples
The fact that Lila, Diego, and Five will never get to resolve their relationship drama inThe Umbrella Academyis devastating. However,Lila and Diego deserved better than a cheating storyline, even ifThe Umbrella Academyseason 5 was happening. They have one of the Netflix series' best romances in seasons 2 and 3, balancing each other impressively, even at their worst. And while Lila and Diego’s flaws make it easy to imagine them having marriage struggles in season 4, the writers didn’t need to take that story quite so far.
Cheating is a huge line for Lila to cross, and the fact that it’s with one of Diego’s siblings makes this decision even worse.The Umbrella Academytries to justify this by trapping Lila and Five in an alternate universe for years, but it still comes off as messy. It would have been more interesting if the Netflix series actually took the time to resolve Diego and Lila’s marriage problems. They could have overcome their rut and dug deeper into their new dynamic. This likely would have been more relatable for viewers, as all couples go through rough patches.
Lila Seemingly Forgets She Has Children While Stuck With Five
Her Behavior In The Alternate Timeline Is Totally Inconsistent
Setting aside the romance issues that stem from Lila and Five’s baffling season 4 storyline,The Umbrella Academyalso makes Lila seem totally inconsistent while she’s stuck with Five. Lila seems to forget that she has children while she’s trapped in the alternate timeline, andThe Umbrella Academyputs little effort into showing the effects of being separated from them for so long. Sure, we get a tearful reunion when she does finally return, but we don’t see her desperation to get home while she’s there. If anything, she seems totally content to be with Five.
Lila seems to forget that she has children while she’s trapped in the alternate timeline, andThe Umbrella Academyputs little effort into showing the effects of being separated from them.
This makes it even more jarring when she instantly jumps on the opportunity to go homewithout even considering what that means for her seven-year relationship with Five. Even when their affair comes out, it’s hard to tell how Lila actually feels about either of her love interests. She clearly loves her kids, but that isn’t evident from her time in the subway. Needless to say, Lila and Five’s story inThe Umbrella Academyseason 4 is a mess. Sadly, it’s the cherry on top of an otherwise disappointing final season.
The Umbrella Academy
Cast
The Umbrella Academy is based on the comic book of the same name created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá. The Hargreeves — collectively known as The Umbrella Academy — were born with superpowers, and their adoptive father utilized their abilities. However, as they grew older, the siblings grew apart as they dealt with their trauma. They are brought back together after their father dies and Five returns from the future with grave news: The world will end, and The Umbrella Academy has to stop it before it happens.
