Umbrella Academy wrapped up season 2 with the finale episode, “The End Of Something,” which pitted the Hargreeves against the Handler and an entire army of Commission assassins. Vanya also saves Harlan, and shocking revelations about Lila come to the surface.
Plus, a shocking twist ending that has huge implications for season 3.
This season’s finale ties together every story arc leading up to the end, and it’s a thrilling ride that leaves a lot of future plotlines open for anything.
Public Enemy #1

Following the events from the previous episode, the Hargreeves become wanted criminals as they’re used as scapegoats for JFK’s assassination.
Each of them is inexplicably connected to a historical event or figure as Diego is suspected of being involved with Lee Harvey Oswald.
Luther’s ties with Jack Ruby makes him a person of interest. Vanya is believed to be a Soviet spy. Allison’s political activism labels her as a radical.
Finally, Klaus is described as a “controversial cult leader and known tax evader.” (Which might be a political jab at our current POTUS)
Although Five is surprisingly only seen as an “innocent” hostage of the group, even though he committed the most horrible acts this season.
Also, Vanya confides the message Ben left for Klaus to him, and a burden seems to be lifted from his conscience.
After sensing Harlan is in trouble, Vanya then urges her siblings to go with her to save him.
At first, they’re reluctant to do so but after Vanya goes off alone, the siblings join her one at a time, in a hilarious scene with each member squeezing into Vanya’s not so spacious station wagon. Luther is the last to get on as the car’s body sinks due to his weight.
Farm War

Ironically, out of all the places the siblings touched and interfered with during their time in the 1960s, Vanya getting involved with Harlan at the farm turns out to be the historical anomaly that the Handler detected, which prompted her to summon the full strength of the Commission’s assassin army.
While Vanya is stuck trying to help Harlan overcome his uncontrollable powers, the rest of the Hargreeves try to fend off the Commission army.
One particularly awesome scene includes Diego channeling his inner Neo from The Matrix as he stops a barrage of bullets in mid-air to keep them from hitting Five, and he redirects them to a tractor which then explodes.
Eventually, the Hargreeves are backed into a corner as they’re forced to take cover from the overwhelming gunfire.
The gunfire interferes with Vanya trying to talk Harlan down as a bullet penetrates the field of power circling around Harlan. He’s knocked unconscious, so Vanya is forced to confront the army of assassins.
Vanya comes out of the barn floating and a white glow from her chest starts charging her power. In one move, Vanya disposes of the entire assassin army but when the dust settled, Lila and the Handler are untouched due to a mysterious force field.
Lila’s Secret Powers

After Vanya’s incredible display of power, Lila immediately retaliates using the same power against the Hargreeves siblings.
In a funny meta-commentary in response to her attack, Klaus says, “She destroyed, like, half the farm with a shock wave. So unoriginal”
Eventually, it’s revealed that Lila is able to mimic and redirect the powers of anyone she encounters. Which makes the siblings theorize that she might be like one of them (a super-powered child born on October 1, 1989, as mentioned in season 1).
This is hilariously followed-up by Diego asking the question: “But she’s not our biological sister, right?”
Having previously had sex with Lila, Diego worries he might have committed incest, but everyone just gives him a dumbfounded look.
Apart from mirroring Vanya’s energy blast, she matches Luther’s strength, reverses Allison’s rumor, and blinks around like Five.
While Lila keeps the siblings busy, the Handler’s true intention is revealed when she tries to convince Harlan to come with her.
Seconds, Not Decades

Lila divulges the details of Kill Order #743 to Five as she reveals that he killed her parents under the orders of AJ.
Five tells her the order was made by the Handler, but Lila doesn’t believe him and she promises to kill him slowly.
This is when the rest of the Hargreeves siblings intervene, particularly Diego, who slowly tries to convince Lila to betray the Handler and join them instead because Lila is essentially their “sister.”
This is when another funny dialogue is delivered when Luther makes an off-beat remark and says, “Well you know what, love shouldn’t hurt this much.”
Lila, justifiably, makes a puke gesture.
Shockingly, the Handler comes out of nowhere and shoots the siblings, killing all but Five and Lila. She then confronts the Handler but is killed as well because she knows the truth about her parents.
Then, in another shocking twist, the surviving Swede shows up and kills the Hander. As the Swede approaches Five about to kill him too, Five remembers his father’s advice with time-travel (“Seconds, not decades”). He reverses time and saves everyone except for the Handler who the Swede still manages to kill. However, Lila escapes with a briefcase because Diego stop Luther from subduing her.
Five and the Swede then agree to leave each other alone as he says “Enough,” which the Swede agrees to.
Klaus then comments “Who the hell was that guy?” referring to the Swede because Klaus had never actually seen him before.
Vanya is then finally able to save Harlan by reabsorbing her powers.
Aftermath:
After the events at the farm,
- Herb the analyst is made head of the commission
- Sissy tells Vanya she wants to stay in 1963 with Harlan
- Allison leaves Ray an inspiring and encouraging letter that underscores the final moments of the episode with an incredible monologue saying:
“Keep faith. Believe that good things will happen because the fight for a better world is never over.”
- David gets shipped to boot camp.
- The Swede is picked up by Klaus’ cult, now lead by Keechie.
- Harlan is shown to retain some of Vanya’s powers
Finally Back In 2019 But…

After Five secures a briefcase, he and the other Hargreeves siblings succeed in going back to April 2, 2019, in a world still intact and apocalypse free.
However, they are shocked to find that Reginald Hargreeves is still alive, and has raised a different group of super-powered children called the Sparrow Academy.
Who are led by a still alive and kicking Ben Hargreeves who asks “Dad, who the hell are these assholes?”
Implying that the timeline has changed and they’re once again in a lot of trouble. The episode ends with the Umbrella Academy collectively saying “Shit!”
VERDICT: 10/10
Unlike last season’s more doom and gloom ending scene, this season’s finale of Umbrella Academy almost seemed like it was headed in a positive direction but pulls the rug from under the audience at the very last second in the best way!
The tease of Ben’s potential return in a different role has countless implications for season 3.
First of all, who are the other members of the Sparrow Academy!?
Since Reginald is alive, are Pogo and Grace back in the fold as well?
What’s going to happen to the Commission now that the Handler and all its assassins are gone?
Is Lila going to be a factor? If so, will she be good or bad?
So many new questions waiting to be answered after a successful season toying with a mystery that unraveled spectacularly as the season went along.
The next season of Umbrella Academy can’t come fast enough and we are all for it!