These "The Umbrella Academy" Fan Theories Make A Lot Of Sense

    Who ARE the Sparrow Academy? (Contains spoilers for Season 2.)

    Jenna Guillaume
    by Jenna Guillaume

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    🚨Warning: Contains spoilers for Season 2 of The Umbrella Academy. 🚨

    1. Harlan has something to do with the Sparrow Academy.

    Netflix

    At the end of Season 2, the Umbrella Academy return to the present, having prevented the apocalypse, but discover that not only is their father alive, but he also never put the Umbrella Academy together — instead, he formed the Sparrow Academy. Some fans believe that Harlan ties into this plot somehow, since, last we saw of him in the '60s, he still had the powers Vanya gave him — and he was levitating a bird toy that could very well be a sparrow.

    2. The Umbrella Academy totally altered the timeline.

    The Sparrow Academy version of Ben in The Umbrella Academy
    Netflix

    With the existence of the Sparrow Academy and the fact that Sir Reginald and Ben are most definitely not dead, it's obvious that the timeline has been altered when the Umbrella Academy return to the present. But some fans have pointed out that Sparrow Academy Ben looks younger, suggesting that the special babies may have been born later than 1989.

    The other option, of course, is that he just never grew out of his emo phase.

    3. Meeting the Umbrella Academy in 1963 caused Sir Reginald to adopt different kids.

    The Umbrella Academy sitting around a table with Sir Reginald in The Umbrella Academy
    Netflix

    This one also seems obvious. If the Sparrow Academy exist, it makes sense that they're different kids who were adopted because Sir Reginald was so disappointed in the Umbrella Academy team. The exception, of course, is Ben, whom Sir Reginald didn't actually meet in 1963 and therefore would have no reason to avoid.

    The interesting thing about this theory is it suggests that, out of the special babies born Oct. 1, 1989, Sir Reginald specifically selected the members for his academy, as opposed to their being the only ones he could get his hands on.

    4. The Sparrow Academy will be alternate-timeline versions of the Umbrella Academy members.

    The Umbrella Academy looking up to the Sparrow Academy who are hidden in shadows
    Netflix

    Some fans think that, contrary to the idea that the Sparrow Academy are all new characters (plus Emo Ben), they will indeed be the same team from the Umbrella Academy — they just grew up on a very different timeline. Will we see double of everyone in Season 3? Honestly, it doesn't seem likely, but it's not impossible.

    5. The green cube is a member of the Sparrow Academy.

    The Sparrow Academy standing in shadow, with a green cube visible on the left
    Netflix

    Along with the silhouettes of the Sparrow Academy, we got a glimpse of a mysterious floating green cube at the end of Season 2. Many fans believe that this is actually a Sparrow Academy member, and their power or something that has happened to them has resulted in this appearance.

    There is a group of superheroes called the Sparrows in the comics, one of whom is a cube, so this theory makes sense — although it's worth noting that the show has already dramatically changed aspects of the comics and will likely do so again.

    6. The green cube is the Sparrow Academy's version of Grace.

    Grace/Mom from the Umbrella Academy
    Netflix

    This one is a bit more of a long shot, but some fans believe that the green cube is actually some kind of being that Sir Reginald created in order to help look after the children of the Sparrow Academy. What supports this theory is the fact that, as a result of the Umbrella Academy's time travel, the real Grace seems to have left Sir Reginald. While we don't know what happened to the original real Grace, or what caused Sir Reginald to model the robot Grace after her, it seems likely that the timeline has changed enough that he never made her in this version of events.

    7. The Sparrow Academy will be antiheroes — and maybe even evil.

    The young versions of the Umbrella Academy standing in a doorway wearing pyjamas, accompanied by Grace
    Netflix

    Spinning off from the idea that Sir Reginald never created the robot Grace in this timeline, one Reddit user suggested that the lack of maternal care she provided will mean that, with Sir Reginald as their primary influence, the Sparrow Academy characters will be much darker. This is perhaps why the Sparrow Academy version of Ben is so emo and mean.

    8. Lila will be in the Sparrow Academy.

    Lila from the Umbrella Academy sitting with her foot positioned on a desk
    Netflix

    The last we saw of Lila, she had taken a briefcase and disappeared somewhere in time. Presumably she's off on her own mysterious adventures — perhaps trying to save her parents' lives? — and we'll see her again in Season 3. But what if she pops up in the Sparrow Academy? The original timeline has been changed so much that if Ben is in the Sparrow Academy, why not Lila?

    9. The Handler is one of the 43 Oct. 1, 1989, babies.

    The Handler from the Umbrella Academy looking upwards
    Netflix

    Considering that she adopted Lila, it might feel like a bit too much for the Handler to also be one of the 1989 kids, but it's not entirely outside the realm of possibility. This Reddit user suggests that the instances when we've seen her stopping time are actually her own power, and not as a result of Commission tech. Her older age could be the result of time travel and her being on a different timeline.

    10. Luther's mission to the moon wasn't pointless after all.

    Luther in a spacesuit on the moon in the Umbrella Academy
    Netflix

    In Season 1, we were led to believe that the four years Luther spent on the moon collecting samples for Sir Reginald were just an excuse to get him out of the way and give him a sense of purpose after his accident. But a throwaway comment in Season 2, from a Majestic 12 member to Sir Reginald about his "interests on the dark side of the moon," could suggest there's more to the moon mission than meets the eye.

    11. Dave is alive.

    Klaus and Dave sitting at a table in a diner in the Umbrella Academy
    Netflix

    Klaus thought that he failed to save Dave's life because Dave still enlisted, but Klaus actually changed the date he did so. This could have huge ramifications for the course of his service, including the possibility that he won't die in battle. Of course, this also means that he and Klaus will never meet. Time travel is confusing as hell.

    12. Ben is also alive.

    Close up of Ben from the Umbrella Academy wearing a hoodie
    Netflix

    This is a huuuuge stretch but fun to think about. This Reddit user theorized that, because we see Ben age beyond 13/14 when he supposedly died, perhaps he never really died at all. They suggested that, much the way Sir Reginald medicated Vanya to control her power for years, he actually hid Ben away and kept him in a coma. Which is perhaps why Klaus can still see Ben's consciousness even when he's drunk and high, whereas he can't see other spirits. Perhaps Ben's spiritual death in Season 2 was merely him returning to his body.

    13. And Pogo is alive!

    Pogo from the Umbrella Academy, looking sad
    Netflix

    Since Sir Reginald isn't dead in the new timeline and the apocalypse didn't happen, it makes sense that Pogo also didn't die. Whether he stayed with Sir Reginald or lived with Grace after their breakup, we don't know. He could be an entirely different Pogo from the one we know!

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