The Umbrella Academy season three delivers a ton of wild moments along with yet another apocalypse that our favorite superhero siblings have to prevent. This season also has some jaw-dropping plot twists, and some intriguing character journeys, too. But there’s one question that people always want to know the answer to. Who is the main villain in The Umbrella Academy season three? This time around offers the most interesting developments to these beloved characters. While one person certainly stands out as an Umbrella Academy villain, there’s still some room for questions about who is truly the Hargreeves siblings’ true enemy. And, interestingly enough, the Sparrow Academy is not the villain in The Umbrella Academy‘s new season.
Reginald Hargreeves
At this point in the show, any viewer would be naïve to truly trust the mysterious billionaire and adoptive father of the Hargreeves crew. However, this season sees Reginald reach new (and still surprising) lows, with him consistently manipulating each of the siblings from the Umbrella and Sparrow academies to get what he wanted.
In this new timeline, Reginald chose seven different siblings after deciding that the original seven were not good enough for his aims. The new seven—including an alternate version of Ben—became the Sparrow Academy, Reginald’s new experiment. This time, however, the Sparrows continue to stay a team on through their adult lives. This is obviously different from the Umbrella Academy, who chose to leave the team as they got older.
Klaus becomes close to this Reginald, trying unsuccessfully to get his Umbrella Academy siblings to be more accepting of their father. But they refuse, given his rather manipulative and cruel actions in the past. However, as the season progresses, Reginald is able to sway a few Umbrellas and Sparrows to his side to “save the universe.” Of course, this is a farce for Project Oblivion, in which he will sacrifice seven of his kids for his own gain. Reginald betrays them yet again, killing both Luther and Klaus in order to get inside Hotel Oblivion. Allison kills him in the nick of time but her hands aren’t clean this season. (More on that next.)
Descending to new depths, Reginald is gambling the whole universe to get what he wants, and to ensure that he remains in control over everything. Reginald Hargreeves built Hotel Obsidian, biding his time for centuries, built the Sparrow Academy, manipulated each of the Hargreeves siblings, all to gain the ultimate universal control.
Allison Hargreeves
After losing her husband Ray and her daughter Claire in the new timeline, Allison Hargreeves becomes embittered by her unimaginable loss. Obviously, loss at such a level changes a person; however, this season changes Allison completely. While most Umbrella Academy fans are reluctant to consider Allison as a clear villain, she does have a hand in some of the worst actions in this season. She kills Harlan—the now grown-up child of Sissy—after discovering his role in the deaths of the Umbrellas’ mothers. This action, unlike what Harlan did, is intentional.
Allison also makes a deal with Reginald to ensure that everyone of the remaining Hargreeves siblings goes to Hotel Oblivion to reset the universe, despite Five’s warnings. Her most consequential choice was to press the big red button that reset the universe and get what she wanted most: Ray and Claire, together with her as a family. This choice, however, left the rest of her family without their powers and in an entirely new world. In a city that had Hargreeves emblazoned on practically every building, no less.
Labeling Allison a villain in The Umbrella Academy season three is a bit of a stretch. But she’s certainly a catalyst for some of the worst problems the Umbrella Academy had this time around. If The Umbrella Academy returns for season four, it would be interesting to see if Allison understands the cost of her actions. And, we will have to see what her relationship would be with her siblings.
The Founder
This season, we learn yet another shocking revelation about Five’s future. In an attempt to find any of the remaining members of the Commission, Five and Lila visit the Commission headquarters. They discover that the Founder of the Commission is a future version of Five.
The very old Five, in his last breaths, does warn the younger Five against saving the world. Present-day Five doesn’t trust this future Five’s warning. But viewers are still left with questions as to why this Five would want the world (and universe) to end. His motivations are questionable, considering how many problems the other Five created in 1963 for the Academy.
Hotel Oblivion Guardian
According to Reginald, Hotel Oblivion had the key to resetting the universe as a last resort. However, a guardian was also placed there in order to ensure that no one with nefarious aims could get to the keys. You know, someone like Reginald himself. This guardian was also adamantly against any action being taken to reset the universe, as it was being consumed completely by the Kugelblitz.
There seems to be someone pulling the strings on the guardian, that also was capable of creating the tools to reset the universe. The true intentions of the creator of the “seven bells” are unknown, and thus could be nefarious too. It is also possible that Reginald just did the right thing (resetting the universe) for the wrong reasons (getting Abigail back at any cost).
So, the Umbrella Academy faces some bad things this season. But at least Viktor isn’t responsible for the world ending (again). Let’s take the wins where we can.