Movies News Talk
The Umbrella Academy, for all its bizarre twists and turns, has given us yet another huge "what the heck!?" moment. The latest episode introduced a powerful new character, Jennifer. We found out that Jennifer has a strong link to Ben. This is pretty important, but also, kinda strange if you remember back to the end of the previous season. Let me break it down. The season four ending might've left a lot of people wondering what happened! You're not alone!
Here's the thing: The Umbrella Academy's journey in Season 4 revolves around the gang's reunion, about six years after Season 3. But after they’ve made a deal to get back to a "normal life", they meet Jennifer, a critical player in an apocalyptic event. It’s also clear that Ben and Jennifer are supposed to be somehow super connected. The problem? If you watch Season 3, you'd think that Ben would recognize Jennifer as soon as he lays eyes on her!
Let's go back in time for a moment - to Season 3. In that season, we found out about Ben's death (that super dramatic moment where they've never spoken about what really happened) - a super serious thing called the "Jennifer incident", it had totally messed up Sparrow Ben. You remember how his art became super intense and, well, a little bit disturbing? And, we got to see a bunch of his drawings, even those of Jennifer, which, kind of made it clear they had some history before the end of the previous season! So… if you ask me, there is no way in the galaxy that Ben wouldn't recognize this grown-up Jennifer in season 4. Right?
Maybe, maybe not! There's no easy answer. It is pretty likely that "the Jennifer incident" that’s mentioned over and over has been some trauma for both versions of Ben in different ways. But to simply erase it from Sparrow Ben’s memory? That doesn’t add up.
If there’s a solution to this mind-bending puzzle, we’re going to have to think hard about this one. Remember that whole scenario in Season 3 with the Sparrows having a docile Reginald in the mix? Yeah, maybe it’s all that bad stuff Reginald pulled off that left them a little... not exactly sure what's going on, especially regarding the details of a super significant incident like the one involving Jennifer. Maybe it’s not so shocking to forget some big life events. This is a time-travel series after all!
Now, it also might be that Sparrow Ben didn’t fully recognize Jennifer because the Jennifer he sketched wasn't necessarily an adult Jennifer; she could've just been someone he met in his past that he thought would eventually turn into a grown-up Jennifer. We know this would explain why he didn't know Jennifer right away, but not why his memory of the Jennifer Incident is totally missing, leaving the season's finale to throw the characters back into a universe that's still quite chaotic!
Let’s face it - fans are on the edge of their seats right now! If the Umbrella Academy can't even remember a major incident, who's to say they can remember a whole bunch of crazy time jumps, supervillains, and mind-bending paradoxes! With so many other issues still out there in the air like the end of Season 4, we are left to imagine that Jennifer might have a role in whatever comes next!
It's super exciting! The whole season, there’s been so much back and forth, especially when we think about the ways that this whole world of the Umbrella Academy can change the events from season to season. So far, we can definitely see a season five is being planned and what comes next with these incredible characters, especially the incredible Jennifer, and this huge, wild universe. Let’s hope those writers have some plans that make total sense, but hey! That’s why we're always ready for new, mind-bending stories with our favorite superhero clan.