Over the course of three seasons, "The Umbrella Academy" has become one of Netflix's signature shows. As is often the case even with hit streaming series, though, it has officially ended after its fourth season. That brought the story of the superpowered Hargreeves family to a close, and with plenty of twists and turns, as fans have come to expect from the mind-bending series.
The third season of "The Umbrella Academy" ended with the characters in an entirely new timeline, a universe in which they've all lost their superpowers. They had only six episodes to deal with that situation in the new season, which is shortened from the 10 episodes featured in previous seasons.
Creator and showrunner Steve Blackman packed those six episodes with lots of bizarre incidents along with satisfying character development, as the characters regain their powers and come together for their final battle.
Here's everything to know about "The Umbrella Academy" season 4 on Netflix, including an episode guide and a short summary of how it ended.
'The Umbrella Academy' season 4 episode guide and where to watch
"The Umbrella Academy" season 4 debuted on Netflix, with all six episodes dropping on August 8, 2024, which is more than two years after the debut of the third season. That was a long time for fans who'd been waiting to see how the story of the Hargreeves family would wrap up. But "Umbrella Academy" viewers were used to having patience since there was also a two-year gap between the second and third seasons.
Now it's been over a month since the final season aired. If you're binge-watching the series again or are new to the franchise, you might be after an episode guide. We've put one together below:
- Episode 1, "The Unbearable Tragedy of Getting What You Want" — Thursday, August 8
- Episode 2, "Jean and Gene" — Thursday, August 8
- Episode 3, "The Squid and the Girl" — Thursday, August 8
- Episode 4, "The Cleanse" — Thursday, August 8
- Episode 5, "Six Years, Five Months, and Two Days" — Thursday, August 8
- Episode 6, "End of the Beginning" — Thursday, August 8
'The Umbrella Academy' season 4 cast
The official Netflix press information breaks down the cast for the fourth season, which includes nine longtime stars who play members of the superpowered Hargreeves family, as well as a few high-profile additions for this season.
Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally and David Cross were announced as new cast members for season 4. The actors, known for their comedic roles, bring a lighter tone to their performances, even if the stakes of the story were once again apocalyptic.
Here's the cast list for "The Umbrella Academy" season 4:
- Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves aka Number Seven, who has the ability to create physical force from soundwaves
- Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves aka Number One, who has super strength and was recently returned to human form after previously possessing the upper body of a gorilla
- David Castaneda as Diego Hargreeves aka Number Two, who has telekinetic abilities to affect the trajectory of objects in motion
- Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves aka Number Three, who can control minds via a special phrase, and even without the phrase when she's experiencing intense anger
- Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves aka Number Four, who can communicate with the dead and briefly resurrect them, and also resurrect himself after death
- Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, who can jump back and forth through space and time, and has interacted with the team at various ages
- Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves aka Number Six, who can unleash huge tentacles from his body, and in one timeline died on an early team mission
- Colm Feore as Sir Reginald Hargreeves, the billionaire industrialist who adopted the superpowered siblings and set them on their path
- Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts, the Handler's adopted daughter and Diego's girlfriend, who has the ability to mirror other superpowers
- Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally as Gene and Jean Thibedeau, two community college professors who suffer from extreme deja vu
- David Cross as Sy Grossman, a meek but moral business owner and family man
'The Umbrella Academy' season 4 trailer
Set to the strains of hair metal classic "The Final Countdown" by Europe, the teaser trailer for the fourth season of "The Umbrella Academy" showed the full team back in action in a new (and, according to the trailer, final) timeline, embarking on an unnamed rescue mission and engaged in some large-scale action sequences. It opened with narration from Sir Reginald Hargreeves as he introduced the team for the first time.
Either way, the Hargreeves siblings definitely came back, with at least some of their powers intact. There are explosions, fist fights, and a machine gun-wielding Santa Claus. There's also the show's familiar mix of snark and support among the Hargreeves siblings, as they prepare for their last mission together.
'The Umbrella Academy' season 4 plot
Showrunner Steve Blackman told Total Film a bit about the new timeline and the characters' status in it. "We’ll explain Hargreeves' motivations; we’ll figure out a way to make them superheroes again, and this apocalypse is different," he said. "They don’t know straight away what they’re up against; the fans will be pleased as a lot of questions will be answered this year."
In an interview with Collider, star Justin H. Min said that the season would provide a true ending for the show: "In terms of what to expect, I'll probably be killed if I say something. But I think I can tease. There are a lot of questions that have been brewing throughout the seasons of the show, and I do think they really do get answered in this final season. I think there's a real sense of closure, so I'm excited for the fans who've been waiting for certain answers to get those."
While "The Umbrella Academy" is based on a comic book series by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, the show has moved further ahead than the comic, even incorporating planned future comic-book storylines in the third season. The third season left Blackman and the other writers with a bit of a blank slate, in a reset timeline with the characters once again going their separate ways.
'The Umbrella Academy' season 4: How did it end?
If you want a quick summary of what happened, I’ve got you covered. But be aware that it will contain spoilers, so don’t read on if you still plan on watching "The Umbrella Academy" season 4.
The final season ended with a dramatic confrontation. The siblings are once again facing the end of the world, triggered by a massive event called "The Cleanse." Reginald's plans to reunite Ben and Jennifer inadvertently set this apocalyptic event into motion, despite his efforts to keep them apart.
As The Cleanse consumes everything, the Umbrella Academy learns that the only way to break the cycle of endless apocalypses is to allow themselves to be erased from existence by The Cleanse. This means sacrificing their existence, permanently erasing them from all timelines.
The Hargreeves siblings — Luther, Klaus, Diego, Viktor, Allison, Five and Lila — reluctantly accept their fate and let The Cleanse consume them. This resets everything, and the world is seemingly saved.
However, in a post-credits scene, we see a perfect world resembling a vision Ben showed Viktor, with eight marigolds blooming around a tree, possibly hinting at the potential rebirth of superpowered individuals.
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