Real Women of Gaming

Endings are difficult. I, personally, tend to hate them. There are series I have never watched the finale of because I simply don’t want to say goodbye. I know that is silly. The great thing about comfort shows is that they can be rewatched. The stories can be revisited whenever I need them. However, the emotions of that goodbye in the final episode are just not always something I want to experience. 

The Umbrella Academy is a show that I found a lot of comfort in for the first two seasons. I have rewatched the first season many times. It came out after I had moved and made me laugh at a time when I was feeling very alone. I think a lot of fans of the show we have all felt like we were a part of the messy family the show centers around. For better or worse, we have been there with them since 2019. Through family feud and global catastrophes we have been on this ride together. Now the ride has come to an end.

The Hargreeves siblings have really been through it all. After the events of season three they have their biggest challenge yet: a seemingly normal life. Job struggles, in-laws, and a life without the super are now the norm. That is, until it isn’t. This is The Umbrella Academy after all, so it couldn’t be normal for too long. A group is gaining power and the hard-fought peace might be coming to an end. 

Which, of course, means that the world is in danger. Again. Can they come together with all of their shared history to try to save the world? Perhaps the weight of past decisions will be too much. However, what choice do they have but to try?

The costumes are always a big part of this show. Through alternate timelines and time travel costumes let the audience know about the characters before they even say a line. The settings also are always a heavy hitter. This season is no different, as we travel through small towns and the Hargreeves respective homes. The music that the scenes are set to is as perfect as it was in the first two seasons. With the exception of one song, for me, the season was full of bangers. My only complaint was using a song with a slur for the only dance sequence. 

My feelings for this season are…complicated. Partially it felt rushed due to only being six episodes. Then there were also times when I just wanted it to be over. While there were moments that felt like the ghost of season one, there were chunks that just felt like a swing and a miss. 

Without spoiling the season I do have a few things to say. There were choices about characters that just made no sense. I understand that we have missed a lot of time and story between the seasons but there were choices made by characters that were a pretty big leap from how they have been written in the past. There was a weird amount of vomit. Also a lot of cheap shots about weight, again, which we were supposed to laugh off. 

There were also very funny moments. Very heartfelt moments. Scenes I am glad that certain characters got to have. 

I am still feeling a lot of mixed emotions and I am not sure how to express them without spoilers. I did cry through the last ten minutes of the last episode. I am going to miss getting new content with the characters. I will miss seeing the cast together to promote new seasons. It just felt rushed and almost like the higher ups just wanted to get it over with for some of the season. Which isn’t great when you only have six episodes. The overall storyline for the season was very interesting though. 

Overall it season four seemed like a swing and a miss.

I am glad I watched it. I am glad The Umbrella Academy will be there for me when I need it. I suppose that will have to be enough.

I do want to say a huge thank you to the cast and crew of this show. I have loved it and am sorry to see it end. Thank you all for your hard work!

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!!!