#tua supportive diego

[laurrelise]

now don’t get me wrong, i love every single hargreeves sibling, but as someone with only brothers, poor fucking allison bro

[commissionspartybus]

I (politely) demand more batman stuff, this idea sounds great

S2 ending, they grab a briefcase and set it correctly to go back home. Hand in hand, ready to fix their lives once again and finally avoid the apocalypse.

Out of hundreds of briefcases, they grab the one missing a wire.

Using it should have killed them but stabilization came from Viktor, and not ending up stranded in space time is thanks to Five. Instead they hit the right year, right time, completely wrong universe.

They scare the shit out of the family living in the house they landed in, but otherwise are fine. Grabbing a newspaper - which was frankly ridiculously harder than expected - and realizing that they are in the world of a comic series? Less of a shock, more of a yelling match of whose fault this is.

Three factions emerge: those who want to go to the JL for help, those who rather fix this by themselves, and those who Do Not Fucking Care As Long As Something Is Done.

Diego and Luther belong to the first camp, Five and Viktor in the second. Allison and Klaus firmly in the third. So they do what they do best and split up, because this family cannot agree on a Single Goddamn Thing.

Ben, meanwhile, remembered a little girl on a tricycle who made fun of him and said without a box set he was boring. Ben then woke up again in a body in some mad scientists basement who apparently is trying to make people out of clay and science because some woman apparently was made that way. Ben is having a Shit Fucking Time.

Luther and Diego go off together to do their plan, but argue about who to approach. Viktor, who came with them purely because he happened to be in the same room during this, is displeased. Diego throws a fit and goes to Gotham while Luther, who also throws a fit, goes to Metropolis. Viktor also goes to metropolis because there really is an excellent program there for newfound metas run by some guy named Lex Luthor and he might as well get a head start on the whole powers thing.

Lex actually stops by once or twice and is really nice to Viktor, offers him additional resources and even employment. Hopefully not something he'll have to worry about but it's nice to see actual rich people be kind.

Luther drops Viktor off to these meetings though and remembers lex luthor. Luther goes to the library to double check this lex luthor is The Lex Luthor and discovers The Internent. Luther cannot believe what people are saying about his childhood hero online. Who has the gall to disrespect Superman? This cannot stand. This will not stand. Luther will make people realize how great superman is.

Diego on the other hand has a plan. He was thrown in a asylum before and has no interest in doing that again, which he's sure will happen if he just says the truth. No, he has to impress Batman. Only then will he be considered Sane and Truthful. This has nothing to do with wanting Actual Batman to think he's cool, no way. He needs to become a vigilante in Gotham and Become A Bat.

Five and Allison stick together- well, more like Allison sticks to Five because she'll be damned If it takes another fifty years to get back home. No, anytime he's out of her sight he does dumb shit that always has an apocalypse attached to it. Her morals are also starting to slip and she wants both an enabler and support beam in Five. Road trip to all the notable places in America harboring Magical and Scientific Shit to speed up the process.

Klaus originally joined roadtrip duo but upon a stop he noticed the most gorgeous man who was also the ugliest fucking thing he'd seen all weak. Like two malformed cats having an orgy. It was instantaneous, he Needs to either fuck that guy or find out what his deal is. This is his destiny. This Is Who He Is Meant To Find.

The justice league, meanwhile, have not gone blind to the families antics. Their main concern is the two metas going around and swiping objects of high value and power- the woman with her power to make anyone do as she says and the boys spatial jumps are unnerving. With no idea on their reasoning and the potential of the boy being an unwillingly accomplice (they are, after all, very clearly not related and with the woman's power she could just be using the boy to achieve her own ends through his) it is in their highest priority to finish this through.

Except it Is hard to focus due to extenuating circumstances.

Clark Kent thinks he's dealing with a stalker and is completely unprepared on how to actually. Deal With That. Luthor keeps taunting about how humans will reign superior and shit about legacy - will he have to keep a closer eye on Conner? Will his clone/son/brother/science gone wrong even accept it? Who Fucking Knows.

Bruce's kids keep sending him tiktoks about the newest wannabe vigilante getting his shit rocked near constantly, which isn't distracting enough to quiet the thoughts in his head that the mystery boy stealing artifacts has enough features reminiscent of his grandfather (Thomas Wayne's father) to be suspicious. And that Azrael has gone missing, again.

John Constantine is on the run from the amalgamation of gods regrets personified, and he interested in finding out what it wants with him, personally. Having some murderous church kid tag along with him because "through you (John) will lead me to what God has tasked me to find" doesn't make this shit worse at all, nope.

[ballerinarina]

𐙚LET'S TALK ABOUT... DIEGO, LILA & FIVE

Okay, firstly I need to state that I'm going to say my impressions about the season four of The Umbrella Academy, focusing on the subway plotline. My considerations are very long (I'm talkative!) and about what I watched in the episodes and what I read on social media, so, I am totally open to opinions too!!

As an hyperfocused girl, I've been thinking about the subway arc plot decision during an absurd amout of time. I watched it a few times and read a lot of opinions. Yet, I still feel a little... surprised (?) by the intense hate over it.

It's not about liking or disliking the new couple that I'm talking about. Since naturally people would prefer one ship over another, it was obviously waited that the opinions would be divided.

I just... can't understand why people hated it so much as if it was a bad plot decision. Diego and Lila are beautiful together, i agree! They have a long, real and strong love story together. But why people are acting like this new plotline erased all their relationship together? Relationships are more complex than that.

Feelings are more complex than that. Humans are.

Actually, I may say that the psychological development that happens in the subway is way more interesting because Lila and Diego love each other, as much as Five loves Diego too.

This being said, I don't mean that I think a cheating plotline is interesting because of the cheating. I actually use to dislike it a lot. However, dealing with cheating in a black-and-white way as if it's an indefendible action is not clever. Sometimes, some things I read make me realize that people are so stuck into traditional morals that their capacity of thinking and analyzing complex emotional situations is kind of... damaged.

𝐒𝐨... 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐗 𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐗 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞?

The Umbrella Academy is known as a series with very human and complex characters. That's what makes it so good, from the beginning! That's why I think it's kind of sad to judge their relationship with a typical moral view.

Claiming that Lila didn't deserve Diego, for example is so... so sad. She was an amazing mother and wife. She tried to go back to them for six years and as soon as she could she went back! Not even thinking twice! She loves Diego, of course she does!

Loving Five doesn't make her love for Diego less strong.

I really don't think Lila X Five is just neediness, however, no way. They already spent two seasons constructing a beautiful (friend) relationship before and in this horrible context they spent a lot of time taking care of each other, being each other's support. Considering this and their communication development — jokes on season 3, kindness in the beginning of season 4 — it's not surprising or nonsense that it turned to become romantic. People and relationships change, love is built and adapted.

I don't think Lila stopped loving Diego (i mean romantically, but even if she did, she surely didn't in other ways of loving that are as beautiful as it is) but that doesn't make her love for Five false, and Five loving and having a relationship with her doesn't make him a bad brother either. That's why I emphasized that TUA is a series with complex relationships. Why do you get upset and surprised when another relationship between complicated characters is built due to the tragedies of the script?

If this didn't cause outrage before, could it cause because, this time, when things get complicated, the plot resource used questions the standard romantic drama format expected by the system?

𝐍𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭? 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫?

I guess one of the main arguments I saw was that their relationship didn't make any sense and that their scenes were extremely out of character, but I don't think it could be sustained when they both are characters who go through a lot that makes them change, alone or together. What they're claiming being out of character may simply be character development under non-ideal circumstances.

It seems like there's an strong resistance to open their minds while watching and realize that love isn't something that can only happen once and/or once at a time and under ideal situations. Diego and Lila's marriage crisis, Five and Lila developing ther friendship inbetween work cumplicity, Five looking more lost and tired in his decisions than before, the fact that it is the second time he has been trapped in space-time — which is a big trauma for him, since, from the first season (in the first apocalypse) we have been shown that, despite being introverted, arrogant and reserved, it is precisely "relating" that serves as a point of refuge for Five not to go crazy, lowering his guard and being kind...

All of this constructs very well their psychological coherency. "He wouldn't treat her like that during season 2 or 3!", "Lila would never be a domestic mother/ Five wouldn't work do CIA!". Well, we're talking about them now, not there.

One of the plot decisions to start this season was that the characters were living between what they kind-of-desired, but things still weren't fine, they still weren't getting what they wanted.

Five being free from the world-ending, but stll not being able to relax and live a simple retired life as he wanted. Klaus being sober and free of the ghosts, but insecure and anxious. Allison having Claire and Ray, but still unable to live a happy marriage and career. Viktor having his place working with something that makes him comfortable, but still unable to find love. Diego and Lila having a family and marriage and still unable to feel happy because the domestic work dynamic wasn't working...

Adulthood. Real life. None of those situations were out of character, as much as none of the psychological changes they suffered were too.

𝐀 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦

Since I don't really see the point on why would all of the happenings between them three could be claimed as "nonsense", even less "unasked" or "unnecessary" — because it's a work of fiction and, even if it may not be what the public wants to watch, it is not something that needs to prove its usefulness, just as events (that tie together well, because coherency matters) do not need to prove their necessity in art —, so it makes me even more sad that clearly mostly of the reactions are based on conservative views of marriage.

I know this season is not perfect, and it had a lot of defects, so I'm not saying the arc is perfect. As all the other arcs, it happened in a hurry, making us the public less abl to feel the 7 years of development. Complaining about how the arc was executed is perfectly fine, actually: after all, we know that 4 episodes were cut from the original script, as were many recorded scenes (including a big part of the subway plotline).

AIDAN: "There's a lot of the relationship with Lila that we filmes but they cut it. It took weeks to film it and they used a few minutes in a montage. That wasn't right. It also made very hard for the viewers to believe when we spent weeks filming scenes to set up that scenario."

But when I bring the conservatism theme (misoginy and remnants/consequences of the monogamous religious structure), it's because, even if we have lots of other of worse defects on other parts of the season, the biggest public overreacting opinions have been undoubtly about Five and Lila.

Anyone who spends more than 2 minutes in the comments on Twitter, Tiktok or even here knows that most of the time people've been sad and angry treating them both as if they were turned into cheaters with no morals (Five as a new kind of scroundrel asshole, Lila as some kind of ungrateful whore and I've even seen people problematizing their enemies phase, or the age difference as if one of then, or even the director, were predators, which is pure nonsense) and I can't even express how it makes me deeply melancholic.

I can't see how reacting as if the situations they were put in and their actions toward it in the scripts were absurd, terrible and dumb can't be just conservative, because they were actually very well tied script decisions, used in a bold way. With an interesting and well written enemies to frenemies to friends to lovers trope, they managed to write something fun and that developed both of the characters in their early-season-conflicts-arising-from-other-seasons.

𝐒𝐨? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐂𝐞𝐂𝐞?

I truly just... Can't understand how some people ended up having collectively such insensitive opinions about the relationship of two characters who were so... vulnerable.

Non-ironically I even saw a lot of people defending they would prefer Five to end up with a “real life Dolores” plotline (since the author felt the need of a romance) than with Lila, or that he shouldn't ever fall in love with anyone else than Dolores. It sounds so... Insane. I can't see how someone can have any kind of shipping-affection for his "sick" relationship with Dolores. It was, for me, a completely heartbroken arc.

While watching this new season, actually, it made me almost warmly happy, as a Five fan, to see him having someone to take care of him in hard times like that. Last time he didn't have it. They loved each other, they constructed this love and even if it was constructed under a refuge, extremely vulnerable situation, as much as even if it was constructed over a hopeless and trust-breaking decision towards their loved Diego, it doesn't make it less real and beautiful.

They aren't bad people. They aren't cheaters. They were desperate.

I'm happy they found love in each other. They were victims but managed to construct a beautiful relationship to survive and it doesn't make them love less Diego, as a brother or as a lover.

Of course it breaks completely my heart that Diego and Five died without making peace, but while watching not even for a moment I considered that they stopped loving each other. They're brothers, they've went through a lot.

They were doing so fine getting along together since they came back from the apocalypse.... There's no way it would "destroy" and "erase" (terms used by some fans) all the progress that's been made... I think it would be a very shallow interpretation of their relationship and a very futile interpretation of the events. Some of the public is seeing the situation as if Five slept with his wife since the beginning, not as if he had felt in love with her in a very apocaliptical and hopeless situation.

It's essential to remember that nothing said romantic happened for six years. It turned this way only after they having practically given up hope of returning home, so exhausted they were.

I really don't think that such a desperate and lonely situation would erase all the love and dedication Diego have for Five (and Five has no reasons to stop feeling it for Diego too, obviously). Diego was totally the sweetest during this season, he did his best, but Five did too... Now they fought but it doesn't mean their relationship would be forever broken. They were both stressed out, of course, it was a sensitive situation. But, i don't think it would... However with an apocalypse going on, they just didn't have enough time.

Diego was clearly open to understand Lila better, so I really doubt he wouldn't try to do the same with Five. But, again, they were both heart broken, hot headed and with no time. It's sad and it affect them, but "destroy and erase" are very heavy terms and inconsistent with the context of their relationships.

I don't know. I don't know how to conclude this analysis. I just… Am sorry. I honestly feel lucky to have been able to experience Diego, Lila and Five, but I'm so sorry that I couldn't see these three hearts find peace in their complicated loves, even during their final moments. These are three very beautiful love relationships that grew up tangled up and that, unfortunately, couldn't unfold in time to hurt less their lovers.

It felt wonderful and desolate. I hope more people can feel it like i did.

[jellybeanium124]

can't think about allison hargreeves these days without getting mad. in s1 half her storyline was about getting back to her daughter and half her storyline was trying to connect with and support her (white) brother. viktor is obviously the leader for that plot while allison is his lancer. oh and her other story is about her and luther, but actually watching that storyline as an older adult has made me appreciate it a lot more. I think the way allison is written in regard to luther is actually novel and well done. allison is used to having control and control over luther specifically, and luther was so abused into being a Good Boy that he's as desperate for allison's affection as he was for his father's. s1 is clearly about how their trauma still affects them and the allison/luther storyline does a good job at that.

and then in season 2 you have the... well I'm not qualified to talk about the tua civil rights storyline. you know that picture of the fucked up gold star with the off center comic sans text saying "you tried"? yeah. it's giving "you tried." and then in season 3 diego and allison have a quick chat about what it was like for her living in 1960s dallas for two years, but of course none of the white sibs are ever confronted by how their time in dallas was different. luther and klaus are so innocently colorblind (derogatory) in season 2 because they're the "good ones" and ugh I should stop talking, someone else could go into this much better than I can.

and season 3 is like, "you tried" part 2. and in season 4 she's supposedly a shit actor and ray left her??? what the fuck?? not only did ray, Ray the Perfect Man leave her and we never see him again, but she can't act??? look I know she used her rumor powers liberally back in the day but I really fucking hated that. and you don't need me to tell you that season 4 sucked so, so hard.

allison hargreeves deserved so much better.

[neilarmstrongssmile]

Ok, I need to talk about it. The Five x Lila thing is uncomfortable and kinda gross to me. But mabye I'm not seeing the vision/my discomfort is not the reason it's a bad idea necesarilly. So... here are some reasons besides that on why it's just a bad idea:

1. Why give Five a love story at all? He had a love story, has had it the whole show - love for his family. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve romantic love (with an actual human), but knowing it's the last season and knowing they have only 6 eposodes mabye don't? Introducing the romance in the second to last episode? And developing it through a montague? It's not enough time

2. What's the purpose of the subway station to the story? The only characters on it are Five and Lila (later also Lila's family + Claire), they don't accomplish anything with it, don't find anything useful, don't learn anything new. It's an excuse to have them get lost there, so that they could fall in love. IT'S THE LAST SEASON! Don't waste a cool location like that! Why didn't other characters get there? Why didn't they get Bennifer there and put Ben on one train and Jennifer on another while they think of another permanent safe solution? Use the subway station for actual plot or get rid of it - and that way we don't have the out-of-character falling in love crap

3. Ok, thay are lost, it's been years, they are loosing hope, they are clinging to the only other real thing. There's no guilt? No talk of Diego, Lila's children? There's no false start? They just kiss, remark it's not weird and live idyllicly together? I don't need depressing scenes of them crying for their family and hating themselves for being together, but what we got was not a relationship created by necessity but a normal falling in love story as if Lila isn't MARRIED CURRENTLY to Five's BROTHER! There should be some weirdness, some discussion of what exactly their relationship is, what would happen if they managed to come back. It's inconsistent (with previous characterisation but that's another thing) - are they genuinly in love, or using each other? Is Lila trully happy and in love, or pretending, while being desperate to come back to reality with Diego and her kids? They seem really in love, but after Five finally (5 months!?!?? WTF that's gross) shows Lila the notebook and she leaves she makes it seem as if she's choosing Diego and her marriage. But then she cannot answer 'Do you love him?', gives Five longing glances, is holding his hand... I know that she could be confused and unsure but it doesn't seem as if she doesn't know, it seems like she acts in the way for all the scenes to be dramatic even if it contradicts what happened previously.

4. So they manage to go back, Lila doesn't immedietly confess to Diego, and when the truth comes out Five is mad? He is in the wrong! He went after his brother's wife, he should be apologetic, he should feel weird to be in Diego's home, not combative. Yeah, your love life is complicated and not everything is roses after your return but it's on you YOU WENT AFTER A MARRIED WOMAN! WITH KIDS! And you're mad at her husband for being mad at you? No, he should be ashamed. And ok, get mad later, say that you were finally happy, and now it's gone, scream it at Lila or Diego, but not from the get go. That makes him seem like such a scumbag .

5. You wanted Five to have a romance. In my opinion unnecessary, but do you. You wanted it to be with Lila. In my opinion very weird choice, but sure. Why have Lila and Diego married? We have a 6 year time skip. They could have been just co-parenting and no longer together (and never married). Why make a subplot where Diego thinks Lila is cheating on him (as a joke) to then make it a reality? Why not have Diego and Lila have this season to grow close as friends and co-parent as a unit after years of conflict and have Diego be supportive of this weird incestuous relationship? (TUA unfortunately is no stranger to that, and UA already has weird and complicated relationships all around) instead of falling apart in such a fashion? IT'S THE LAST SEASON at the very least have all our main characters go out without conflict with each other. Five's lat words to Diego were 'I'm gonna kill you'.

It seems they made this whole thing as messy as possible, but then didn't dive deep into the mess to have some actual drama, didn't adress the mess, didn't vindicate any of those characters. And if you're just creating mess and don't engage with it, and it's THE LAST SEASON mabye you should've just left it alone - Lila and Diego together and happy, and Five doing everything to be with his family, safe. I'm dissapointed.

[tothosewholisten]

Forever Healed | TUA insert

Chapter: 03

<<previous chapter | next chapter>>

Masterlist

…

17 YEARS AGO

It was during my first week there that I'd finally be let to do something with the other kids. I didn't know what I hoped it to be but it wasn't this.

All of us kids stood at the bottom of a lengthy spiral staircase waiting for Reginald’s go. Minus a brown hair girl who stood at the top with her father looking down pitifully at us, I'd never seen that day with the rest of the kids before. I didn't know any of these people yet. And they didn’t know me. So when the morning began they were confused about who this girl was with the same green with white stripe tracksuit as them.

I looked up at Reginald as he wrote something in a big book, probably his journal but I had no idea what it could be.

Nietzsche once said. ‘Man is as a rope stretched between the animal and the superhuman. A rope over an abyss. It is a dangerous crossing, a dangerous looking back, a dangerous trembling and halting.’

Reginald gives the brown-haired girl a look and she blows the whistle tied around her neck. They all burst into action but I stood there for a second. I was still very new to things so I followed the crowd as they raced up the stairs. I wasn't a fast runner at all but I kept up. Never falling to last place.

As much as you must strive for individual greatness, and strive you must, for it won't come to you of its own accord..

The blonde boy was first and the rest of us just tried to catch up to him. The stairs were steep and rickety, they did not make for a good run at all. I was next to the curly-haired girl who was in third, we both tried our best to keep moving but never wanting to push each other.

You must also remember that there is no individual stronger than the collective.

The one boy who could teleport blinks up in front of the blonde boy and takes the lead.

“That’s not fair, Five’s cheating!” Whined the boy who could throw knives, who was second before he teleported up.

“He adapted.” Yelled Reginald from the top.

..

The scene in front of me was terrifying beyond belief. I'd just been given my uniform and called into one of the house's many halls along with everyone else. In the middle, there was a man who was working on a tattoo, on Diego’s arm. Who’s name I just learned.

I could tell he was trying not to cry, but by the way, he was moving in his chair, I could tell that this was hurting him. I wanted to go up and hold his hand and use my powers. But I was given a disapproving look from Reginald so instead I sat in one of the chairs next to Five and waited for my dreaded turn.

The tattoo was in the shape of an umbrella, our logo.

The ties that bind you together, make you stronger than you are alone.

Behind Diego was Alison and Klaus who already had gotten their tattoos and were crying holding each other in support. I also wanted to go up to them, and help. I thought I could help everyone in the room with my powers and at least take away the pain but not the image.

They will make you impervious to the pain and hardship the world will thrust upon you.

Behind me, I could see Grace and Reginald standing next to each other, witnessing the children’s crying hysterics. Not either of them showed an ounce of sympathy for what we were going through.

And believe me when I tell you, life will be hard. It will be painful.

The old man walks away leaving Grace to watch by herself. She had her eyes on the girl at the top of the flight of stairs, Vanya. I was confused why she wasn't sitting next to me getting her own branding like the rest of us.

She took out a sharpie from her uniform and drew a figure on her arm.

We can accomplish anything.

Hours passed and It was time for bed, is what Grace told us. All of the kids looked less in pain from what the day did to us, almost joyful that it was over. But for me as someone who could heal all my wounds ever. The tattoo pain increased tenfold than it was when I got it. I was in agony before I fell asleep. Still in my plain room.

When we accept responsibility together. This is what creates trust.

..

Reginald was monitoring all of the kids with wires connected to their heads that night. A weird scene at best. None of them would ever discover this crazy fact until adulthood. He sat in his study, writing and watching the children’s brain waves as they slept. As well as security camera footage of each one.

Together, you will stand against the reign of evil.

The loudest beeping came from Vanya, something that Reginald looked shocked at before going back to writing in his journal.

..

PRESENT DAY

I gave myself time to just rest in my bed. The thought of Ben was a virus in my mind that wouldn't go away, at what point do you have to tell yourself to let go?

On my way to the kitchen I passed Vanya leaving, I stopped to say bye and when I did she hugged me. And told me to look after myself. Then she walked out the door, I do hope I see her again.

“Hey N/n” Klaus looked at me worriedly. He was strumming a guitar while sitting on one of the chairs in the kitchen.

“Hi,” I said quietly and took a seat in the chair closest to him. Five paced around the room looking for something when Alison walked in.

“Where’s Vanya?” She asked.

“You just missed her. She left.” I say back.

“That’s unfortunate,” Five remarks, standing in front of a shelf. But he slowly turns to where the three of us sit

“An entire square block. Forty-two bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, but no, not a single drop of coffee.” He said, dropping an empty can onto the table.

Alison gives him a confused look. “Dad hated caffeine.”

“Well, he hated children too, and he had plenty of us!” Klaus laughs, falling back into his slanted chair.

Alison didn't find his joke very funny, but I did. It was true after all.

Five looks down, his expression a mix of anger and yearning. “I'm taking the car.” He says.

Klaus puts the guitar down, getting more interested in this conversation. “Where are you going?” He asks. Probably with the hope that he could come too. Our sandwich idea didn't work out, and it was too dark now.

“To get a decent cup of coffee.” Five exclaims.

“Do you even know how to drive?” Alison crosses her arms.

“I know how to do everything.” And he blinks away.

Klaus's reaction is delayed. He stands up after Five leaves and holds out his hand like he's still there. “I feel like we should try and stop him.” He turns back to us. “But then again, I also just kinda want to see what happens.”

We all turned our heads to the wall as we heard noises from the outside. It was a car engine turning on, proof that Five wasn't bluffing. Now I kinda wish I could join him. The car speeds off and we hear Diego’s lovely voice as he walks into the room.

“All right, I guess I'll see you guys in, what, ten years? When Pogo dies next?” He says.

“Not if you die first.” I smile. Klaus bursts out into fits of laughter as Alison fake coughs to mask hers.

“Yeah, well love you too Y/n.”

He stops at Alison. “Good luck on your next film.” Was he actually being nic— “Hope it turns out better than your marriage, huh?” No of course not..

Diego finally walks away when Alison looks like she’s about to say something but she turns her back and walks away instead in the opposite direction.

“Gotta run sweetie, love you!” Klaus calls out before running after Diego.

I sigh as I hear the sound of them leaving in Diego's car. I'm surprised by the fact that he even has one. I'm left by myself once again, now I'm not sure what to do at all. So I went back to my room.

..

On my long walk home, because I wasn't in the mood to wait for a taxi, I passed by Giddy's Doughnuts. My old place of employment when I left the Academy. I had a job there to earn some money to get on my feet.

I wasn't going to take any handouts because of my “last name” and definitely wasn't getting any money from Reginald. Well, I doubt he’d ever give me any because I did technically run away.

Since Klaus ditched me to hang out with the less cool Diego, I thought I'd stop by and say hello to Agnes.

“What the fu—“ I screamed as I walked through the door. There were Five absolutely beating the shit out of like six people.

Their bodies lay on the floors in their own pools of blood. Five looked petrified at the sound of my voice, dropping the man whose neck he just snapped.

His face switches back to a calm one as he sees me staring at them. “Don’t try to help them, it's not worth it.” He says walking to the large island in front of the doughnuts. “Come here and help me with this.”

I walk over immediately trying not to step on any parts of these men. “Fiv-“

He cuts me off. “Cut open my arm, will you? Right here.” My face drops.

“Aren’t you the one who can heal people? Come on.” Five rushes. I forgot that we barely know each other, well I know more about him than he does about me. Because he ran away at such an odd time in our lives.

I gulped down the puke that was about to come up and grabbed the knife he was holding out. I cut slowly into his upper arm, he told me to make a slice and when I did he barely flinched. After I put my hand on him to start to heal the wound. And I felt the urge to say sorry for what I'm doing but then he stops me.

“What is that?” I ask, pointing to the beeping device he rips out of his arm.

“I'll explain later, come with me.” He says getting up. But letting me heal him first.

We walk out of Griddy's and he drops the device in a puddle. Looking back at the stores I feel bad for Agnes. I could see her pink headwear poking out from behind the island. At least she wasn't hurt.

..

Five blinked us upstairs into someone’s apartment. I knew it wasn’t his own so I started to get suspicious. “Who lives here?” I ask but get no response.

All of a sudden whoever lives here keys, start to rattle the door as they walk in. Surprisingly instead of some random person that five was going to kill and steal their house. It was Vanya opening the door. I felt a sense of relief.

“Jesus!” She whisper shouts, seeing the two of us in her apartment. We sat on her two living room chairs as Five turned on a lamp to scare her.

“You should have locks on your windows.” He says

“I live on the second floor”

“Rapists can climb” he states and I give him a look.

“You are so weird,” I say. Vanya closes the door and sits on the couch next to us.

No one talks for a second before Vanya asks a question.

“Why are you guys here? And why together?” She asked. I was about to tell her that I'd been kidnapped by a teenager when Five spoke up.

He sighs. “I’ve decided that you're the only one I can trust.” I glanced at him. “The only two I can trust.” He corrects himself.

“Why me?” She questions.

“Because you’re ordinary.” I gave him another glance. “Because you’ll listen.”

He groans. “When I jumped foward and got stuck in the future, do you know what I found?” He asked us.

“No” Vanya shakes her head.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing.” He paused. “As far as I could tell, I was the last person left alive. I never figured out what killed the human race, but. I did find something else.”

“What was it?” I asked. The suspense was killing me.

“The date it happens. The world ends in eight days, and I have no idea how to stop it.”

My jaw was hanging on the ground, that's how much it opened hearing his news. Vanya sat there looking the same.

“I'll put on a pot of coffee.”

…

Aug 14 update:

If you'd like to be added to the tag list for rest of the series (starts at chapter 10) say taglist in the comments!

[lookingforhappy]

TUA wasn't "always meant to end like this" nor did it build up to a tragic everybody dies ending in any way

sorry this is long and rambly but im noticing a lot of people coming out of the woodworks saying that the ending wasnt even bad actually and i just.. its not a redeemable ending to me and yes it does ruin the rest of the show for me and i wish i had the strength to make it not so but im stuck rn.. anyway:

i don't think i can forgive the ending, more than anything that happened in the final season

they had interesting character points, in an interesting setting.

and yeah they didnt tie up anything, and several people were out of character this season but thats nothing new in this fandom

eudora was forgotten, diego and luthers personalities didnt develop they were altered to be more palatable for the audience, grace and pogo became cameo characters instead of finishing their arcs or development in a meaningful way, reginalds plan has made less and less sense as the seasons go on, the commission was entirely changed from its set up in s1 and then forgotten.

thats all forgivable as long as the season is self contained and satisfys the tone and story.

s4 did none of these things - its not self contained as it leaves jennifer and abigail severely underexplained, and then flips the tone and message of the entire series on its head.

people have already noted that the theme of the show is that recovery from abuse haunts you into adulthood but with love and hard work and perserverance you can overcome it. the apocalypse has always been a metaphor for the cycle of abuse and how it continues to harm people after its been done, and how allowing it to dictate your life will end up in it imploding in your face etc.

but theres also just the general tone of the show.

the final season tries to make out that the siblings are themselves responsible for the apocalypses and only their death can prevent more apocalypses (twisting the meaning to be that of "if you have trauma then you should kill yourself" which like.. clearly bad, no explanation needed)

but to pull through on this ending the previous seasons need to have ended in tragedy too, or hinted towards it tonally. they never do.

the obvious way to do this would be to write each season ending/apocalypse to be sad/tragic. have the focus be on the people dying horribly in pain, show the remorse of the siblings, punish them by making it personal, show that they killed everyone and they know it.

the only season that even slightly does this is s1 as patch is killed because of diego, pogo and grace are killed because of luther and viktor, and the rest of the supporting cast is killed due to viktor.

but even season 1 isnt framed as a tragedy or a story leading up tot a tragedy.

its a story of hope. the siblings arent upset by the apocalypse because they can survive and prevent it and theres hope for the future and more specifically for THEIR future. nothing else remains from this timeline other than them because the whole show is centred as their recovery story. their hope.

if this was ever going to be presented as a hopeless tragedy then we needed to see characters like claire killed brutally. we needed to actually see Grace's lifeless body. we needed to see the consequences and see that nothing they did was fixing anything by having these consequences follow them and not just in a "this happened and im sad" but in everyone around them and them becoming worse as time goes by.

if they wanted the whole "we cant exist" ending to work then we needed to frame s1 and all subsequent seasons to actually show that it was their actions that caused the apocalypses.

viktor causes the first apocalypse because of reginald's abuse.

the US government causes the second apocalypse because they tortured an innocent to the brink of death and then got upset and aggressive when that had consequences (viktors powers overspilling and destroying the fbi building). like sorry that apocalypse was never viktors fault - its like false confession under torture, it doesnt count as real because he only did it to make torture stop.

the 3rd apocalypse is caused by Harlan accidentally killing their mothers, which again is not even his fault. he didnt want to kill them he just lost control and he had no idea that it would end the world (logically it shouldnt because this apocalypse defies the laws of time that they themselves established for the show).

the final apocalypse isnt even caused by them its caused by abigail and reginald. as are, technically, all of the apocalypses as abigail created the marigold and reginald released it and created the broken timeline by allowing it to travel with him to the umbrellas world.

in s2 the apocalypse has no consequences because they prevent it. ray and sissy and harlan get to live. klaus' cult memeber get to live. they even punctuate this ending by showing that theyre moving on and progressing in their healing because ben is finally allowed to move on with his afterlife, and he is no longer kept there, stalling their recovery from his death. even five's integration into the family again in s1 showed growth and recovery and HOPE.

in s3 the world is saved, and luther is brought back to life and five and diegos limbs are returned. everyone who was erased/died like lilas family and reginald are brought back to life because there is HOPE.

if they wanted to sell a tragedy and sell it well then we needed to see consequences. allison should have died in s1. five should have given up and returned to the commission in s2. luther should have stayed dead in s3. their families should have died and caused them pain.

nothing about this ending followed through on the theme of hope.

there are ways to do it. and its been done well.

romeo and juliet works because they are remembered. star wars prequels are loved because its a doomed from the beginning story that ends with hope in the form of luke saving his fathers soul and returning the jedi to their true state - protectors and peace keepers. frodo and bilbo return from their journeys ill and grieving and forever changed, and they and the magic beings of middle earth have to pass on before their time because of the harm of their stories. macbeth dies in the end because his story was one of a hero becoming a villain.

theres so many good examples of tragic endings but s4 wasnt one of them.

[hotel-oblivion-fiveliladni]

K. Because I'm tired to blocking ppl, I'm saying to ALL fivelila shipers to AVOID my blog and TO READ the freaking username that in the end says "fiveliladni" fivelila do NOT interact. And the reasons that I HATE that ship are:

1. Ruining 2 amazing characters and my favorite duo(as frienemies in s3) and the whole show

2. Steve Blackman waited for Aidan to be 18 to make that shit. If Aidan wasn't 18 when they were filming s4 we wouldn't see that shit + he planned that shit for s2 but he couldn't because of Aidan's age (for that time 15-16 years old)

3. Age gap between characters AND actors. Five was on his 70's and Lila on end of her 30's. Ritu is older than Aidan for 13 years(???) (Yes I had to count this lmao)

4. Ruining Lila's marriage and relationship between Five and Diego, if you noticed, they were the only characters that weren't smiling when they were dying, because they were mad on each other.

5. I am headcononing Five as gay and/or AroAce, he is not able to date a any woman for me.

Yes, I'm an artist, and I draw tua fan arts w Five and may with other characters in the show, but I will never support something like fivelila. So fivelila shipers, block me and avoid my blog. Thank you.

Also, today when I writing this is 8th December, thanks Steve Blackman for ruining my favorite show, fuck you and keep yourself save 🪓☺

[commissionspartybus]

TUA S4 is a mess so AU where instead of S3 happening they end up going into the DCU. Diego is loving it and is determined to make Batman notice him. Batman does not notice him. Batman notices Five. Five does not care, Five is working on getting everyone back home to the right universe because Allison Will kill him if Claire isn't returned to her. Allison ending up in a fictional universe instead of theirs where everything went wrong is actually better for her mental health. This is ridiculous and instead of it feeling like her child is dead and gone, her love has been ripped away from her, and that everything as she knows it will constantly be upended and dismantled no matter what she does, she instead looks at this as "Of Fucking Course This Happens To Us" Luther stalks Clark Kent. Luther gets a restraining order against him by Clark Kent. Viktor goes to metropolis and enters in a meta support group for those who recently found out their powers. It's very nice. Viktor continues to be cringefail with romantic relationships. Klaus has one goal, and it is to fuck John Constantine.

[justhereformyblorbos]

my blorbos… I miss them… so I put them into lumon aka hargreeves hell corporation

spoilers for severance and all seasons of tua under the cut

I guess technically they’re all Helenas if Reginald is Kier huh.

I started drawing before 2x07 dropped and ruined my life but honestly it still works

So they grew up in one of those hargreeves-controlled schools under the slightly culty environment doing missions and training to become the next generations (perhaps competing to be the heir to the “revolving whatever that is)

Five was the most promising but gets lost at an ORTBO and gets taken in by the Commission, perhaps a resistance or rival company that is just as shady (think Reghabi)? Unsure of whether to combine Reginald/Lumon and the Commission or not. For some reason he is still a child, and everyone reacts to him like they do to Miss Huang.

After that, their team isn’t doing so hot. One day Ben “dies” and it fractures their little family for good.

Later in the world, they’re struggling and eventually return to their dad’s company that they once ran away from in various different ways, and each get severed and go through the horrors.

Number 1 (Luther) - I think Milchick’s devotion to Reginald, Mark’s optimism and initial obedience, Irving’s initial love of Lumon texts, and Sloane in another department being his tragic office wife could be juicy… The one who never left the ideals of Reginald without being fully aware of what they were doing, and slowly have his worldviews change and his adoration for Reginald fall apart (but not before doing some rough things under the impression that he is RIGHT). I know the . romance. With Allison is a thing in the show but. for this alternative universe they will simply be close coworkers who support and inspire each other to rebel OKAY? okay. I think having Sloane taken away from him and finding out Ben’s still alive will more than do it to cause him to get on the side of the innies. I think on the outside he’s super isolated and so crushingly lonely without his siblings ): maybe he gets into illegal underground boxing and gets severe brain damage that necessitates severance? also as an innie he never gets to see space but he’s a super nerd about stars. this is a fact Ben tells him about his outie :)

Number 2 (Diego) - Placing him a little later in the timeline, his outie could be a family man who severed to provide for them? Or a former disgraced detective trying to investigate Reginald and expose his shady stuff after his partner Eudora dies under mysterious circumstances all vigilante style? And also blames Reginald for Ben? Laser focused on revenge and super mean but eventually starts to reach out to his siblings as an outie/innie and realizes how much he misses and cares for them. Then he falls in love with Lila along the way, perhaps two times, innie and outie, while she’s unsevered… could be fun. I could see shades of Dylan, Helly, and Mark in him—a rebellious spirit, deeply loving and determined. Or maybe he has kids with Lila later and they marry which. Makes things complicated. So he also has to navigate fatherhood in this wacky world. AHHHHHHH this isn’t even mentioning his relationship with GRACE. oh god Grace. Nightmare Robot manager… or SEVERED REGINALD EX WIFE??

Number 3 (Allison) - I could see her being a star refiner like Dylan before everything changes when she finds out about Claire. On the outside, she’s a popular actor getting severed as a publicity stunt (think Helena), for the money, and also to escape the difficulties of her divorce and custody battle like Petey. I didn’t get to draw it but on the inside I imagine she uses a wig but in the outside she has her natural hair. OR she pulls an Irving and innie Allison and innie Ray are in love before outie Ray is retired and during the OTC innie Allison leads outie Allison to meet outie Ray. Perhaps she remarries with him, and he gets to visit, except he’s loyal and doesn’t cheat like Gretchen does (no shade she’s so sympathetic I just think Ray wouldn’t do that) so innie Allison’s kinda battling with herself since she loves innie Ray and was the reason outie Allison can be Allison Chestnut but she doesn’t get that…hmm..I think she’d be very much on the side of the innies at first, fiercely criticizing the inhumane conditions and making big swings, but the company leverages Claire and Ray and she ends up swaying to them because because being the voice of the Board paralleling with her Rumor ability and in a equally as devastating arc to s3 would be COOL!!!

Number 4 (Klaus) - Literally homeless, struggling with addiction, and also a gay veteran. (like Irving!!) Turns to Reginald because they will pay him if only he severs his brain. His innie version is more happy to lucky but also is suffering the symptoms of withdrawal and/or drug use. Dave is definitely involved, I just don’t know how. He could have died in way, but Reginald Corp took his body, he could be a employee Klaus worked with and fell in love with before disappearing one day and showing up to Klaus’s doorstep with reintegration sickness but also a love and care no one has afforded to him before. Either way he has a lot of feelings about it, and goes through it and acts out, thus leading to a lot of wellness sessions with Ben. I think Klaus gets reintegrated, thus leading him to “see the dead” and have the “clairvoyance” of understanding info from innie and outie… and also has a lot of health close calls because basement brain surgery. Maybe Five does it idk.

Number 5 (Five) - miss Huang core. Knows some of the truth about Lumon, sent in as an undercover intern to stop the mysterious Cold Horror file by any means possible and steal it for the Commission for his last job. However the Commission (The Handler + crew) doesn’t have a moral compass and will do anything to get their way (and cause the apocalypse to happen). So they did a bunch of experiments on him like the comics so he’s good at killing and psychological games. And his coworkers are his siblings who he’s been fighting to get back to all these years. I could see him galvanizing the others to try and escape and having a really bad time in the break room with the Handler. Or maybe actually cutting his hand/arm off to make a point. And also falling in love with Dolores the mannequin. Mr. Penny crumb the GOAT. I think he and Lila would clock each other’s identity but this time they are platonic rivals snarking on each other and playing 4D chess

Number 6 (Ben) - There was no other option, he’s gotta be Miss Casey, by the way they both haunt the narrative and most people spoke positively of Ben after his death. 2x07 was incredible also, and I think there’s a 3rd Ben I haven’t pictured who grew up with the rest of the sibs, is trapped, and is so tired of going through experiments and tests, and really misses his family, and wants to go home. Let him out ):. BUT ALSO what if he was also Mrs. Cobel/Mr. Milchick. Mr. Sparrow. Number 2…. Double dipping wellness director and floor manager. Both the tormented and the tormentors… nature vs nurture and temperament affecting personality…

Number 7 (Viktor) - Nothing remarkable came of him during their childhood days, leaving him isolated from the other kids + severed trans story that. Would be so interesting to explore but I think I’ll leave that to someone thinking deeper than me on the topic. Sissy becomes his Burt that he falls in love with on the inside, but married to Carl on the outside with Harlan but willing to do adultery since the marriage is a little…. Yeah. Also definitely reintegrating bc good parallel to the violin mind sequence, misses his brother a lot and is very depressed for most of the story but very valuable to Reginald and the Commission since he works faster on the files than anyone else. Maybe the files are the apocalypse with a smiley face binder : ) Connects a lot to Mr. Hargreeves / Mr. Umbrella (Ben) and when they realize they’re family it’s ): ): ):

[acetypeface]

Random TUA Headcanons, Pt. 1

I was thinking about what sort of uncles (and aunt) the Hargreeves siblings would be. Since we may get to see those dynamics in s4 (the Klaus and Claire pic has got me hyped) it's time to share my silly thoughts.

This isn't speculation; I don't really do that. These are merely random ideas of mine (and all very soft because I can't be an angst writer all the time). Enjoy! ^.^

Below the break.

LUTHER

Helps teach them how to drive, and really enjoys it, too.

Has karaoke sessions in the car with his nieces when he drives them around. He tries to sing all the parts and makes them laugh.

Takes them to planetariums, rocket launches, and shows them how to work a telescope; he'll map the night skies with them for hours.

Was always the favorite when it came to playing hide-n-seek or tag; he invented a game called "crazy monk" where he makes scary faces and chases them around the house.

Could carry one niece on each shoulder easily; they loved it.

DIEGO

Is there for them after their first break-up. He takes them to a rage room and they have a grand time smashing things to bits.

Teaches them self-defense, as well as how to properly throw a knife. He may have gifted them their first knife a little too early, though.

Attends all of their sports games and track meets, and is there to scream and cheer from the sidelines (or shout at the ref if needed).

Learned how to style hair so he could give his daughter and niece all sorts of fun and dramatic hairdos; on speed dial for "crazy hair day" at school.

ALLISON

The one who takes them out for their first drink when they turn 21.

Likes to buy a lot of little presents for them, although they'll occasionally get jump-scared by something huge, like a new car.

Loves to go on trips with them; was definitely their travel companion for their senior graduation trip.

Helped them get ready before prom and took way too many pictures, all of which she cherishes greatly.

Would absolutely be the one to give "the Talk", because all of her brothers were too awkward to do it for their own children. Is excellent at giving a quick and concise sex ed course.

KLAUS

Would love to take his nieces to get their nails done (he'd get his done, too).

Loves to go get ice cream, boba, and other little treats with his nieces.

Is definitely the one bringing home puppies, kittens, hamsters, etc. as birthday presents.

If any of his nieces/nephews were to come out as queer, he'd be wildly supportive. He'd go with them to get their hair cut and buy new clothes if they were trans, or support them at Pride, or just overall be the coolest uncle ever.

FIVE

Acts like he could care less, but remembers all of the tiny, insignificant details such as their favorite color or favorite flavor of ice cream.

Will pick them up from anywhere, no lectures, no questions asked. Also won't tell their parents if they don't want him to.

Became very distressed the first time one of his nieces was bullied; his siblings had to remind him that he was not allowed to murder a kindergartner.

Unironically refers to them as his siblings' "spawn" and "offspring".

Asks his nieces for help when it comes to using his phone.

Would take his nieces to Starbucks or Dutch Bros (is this too niche to my area?), even if he thinks their coffee tastes like shit, because he likes to see them smile when they drink their overly sugary drinks.

(UMBRELLA) BEN

The absolute best at reading bedtime stories. He'd do goofy voices and end up keeping his nieces awake because they'd be too busy giggling.

Helps them study for tests and exams (they always get the best grades when Uncle Ben helps them).

Is an extremely good listener and gives some of the best advice. He never judges them for their mistakes, but always suggests how they might grow and move forward.

Happy to help his nieces on their curiosity voyages; likes to take them to museums and other places of learning.

VIKTOR

Would attend every musical, dance recital, talent show, and performance his nieces were in. He'd be in the back with big bouquets of roses and whistle and cheer at all the right moments.

Likes to take them to do the ordinary, menial things he wished he could do as a kid, such as going to the zoo or an amusement park.

Loves to talk and FaceTime with his nieces; he never misses a single call.

Is happy to pay for any artistic hobbies his nieces want to pursue, such as music lessons or drama camps.

Have any other headcanons about the Hargreeves as aunt and uncles? Lemme know in the replies or the reblogs!

[lemonwisp]

Okay folks here is my honest review of season 4 of the umbrella academy (not that it matters but this is from a person who’s obsession runs so deep I started a meme page for this show, I started making edits because of this show, I found out how to label my sexuality because of this show, after season 1 I bought all the comics and then I also bought the you look like death comics when they came out, I have nearly every funko pop (rip hazel and cha cha when I get you and when I get young Ben my collection will be complete) I love this show more than words can describe)

I was expecting it to be bad, in the way that season 3 was bad, and it wasn’t bad in that way, however there was still some awful cgi (tua really shows me that shows can have wonderful and awful cgi at the same time)

I enjoyed the first episode and became hopeful when Klaus got the dog tags but then he doesn’t even put them on despite keeping them. I loved Klaus’s friendship with Claire, I liked Luther acting like a golden retriever. Blah blah blah. I liked Diego and the piñata and the fact they called their firstborn Grace was really sweet

However the continuity errors in this season really bothered me. At the end of season 3 Klaus still has the dog tags and temple tattoo, in the promotional picture Klaus has the temple tattoo, yet in the show it wasn’t there.

The plot hole of Sloane not being there (I know realistically when Allison told Reggie the timeline she wanted she was being selfish but still)

Also the thing about Lila and hating bracelets totally goes back on the fact that Diego got her one in season 2 and she wore it all the time.

THE FACT IT TOOK THEM SO LONG TO GET TO MAINE BUT WHEN PEOPLE JUST WALKED OFF THEY GOT BACK TO THEIR HOUSES AND STUFF SO FAST

The fact Ray leaving was mentioned only twice and we never got more information on that.

The fact that Klaus pulled the lovers card and Dave didn’t come back! The fact Klaus had time to try to summon Dave and just didn’t. Klaus writing STOP on their hand and then that just disappearing. Also Klaus’s PTSD just not being shown anymore.

I’m not even going to talk about the Lila and Five situation because I’m so unbelievably angry about it. I’m obviously angry about Dave not being mentioned at all.

Also I thought Klaus being a medium was clever but also then it just turned into them being used and idk I just want Klaus to be happy

Also Ben this season was funny, but I just miss brelly Ben so much.

And while they were in the subway station I was waiting for Brelly ben to show up because the scene in season 3 of Ben BEING ON A TRAIN! I was like oh that must be brelly ben, like that’s where he went after turning into swiss cheese and then they’d get him and have him face sparrow Ben or something.

And after all of the lead up to how Ben originally died and it just being that Reggie killed him. I feel like that wasn’t that big of a shock value because Reginald seems like the type to do that. I also feel like it was kind of boring. But I did appreciate the fact the young cast were in season 4

Also I’m not saying Jennifer should have died but they said only one of them needed to die and I know it’s selfish to want Ben to live and I felt bad for Jennifer it’s just I didn’t really grow attached to her

I understand why it ended the way it did but also am upset with the ending. I admit the marigolds at the end were cute, but even though I know it’s self indulgent to wish for this I just wanted them to be happy. Or even if the ending was just like a time loop and it restarted back to season 1 would have made me feel a bit more satisfied.

I don’t know, it’s just that I’ve grown up watching tua, I’ve spent five years of my life hyperfixating on this show, and it feels like the actors care about their characters and the writers do not.

However I’m so glad I got to be part of this journey with all the other TUA fans, I thank everyone who supported my meme page I have on Instagram, who makes fan art, fan fiction, and edits about the show and comics, everyone who cares about TUA, and I’m sorry that it ended the way that it did because frankly seeing the fans care more about the characters than the writers hurts. Knowing the injustices done to the characters hurts, but I’m glad I’m not alone when I say season four kinda fucking sucked.

EDIT: NOT TO EVEN MENTION IN SEASON 3 BEN KEPT DRAWING JENNIFER THEN THAT WAS NEVER MENTIONED IN SEASON 4 and CLAIRE KNEW KLAUS WAS IMMORTAL LIKE WHEN DID SHE FIND THAT OUT

[uniasus]

Now that I'm going back and rereading the TUA fics I've rec/collected on Tumblr, I think I have a better understanding of just what bugged me about S4.

They went back to old patterns. They meaning the writers.

So much fanfic I enjoy follows the same arc - they move from a dysfunctional family to a functional one. Even if it is still rough. The Hargreeves address their hurts. They leave Reginald behind. They build the life they want, with the people they want. Their support system expands. We see them heal.

But that never really happens in the show.

I remember talking to a friend after S3 (hello @drgnrder82) about how TUA is a Heroine Journey adjacent tale, it's less about a solo person saving the world and more about building a team who can do it. Except they all tend to have separate plots that rarely integrate with the conclusion. What does the subway have to do with the Cleanse? Or Klaus's return to old patterns?

I could accept that in S1, even S2 because it was a change of pattern I found interesting, but as the seasons went on I expected the formula of the show to change. Except Netflix kept the same pattern because that's how the show had pinned its marketing - a dysfunctional family saving the world.

So of course, S4 starts six years later and they're not a family. Of course, they all go do their own thing. Of course, character growth and dynamics from early seasons are ignored to manufacture drama. Of course, support systems have eroded (removing Sissy, Sloane, Dave, Ray, and Diego/Lila were turned rocky). Of course, they were all forcibly given powers again. That's what this show is about, yeah? Family fights and powers.

But fans wanted that pattern to change. We eat it up when that stuff happens (see: The Good Place). We wanted to see them all talk it out (not just brief conversations). We wanted them all to have some sorta clap back to Reginald. (I loved that Viktor got to say his piece, but what about the others? Damn, even Netflix made him a poor little meow meow.) We wanted them in lock step for every action against Gene and Jean. We wanted family bickering, not family hate. And, I think, we would have been okay without the powers.

(Actually, yeah, I think them taking on Jean and Gene powerless but as a family would have been amazing)

[pbear]

Watched the TUA S4 deleted scenes and WOW, they just cut so many sibling bonding scenes. They were a lot of small character moments that were really lacking from the actual season.

My favorite was definitely the Diego and Luther scene. Luther was very goofy during the season, but this was a serious moment for him where he feels personally guilty about what happened to Ben as the supposed leader of their team. And Diego tells it to him straight. He tells Luther that he wasn’t a good leader but that doesn’t make him a bad person. (Also, Sloane mentioned??)

The Five and Klaus scene at Grace’s birthday party was small but sweet. Klaus has completely turned his life around, but Five shows him support.

The Klaus going to an AA meeting scene would have given his plotline some saving grace I think. It’s a nice ending compared to Allison and Claire digging him up and then quickly trying to get back to the main plot. I’m realizing that a lot of the season was very fast and that’s why these slower moments feel like a chance to catch your breath again while still having meaningful things happen.

The other two deleted scenes I could have gone without. The Ben and Viktor one felt very similar to the one in the show. It didn’t really make the Cleanse any more explained or have more interaction between the characters. And the other Klaus one where he’s walking down the street just didn’t really add anything for me.

[hurricanejane]

In episode 4x03 of TUA, it feels like Diego, Lila, and Five already feel the Fivelila vibes. Diego is all, "it's because he's in the CIA" and Lila insists it's just work, but the seed is there for all of them. Lila wants to be alone with Five doing that recon, it's cute.

But actually it's Diego that is most useful there. Fivelila shippers love to shit on Diego, maybe so Lila's actions go down easier but really they're all messy people also trying their best.

We don't have to shit on Diego to support Fivelila. He makes mistakes and he can be so so dumb but he's also caring and helpful (and my fave). They're all deeply flawed, deeply beautiful people and that's like the thesis of the show and why the ending goes down so poorly. I'm sorry Diegolila people shit on Fivelila, but I'm team family orgy so I will not shit on any sibling or any ship, so there.

[laurrelise]

i’m rewatching tua season 4 because i guess i once again need confirmation that it’s just as bad as i remember …

but ive been told im too negative about the season on more than one occasion so im going to be positive and name a bunch of things i like about each episode of the final season!! <3

warning: this post is decent sized lol

today we are tackling: episode 2

i do love the beginning montage of the siblings all being sick while simultaneously using their powers to improve their own daily agendas if only it featured more than just 3 of the siblings…?

i love five’s assistant twink and also how he’s called mr. five at the grand old age of 19 years old (i know he’s 64 but shut up)

lila’s eyeball lasers and the rubber ducky

luther being devastated over the place being “destroyed” even when it was a literal shithole to start off with

viktor finding his VOICE. viktor with CONFIDENCE. i love you viktor “ill kick your ass right now” hargreeves. king, you are 4 feet tall, but eat him tf up

“why is it cold” “the real question is, why would you touch it”

five slapping diego’s hand out of the way and him not even trying to fight it is so them and i love it

viktor actually attempting to kick ben’s ass (and as much as he looks like a feral little gremlin, i love it)

luther’s “DUDE! I LIVE HERE” he’s such a grumpus

also viktor’s little speech about him building a life for himself and it all being fucked over because of ben’s dumb ass

“i could’ve lost my job!” “did you?” “wh-” and five looking up at him with wide eyes and genuine curiosity. not the time king but thanks for asking

allison eating ben tf up and klaus supporting her

“i’m not going back to that old klaus. i like this klaus! hey, he collects coupons! he’s frugal, respectable, reliable, and most importantly, he’s a klaus that claire likes. and trusts and looks up to.” THIS IS SO SAD I LOVE HIM

diego pulling ben back to the couch by his hair is such brother behavior

i do love the wanda van. she’s truly iconic

will forever love that five gets the front seat because he’s the old man. if i were his sibling i wouldn’t even try to take it. shotgun is for the senior citizen

the gag about baby shark not being able to stop playing for the entire several-hour long road trip is pretty alright comedy-wise i guess although it would’ve been much funnier if baby shark wasn’t the main goddamn song in the entire season’s soundtrack

i will never shut up about how much i love the love-hate banter from all of the siblings. the actors did such an amazing job bringing the dysfunctional family back to life.

ben getting humbled in the diner was pretty satisfying. sparrow ben i’ve never been your biggest fan but you’ve grown on me

luther’s mention of sloane is so sweet if only she’d been mentioned more than twice

luther is generally adorable i love that man

viktor saying “phones work both ways, yknow” when allison said he didn’t call. i love how much confidence he’s found in himself this season, quite possibly one of the only characters who wasn’t horribly assassinated trait-wise

diego throwing the axes, i love him. also lila’s unimpressed reaction always gets me

klaus with the TAROT CARDS!!!!!! yes please i wish he’d used them more

i do actually like jennifer’s character. the truman-show town thing was so interesting even if it had relatively no effect on the plot for the rest of the season, it had potential but i love that jen matches ben’s freak in the sense that she is absolutely not afraid to call him out on his bullshit

old man five trying to blink :( so sad poor guy

also five immediately pretending to stretch when lila calls him out

once again i love lila and five’s reluctant alliance. why couldn’t they just continue being frenemies for the love of god

five noticing the singular guy looking at them and mentioning it to diego and lila and she says “maybe he likes you” STEVE BLACKMAN YOU COULD’VE PUT FIVE WITH ANYONE ELSE. STEVE BLACKMAN WE COULD’VE HAD A ROMANCE BETWEEN FIVE AND THE ELF STARING AT HIM AND IT WOULD’VE BEEN BETTER THAN FIVE X LILA. STEVE BLACKMAN WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME

ben defending jennifer awwwww

five’s subway station to different timelines will go down as being endlessly awesome if only it hadn’t been created solely so steve blackman could fulfill his own weird ass ideas

diego and lila once again trying to convince the other to let them save the day is a very often-overlooked sign of love that i refuse to ignore. they do it like 3 times in the show and it gets me every time

“i have laser eyes im more powerful than you!” “they’re not even working right now!” “they’re gonna work i feel it they’re gonna work!!!!” lila i love you you’re so cute

“I TOOK OUT THE TRASH” hey btw diego it’s not the time

ok but diego’s flip where he redirects all the bullets… idk how i completely forgot about that part (probably because i was busy thinking about all of the other things that i hated) but it was SO fucking awesome stfu

diego and lila collecting reindeer stuffies for the kids even while they’re fighting for their lives is still so adorable

klaus’ positive affirmations. klaus I LOVE YOU

klaus accidentally finding a fake jennifer is so on brand for him NVM HOW DID I FORGET THAT SHE LITERALLY SHOOTS KLAUS

i LOVE the part where luther’s shielding allison and viktor from the bullets. especially when viktor tears out of his grasp like a feral little gremlin and takes out half of the shooters

still don’t know what the hell allison’s power is???? is it the rumor thing except she only has to think it instead of saying it?!!? idk but it’s cool i guess just wish it was explained more!!!!!!

luther’s “i should’ve known, those sconces were too perfect” he’s all upset but i can’t help but smile he’s literally a 5 year old

the car flip is so fucking cool. the glass flying around the van around everybody is so good, the “carol of the bells” is so menacing and simple, five absolutely serving while everyone else is screaming and flinging around in the back

ALSO DIEGO’S ARM GOING OUT TO PROTECT FIVE. fuck i love them so much. STEVE BLACKMAN FUCK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO FIVE AND DIEGO

jennifer’s little “help me, ben” as she gets carried away is so tragic oh my god. and his little reach out to her as she’s taken. fuck

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, jean and gene are such phenomenal villains. nick offerman and megan mulally are phenomenal actors. christ on a cracker why couldn’t they have been utilized in a plot that was actually written well

and that’s the end of the episode! only positivity around here folks! :)

…

just kidding here’s some of the tiny little things i caught that i don’t like / that make literally zero sense

luther screaming “no! no! no” when his monkey body is back (for some fucking reason???) is so heartbreaking the poor guy hated himself 💔

i love the whole subway station thing but how the hell did five accidentally blink into the station when he was just running but couldn’t when he was genuinely trying lmfao

it’s absolutely wild that five deadass blinked accidentally and then just hopped on the subway even though he was just running for his life. if the writers genuinely believed five wouldn’t have immediately returned to help his family and checked out the subway later then they need to be fired immediately. thanks

it will never not be funny to me that literally every single person in the town has a huge gun. was that much security really necessary 😭

the part where klaus dies and they give him marigold even though he stressed 100% that he didn’t want it makes me so sad. i get why they did it (he literally would’ve died if they hadn’t) but the panic in allison’s voice as she holds her dying brother and tries to figure out if it’s right to give it to him against his will is so heartbreaking

KLAUS’ “what did you do?” WHEN HE REALIZES HE’S GOT HIS POWERS BACK IM SOBBING

ok and that’s the end

the first couple of episodes weren’t too terrible in my opinion? so it’s understandable that i’d find plenty more things i liked than i disliked in this episode. also all the things i pointed out that i liked were tiny little details when most of the season’s flaws imo were huge arcs / plot points that span multiple episodes so they might not be as relevant in a post of this format !!

might do this when i watch the rest of the seasons to truly identify if i really am too hard on this season (i don’t believe i am considering how many much smarter people have also stressed the issues with this season but it was fun so i might do it anyways)

anyways thanks for reading goodbye