These Sparrow Academy Theories Spell Trouble For The Umbrella Academy

Vanya, Klaus, Diego, Allison, Five, and Luther received the shock of their lives at the end of Season 2 of The Umbrella Academy. The Hargreeves altered the timeline after their time jump back to 1960s Texas — so much so that Sir. Reginald Hargreeves and Ben (in all his emo glory) were alive upon their return to 2019. And these Sparrow Academy theories could hint at what they'll be up to in Season 3. The fan theories touch on everything from that green cube to newcomers Harlan and Lila, and each will leave Umbrella Academy fans reeling for days, months, and years in this timeline.

A lot of fans have returned to Umbrella Academy’s source material, the comics of the same by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, for clues about sparrow Academy. Sparrow Academy was introduced at the end of Volume 3, “Hotel Oblivion,” in which it was referred to simply as the Sparrows. But that doesn't leave fans with much. However, there will be more information on the Sparrows coming soon. Way is in the process of working on Volume 4 of his comic, titled “Sparrow Academy." Still, without the comics to act as a guide, fans have managed to come up with a few pretty solid Sparrow Academy theories, and, unfortunately for the Hargreeves, they almost all point to major trouble ahead.

1. Sir. Reginald Assembled Sparrow Academy After He Met the Umbrella Academy in 1963

Who could forget that disastrous dinner date in Season 2, Episode 6, “A Light Supper”? Sir. Reginald Hargeeves finds it hard to believe that Vanya, Klaus, Diego, Allison, Five, and Luther are actually his children from the future because he simply would not adopt children (he isn’t very big on kids, you see), but the siblings try to convince him and show off their powers. Given the animosity during the dinner (you really can't blame the siblings for their daddy issues), fans have theorized that Reginald was so put off by the Umbrella Academy that, in a different timeline, he adopted different children altogether. This implies that the Sparrow Academy might have knowledge about the Hargreeves that they can use to their advantage (specifically, their powers), which could put the siblings at a major disadvantage should they be at odds.

2. Ben! Never! Actually! Died!

While a long shot theory, one Reddit user posited that Ben never actually died at all. In Seasons 1 and 2, it's been confirmed that Ben was killed at the age of 13 or 14 during a mission gone awry, but his ghost has aged beyond those adolescent years. According to this theory, something about Ben’s abilities “sincerely spooked Reginald” the same way Vanya’s abilities spooked him, so Reginald faked his death and left him in a medically induced coma in another dimension (in “Hotel Oblivion,” this other dimension is where Reginald held prisoners). Given Reginald’s penchant for drugging his children, this theory might not be too much of a long shot, and it would potentially explain where the other members of the Sparrow Academy come from. Were they all just stuck in an alternate dimension this whole time?

3. Harlan and Lila are Part of Sparrow Academy

It’s already been established that Lila is one of the 43 special children born under peculiar circumstances on Oct. 1, 1989. And, by the end of Season 2, Sissy’s son Harland still has his abilities, despite Vanya's attempt to take them away. As such, given the altered timeline and all, some fans have theorized that Lila and Harlan could be introduced as members of Sparrow Academy in Season 3. In fact, it's possible that Reginald started the Sparrow Academy with Harlan, as hinted by Harlan levitating a wooden sparrow in the finale.

4. Sparrow Academy Will Help the Umbrella Academy Defeat a Larger Threat

In Volume 3, “Hotel Oblivion,” comic readers learn that Reginald imprisoned villains in a pocket dimension. After someone releases the villains, they wreak havoc on the universe and it’s up to the Umbrella Academy and the Sparrows to defeat them. This suggests that the original siblings and the new siblings could band together in a potential Season 3 to defeat new foes — because previous seasons' various apocalypses and Swedish assassins (referred to as the "IKEA mafia" by Five) didn’t cause enough turmoil.

5. The Green Cube is Sparrow Academy’s Version of Mom

Remember that mysterious green cube hovering next to the elusive Sparrow Academy in the finale? It all goes back to an altered timeline. One Reddit user theorized that Reginald and Grace separate in this new timeline after Diego outs Reginald as involved in the assassination of the president, so instead of creating a robot mother for his adopted "children," the theory is that he created this cube to keep an eye on them instead. Since Grace was the only nurturing figure in the children's lives, her absence could have a significant affect on the Sparrow Academy kids, which takes us to the next theory…

6. Sparrow Academy Might Actually be Evil

Without Grace, the Sparrow Academy could be hardened from their time with the abusive Reginald, according to the same Reddit theorist. The children are no longer kind and rebellious, but ruthless soldiers. This is clearly apparent in emo Ben’s sour personality (“Who are these assholes?”) when he appears in the Season 2 finale.

7. The Green Cube is Actually a Sparrow Academy Member

In the comics, the green cube plays a fairly significant role. The Sparrows emerge from a floating green cube, one they’ve been housed in in a different dimension. But that’s all fans really know about it. While not much is known about the cube yet (Volume 4 will surely provide answers eventually), some fans have theorized that the floating green cube is also a member of the Sparrow Academy.

In any case, Umbrella Academy showrunner Steve Blackman teased some "destructive" dynamics in the wake of Sparrow Academy's introduction, should the show be renewed for a Season 3. “It’s gonna be very complicated for the Umbrella Academy siblings,” Blackman told Inverse. “They don’t have their home anymore, their father is alive and well, which he shouldn’t be, so, needless to say, there will be more destructive family madness.”