How The Umbrella Academy Nails the Fallout of Childhood Abuse
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Warning: contains spoilers!!!
A video about why telling a story about a dysfunctional family recovering from childhood abuse and trauma but grounding it in the superhero genre is one of the smartest moves I've seen in a while.
Watch it on Netflix please! For the love of god! It will change your life!
Trigger warnings for discussion of abuse and drug use.
This is all opinion based and I would love to hear your own thoughts on the topic in the comments. Which character do you most relate to? A mixture? And in what ways have you found the show helpful/unhelpful?
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Watching this now is hilarious. "Luther and Diego would be formidable together". Luther and Diego together: "OLGA FOROGA!".
himbo energy
My lads
I don't know if you meant to do this, but you made it sound like Klaus drinking and doing drugs is solely an act of rebellion. While I'm sure pissing off Hargreeves is a definite perk, the main reason he does it is because his powers don't work unless he's sober. In the scene where Allison is watching Hargreeve's old tapes we see young Klaus in the kitchen making himself a mixed drink, so he's clearly been doing this for some time. To me, this reads like a mentally ill teen self-medicating with drugs and alcohol and the parent not just failing to help them get sober but also refusing to address the root of the problem
I've always seen Klaus as self-medicating. Pissing off his "father" was just a bonus. Plus, he was utterly traumatized by Hargreeves.
His powers r more of a curse than a plus, id be scared shitless if I had his powers. It’s very traumatic he probably has ptsd from them
That's how I thought about it. Out of all the siblings, Klaus' power acts the most like an actual mental illness. Hearing voices, seeing "visions", feeling sensations. Saying those things without context sounds like your describing a mental disorder, with that in mind it makes sense that as a teen who is dealing with trauma, Klaus began medicating himself in a medically unadvised way like many people (especially young people) do in real life.
👏👏
Honestly I don’t think he cared enough to piss off his dad. He didn’t care about anything, the only thing he ever cared about was Dave and losing him is the thing that taught him how pointless it was to make himself numb.
I wonder if Five's disappearance can be seen as analogous to a child running away from home after a spat with their parents and struggling to survive on their own at a young age, forcing themselves to grow up quickly?
This is exactly how I interpreted his character.
This is the third essay I've watched on the abuse portrayal in this show. Each one has brought up different points and been thought-provoking. I think someone with the time and knowledge could do an entire series on this show with each episode focusing on a different character. It's so well done.
i would love that so much!
What were the other two? I'd like to watch them.
I find it interesting that Diego is still wearing a domino mask and leather and acting as a superhero as an adult, much like he did as a teen.
I agree
@@georgia4616 you are so
correct
He wants Dad's approval as badly as Luther.
maybe he also finds comfort or reclamation in the act of doing that work on his own
Luthor believing he has to make the hard choices goes to the point that he believes he HAS to necessarily make choose the hard path regardless of whether it mkes sense or what consequences it might have. Essentially in the story, he is the one who causes the apocalypse and Vanya is only the 'weapon'', so to speak.
There is one thing about Vanya that most people are not seeing ..to be fair, the proof is towards the end of the series.. Vanya, IS Hargreeve's favorite.. In one of the last eisodes you see his story finally... The one and only nod to his being an alien. And a very old one at that. You see a very charismatic and happy man.. watching his love die.. You see her attachment to the violin, she wants him to give it to someone who can love it as she did. Now, you see he has the violin open..(in his office, which the other kids are not allowed to ever step foot in..she seems to be fairly used to going in there at his call.). Inviting Vanya to ask for it. Yes, he seems gruff as usual, seems to be mad at even having to give her that time. .. but, as she is admiring the violin with Grace, Vanya says she will learn it and will be extraordinary... Then you see Hargreeves in the office listening in.. and you see the only smile he shows for any of these kids... He also spent the most alone time with her.. even during training, hers was separate. He had her helping him, he actually says more to her than the others... Another move that makes her the outcast... Especially after the power suppression.. she is the child who gets the attention because she is sickly, or not strong enough. I think she even sees it a bit.. as her reply to pogo at the beginning is not dismissive when he says that Reginald did love her in his own way... She just acknowledged it by saying that it was part of the problem.. she did not say he was wrong, just that his own way was the problem.... And to be honest, not once do you see pogo telling the others that he had loved them.
While your point is valid and makes me think about some things I didn't, I think Hargreeves also had a bit of favoritism towards Luther. There were the one on one chats that the two had in the courtyard that Luther mentions in the beginning. There's also that little flash of Reginald sitting by a sleeping Luther with electrodes attached to his head. While it is possible that he did that with all the children, the way that scene is played out it implies that he sat with/ monitored Luther for a little while, but was content to watch the others from his security cameras. But the biggest thing for me is the moon thing. RH never comes out and says it, but I think Pogo might've, he sent Luther to the moon to keep him from getting hurt again. He was even concerned about Luther's emotional well being when Klaus mentions that they found the unopened reports.
While I personally feel that tacking on "in their own way" to the statement "[person] loved you" is a copout that all but invalidates the love anyways, I would say that Hargreeves definitely loved Luther, in his own way.
I think a problem that exists and is shown in the show as well is that loving someone "in your own way" can definitely be abusive. Reginald (RH) definitely thought he was being a good caretaker by providing them with training and a upbringing to "bring the best out in them". He did this through pressure, which is NOT the way to go. Of course, he had admiration and love for what they could do, but it was always about how amazing he could make them. That he could make a superhero team. Not a family. In the end, Luther was the favourite. Vanya was a failure to him.
The reason he kept her close, as you have described, can easily be determined to be because he's monitoring her. Because who trusts a child to keep taking the medication you tell them to? That's a habit born over time. You need to teach them the habit. He was controlling her, just like he was controlling the rest.
The violin shows us a sign that yes, this man believed he was doing well, and that Pogo was right: He did love them in his own way. That way, however, was abusive.
Abuse does not end just because it is accompanied by occasional love. Quite the opposite. Abuse thrives BECAUSE it is accompanied by occasional love. Otherwise, the victim will realise what is happening (too soon).
It's good to keep in mind that RH has shown in his storyline with Luther as well that he does not accept failure. He becomes obviously disappointed with Luther and sends him away because he considers what happened to him a failure. RH, however, mistakes what the real failure is. In his mind, it's that he failed to make Luther strong enough. He failed Luther. Luther is an experiment to him here. He then sends him off perhaps to shield him from further mistakes, but also because he cannot stand failures on his own part.
This comes back in his treatment of his first failure, Vanya. After he determines she is a failure, he shuts her down and distances her from the rest. He tries to distance her from ever attempting to control her powers or use them at all by starting her on a medication habit. His response to failure is immediate shutdown and distancing from any future attempts.
@@kenzij I think the most appropriate way of defining it is, that he cared for them, in hes own way. He saw a purpouse to them, he knew they were supposed to save the world and even killed himself in order to get them back together to do that, unfortunately hes actions are the ones that caused the end of the world. The very literal version of the road to hell is paved in good intentions. Interestingly enough I saw Reginalds convo with Klaus as hes very brutal view of the world, he couldnt deal with it, and he needed Luther to be there for the end of the world, so he sent him away. Also not sure if its relevant but in the comic their names are given to them based on how useful Reginald considered them to him, so Number 1, aka Luther was considered the most useful to him, which would somewhat explain why he treated him as his golden child. Honestly the most confusing thing about Reginald to me was not reading Vanyas book. While this is extremely common in neglectful and abusive families, from a scientists point of view, it would be very interesting and valuable information to get a view of hes experiment from the perspective of hes subjects. Especially since it didnt go how he planned, and the kids abandoned him.
@@BambiLena666 or...maybe it was part of his plan that he would unit them in a shared hatred of one thing, him.
@@theabristlebroom4378 If it was it doesnt change anything, he failed at that too, not to mention he royally failed at getting Luther to hate him which caused further discord between the kids. What unites them is Vanya and Five, Five mostly who doesnt hate Reginald if he ever did, he didnt really grow up with him and he had too many years in the apocalypse to care that his ''dad'' as an ahole before he went to the future (his feelings about Reginald are a lot softer on top of that because he gets stuck in the nightmare of the apocalypse because he refuses to listen to him about not being ready for time travel).
To quote Diego on Sir Reginald Hargreeves: " He was a monster. He was a bad man and a worse father. The world's better off without him."
I’m only into the first few minutes, but I’m already so happy that you’ve brought up Luther’s abuse. With all the hate he gets, no one ever actually takes his abuse into account or how he hadn’t even realized it was abuse in the beginning of the series. THANK. YOU.
as someone once said when a character hurt the fans favorite character they are forever satan plus the whole Allison subplot was creepy
@@haileyburningham1586 I don't see any creepy aspects to Luther's relationship with Allison - as mentioned in this video, they didn't seem to think of each other as brother and sister, their whole lives they weren't encouraged to treat each other as family, just as colleagues, team mates. It was creepy only to those who couldn't see that aspect of their upbringing.
@@haileyburningham1586 their not blood related to each other so the incest isn't as creepy. It's what's called pseudo incest they're close like family but not family. And if you were a horny teen who's lived with 6 other kids youd probably be attracted to your "siblings"
Yes. I was the loyal "golden child" of my family (the oldest of six) and it sure is lonely at the top of a parent's pedestal.
All cause Dad sent him to the moon (a phrase I use that my friends don't understand)
It feels so childish but I hate both my parents so much for my childhood. My father's abuse and my mother's feigned ignorance and lack of standing up for me against him. I am so angry at them.
It’s not childish. It’s natural to hate those who hurt you
That's natural. It can be hard to really process that anger, because you might still desire them reacting to your anger with validation. And that probably won't happen. i know it sucks. Hugs!
The most interesting is that in the 2nd season, when Vanya loses the context of who she is, the memories of the abuse, she becomes an incredibly upbeat and healthy person.
And has no problem controlling her powers without all of the abuse
God yeah that was my favorite aspect of season 2, seeing Vanya happy and healthy and in control of her powers
Truth is always the Best and Only Medicine that TRULY HEALS THE TORMENTED SOUL BETTER THAN ANY MEDS FROM THE BEST DOCTORS GHE TRUST WILL HURT BUT SET YOU SPIRITUALLY AND MENTALLY FREE ONCE YOU GET BACK TO REALITY LOL ❤️❤️❤️💤💙
Also Im not sure anymore what exactly Allison said I think it was “… that you were ordinary.” And now she is in love with a woman, so I always thought that maybe what Allison said affect her beyond original intent. The same way she didn’t go for a high position in her work because that would not be ordinary or average.
@@vallybae7827 hmm I like this interpretation a lot
I know everyone hates Luther, but despite what he did to Vanya, I can't hate him. Because I too have been that oldest sibling of a large family who is given the most responsibility and conditioned by their abusive parent to remain loyal. Like Luther, I too had difficulty coming to terms with the fact that I was abused as I so desperately wanted to believe that it was me and not my parent who was in the wrong. So glad someone finally addressed this aspect of Luther and his character. Hopefully more fans will be a little more understanding towards him moving forward.
What if there was a season where Luther becomes suicidal and tries multiple times to commit suicide. He keeps a journal where he details his entire life, and in the journal he says he doesn't deserve love from anyone and that he shouldn't have been born. After his latest suicide attempt works, Five, the arrogant and mean sibling finds his body and his journal. For the first time in his life, he cries. The sibling goes back in time to save him. He pours out his heart to Luther, and begs him to keep going. The 2 siblings embrace, and they try to help.each other become better people
as my father had a severely abusive childhood, he seems a lot like luther, expectant to please, to be praised. its scary and sad.
he’s not the oldest
@@celestecunningham69 By "oldest" I just refer to the terms of their ranking by Reginald. He was "Number 1" so Reginald obviously expected him to be the leader, just parents usually expect their firstborn to be a leader and example to their younger siblings.
Lauren Brown
Oh okay. That makes sense... sorry
A little surprised you didn't point out that 5's physical age regression could be an allegory for mental age regression as a result of abuse. Although, it doesn't fully work as he's still an adult mentally, I did find the potential attempt to be interesting as someone who does age regress
I saw another video that analyzed each of the characters and how their personalities/powers correlate to the abusive relationship they experienced with their father and how it has impacted them all. In the video, they explained that Five's character could be an allegory for a child in an abusive relationship with their parents having to play more of the "adult" role (even though Five didn't necessarily live with Reginald up until adulthood like his siblings did). In this case, the child ends up being the more responsible one in the household instead of their parents. It would fit in with Five having a 13-year-old body with an adult mentality, albeit a cynical, jaded, and apathetic one. This is not my original take on Five, and I'm also not an expert in these kinds of situations involving abuse and the effect it has on the victims; this is all what the other video I mentioned before talked about. And with all that being said, I think Five also being an allegory for mental age regression is interesting. (Sorry for really long comment :-P )
It could go the other way as well. 5 is an adult in a child's body, but he could be seen as a child who had to grow up very quickly and in an unhealthy environment.
it clearly isn’t age regression lol
clearly not age regression lmao find someone else to push your weirdo agenda
@@kimberlethlippington3711 try opening a psychology textbook once in a while before insulting someone's mental health with childish insults over the internet. Maybe you'll figure out what's wrong with you that makes you think you need to put strangers down to make yourself feel big and powerful
I remember seeing a few people complaining about how all their problems were bc of bad communication, and how annoying if a trope that is, and I also hate that trope, but in umbrella academy it worked so well. These kids never learned to communicate properly with each other, they weren't allowed to form bonds with each other, they had numbered ranks! It's no wonder they're so mistrustful of each other
i agree this is the one time this trope actually works very well, because you can see from the flashbacks to their childhood that the reason they have bad communication in the present is that they never learned good communication to begin with and you cant have a skill you were never taught or practiced
Finally someone else acknowledges Luther’s abuse!!! I’ll be honest, Luther is far from being my favorite character at this point and time of the show. But no one else understands when I try to explain that he wasn’t brought up under “better circumstances than his siblings” (which I’ve heard people say), but that he has been groomed and conditioned to be undoubtedly loyal to his father from birth and is only now coming to terms with the ugly truth of his isolated childhood-early adulthood.
I'm fifty-four. I'm still piecing apart the harm done to me by my childhood. I bear my father's face. Every time I look in the mirror, I see him. I'm still learning to define myself as me rather than as not him. Some people shouldnt be parents.
Hey I kinda relate to your story. I shaved my head every month since 2 or 3 years ago, and I couldn't help but think I looked like my father instinctively. It definitely is hard to reprogram yourself, but I bet we will both win over the traumas we got from our past. I don't know you, but being myself in a recovery situation, I can get how you feel.
I'm fifty-three, and physically resemble my mother (I'm a woman), but I think like my father, and seem to resemble him or find myself more like him than like her. I'm still learning how to adult, and don't have a fucking clue how to deal with the fallout from the verbal abuse (father) and benign neglect (mother) that I'm still suffering from. So many moments from the Umbrella Academy ring so true emotionally for me.
I'm 28, when I was younger I remember feeling really wierd when people would say how much I look like my parents. I didn't want to look like them because it made me feel ugly because they were abusive. To this day I've convinced myself that I don't look like them. Maybe my nose looks like my mother and I have my father's complexion but that's about it. I don't want to be them.
My hands look exactly like my mother's and I hate it. I can't do anything without being reminded of her.
I feel for you, the older I get the more I remind myself of my mother, so much that I can’t look at myself in the mirror anymore, every time I look at myself I see her. Thank gods for plastic surgery and make up, otherwise I would probably rip my face off by now. I do realize it’s not the healthiest way to deal with it but that’s my choice I’m sending you hugs and love 💜🖤💜
What I find interesting is the differences between how klaus and Vanya dealt with there very similar traumas. They were both locked up and made to feel like they had no identity outside of their powers, which neither of them were able to control. Klaus, like you said, rebelled against his father’s abuse and attempts to strip away his identity by doing what he wants when he wants on his own terms and embracing every facet of himself to the fullest extent which makes him overall happier but also a dysfunctional person without a stable job, home or relationship with his siblings. Vanya however made her father’s attempt to strip away her identity and control her emotions her entire life, she continued to take her pills regularly and acted in the unassuming and apologetic way her father conditioned her to be, however she is one of the most stable seeming ones of the academy as she has a talent other than her powers that she excels in and a stable and enjoyable job but is still unhappy and anxious
This is a terrific essay! Klaus is also my favorite, and most of my favorite scenes are with him and Diego for the same reasons that you described about Diego (and yeah, that ice cream truck scene is hilarious). And regarding Dave, I had noticed the "Easter egg" of Dave's picture included with the Hargreeves; so hopefully we'll see more of him next season.
*Dave's and Hargreeves pictures in Sir Reginald's barber shop
I loved Klaus's character arc in the show. When he came back from Vietnam I was 1000% ready to see how the war had changed Klaus, and we did get to see that, the actor portrayed him beautifully with little mannerisms such as when Klaus would hold his dog tag(s?) from the war. Though there is one thing I do hope we get to see more of in the show, Klaus's reaction to PTSD triggering situations. in the last episode Klaus walked into a room with gunfire inside, he didn't even notice before he was told to get down, PTSD isn't that perfect sadly. When Klaus had started seeing Dave's dead body during the rave, and remembering the war. That made sense... but when he barely reacted to gunfire, I thought "huh that's strange, wouldn't Klaus react to that?"
(sorry this was so long I have a lot to say)
@@itskass3146 YES EPISODE TEN PISSED ME OFF SO BADLY! he was literally in a war for nearly a year, why the hell didn't the gunshots affect him??
@@itskass3146 I don't have PTSD, so forgive me if I'm terribly off-base here, but I've had close family and friends who do. Sometimes it can be sort of hit or miss. (Admittedly, I imagine actual gunfire would be more of a hit) You could for example not do okay during like fireworks, but another person might be fine with sound and triggered more if frightened, and another might see a gun and have it take them back. Alternatively, PTSD doesn't always have the same response. Some might curl into a ball, others might immediately throw punches, and I imagine there is just an endless array of responses.
Also, its not outright stated he has PTSD. Its hinted that he lost Dave fairely recently, and if that's true its probably more him mourning the loss rather than experiencing trauma because of a war. He did, after all, train to be a superhero. Given the abusive father, I imagine a fair amount of that training involved live combat (it did for most of the other children).
I'm also nine months late, don't hate me. :(
Just a thought here that adds to what you're talking about with Vanya.... she doesn't just avoid auditioning for first chair because she lacks self confidence, but also because this is all part of the brainwashing effect Allison did on her as a child. Allison told her that "I hear a rumor you think you're just ordinary"
This would have knock on effects beyond just forgetting her powers, but also explains why she lacks the self confidence in her everyday life to go for things, why she dresses to avoid attention, etc. She doesn't believe there's anything special or remarkable about herself because Allison's power made her believe that, and this was then reinforced throughout the treatment she received in life. And you see her pushing back against anyone who tells her that she's special throughout the show by insisting that she's ordinary. "My next student could probably tell me what I'm doing wrong"
Both Luther and Allison = Golden Child, Vanya = Scapegoat (so are many of the other kids but Vanya gets it the worst), Ben = Invisible Child (aka: Lost Child syndrome), Klaus = Mascot or clown (comic relief), Five = The Mastermind and the kid who grows up quickly to survive childhood trauma, but still has a condescending immaturity, Diego = Hero syndrome. The kids have some fluidity to these labels found in childhood trauma cases and can change their roles sometimes (especially under the reign of such a confusing leader as a narcisstic parent) which is why we see them acting a bit differently in the newer season. These roles are often found in families that have a narcissistic parental figure (aka: Reginald). Grace is considered an Empath that has undergone reprogramming to her original self, no longer thinking for herself since falling for Reginald (hence her robotic appearance), Pogo is an enabler (loyal to the narc) as well or "flying monkey" which can also explain his metaphorical appearance. The show is an incredibly well thought out take on childhood abuse/trauma/CPTSD and I can't wait for season 3!
Spot on!!
Really excited to see Viktor, too, and how they’re gonna weave him into the story
@@DeadBore @EnbyPuff yes, I too am excited to see the evolution of Vanya to Viktor. The second season was interesting. Each season shows them going through their own individual healing process and then shows them working on collectively coming together and trying to work as a family unit. The new sparrow academy should be interesting to see. Very excited about everything that this show is providing, from a psychological perspective and also a cool fictional story. There's so much meat to it.
@@diyem god yeah, the sparrow academy has some really great actors in, I can’t wait to see their interactions
Vanya didn't progress as a violinist despite her years of practice because of her internalizing that there was nothing special about her. Such a tragedy.
Loved the vid.
I think Klaus is pansexual! At least that’s what Robert Sheehan said in an interview
Robert said that he was gay in an interview and I didn’t hear anything about pan
Though it’s never stated in the show, Sheehan also describes Klaus as pansexual, continuing, “Maybe young people who are embarrassed about the fact that they’re gay and they’re keeping it to themselves, can feel a little less uncomfortable about it by seeing a character like Klaus who is very out there and very colorful and unashamed about the fact that he is pansexual, or whatever you want to call it.”
www.google.ca/amp/s/www.refinery29.com/amp/en-us/2019/02/225048/umbrella-academy-klaus-robert-sheehan-ex-girlfriend-dating-sexuality
Stephanie Jensen
It’s good that Pan people are getting more representation I just remember an article saying “Robert Sheehan doesn’t want his character on the umbrella academy to only be seen as “the gay one” “
Geek With Glasses I took that as him meaning that when a male character likes another male character they are written off as “the gay one”, I don’t think he was necessarily labelling Klaus’s sexuality.
Either way representation is good and Klaus is great no matter what his identity!
Stephanie Jensen
Yeah I think everyone can agree he’s great
It genuinely doesn’t matter what he identifies as because I’m gay and him being shown in one relationship with a guy made me feel seen and if he gets with a girl then I’m sure that will make pan and bi people feel seen.
It really is lovely. One of my favourite moments is Klaus just casually telling five about a past relationship and saying he instead if she and it was treated so normally.
The shows just great isn’t it
How does Five react to their father's death?
Doesn't care. He sticks around for the scattering but just sort of wanders off to go do the main plot while everyone else is busy with their emotional issues. Yeah, for the first half of season one, Five is often the only one actually dealing with the main plot.
i literally began watching the show because i wanted to see your analysis. you were right - it was amazing!! not to mention your video essay was sooo insightful and interesting.
i want to add something about luther that really touched me. to me, luther also represents the fallout of the overburdened older sibling, especially in a family lacking healthy parenting. he feels like he has to be the protector of his siblings and help them in weak moments, and therefore cannot allow them to see them in his own weak moments (i can see how this intersects with your toxic masculinity point). i absolutely loved the scene where, after luther pushes everyone away to break down alone, klaus finds him drunk, talks sense into him, and even chaperones him. the older/younger sibling dynamic is reversed. luther is seen by klaus in an emotionally vulnerable state, and luther gets a carer in klaus that older siblings often have to be for others but rarely receive themselves. it's also powerful because it shows how capable and underestimated klaus is by luther and the rest of his siblings, and that sometimes younger siblings are stronger and wiser than they're assumed to be. as someone who's often felt like i have to put up a strong front to support my siblings, that scene is everything to me. it shows that the best way for the family to break out of their trauma-induced dynamics is to travel between seemingly static roles to support each other.
anyway, great video!!
THE BEST RESPONSE BY FAR -BEING THE OLDEST AND HAVING OLDER CHILD SYMDROME- I ABSOLUTELY AGREE, YOU NEVER SHOW WEAKNESS OF ANY KIND AND ALWAYS HAVE TO BE THE STRONG ONE- NO MATTER THE COST
Another comment regarding Klaus, this time with Ben, as I came up with a theory of my own. I agree with your own statements, but I also believe that there is a bit of codependency between them --- something common with addicts and those who try to "save" them.
In E5, "Number Five," Ben is not seen until the infamous ice cream truck scene. When Klaus first returns to the Academy after his time in the past, Five points out Klaus' physical symptoms; Sir Reginald and Vanya previously remind us that it also affects the mind, so I assume that is why Ben is not around. Plus, of course, Ben's spirit likely wasn't with Klaus in 1968 since none of the Academy kids had been born yet. But as a result, this gives Diego the opportunity to help Klaus, especially since Diego has just suffered his own losses and could emphasize.
E6, "The Day That Wasn't": during the initial family meeting, Ben reiterates that he wants to help Klaus through the withdrawals; but of course, Klaus enlists the help of Diego instead. In the attic you can see Ben react to Diego's comment, "End of the world and you want to get sober all of a sudden." Then, after Klaus remarks how he and Diego are having "quality bro time," Ben marches out and disappears.
Now, this is a long shot, but since it is not long after that Dot (the apocalypse case manager) wants to speak to The Handler, and soon the timeline is reset. I don't believe Ben would have intentionally hurt his family...but I also notice he sides with Luther on everything: whether to shut Grace off; and also on the reset night he keeps reiterating to Klaus that Luther would do anything for him. (Something I found somewhat doubtful since drugs had been Klaus' MO up until this point; and Luther later invalidates him at the bowling alley.)
Something to consider. I could be wrong, and I kind of hope I am.
wait what is the actual theory? you never really say what it is lol... like do u think ben hurt the family before he died or do you think he did something else... I'm just confused and really want to know the answer because the whole thing is really smart and I'm agreeing on most of the things...
(about Luther and Diego): “I think Luther and Diego can be a powerful duo in the future.”
Luther and Diego in the future: Olga Foröga
I love the idiot duo, they should team up more season 3 XD
2 people that aren't really talked about are a big part of everything. Pogo and mom.
Pogo tried to give everyone love, understanding, positive guidance, acceptance. However it wasn't strong enough to override RH negativity and damage. Pogo tried to be a true father.
Mom was kind, helpful, motherish. However, she was truly unemotional. She was patiently teaching Diego to get over his stutter but that's it. She training him. That's it. Diego saw it as care, love because he didn't know any difference.
And both were enablers and complicit in the abuse despite being otherwise "good people".
Season 2 should show them all slowly bonding and fixing their issues with each other. Luther and Diego no longer arguing. Klaus getting clean with the help of the family. Allison and Vanya sorting their relationship out
Laura Martin-Falla they did a bit. I think season 2 is just the building blocks for their future relationships
Olgo Forroga
Klaus isn't "queer coded". He is explicitly gay, even in the comics.
Super late reply but wouldn’t he be bi? (We see a female cult member mention having sex with him)
This was incredible Claudia well done!! I've completely fallen in love with this show as well but had missed this - honestly it probably explains why I vibe so much with it whereas the people I've shared it with haven't connected the same way. I'm definitely a mixture of Vanya and Luther and Klaus and oh boy was it powerful to hear you explain those characters. I've not been as excited about anything like this since I was in my teens so it was a little difficult when everyone I recommended it to was unbothered but it makes sense now. I mean, it's still an incredible show outside of this and it's their loss lol but this side of things makes it so much more personal. I cried at so many parts of the show which isn't so common for me, and that uhhh no spoilers scene with Vanya and the Matilda-esque moment was just something else. Really value this perspective Clauds it's added so much to it for me thank you x
Claudia, this was SO well done!
I watched the show as soon as it came out and loved it, but I hadn't really realised everything you pointed out and now I kind of want to watch it all over again.
It didn't feel like 34 minutes at all and I was legit sad when it ended
Great video! You were spot on with Luther and Allison. I saw the upbringing of all 7 of them not as siblings but more as kids in a state home, or as you put it, an academy. They were raised as peers, not as a family.
So I think it's strange for people to fixate on the adopted sibling aspect and call it incest. It might be dysfunctional, but so is basically everything else about them.
i loved this, you've said everything i was thinking!!! i grew up in a family situation very similar to the umbrella academy, and relate to vanya and klaus the most, and you have no idea how refreshing it is to see someone who understands that vanya isnt over reacting or just a bitch as what feels like so much of the fandom does. i can see my whole family almost portrayed perfectly in the umbrella academy, and it means so so much to me that this show exists. thank you for a wonderful analysis. -Crow
Finally, some appreciation for Allison
As someone who has been emotionally neglected and kinda abused I feel the Umbrella Academy is the show that portrays the results of all of this the best. It really goes down to how each characters interpret the abuse and neglect that will determine how they react to it, and it's fueled by innate personality traits.
The way the siblings are all alienated from one another is really relatable for me. It's really like that. In a family (if you can call it that) where the parents are unloving and dismissive, the children don't learn to take care of one another. It's cringe if you do. But to some degree, when they can't get attention from their parents they will try to get it from their siblings, so that's where connection can be made in an abusive family.
This is so beautifully and articulately put. It's one of the most accurate depictions I've seen. It connects with me and my experience so deeply. I hope you're healing well right now and in a good place. xxx
Have you seen the show Crazy Ex Girlfriend? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. The whole thing is a deconstruction of the 'Crazy, obsessive girlfriend' trope and it's the best and most nuanced representation of BPD I have ever seen onscreen.
diego is the embodiment of "no one talks shit about my family except for me"
Klaus is also my favorite. He was funny at the beginning of the season, but as he develops and we get to know his story I just wanted to give him a hug.
Wow. Thank you for explaining that scene where Klaus visits his father in the afterlife. When I first saw it, I drastically misinterpreted it: I thought it was trying to reveal that the father was doing it all for the best, a sort of “tough love” that was exclusively necessary to prepare them for the apocalypse which he was somehow aware of. When it was revealed he killed himself to bring them together, I was even more confused, thinking the writers were trying to justify his abuse. I’m glad you showed me it was Klaus’ moment, finally realizing his father was beyond saving.
I loved all of these characters, but I think I liked Luther the best. For a couple reasons: 1. I identify with him, because his relationship with his father and, by extension, his family was very much mine, 2. out of all of them he seems to be the most focused on the idea of doing good, 3. I identify with him feeling like he's a monster.
However, while I found Luther to be the most relatable, I definitely agree that Klaus ends up the most likable. At first I didn't like him that much, but around the time he went to Vietnam and came back mourning the death of someone he loved and wanting to get off drugs I started to find him extremely likable. He was interesting before that, but that was when he became likable, in my opinion. He had a drive to do something to make life better.
Reading all these comments about childhood abuses is so heartbreaking. I cannot imagine going through life where your own parents who are supposed to love you, hurt you instead. It makes me all the more grateful to embrace the childfree life. I adore this show and it’s themes of family/sibling/parental abuse. Eventho I can’t directly relate to their experiences, it (plus analysis videos like these) makes for such thought-provoking television.
Diego reminded me a lot of myself when I watched the show and as it went on I was like “oh shit that’s Bad” so yeah I absolutely felt called out. I really, really loved Diego’s stutter though cause I have a stutter and I’d never seen that type of representation before. It was really nice to see. Diego’s my favorite but I love all of them.
YOU PUT INTO WORDS WHY I LOVE THIS SHOW. like im obsessed with it and the characters but i couldn't put a finger why it worked so well outside of its entertainment. I was so attached to the characters and like this IS WHY aAHjasdhkas.
Am I the only one waiting for Klaus to do something extraordinary in front of all his siblings so they all realize that he’s amazing bc the only siblings he really seems to make an impression on that’s not ‘annoying one w the problems’ is Diego and I just need them all too love him like I do my god ppl notice him!! Even Luther kinda takes him for granted even after the night out partying and stuff.
Vanya and Klaus were my favourites too, and I think your video does a fantastic job of explaining each character and their responses to childhood abuse. I know I can relate to all of the characters in some way or another and I'm sure that so many other people can too, but before your video I couldn't quite figure out why that connection to the show was so strong beyond how compelling and entertaining it is more generally. Interesting and thoughtful, would love to see more videos like this from you!
You forgot how 5 also the ones that never blamed Vanya writing the book, always seek her first, and always shows care to her.. no matter how cold and crude it look. "Rapist could climb" when he broke in to her apartement, shows a brotherly love reminding her to keep security in her apartement, show he actually care to her. Yes, 5 also suspect vanya role in apocalypse, but where he often just eliminate the source of problem, only for vanya, he will go to absurd lenght to go.
Either Diego is that accepting of homosexuality or it was like:
Klaus: Guys... I'm gay.
Diego: Was this meant to be a surprise?
i haven't listened to everything yet but i wanted to write this, so... to me we can kinda analyze five as: being the personification of abandoned kids that have to grow up quicker than others in order to survive. he had to develop a strong sense of self and his survival instinct kicked in quickly so as to live all alone in a cruel and harsh environment, so when he goes back to his time, he's all grown up and mature, almost just as harsh and cold as his father was -at times- , but he's still also very much emotionally immature because his youth was stolen and he didn't develop as a human within a society but as a loner in an apocalyptic era (like some kids evolve in a hostile environment). he's erratic, calculative yet clearly cares about his family and his past with them. to me he resembles the most to their father and it's not so surprising, some kids who've been through abuse grow up and replicate things they saw and lived. the difference is that he is not actually abusive but very traumatized by a life of solitude after years of abuse mixed with praise about his abilities. everything is so conflicting that his personality is fragmented, to me. he's both very narcissistic and very self aware of what he cannot do on his own. he seems to lack empathy but is just repressing everything -mostly good emotions or those deemed as "weak"- because he never had a healthy role model, or just any role model at all, in the end. he takes a lot for him to rely on others because he lost everyone and everything for decades.
and tbh, i don't think it's fair nor true when five says that vanya causes the apocalypse. their father and ultimately luther, caused it. she is the bomb = the consequence of their actions.
In the comics, it was stated that Ben was similar to Luther, pleasing their father by going in missions, dying in the process. In a diary entry it said Ben hated the superhero life, but being described as caring, peacemaker and naive he did as he was told as seen in the bank scene where Luther tells him to kill the robbers.
Awesome analysis, on point for each character. I hope to see more of this kind of content :)
um this analysis is AMAZING. you make so many points, a lot of points i never considered. i cant get over this essay.
“Think Batman then aim lower.”
i do think adoptive siblings still count as incest, but i understand the reason why luther latches onto allison. it’s not an excuse but there’s a why to it.
This is exactly how I feel!
A little late to the party but this show is an absolute masterpiece. The storytelling and character development is just phenomenal and this analysis really does a great job finding the trauma in each character. It’s a great essay on the series as it was since it’s now a year later and I’m just really hoping on the bandwagon but it’s well deserved. Truly a work of art.
Great analysis! The only thing I personally don't agree with is that TUA is about found family. It's not: we actually rarely see the siblings communicating and spending time with people ouside the academy. They rarely have meaningful relationship, and when they do, it's barely shown on screen (e.g. Klaus and Dave, Allison and Patrick). They didn't "find" or "choose" their siblings, they were all adopted by Reginald, it wasn't their choice.
I’m first but I havent watched Umbrella Academy yet and I really love Ellen Page (i will say that til the day i perish) but I will watch it now cuz of U and cuz I love umbrellas
One of the reasons I watched the show is because Ellen is in it. ( I know it’s Elliot now but he was Ellen when he was on the show) Ellen Page did a great job with the portrayal of Vanya on this show.
Pogo was also raised by Hargreeves. He might be the most abused of all. Raised to be a submissive servant.
I can't get with this Allison and Luther together isn't incest idea. The reason is because even though the legal definition has to do with the people being blood relations, there is also a school of thought that arose, I presume, because adopted siblings wanted to enter relationships. Essentially the position is that two people who had identical formative years and share developmental stage memories are in effect siblings, and thus it is immoral and unwise for them to enter a relationship. It's probably more complex than that and I want to do more looking into that school of thought when I'm not so busy, but essentially, it's incest and I'm not for it.
well i think it's more complicated than that. they weren't raised as a family, rather as a team. also they didn't get to experience any close relationships outside of the house so when they started being interested in romance they had no one else to turn to except each other. so it's natural that some would develop feelings for each other. i view it more like when former classmates start dating even though they were together since the first grade
@@pigeondance687 I agree, they were brought up together and they all refer to one another as siblings. But it's clear that there aren't traditional sibling relationships between most of them. They always knew they weren't related, so a big taboo behind it all is already not there. They also weren't really brought up as family, they were brought up as soldiers. Follow orders, and alienate whoever doesn't and always try your hardest, even if that means hurting others. To top it all off, no one ever told them their relationship was bad and they were isolated for most of their lives so they wouldn't have had a chance to really get a sense of what the real world is like. That's why I think it isn't all that bad. It's weird, definitely, but it's not as icky as two people having an intimate relationship who were brought up to fully view each other as siblings.
immoral by whose standard? they're consenting adults and neither is in a position of power over the other, and they're not actually related, and they're also fictional, so... eh. not something i'm particularly worried about. maybe it's unwise for the characters, but umbrella academy isn't supposed to be a story about perfect people making 100% rational decisions that should be emulated.
@@torakokoneko •Immoral by the standards of the psychologists and other professionals who believe in this school of thought.
•I'm fully aware they're fictional, but, like nearly every person ever to exist, I still have opinions on what fictional characters do.
•I never planned on emulating anything in TUA, or most any show for that matter, and don't assume anybody else does.
they were never raised as a family, they were brought up as a team and they are not blood related so I honestly don’t see why people keep bringing up the incest thing. Kids from group homes date kids living in the same house with them all the time and no one calls that incest.
I love TUA so freakin much for focusing on how adults deal with childhood trauma and how they affect each differently and it’s weaved in with their struggles as “superheroes” like omg I love it so much
You have a gift for decoding metaphor. So lovely to see the picture all together like this.
I like your analysis. I really felt for all the characters when the first flashbacks of the abuse were shown. It was vlear that all had suffered some sort of abuse. Also the absent and when present military 'father' and robot 'mother'. It's bound to mess someone up. I really felt for them and wanted to adopt the whole lot.
What I also noticed was the isolation of various siblings. Luther was isolated on the moon, Vanja in the cellar, Klaus in the crypt and Five in the apocalypse. Being in solitary confinement is considered torture nowadays...
Thank you, Claudia. I really need to say that as I watched your vid I felt most aligned or connected to Diego--that is until you got to Ben and "lost potential" when I immediately and unexpectedly started to cry. My goodness that hit me hard but I feel almost protected, like it's ok to hurt a little bit because I've opened another hidden window (with your help). I haven't watched the show yet because I wasn't sure if I really wanted to... witness. I'll watch it now and probably enjoy the experience. *grin* Love you loads!
Thank you for making this video. I came away from the series with very much the same impressions, but you verbalize them in a much more accessible way. One of the things that stays with me is the death of Ben. Seeing how his powers affect him as a child and especially how being unsympathetically forced to continuously confront powers that obviously horrify him seems to shatter him. We can see this in him begging not to have to use them and then, after he has, bathed in the blood of those whose deaths he has just witnessed, begs to be able to go home. My strong feeling is that Ben's death was, at its essence, a suicide. The responses of the rest of the "family", especially Reginald and Luthor, track with that.
Just wanted to add that five goes by five because he was gone by the time their mom gave them their names, so he doesn't have any other name to go by :)
i think diego might be right about grace having evolved to care about the children - on the day that wasn’t, she tells diego that she & pogo have been lying to them before the day is undone,
tbh i feel like im luther if he took the other option. one is to become emotionally reliant on the abusive parent, as theyve been conditioning you to become. the other is to lash out and be terrified of being emotionally reliant on anybody, ever, even though being conditioned your whole life makes your self esteem devolve into something so small you catch yourself breaking down like once a week.
What a wonderful video. I loved your analysis of all the characters.
Loved your analysis! I'm excited for the next season! July 31, baby!
Why is my life becoming more like the tv shows I watch, I just found out today my abusive father just died yesterday night, I haven’t seen him since I was 9 so I’m quite happy about it, I’m not sad he’s dead, my reaction to his death is a lot like klaus was however the trauma has shaped my personality like vanyas. I swear to god if I end up finding out some secrets about my dad I’m gonna be angry.
Rewatched this video in preparation for your s2 video!
Wow this is awesome!!! So's the show in question btw. I too am looking forward to season 2!!!
What sad is the reason why they have numbers as name is to know which one is most loyal to their father
I really enjoyed watching the umbrella academy! Can't wait to watch this video.
I don't have netflix but watched this anyway. I'm now going to get netflix just to watch this show. It sounds amazing
ok but the whole allison and luther romance was still weird, even if they weren't really a family.
Good job now you made me cry
I adore your perspective on every one of the siblings I've heard a lot of people making fun of Luther because they think he is so simple minded that he doesn't think of his siblings other than himself and Alison even though he is one of the most hurt love the video ♥️♥️
I’m sad that Luther’s relationship with Reginald reminds me of my partner and his parents :(
WOAH! best breakdown I have seen about the characters yet
"Be aware that it features scenes of drug use, self-harm, discusses childhood trauma, and contains violins"
Idk if the found family thing works at all simply because if they were not raised as a family, I don't understand why Luther and Allison would deem all others as their siblings except for each other (especially so for Allison). They were all raised together, as all siblings are. It's not like it was a class of 20 because even then I'd understand. But no, this very much feels like incest.
Anyone else get that itching thought that this person has to be an english teacher
Love you Claudia! ❤❤
btw the whole thing of "face your fears" and ignoring a child's mental healths is a boomer child hood in a nutshell.
the more in depth you go with each character the more of myself i see in each character and that has got me thinking about the fact I'm an only child and did i pick up parts of each sibling as a result of being raised in a similar environment but with only myself and no siblings
It's really interesting to see a lot of fans and their favorite characters and what they like about them. Because sometimes, if offers a lot of insight.
This is SUCH a good video!! The characters and their issues and the dysfunctionality of their relationships are so thoroughly thought and done on this show, it's incredible. I was a little bit disappointed with how s2 turned out relating to some of the character's development (especially Klaus, and maybe Ben as well) so I'd really love to see what you think about it and maybe go in deep about what the events from s2 meant for each of the characters in depth!!! thanks a lot for this, it was a super interesting video and right on spot with all of the characters.
@Laura Martin-Falla hopefully! and the loss of Dave too! I'll be very very mad if they just toss another one of his issues under the carpet (with this I mean how they did with his ghosts trauma this season-- where is it?? what happened to it?? did he learn to control them while sober?? could he make them go away?? I mean the guy had been high as a kite for most of his life to *not see the ghosts* and now he's sober and not seeing ghosts just out of freaking nowhere... I was mad, yeah)
Imo Klaus is the most healthiest of the 7. His cope mechanisms might look unhealthy to an outside person, but coping however physically damaging it can be individually, is never unhealthy. Even though he takes drugs and does sex excessively, it is explained at some point this helps him to block out the ghosts, which helps him avoiding to re-experience the traumatic situation he faced locked into that tomb, which isn't unhealthy either. Avoiding what could recreate the traumatic situation, but not avoiding emotions and pain is incredibly healthy and a sign of a person moving on. He actually deals with his internal life head-on and allows himself to experience and feel it the way he needs, fulfilling emotional and internal needs. He gives himself what he never gets from those he loves and practices actual self-care, and in that way he is the most mature of all the siblings imo.
NOBODY GIVES THIS SHOW ITS FUCKING CREDIT!
Would you ever do a video like this but like with new information from s2 ??
This was a really good analysis. It really sucks how they treated Klaus and Ben in season 2, so much potential wasted. I hope you make a video analyzing season 2!
how do you feel about s4 😢
at 8:40 what is throwing and what into, just wondering?
About Five. He hasn't moved on. He's simply internalized his relationship with his father in favor of his own "greater good". By focusing on a cause greater than himself, to the exclusion of all else, Five has essentially become Reggie.
Can you analyze season 2 pls?
I believe Klaus is bisexual because in the comics he has a kid (that's what I was told)
Incredible ✨
I cried so much during this review
Good job on this Claudy, you do really well in the video essay format - articulate, insightful and thought-provoking. I would definitely be interested in more videos like this from you :)
Ugh I love Klaus
Claudia you should watch The OA!! It's so good!