13 The Umbrella Academy Easter Eggs Hidden In Season 4

Spoilers are ahead for The Umbrella Academy season 4’s ending.

The Umbrella Academy season 4 has tons of Easter eggs and references hidden across its six episodes, which feels incredibly appropriate for a series that hops between different timelines. Although The Umbrella Academy season 4’s ending has proved divisive among viewers, there’s no denying the passion the folks involved with making the show have for Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá’s graphic novel series. Picking up from where the third outing left off, the final season sees the Hargreeves siblings attaining new powers and, for a final time, banding together to thwart an apocalyptic event known as The Cleanse.

Notably, The Umbrella Academy season 3’s ending saw the Hargreeves siblings forfeiting their Marigold-related superpowers in order to reset their timeline. The redesigned timeline that serves as the fourth season’s primary setting is just one of the many Umbrella Academy timelines to appear in the Netflix show’s final installment. In fact, two new characters, Dr. Gene Thibedeau (Nick Offerman) and Dr. Jean Thibedeau (Megan Mullally), helm The Cleanse-seeking cult called The Keepers — conspiracy theorists who believe there’s evidence of other timelines and that their current timeline isn’t the correct one. Needless to say, Easter eggs are everywhere.

13 Gene & Jean’s Barn

The Keepers Have Many Umbrella Academy Collectibles From Other Seasons

After Gene and Jean kidnap Jennifer (Victoria Sawal), a young woman who’s infected by the substance Durango (the anti-Marigold, so to speak), they take her to their remote home. Umbrella Academy gives away season 4’s twist pretty early on, with Gene and Jean’s presentation to their fellow Keepers revealing that they know, somehow, that Jennifer is the key to sparking the timeline-fixing Cleanse. While safeguarding Jennifer, the cult leaders take her to their barn, which is a storehouse for Umbrella Academy collectibles — or, as Gene and Jean call them, artifacts from other timelines.

There’s no denying that this plot point is a fun way to shoehorn in Easter eggs and references to the graphic novels as well as previous Umbrella Academy seasons. In addition to showing Jennifer the squid she was found inside of, Jean and Gene showcase their collection of Umbrella Academy action figures, a Pogo statue, themed cereal boxes, newspaper clippings, a telling photograph of an ageless Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore), katana, gas masks, and even Commission agent Hazel’s (Cameron Britton) mask from season 1.

12 Jean & Gene’s Presentation In The Umbrella Academy Season 4, Episode 1

Other Timelines Are Referenced During The Keepers’ Meeting

During The Umbrella Academy season 4, episode 1, Five (Aidan Gallagher) and Lila (Ritu Arya) go undercover to attend a local Keepers’ meeting. While there, the duo are treated to a presentation crafted by Gene and Jean about the so-called Umbrella Effect, which is how the couple try to explain their near-constant discoveries of artifacts from other Umbrella Academy timelines. Glimpses into Gene and Jean’s collection include several Umbrella Academy-themed action figures, memorabilia from Klaus Hargreeves’ (Robert Sheehan) season-two cult from the ’60s timeline, a photograph of Reginald on the grassy knoll, and a Commission briefcase.

11 Gabriel Bá’s Hidden Illustrations

The Graphic Novel Illustrator Has Artwork Appear In Every Season Of The Umbrella Academy

As revealed by Netflix’s Tudum, there are tons of Easter eggs crammed into The Umbrella Academy‘s final moments. After the Hargreeves siblings sacrifice themselves to cleanse the timelines — creating one final timeline — the show cuts to an idyllic park, which is full of familiar faces. In a fun nod to the graphic novels’ illustrator, Gabriel Bá, the sequence also features some of Bá’s original artwork. Eagle-eyed fans will be able to spot Bá doing a drawing for former Commission agents Dot (Patrice Goodman) and Herb (Ken Hall), who are sitting together at a picnic table.

10 Minerva Helicopter

The Aircraft Is A Reference To The Umbrella Academy Graphic Novels

In the fourth season’s fourth episode, fans of the source material will be able to spot The Minerva, an iconic aircraft from the comics. The Minerva can be spotted in the episode’s flashback sequence, and is piloted by none other than Pogo (Adam Godley). In the source material, The Minerva is what Sir Reginald Hargreeves uses to collect the future members of the Umbrella Academy. Even though the aircraft can be seen in the show’s pilot episode, it’s a fleeting glimpse, which makes the more robust sequence in season 4 even more meaningful, especially for long-time fans.

9 Five’s Subway Notebook

The Insignia Is A Deep-Cut Umbrella Academy Season 1 Reference

The notebook that Five finds while traversing the timeline-hopping subway system in season 4 features a clever callback to the show’s first season. The beat-up notebook contains information on how to use the time-space transit system, but its cover is what holds the real Easter egg: the insignia from season 1’s Meritech Prosthetics building. In the original post-apocalyptic timeline, Five discovers that Meritech manufactured Leonard Peabody’s prosthetic eyeball. According to showrunner Steve Blackman, the insignia is an old alchemy symbol, further reiterating the way matter changes (or doesn’t change) across Umbrella Academy‘s timelines.

8 The Doll In The Final Timeline

Claire & The Kids Play With A Doll That Resembles Umbrella Academy’s Showrunner

In the show’s final moments, it’s revealed that (somehow) Allison’s (Emmy Raver-Lampman) daughter, Claire (Millie Davis), and Lila and Diego’s (David Castañeda) family have all survived the timeline cleanse brought about by the merging of The Umbrella Academy‘s Marigold and Durgano and the Hargreeves siblings’ noble sacrifice. In an interview with Tudum, Blackman revealed that “there are lots of things [the crew] threw in just for fun,” making it a great sequence for spotting Easter eggs. In fact, the cast and crew surprised Blackman. In one shot, Claire and one of Lila and Diego’s children are playing with a doll that’s modeled after Blackman.

7 Jennifer’s Box Of Possessions

The Box Features Klaus’ Dog Tags, Cha Cha’s Mask & An Article About The Umbrella Academy’s Eiffel Tower Save

In The Umbrella Academy season 4‘s first episode, the Hargreeves siblings reunite to save Viktor (Elliot Page) from Sy Grossman (David Cross), who wants the Hargreeves’ help in saving his alleged daughter, Jennifer, who has been taken by the Keepers. Of course, Sy ends up being one of Abigail Hargreeves’ (Liisa Repo-Martell) many identities, but, in order to sell the scheme, Abigail-as-Sy shows the Hargreeves a box of timeline artifacts, including Klaus’ dog tags from the ’60s, Cha-Cha’s (Mary J. Blige) mask, a comic book, and an article about the Hargreeves saving the Eiffel Tower.

6 Five’s Mannequin Lover

The “Character” Appears Twice In Umbrella Academy Season 4

In season 1’s post-apocalyptic future timeline, Five finds a mannequin, who he subsequently calls Dolores. Although Five knows that Dolores is an inanimate object, the lonely Umbrella Academy member thinks of the mannequin as his partner. It’s one of the first season’s quirky and memorable details, so it’s fun to see Dolores pop up again a few times in the fourth season. When Five and Lila use the timeline-hopping subway for the first time, they encounter Five and Dolores (from afar) and, according to Blackman, the mannequin also appears in the finale.

5 Ben & Jennifer Watch “The Blob”

The Movie Plays On Channel 6

After Ben (Justin H. Min) rescues Jennifer from Gene and Jean’s clutches, the duo set off on a road trip. Eventually, they stop to rest in a motel and get separate — but adjoining — rooms. Later on, it’s revealed that Ben and Jennifer are drawn to each other because of the Marigold and Durango they host in their bodies, but the two try to fight their chemical connection. While sitting back-to-back in their respective rooms, Ben and Jennifer watch The Blob on channel 6, which is a reference to Ben’s Umbrella Academy number.

4 Umbrella Academy Stickers

Episode 4 Features A Fun Easter Egg Around The 40-Minute Mark

During The Umbrella Academy season 4, episode 4, “The Cleanse,” Five and Lila traverse various timelines, hoping to find answers. At roughly the 40-minute mark, Five peers through his binoculars while in a post-apocalyptic future timeline. Although his counterpart is MIA, Dolores can be seen reclining in a bunker. On the right-hand side of the shot, eagle-eyed viewers will also be able to spot a speaker covered in stickers of the Umbrella Academy’s members, confirming that it’s a timeline where the superhero team existed.

3 Mothers of Agony Jacket

A Gangster In Umbrella Academy Season 4 Wears The Fun Nod

After Klaus’ powers are restored against his will, he resorts to using drugs and alcohol to numb the pain brought on by his otherworldly powers. While out and about, he encounters a man who’s wearing a leather jacket emblazoned with the Mothers of Agony’s logo on the back. In The Umbrella Academy season 3, Klaus recognizes the biker gang’s symbol when he sees the Elderly Five’s tattoo. Long story short, the Mothers of Agony are Klaus’ former drug suppliers, so it’s refreshing to see some continuity in season 4.

2 The Goldfish Air Freshener

Episode 5’s Easter Egg References Umbrella Academy’s Carmichael

A.J. Carmichael, a man whose head is a fish tank containing a Shubunkin goldfish, is still The Umbrella Academy‘s weirdest character. For a short time, the character takes over for The Handler (Kate Walsh), as ordered by the Commission’s board of directors. Netflix’s Umbrella Academy even changes how Carmichael dies, really playing up his rivalry with The Handler. During Ben and Jennifer’s road trip, a goldfish air freshener that resembles Carmichael can be seen in their car, which is a fun nod to a character who deserved more. Still, the goldfish air freshener is a great Easter egg.

1 Cameos In The Final Timeline

The Handler & Other Umbrella Academy Characters Return In The Show’s Last Minutes

One of the best Easter egg moments is Umbrella Academy‘s final scene, which features returning characters — nine of them, to be exact. The show ends with the Hargreeves and Lila fixing the timeline by sacrificing themselves to the Ben-Jennifer Cleanse creature. In the final scene, the series showcases a world without the Hargreeves siblings. However, plenty of other fan-favorite personalities crop up in the show’s closing moments, including the Swedes (Jason Bryden, Kris Holden-Ried, and Tom Sinclair), Hazel, Agnes (Sheila McCarthy), Grace (Jordan Claire Robbins), Herb, Dot, and, most importantly, The Umbrella Academy‘s Handler.

All four seasons of The Umbrella Academy are streaming on Netflix.

Source: Tudum (Netflix)