How Ben Died & The Umbrella Academy's Jennifer Incident Fully Explained

How Ben Died & The Umbrella Academy’s Jennifer Incident Fully Explained


Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Umbrella Academy season 4.


Summary

  • The Umbrella Academy
    season 4 reveals that the original Ben Hargreeves was shot by Reginald in the show’s first timeline.
  • Reginald wiped the team’s memories of Ben’s death to prevent them from remembering the Jennifer Incident.
  • Ben’s kindness towards Jennifer sets him apart from other Bens, though Sparrow Ben cares enough to sketch her.


The Umbrella Academy season 4 finally answers viewers’ biggest questions about the show, revealing how Ben died in the Hargreeves’ original timeline and what the Jennifer Incident actually is. Ben Hargreeves’ death is emphasized from the very beginning of The Umbrella Academy, but its first three seasons don’t delve too deeply into what happened to him. As it turns out, this is because none of the Hargreeves actually remember how Ben perished. Despite grieving for their brother — and holding him up as a hero — they’re completely in the dark.

This leaves viewers in the dark for the majority of the Netflix series, too, though The Umbrella Academy seasons 1-3 tease that the original Ben’s death is connected to something called the “Jennifer Incident.” This has fueled many Umbrella Academy theories over the years. But now that the show has ended, we know exactly how Ben died — and what Jennifer had to do with it.



The Original Ben Was Shot By Sir Reginald Hargreeves

The Umbrella Academy Reveals The Original Version Of His Father Killed Him

Since the Netflix show never specifies how Ben died, it’s easy to assume he perished on a mission. And this isn’t entirely incorrect — though it isn’t an enemy or daunting task that kills him. The Umbrella Academy season 4 sees the Hargreeves recovering their memories of Ben’s death, mostly thanks to this timeline’s Reginald. And the siblings’ recollections reveal a harsh truth about the old variant of their father: he’s the one who killed Ben in their original timeline.

The Hargreeves’ recollections reveal a harsh truth about the old variant of their father: he’s the one who killed Ben in their original timeline.


The Umbrella Academy season 4, episode 4 takes us back to that fateful day, revealing that Reginald sent the siblings on a mission to recover a deadly weapon from a Moldovan arms dealer. He instructs them to keep the weapon in the container, and it seems that he’s actually talking about Jennifer. When Ben discovers a girl in the container, he attempts to help her out of it. Then Reginald shows up and shoots them both, which initially comes off as cruel and outrageous.

The Umbrella Academy later reveals that Reginald had a good reason for this, as Ben and Jennifer coming into contact could destroy the world. We see this play out in The Umbrella Academy season 4’s present-day timeline, with the two of them growing increasingly volatile around each other. Still, it’s devastating for the Hargreeves to realize their father is the reason Ben died in their first timeline. To make matters worse, he lied about it and ensured they’d never remember the truth.


Why No One Could Remember How Ben Really Died

The Original Reginald Hargreeves Wiped The Team’s Memories

In The Umbrella Academy season 4, episode 3 — just before the Hargreeves recover their memories of Ben’s death — the group realizes they have no recollection of their brother’s final moments. Each of the Hargreeves repeats the same sentiment when questioned about it. They parrot phrases like “It was a tragic accident” and “Ben died because we failed as a team” without being able to recall any specifics. They soon surmise that the original Reginald brainwashed them, erasing their memories and replacing them with these ideas.


The current timeline’s Reginald confirms as much, admitting that it sounds like him — and that there was a government project in the ’60s committed to altering memories and the human mind. This Reginald’s knowledge of such science allows him to return the siblings’ memories later in the episode. This is how they discover the truth about Ben’s death. And although the current Reginald doesn’t know all the details, he understands the original variant’s reason for killing Ben and Jennifer.

What Would’ve Happened If Ben & Jennifer Hadn’t Been Killed

Humanity Would Have Been Wiped Out

The Umbrella Academy season 4 Jennifer and Ben lying on the floor next to each other


It seems ruthless that the original Reginald killed Ben and Jennifer, but he was trying to prevent what would have happened if they’d remained alive and in contact with one another. The Umbrella Academy season 4 reveals that Jennifer is the “opposite” of the Hargreeves. She’s made up of an element called durango, which interacts with the marigold that grants the Hargreeves their powers. As the new Reginald notes, Ben and Jennifer remaining alive “would have set off a cataclysmic chain of events” strong enough to wipe out humanity.

The devastating effects of Ben and Jennifer’s reaction to one another suggests that the original Reginald made a smart call.

This is the Cleanse that plays out during The Umbrella Academy season 4. And the devastating effects of Ben and Jennifer’s reaction to one another suggests that the original Reginald made a smart call. Of course, it doesn’t prevent the pair from meeting in an alternate timeline. The existence of marigold and the Hargreeves turn out to be the true root of the problem. Still, the first timeline’s Reginald gives the Hargreeves siblings a chance to live through his ruthless actions.


The Umbrella Academy’s Explanation Addresses Why Other Bens Survived

None Of Them Were As Kind As The Original Ben

Justin H Min as Ben unleashing tentacles in The Umbrella Academy season 4.

The Umbrella Academy season 4’s explanation of Ben’s death raises one interesting question about the show’s alternate timelines. It’s curious that the other timelines’ Bens survive past childhood, with only the Hargreeves’ brother perishing because of Jennifer. However, The Umbrella Academy‘s flashback addresses why the others might have survived. It seems that the original Ben was the only one kind enough to try to save Jennifer. If any of the others ran into her, they likely didn’t care enough to help.


Perhaps this is intentional on Reginald’s part, as Sparrow Ben is clearly raised to be colder and more arrogant than his Umbrella Academy counterpart. Although the Hargreeves have their issues, they’re mostly good people. That makes them an especially bad match for the Jennifer mission. Reginald might have learned his lesson the first time around — or perhaps he simply got lucky that no one else ever tried to help Jennifer.

Wait, Shouldn’t Sparrow Ben Recognize Jennifer?

He Had Sketches Of Her In The Umbrella Academy Season 3

Justin H. Min as Ben pointing and a sketch of Jennifer in Umbrella Academy season 3

Although The Umbrella Academy explains why Sparrow Ben survived his encounter with Jennifer as a child, season 4 doesn’t adequately address why he doesn’t recognize her in the current timeline. Sparrow Ben has drawings of Jennifer in his room in The Umbrella Academy season 3. So, while he didn’t help her like the original Ben, he clearly still saw her. And oddly enough, he draws Jennifer as an adult, even though they would have met as kids.


The only reasonable explanation is that Ben’s drawings envision her as an adult, even though he only knows her as a child. She likely left a strong impression on him, so he continued to imagine what she’d be like years later. But drawings pulled from his memories might not be enough for him to connect the woman he meets in The Umbrella Academy season 4 with the girl he encountered as a kid. It’s only thanks to the Hargreeves’ sleuthing that everyone puts the pieces together.


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