Fans of The Umbrella Academy rejoiced to learn that formerly deceased sibling Ben will be the focus of the upcoming fourth season, but there’s another character who is also set to get more attention. Lila Pitts was introduced as Diego’s love interest in season 2 and quickly became a fan-favorite. Mouthy, bursting with energy, and possessing a killer instinct to rival veteran assassin Number Five, Ritu Arya’s character earned a firm position within the main cast despite being the show’s own invention.

Lila’s season 2 story packed a double twist. First, viewers learned that she was the Handler’s daughter. Then, it was revealed that she was one of the 43 children born on October 1st, 1989, and had superpowers. It was great to see this compelling character return in the third season of The Umbrella Academy, but her role in season 3 was somewhat sidelined. Now Lila and Diego’s baby theory has been confirmed, and recent reflections by Ritu Arya suggest that season 4 will add much-needed complexity to her character. 

Lila Will Get Her Own Emotional Arc In The Umbrella Academy Season 4

Ritu Arya Recalls Filming Challenging Scenes For Lila’s New Storyline

Character posters featuring baby bottles hinted early on that Lila’s season 4 storyline will focus on her challenges with motherhood. A shot in the trailer that featured Lila breaking down and being comforted by the usually emotionally constipated Five warned fans that Lila has a difficult journey ahead before The Umbrella Academy comes to a close. Ritu Arya just confirmed all of this in an interview with Radio Times. She said that the biggest challenge in filming season 4 was “the rawness that Lila goes through: the depth of motherhood, making a marriage work.”  

The deeper shades of Lila’s character have already been glimpsed in previous seasons. Like the former members of the Umbrella Academy, she has suffered a traumatic childhood, witnessing the murder of her birth parents before being adopted by the Handler. Their unique shared experience is the cornerstone of Lila and Diego’s relationship. Both were raised by parents who viewed them as little more than tools to fuel their own agendas. But Lila’s character development has often been sidelined to focus on the siblings’ struggles. In the last season of The Umbrella Academy, she’ll finally be brought to the fore.

Lila Will Get Her Own Emotional Arc In The Umbrella Academy Season 4

Added Depth To Lila’s Character Will See Her Move Beyond Her Love Interest Role

Season 4 teasers have shown Lila alongside Five, with the actors paired together for much of the press run. The characters will have a significant side plot together in the next season, which is a good thing. While Lila and Diego’s relationship is wonderful to watch, Lila has rarely been given the chance to exist as a character in her own right. Her pairing with Five will lead to some deep interactions: he is the only other family member who understands what it is like to work for the Commission. Five’s role in her parent’s deaths must also be addressed.

Their unique shared experience is the cornerstone of Lila and Diego’s relationship.

It can be frustrating when female characters are only given emotional storylines related to traditional notions of womanhood – namely, being a wife and a mother. Allison, the only other woman in the main cast, has an arc that is anchored in her relationship with her daughter, Claire. Season 4 will see Lila struggle with motherhood, too, but this does resonate with her backstory. The Umbrella Academy is a show about dysfunctional families. It explores how damage inflicted by toxic parents leaves cracks. Lila’s approach to motherhood will surely be influenced by her complicated relationship with her own mother.

An adaptation that introduces original characters is always going to struggle to make them stand out from those from the source material. Lila’s return in The Umbrella Academy was a testament to how well she was received by fans. Her quirks make her right at home in this bizarre, extraordinary family unit. Now it’s time for the show to uncover a new side to her character: the same complexity that the other family members have been afforded. In The Umbrella Academy season 4, we’ll finally see Lila come into her own as more than just a love interest.

Lila Will Get Her Own Emotional Arc In The Umbrella Academy Season 4

Ritu Arya Recalls Filming Challenging Scenes For Lila’s New Storyline

Character posters featuring baby bottles hinted early on that Lila’s season 4 storyline will focus on her challenges with motherhood. A shot in the trailer that featured Lila breaking down and being comforted by the usually emotionally constipated Five warned fans that Lila has a difficult journey ahead before The Umbrella Academy comes to a close. Ritu Arya just confirmed all of this in an interview with Radio Times. She said that the biggest challenge in filming season 4 was “the rawness that Lila goes through: the depth of motherhood, making a marriage work.”