Sir Reginald Hargreeves’s (Colm Feore) alien origins should be addressed before The Umbrella Academy runs out of time. Reginald was an elusive character for all of season 1 and most of season 2 of the series, his cruelty being his defining feature. Though he seemed to know quite a bit about his children and their abilities, little was known about him beyond his anachronistic aesthetic. That did not change until he visited the Majestic 12 in season 2, giving audiences a piece of the puzzle.

Reginald’s visit to the Majestic 12 revealed his alien form after he bent down and peeled his skin off, showing his face to be a human mask. Though viewers had a suspicion due to the season 1 finale revealing his final moments with his wife on what appeared to be another planet, this truly confirmed it. However, the revelation was short-lived as Reginald murdered everyone in the room, and the series has barely brought it up since. That needs to change in The Umbrella Academy season 4.

The Umbrella Academy Hasn’t Done Its Biggest Reginald Reveal Justice

Sir Reginald Hargreeves reveals his alien form in The Umbrella Academy

Reginald’s alien origins need to be explored, as they can further explain the Hargreeves’ beginnings as well. Reginald was not a loving father and wanted the children to be well-known figures while still struggling enough to need him. Audiences did get some explanation during the ending of The Umbrella Academy season 3 as far as what he was preparing them for. However, despite inserting himself in the fracturing sibling dynamics, Reginald’s motives and what drove him to this point remain unclear.

Season 3 of the show ends with Reginald and his wife reunited, but how he managed to resurrect her, as well as what drove him to Earth has only been seen in snippets. By exploring it further, audiences can gain an understanding of the larger world and the children’s place in it. It can also reveal what Reginald’s wife originally died from and if, in his desire to save her, he created the 43 children as the show hinted.

The Umbrella Academy Season 4 Needs To Include Reginald’s Backstory

The Umbrella Academy's Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) sitting in a chair and talking to someone offscreen 

Alongside exploring his motivations, including Reginald’s backstory may hold the key to the Hargreeves children regaining some equilibrium. By including his origins, audiences can see howthe de-powered siblings react to the revelation and what they choose to do with it as the story closes out. It could also allow the children to have full closure as some, such as Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), struggle to regain a sense of normalcy after season 3.

Reginald’s origins could not only fill in the blanks of The Umbrella Academy universe but also could force the siblings into one last fight or divide them instead. Reginald bound them together and made them into the people they are today, so it’s appropriate he plays an important role in their ending. A final season should tie up each loose end, and not exploring his backstory would leave audiences with more questions than answers.

The Umbrella Academy is currently streaming on Netflix.