DISCLAIMER: This recap of The Umbrella Academy episode “Marigold” has spoilers. Prepare for the apocalypse, and proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, Hargreeves enthusiasts! The Umbrella Academy Season 3 chugs along with another solid outing. “Marigold” adds yet another obstacle for our protagonists to overcome with the news of Daddy Hargreeves’ Project Oblivion and the reveal of Hotel Oblivion. Diego lost two fingers! Luther swapped sides! Allison killed someone!
This episode displays the show’s trademark wild narrative, with emotional, heavy-hitting scenes, snappy one-liners and stunning visuals.
Ready to delve into “Marigold”? Let’s get to it.
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We open with a flashback to 2014 at the Sparrow Academy, wherein Pogo (Adam Godley) trains the Sparrows in a fight session. Everyone’s there, including Jayme (Cazzie David), Alphonso (Jake Epstein) and Marcus (Justin Cornwell). Ben (Justin H. Min) and Jayme duke it out, but Ben takes it too far. However, Reginald (Colm Feore) encourages Ben to keep going despite protests from the other Sparrows and Pogo.
Jayme rises victorious, effectively beating Ben at his game. Daddy Hargreeves dismisses his children for a private convo with Pogo. Pogo insists the siblings aren’t prepared to traverse the “other side,” but good ole Reggie retorts that nobody is ever ready for battle. He fires Pogo, who departs the Academy that day. As he walks past the weeping and sniffling Sparrows who adore him, Pogo hands Marcus a box containing an assortment of pills.
Later, we see present-day Pogo chatting with Five (Aidan Gallagher). Five insists they know each other — well, in a different timeline. Technically, Five met Pogo when he was tiny back in 1963. Pogo is incredulous, refusing to believe he’s talking to a man in his 60s in the body of an adolescent. Members of Mothers of Agony swarm Five, so he flees the scene.
Five spots Pogo riding away on a motorcycle, looking like a bona fide badass. Five also hops on a bike and gives chase.
Next, we see Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman) supervising Harlan (Callum Keith Rennie), who notes that her frequencies are all wrong. Viktor (Elliot Page) arrives, ready to take Harlan’s powers away. Allison has reservations, but she vows to support her brother regardless.
Meanwhile, Lila (Ritu Arya) searches for Stan and wakes a sleeping Diego (David Castañeda). She wonders aloud whether a Kugel wave incinerated him, alarming Diego. Sloane (Genesis Rodriguez) brings breakfast to her room to share with Luther (Tom Hopper). She levitates everything in one hand while opening the door with the other, and I’ve never been more envious of a superpower. This ability would be so handy to have.
Fei (Britne Oldford) knocks on Sloane’s door, informing her that Ben wants to chat with Luther. Oh, and Fei could hear Sloane’s bed creaking … all night long. Bow chicka, bow wow!
Then, Diego and Lila find a secret passageway behind the pachinko machine in the White Buffalo Suite. They muse whether Stan decided to go exploring. They emerge in a similar-looking Buffalo Suite, but some things look backward. In the original room, we see a buffalo head on the wall; however, this suite boasts the backside of a buffalo on the wall. Diego doesn’t recall this, and he always remembers an ass. I love this man with my whole being.
Next, Allison feels Harlan and Viktor are taking it too far while making their power transfer. She invades their bubble, “rumoring” Harlan to stop it. He finally ceases dumping his abilities into Viktor. Viktor urges Allison to stand down and allow this transfer to continue unimpeded.
Meanwhile, Ben talks to Luther while Sloane eavesdrops on the conversation. Luther regales him with stories of the Umbrellas’ version of Ben. Our Number 1 believes there’s a smattering of our sweet Ben somewhere in this cold, detached iteration.
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Ben hands Luther a Sparrow uniform, extending an olive branch. Ben offers Luther a position on the team and reassures the latter that he can stay as long as he wishes. Sloane is over the moon with excitement.
Five follows Pogo out to a trailer in the middle of the woods. Five procures the Mothers of Agony tattoo from older Five’s body for Pogo to examine. He tells Five about his falling out with Reginald. Daddy Hargreeves was obsessed with Project Oblivion, a dangerous mission for which he trained the Sparrows. It was one they would most likely not survive. Pogo gave Marcus the pills to keep Reginald under control and protect the Sparrows.
Five realizes Klaus helped ween Daddy Hargreeves off those pills.
Meanwhile, Klaus (Robert Sheehan) explains his death experience to Reginald, and we see the photo of the white buffalo fixed to the wall behind him. Klaus wants Reggie to help him figure out who he is. Why did DH lock Klaus in a mausoleum and slow his heart rate to conduct experiments?
Lila and Diego emerge from the elevator and explore the lobby of Hotel Oblivion. Yes, here it is! Lila notes the warning on the receptionist’s desk, telling folks not to ring the bell.
After Daddy Hargreeves listens to Klaus unload his trauma à la a therapist, the two hug it out. However, DH has an ulterior motive — he shocks Klaus unconscious. Pogo gives Five the Mothers of Agony tattoo. Be careful, Five. You get one tattoo, and you’ll undoubtedly want more.
Next, Harlan explains the gold particles of his powers: Marigold. He encourages Viktor to listen not with his ears but with his abilities. Allison chats with Ray (Yusuf Gatewood), who’s a figment of her imagination. Ray urges Allison to hold fast to hope. Raver-Lampman and Gatewood dazzle in this scene.
Suddenly, the sky instantly darkens while thunder rumbles. Allison runs toward Viktor, who’s levitating high in the sky opposite Harlan. We see the marigold transfer from Harlan to Viktor, meaning the power switch is complete. Both men collapse. Allison cradles Viktor in her arms while Harlan notes the transfer worked.
Meanwhile, Diego grapples with a truth bomb courtesy of Lila: Stan isn’t their child. Lila borrowed Stan for a week from a pal to see if Diego was fit to be a father. Oh, and Stan’s in on the ruse. Diego spirals, attempting to leave the hotel but finding it impossible.
Harlan tells Allison that Viktor is sleeping soundly, recovering from receiving an immense amount of power. Harlan lets slip that he killed the siblings’ mothers, which Allison didn’t know. Harlan profusely apologizes while Allison blames him for Claire not existing in this timeline.
Diego rings the bell despite the warning, and the lobby darkens significantly. We hear someone approaching, and a scythe emerges from the darkness, lopping off two of Diego’s fingers. Ouch! Lila urges Diego to run. They leave the fingers behind, barreling through the tunnel to the White Buffalo Suite in the Hotel Obsidian. Thankfully, their terrifying pursuer with the scythe gives up.
While Lila helps staunch the bleeding from Diego’s hand, we see Stan (Javon “Wanna” Walton) enter the fray, armed with snacks. Suddenly, a Kugel wave rocks the city, incinerating Stan. Uh oh. That’s not their kid.
Allison delivers Harlan to Ben and Fei via the trunk of her car. He looks dead. Viktor will not be happy about this. Not cool. Allison hopes this marks the end of the Umbrella/Sparrow feud. Now they can focus on saving the world.
Allison walks past Luther into the Academy, noting his change of wardrobe — he’s wearing the Sparrow uniform.
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“Marigold” takes what we thought we knew about the 43 superpowered children and turns it on its head. Harlan is the source of everything, and his death will boast repercussions. Well, at least for the four or five days they have left before the Kugelblitz destroys everything.
Allison’s journey this season is dark and heartbreaking. She’s endured so much, and her path is understandable. Raver-Lampman knocks it out of the park with her portrayal, infusing Allison with pathos, tenderness and a wholly justified fiery rage, even though her actions are misguided. Rennie churns out beautiful work as Harlan, injecting nuance and childlike vulnerability into him. Castañeda is pitch-perfect as Diego, taking this character on an unexpected odyssey brimming with humor and heart.
What secrets will we learn about Project Oblivion? Will Viktor take on the Sparrows now that he has Harlan’s abilities? How will our heroes eradicate the Kugelblitz? Join me while I continue recapping The Umbrella Academy, only on Geek Girl Authority.
The Umbrella Academy Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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