The Umbrella Academy can still redeem Reginald Hargreeves via the Netflix series’ use of flashbacks. There’s no denying that the adoptive father of the famed Hargreeves siblings has a lot to answer for. Sir Reginald sent Luther to the moon just to get him out of the way, forced Allison to use her powers on her siblings, gave Diego an inferiority complex, locked Klaus inside a tomb and didn’t believe in Number 5’s abilities. Worst of all, pushing the Academy into using their powers to fight crime likely resulted in the death of Ben, and his constant belittling of Vanya gave her an inner anger that was unleashed when she discovered the powers he had kept secret. Add to that a generally loveless and cruel upbringing, and Reginald Hargreeves will not be up for any father of the year awards.
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Despite the immense secrecy surrounding the otherworldly Reginald, it’s clear that he has a more meaningful intention for creating the Umbrella Academy. Although the details remain a mystery, it seems probable that Reginald’s ultimate aim is to save the world through his super-powered kids, but while this might justify some of his questionable training methods, it hardly redeems him as a father figure. Sir Hargreeves could’ve still drilled his teachings into the Academy whilst maintaining a parental relationship and, in truth, a little kindness might’ve even benefited his cause, and prevented the Hargreeves siblings from splitting up.
Given what is currently known about Reginald, the character seems irredeemable. Even if he saves the Earth, his methods will always be a blot on his record. However, The Umbrella Academy‘s flashbacks might yet turn The Monocle into a sympathetic figure viewers can feel genuinely sorry for. The final episode of The Umbrella Academy season 1 offered a glimpse of Reginald’s backstory, showing him as a younger man in a strange world. The most vital detail of this scene was Reginald caring for an ailing wife or lover, who appeared to be near the end of her life. The gentle, compassionate man we see here is a far cry from the overbearing master of the Umbrella Academy in the present day.
While past traumas are never an excuse to treat other people badly, it’s likely that viewers will see more of Reginald’s history in The Umbrella Academy season 2, and this is where fan opinion on the character could change. Whatever’s going on in The Umbrella Academy‘s flashbacks, Reginald’s world is in trouble, and he’s in the process of losing the woman he loves. It’s not inconceivable that the same cataclysm or illness might’ve previously claimed the couple’s offspring, and this is the only story that would come close to justifying his behavior towards the Hargreeves children.
If Reginald went through the pain of losing his own biological children, it naturally follows that he would be reluctant to form bonds with his adopted ones on 20th century Earth for fearing of going through the same thing, and this stance would’ve been strengthened when Ben was lost. Whether such a tragic backstory could fully redeem Sir Reginald Hargreeves will be up to the viewer. Some might understand his difficulty in forming bonds in the wake of such painful past losses, while others might still feel The Monocle’s behavior was indefensible. But an emotional backstory that introduced Reginald’s own children would at least explain his actions in the present, and would go a long way towards helping viewers empathize a lot more than they did in season 1.
The Umbrella Academy season 2 premieres in 2020 on Netflix.
