The Umbrella Academy – Season 2 Episode 5 Recap & Review

Valhalla

1962 – Pogo

Afraid and alone, episode 5 of Umbrella Academy Season 2 begins with a returning character making a surprise cameo. Baby Pogo is helped out from his crate. With the watchful eyes of Reginald in the background, the scientists groom the chimp and eventually manage to make it fly into outer space.

Unfortunately an accident with the rocket sees him fly back down and wind up in a pretty bad way. A bad way that is until Reginald injects him with a serum that regenerates his wounds and saves Pogo from certain death. From here, Reginald takes him home and raises the chimp like a son.

1963 – Five & Diego

After Lila’s stunt last episode, Diego and Five realize there’s more to this woman than first meets the eye. As Five walks away, Diego questions Lila over why she saved Five and not him. Unable to get any decisive answers, she’s left outside the Mexican Consulate alone and concerned that her cover could be blown.

Vanya

Vanya awakens next to Sissy and the duo agree to take a day off, lying in bed together. In each other’s arms, Vanya suggests they run away with Harlan and get away from Carl. Only, their fantasy comes to an end when Carl himself returns home.

Carl starts flirting with his wife as she cooks in the kitchen but she’s clearly uncomfortable from his advances. As he refuses to leave her alone, Vanya overhears their conversation and struggles to control her rage – and by extension her powers. Eventually she does though but this feels like a pressure cooker situation.

Luther – 1962-1963

In the past, we see that Luther actually got close to Reginald after touching down in Dallas. He traveled up to meet his Father at a party and listened to him entertain a group of guests.

Biding his time, he eventually speaks up and introduces himself to his Father. Only, this is obviously a very different Reginald and he tells his son to leave. Given the “pathetic stench” surrounding him, Reginald goes on to proclaim he hates children leaving Luther dumbfounded and hurt.

Getting The Gang Back Together

Back in the present, the boys discuss how they’re going to stop the upcoming apocalypse. In order to do just that, Five realizes they need to bring the Umbrella Academy together. Five leaves and brings Vanya to Elliot’s (we’re assuming here, given the last scene was her slamming a door to her room and the next, she’s at Elliot’s.)

Diego remains suspicious of his sister but that suspicion is eventually thwarted when Allison, Klaus and Five walk in through the front door. There’s no time for reunions though as the fate of the world remains at stake. They discuss President Kennedy’s assassination and while Five tells them all they need to find Dad, Diego meanwhile remains fixated on the option of killing him.

“Has anyone altered the timeline?” Five asks suddenly, as the Academy exchange nervous glances at one another. Every single person in this room has most definitely distorted and changed time. Only, Diego argues that they’re there to save Kennedy.

Diego & Luther

Having heard enough, Luther leaves the house and walks away. Diego follows along afterward, encouraging his older brother that they’re on the right path given a car has been following them all this time. Instinctively, a man steps out quietly and hands them a note. Addressed to the duo on behalf of Reginald, he invites them along for “a light supper.”

The Handler

Lila heads back to confront her Mother. She bemoans the Swedes getting in her way and learns that, actually, The Commission don’t know the duo are in this time period.

As they head to the quaint house the three Swedes are waiting at, they post another target for them to go after – Diego.

A fight inside Elliot’s house sends Five crashing outside… where he sees Lila up on the rooftop. Taking the bait, he decides to follow where the pair play a game of cat and mouse. Eventually this leads inside a warehouse where the duo start fighting. When Five susses out how “average” this fight was, he realizes The Handler is lurking in the shadows. Lo and behold, she steps out and reveals herself.

Klaus, Vanya & Allison

Ever the one to rile up a party, Klaus encourages his sisters to drink with him. In their drunken state, they discuss Luther and Allison’s affection for one another. With little time left, Vanya decides to confess her love to Sissy. Allison meanwhile, decides to be honest to her husband.

Vanya unfortunately gets nowhere with her confession, especially given Sissy has decided to embrace Carl. She’s settled for a life of misery. Allison meanwhile, speaks to Ray and tells him everything.

The Swedes

Heading out to the forest, the three swedes follow their instructions and walk right into a trip-mine. With one of their own blown to bits, the remaining two look in shock at where their brother once was. Wedged in the tree though happens to be Diego’s blade. This is clearly a set-up. After mourning their brother, they drive away where vengeance is almost certainly going to come swiftly.

The Episode Review

Alongside the main drama of the season, one of the highlights for The Umbrella Academy Season 2 has been the soundtrack. There’s been some crazy good covers to pop songs and this time we get The Interrupter’s Indie cover to “Bad Guy”.

The future certainly looks an intriguing prospect too and with all the characters finally converging, Doomsday is lurching ever-closer. So far the antagonistic threat has been okay but the Swedes haven’t had an awful lot to do beyond some near misses and the fight at the Mexican Consulate last episode.

Despite all that, The Umbrella Academy continues to deliver decent drama here.