Warning: major spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4.
Summary
- Ben's original death in The Umbrella Academy was a mystery to the cast until season 4, surprising even Justin H. Min.
- The reveal of how Ben died came as a shock to Min, who had never known the truth until shortly before filming began.
- Despite fan assumptions, the cast also discovers the plot twists and turns as the seasons progress, just like the fans do.
Ben's original death in The Umbrella Academy was even a mystery to the cast. First introduced as a ghost following Robert Sheehan's Klaus, Justin H. Min's Ben rarely had the opportunity to live as an autonomous adult. After he was introduced in another timeline, Min played another version of Ben, who suffered a similar fate in The Umbrella Academy's season 4 ending. His horrifying death led to the reveal of how the original Ben died, and even Min was surprised.
In an interview with People, Min revealed that no one in the cast knew how Ben really died. They received the script shortly before production for season 4 began, and it was the first time that any star actually knew what happened to the lost Hargreeves brother. Min was grateful to know the truth, but he was still surprised to find out the horrifying reality. Check out his full explanation below:
A lot of fans think that we know everything that's happening, and we get these scripts years in advance, and we already knew how this was all going to end. That's really not the case. It's a real discovery for us, just as it is for the fans as well. I remember getting that particular script a month or so before we started shooting. I was just in my apartment in Toronto, in shock, but very, very happy to finally reveal this mystery that's been looming over the series for so long.
How Did Ben Really Die?
Reginald Hargreeves Lied For Decades
Ben's death caused the disbanding of the original Umbrella Academy, and it took Reginald Hargreeves' reported death for the family to reunite. The mystery of Ben's demise was always referred to as "The Jennifer incident," though it was never fully elaborated on. The incident occurred after Five's disappearance, which is what sparked the few mentions of the event that the Hargreeves siblings would speak about. Five asked about Ben's death, and Viktor refused to elaborate, while emphasizing that the event was extremely traumatic.
Related
The Umbrella Academy season 4 introduced the Keepers and a catastrophic event known as "The Cleanse" that was closely linked to the Hargreeves.
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Yet season 4 revealed the truth behind Ben's death, and even the characters did not know what truly happened. After Ben met Jennifer, a woman created by the Durango, they caused a horrific reaction that could have swallowed the timeline. Because Durango and Marigold cannot coexist, their contact was devastating. The same incident occurred in season 4 and began the destruction of the timeline through the Cleanse. With no hope of saving the boy, Reginald killed his own adopted son. He then brainwashed the other children, wiping their memories of the event completely.
Ben has encountered Jennifer in many of The Umbrella Academy's timelines, and it appears to be a consistent aspect of reality that the two eventually meet. Without knowing who Jennifer was or why she related to Ben in prior seasons, Min was forced to form those associations without having any existing material to guide him. His believable performance is a sign of Min's skill as an actor, even as it adds to the lore of The Umbrella Academy's universe. Ben's death horrified the rest of his team, and it is now more impactful than before.
Source: People
The Umbrella Academy
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The Umbrella Academy is based on the comic book of the same name created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá. The Hargreeves — collectively known as The Umbrella Academy — were born with superpowers, and their adoptive father utilized their abilities. However, as they grew older, the siblings grew apart as they dealt with their trauma. They are brought back together after their father dies and Five returns from the future with grave news: The world will end, and The Umbrella Academy has to stop it before it happens.
- Cast
- Colm Feore , Cazzie David , Genesis Rodriguez , Robert Sheehan , Aidan Gallagher , Elliot Page , Emmy Raver-Lampman , Jordan Claire Robbins , Jake Epstein , Mary J. Blige , David Castaneda , Justin Cornwell , Justin H. Min , Britne Oldford , Adam Godley , Tom Hopper , Javon 'Wanna' Walton , Ritu Arya , Cameron Britton , Sheila McCarthy
- Release Date
- February 15, 2019
- Seasons
- 4
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
- Franchise(s)
- The Umbrella Academy
- Writers
- Steve Blackman
- Directors
- Jeremy Webb
- Showrunner
- Steve Blackman
