- "When something seems too good to be true, it's usually anything but."
- —Allison Hargreeves[src]
Allison Hargreeves, originally designated as Number Three, was one of the forty-three children born on the 12th hour of the first day of October 1989 to mothers without any previous signs of pregnancy. She was one of seven adopted as a baby by Sir Reginald Hargreeves whose intention was training them to save the world. Ranked by their individual usefulness, Allison was Hargreeves' Number Three with the ability to influence events by prefacing any statement with "I heard a rumor."
After Five failed to prevent the apocalypse half caused by Viktor, she found herself in Dallas in 1961, during the height of the American Civil Rights Movement. Separated from her siblings and coping with the loss of her voice, Allison navigated a segregated and racist Southern society.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
As A Child[]
Allison Hargreeves is one of forty-three children born simultaneously to mothers with no previous signs of pregnancy on the twelfth hour of October 1st, 1989. She was adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves and designated as his "Number Three."[7] Her father treated her more as an experiment than a person. She started training, once she was old enough to wobble.
As a child, she was used by her father for her powers. He forced her to use her ability to make Viktor forget he also had powers and placed a psychological block on his mind that made him believe he was only normal. The other students were told that Viktor was sick and in isolation. Sir Reginald took Allison to see him and told her to say, "I heard a rumor you think you're just ordinary."
The Umbrella Academy[]
Soon, about five years after the run-in with the compelled Viktor, Allison and the others made their first public appearance at a local bank. While the thieves lined up the hostages, Allison strolled into the bank casually. One robber, however, noticed her demeanor and told her to line up with the others. While he shouted at her, she whispered into his ear, "I heard a rumor that you shot your friend in the foot." Due to her ability, the robber obeyed her order. Soon after most of the robbers were subdued, she and the others watched as Ben annihilated the remaining robbers. Sir Reginald introduced the world to the inaugural class of the Umbrella Academy, but only mentioned that he adopted six children rather than seven.
Later throughout the week, Allison exited a limousine outside of her home. He and his siblings were intruded on by Harold Jenkins, cosplaying their outfits. Leonard attempted to console Reginald, divulging that he was born on the same day as Allison and would like to ally with the Umbrella Academy. Allison watched as Reginald mortified and dragged out Harold in front of a crowd. But she and the others brushed the occurrence away and returned to their normal lives. The members, including Allison, of the Academy trained, and Sir Reginald monitored their sleep daily. All children, except Viktor, were given umbrella tattoos on their wrists. Soon after, Luther and Allison snuck out of their rooms at night and met in a secluded section of the Academy. They had snacks, and Luther gave Allison a locket with A+L inscribed. Allison asked Luther to dance with her, but they were caught by Sir Reginald, who forbade them from ever coming to the room again.
Leaving The Academy[]
Almost ten years later, the academy was estranged, and the members, including Allison, went their separate ways to strive on their own paths. Before the series, she married Patrick, on whom it is implied she used her powers to initiate their relationship: 'I heard a rumor that you love me'. She had a daughter named Claire with Patrick. Her marriage broke down after Patrick witnessed Allison using her powers on their daughter, after which he gained full custody of Claire. After the divorce, as well as being hired for several movies, Allison acquired Viktor's Autobiography Extra-Ordinary: My Life as Number Seven and was horrified by the pages within.
Return To The Academy[]
During her time in the spotlight at a Red Carpet Event, one reporter inquired Allison about her father's death. Allison was startled by this comment and informed by a security guard of his death as well. Startled and heartbroken, Allison left the event. The remaining members of the Hargreeves family converged on the Academy after their father's death. The reunion was fraught with tension. Allison and Pogo were pleased to see Viktor, but Diego was not since Viktor wrote a tell-all autobiography about their childhood. At the Academy, Luther went into his childhood room and put on some music. As the music played, each member of the Hargreeves family began to dance in private, showing that although they were vastly different people, they had an underlying connection. The dancing was interrupted by a lightning storm. Heading into the courtyard, they watched as Number Five reappeared through a temporal anomaly.
Number Five told them about his trip to the future and his return, revealing he was really a 58-year-old-man trapped in his 13-year-old body. The Hargreeves, Pogo, and Grace held a funeral for Sir Reginald in the Academy's courtyard. The proceedings were fraught, leading to Luther and Diego coming to blows. During the fight, Ben's memorial statue was destroyed, and Diego cut Luther's arm with a knife, causing him to hide the wound and leave. At the Academy, Luther struggled to adapt to a routine on Earth after being on the Moon for four years. He talked with Allison, who told him that she told her daughter Claire all about her superhero uncle who lived on the Moon.
Allison talked with Patrick on the phone, and the conversation became heated. Viktor tried to comfort his sister but said the wrong thing, implying that the best place for her was away from her daughter. Allison got angry with Viktor and told him that he could not blame all his problems on their father now that he's an adult.
The Investigation Begins[]
The Recording[]
Pogo sought out Allison to ensure she was alright, having been alerted when Viktor called to check up on her. Allison admitted she said some rude things to Viktor. Pogo showed her some old security footage from when they were children, admitting that he had spent much time there. He gave Allison the keys so she could watch the videos by herself. Choosing one on the shelf, Allison watched it and found something unexpected on the tape.
At the Academy, Allison showed Luther the surveillance tape that appeared to show Grace being responsible for Sir Reginald's death. After she brought him tea, he collapsed, and Grace left the room. Confused by what they were seeing, they decided to confront Grace. They questioned her in the kitchen, but she deflected their answers, telling them that she did not recall some of the events from the night Sir Reginald died. They asked Grace if she was ever angry with their father, and she told them he was a kind man who was very good to her. Luther and Allison discussed Grace's possible involvement in their father's death, and the conversation soon turned to Allison's family. Luther found out that the reason Patrick won custody was that Allison had used her power on Claire. As a result, Allison had to attend counseling sessions before being allowed visitation rights.
Civil Rights Movement[]
When Five transported all of the Umbrella Academy back in time to avert the apocalypse, Allison found herself in Dallas in 1961, at the height of the American Civil Rights Movement. She quickly stumbled upon Odessa's salon, where she began working shortly after.
She quickly became an integral part of the movement, and years later, in 1963, Allison was an integral part of the sit-in before the arrival of JFK in an attempt to gauge the attention of the media. The sit-in was initially a failure, and Allison and her husband, Raymond Chestnut, were escorted off the premises by the police.[8]
Allison begins to misuse her powers again going too far physically punishing a racist man she had encountered before, Ray calls her out. They are attacked in their house by two men, the Swedes, sent by The Handler. Allison rumors one to kill the other by saying, "I heard a rumor you killed your brother." he painfully obeys Allison's order, murdering his brother.
Allison, Klaus, and Diego try to stop Viktor from ending the world again after he is tortured but fails; instead, the ghost of Ben, who had been living with Klaus, stops him.
Allison, ready to return to her timeline with Claire, says goodbye to Ray.
Viktor struggles with Harlan Cooper, a child he accidentally gave powers to. Meanwhile, they are interrupted by Lila Pitts, Diego's ex-girlfriend and adoptive daughter of The Handler. After Lila attacks Luther, Allison fights her and tries to rumor her, but Lila first tells her to stop breathing. Luther helps her breathe again by giving her mouth-to-mouth breathing.
Allison and the siblings realize Lila is one of the 43 children and can mirror all their powers.
Diego manages to change Lila's mind, but The Handler murders all of them except Five, who, with his last breaths, goes back in time a few minutes before the Handler killed his siblings. The remaining Swede shows up and kills the Handler instead and spares Allison and her siblings.
Allison returns with her family to 2019, soon they discover Reginald Hargreeves is alive but claims not to be their father and they are attacked by the sparrow academy, 7 different children he adopted and replaced them with, except Ben who is now alive but doesn't remember them. After losing the fight, the family finds a mysterious hotel to stay at, as Klaus suggests.
Viktor, formerly Vanya comes out as trans to Allison, Allison is very supportive and tells him there's nothing that could make her love him less.
Allison goes to see Claire only to find out a different family and a different child.
Allison deals with PTSD from the racism she faced in the 60s she becomes more angry and depressed that her daughter doesn't exist anymore in this timeline, she is upset that Five can't do anything to bring Claire back.
The umbrellas are again attacked by the Sparrows. This time, a mysterious older man saves them, killing two members of the Sparrow Academy. It's later revealed his name is Harlan, the child they met in Texas in the 1960s. Allison tortures one of the Sparrows, Sloane, using her mind-controlling power until her nose bleeds. Both academies learn that the universe is ending, this time caused by a Kuglebitz, and demand they give them Harlan.
Diego notices Allison is unwell and offers her to get into a fight with local racists to blow off some steam, he is impressed by Allison's fighting skills, Luther finds out the next day and disapproves. He talks to Allison who noticed his relationship with Sloane, she sexually assaults him by saying I heard a rumor you wanted me, Luther begs her not to but she does it again, Allison changes her mind a moment later and gets him off her.
Later, Viktor sets out to take away Harlan's power. During the day, Allison has a vision of Ray that shows her support. When she comes back to reality, she sees it's night. She tries to intervene as Viktor is being hurt by Harlan's power, and she is hurt in the process. Luther changes teams and becomes part of the Sparrow Academy and Allison reprimands him, Luther reminds her about her assault on him. Shortly after, Allison begins to resent Viktor and blame him for her daughter disappearing; off-screen, she kills Harlan, who accidentally killed their biological mothers and caused the kuglebitz to hurt Viktor. During a family reunion, the two have a heated argument where Allison blames Viktor for all her misfortune and makes him choke. Five wonders how Allison can do it without saying I heard a rumor, Allison explains it's a residual gift from Harlan, Luther and Diego try to stop her before Allison tells Viktor they should've left him in the basement, Viktor slaps her and leaves.
Afterward, Lila has a conversation with Allison, seeking advice from her to get Diego to forgive her and comfort her about her losses. Allison explains to Lila that people don't want apologies; they want to hear your wrongs unless it's Viktor. Lila, with her knowledge of time traveling, tells her that just because Ray and Claire are gone, it doesn't mean they never existed.
Later Luther tells Viktor to talk to Allison, when he asks for forgiveness Allison says she doesn't forgive him. Unknown to the family, Allison makes a deal with Hargreeves to regain her family. Allison manipulates her family to agree with Hargreeves plan to save the world; he kills Luther and Klaus, and Allison weeps but carries on with the lie.
Hargreeves almost kills her remaining five adopted siblings, Sloane and Lila, as he needed seven, revealing his goal was never for them to save the world but only to use their powers for a machine he built to reset the universe and get his deceased wife Abigail back. Allison kills him to save them and sees he is an alien and not human. The remaining seven survive and tell Allison not to push the button to start the machine; Allison ignores them, and before Viktor uses his powers to stop her, she asks him if he trusts her. Viktor says yes, and Allison pushes the button to reset the universe. She goes back home and sees Claire and Ray on the same timeline. Meanwhile, Hargreeves takes over the city and is reunited with Abigail; Allison's siblings no longer have powers, and Sloane is missing.
Relationship with Raymond[]
Allison initially enjoyed a close and stable relationship with Raymond, who she met during her time in the civil rights movement. Things began to go south for the two when other members of the Umbrella Academy, particularly Luther, began showing up in Dallas.
Raymond became confused about Allison's history, and when she was reluctant to explain, he left their house together and refused to talk with her. As a result, Allison realized that her only chance to salvage the relationship with Raymond was to explain her past and her involvement with the Umbrella Academy. Raymond was initially reluctant to believe her, but he believed her when she showed him her abilities.
Their relationship came to a head when Allison was ready to return to her rightful place within the timeline with the other members of the Umbrella Academy. Allison asked Raymond to return with her, but he was reluctant, citing that 2019 is not like 1963, and his duties were not finished. Nonetheless, Raymond told her that the years they had spent together had been the best of his life.[9]
Allison betrayed her family to Reginald to get Ray back in the same timeline as Claire.
Personality[]
Allison is a determined woman with a kind heart and strong values. She has displayed her kind-heartedness on many occasions, particularly with Viktor. Despite the book he wrote, she welcomed Viktor home and even stated that she was glad Viktor had come.
Allison is thoughtful and reflective, particularly since losing custody of her daughter. After being caught using her powers on her daughter, she seemed to swear off using them, refusing to do so even during a confrontation with Cha-Cha, a highly skilled assassin. She puts a lot of energy into her personal growth and relationships, although she sometimes reverts to old patterns around her siblings.
Allison seemed to abuse her power of suggestion in her childhood and as a young adult, using it to advance her career, manipulate those around her, and even force someone to love her. This shows a deep insecurity in her, and her actions seem to haunt her consistently. She is strongly against using her power, even when her life is endangered. She sheds tears when Viktor begins to lose control, begging him not to make her use her power.
Despite everything, Allison has a deep love for her siblings. She goes especially out of her way to show love toward Viktor, seemingly as a way to make up for the cruel way she treated him as a child. She even forgives Viktor instantly after he almost kills her and smiles warmly at him during his concert.
After arriving in the Sparrow Academy timeline, Allison has something of a psychotic break over the losses of Ray and Claire, blaming Viktor and killing Harlan Cooper just to get back at him. When Allison reveals the truth, she takes a sadistic glee in gloating about her murder and blaming Viktor for everything before cruelly telling Viktor that they should've left him in the basement. She also appears to lose all of her morals, using her powers to sexually assault Luther when he rejects her.
Powers and Abilities[]
After inadvertently consuming Marigold after Ben spiked her drink, Allison regained her ability to rumor about people and the world around her.
Powers[]
- "Well my new power is dope."
- —Allison Hargrevees
- Mental Manipulation: Allison can control people and reality with the power of her voice by using the phrase "I heard a rumor" or simply "Rumoring" someone. Those under the effects of her powers will have pure white eyes as transparent vocal rings enter their ears. By prefacing a statement with "I heard a rumor," Allison can compel people do whatever she desires. In her childhood, Sir Reginald had her use her powers to suppress Viktor's powers; it is implied that her statement "You think you're just ordinary" not only suppressed Viktor's memories and ability to access his powers, but created a mental block that caused Viktor to perceive his every action as unremarkable (including his violin playing and writing his book). Her powers seem to be reflected by mirrors. Still, she is unable to rumor herself. She is not immune to the effects of another person copying her power (as demonstrated when Lila commanded her to stop breathing). It would appear that Allison can choose when someone is removed from her control, as she can continue giving commands even without her catchphrase. Although she initially abused her power by using it for personal gain, her ex-husband, Patrick caught her using the ability on her daughter, Claire, and she realized her use had been exploitative and stopped using it unless she had to. However, for her power to have effect, she must be close enough to a subject that they can hear her. After getting hit by Harlan Cooper's powers, Allison's powers seem to have amplified, which made her lose the need to start her statements with "I heard a rumor". Now, whenever using her powers, her irises and vocal rings glow golden. After consuming Marigold, Allison’s mental manipulation was further enhanced, allowing her to simply look at her target to control their mind. She used these powers on the a group of people that were trying to kill her and her siblings causing one of the people to kill the others and himself using a gun.
- Biological Manipulation: Allison has sometimes demonstrated the ability to influence a person biologically directly using her rumors. This does not appear to be limited by literal phrasing; she was able to spontaneously cause three men's heads to explode by saying "I heard a rumor I blew your minds", after losing the need to preface her statements, she gave Sloane a nosebleed and later caused Viktor to choke by yelling at him to shut his mouth. The effects of her powers can cause extreme injury to her victims, especially when she's enraged. The status of her power are unknown after consuming marigold, and whether or not she has a vocal dependency.
- Telekinesis: Following her getting her powers back, she could move objects and people with her mind. Her eyes typically glowed when using this power. Whenever she uses her powers, a yellow energy-like dust follows the object or person she's using her powers on she also used the power to augment her strength as she kicked a reinforced door in when searching for Klaus. She was able to pin a man to wall using her newfound powers.
Abilities[]
- Expert Combatant: Like many of her siblings, Allison possesses extensive physical and combative training, making her a capable athlete and martial artist.
- Acting: Allison is known to have expert acting skills due to being an actress in the Original Timeline.
Relationships[]
See also: Allison and Viktor and Luther and Allison
Differences Between Comics[]
- Allison's appearance differs from her comic book counterpart.
- In the comics, Allison is presumably Caucasian and has shoulder-length purple hair and blue eyes. She also has a cybernetic left hand due to Dr. Terminal devouring it.
- In the show, Allison is African American and has dark brown hair (dyed blonde in the first season) and brown eyes. She apparently has all of her natural limbs.
- In fact, Allison's television appearance is similar to Carla from the comics.
- The specifics of Allison's powers differ slightly between mediums:
- In the comics, she can slightly alter reality and manifest spontaneous phenomena. For example, visiting a store that is out of a desired item and saying, "I heard a rumor that [desired item] was in stock," or similar would cause that item to appear spontaneously. In the short story ...But the Past Ain't Through With You, she was also able to manifest a duplicate of herself by lying that she was at the library when she snuck out.
- In the show, Allison's powers are described as a form of mental manipulation, and her "rumors" can influence others' thoughts, feelings, and actions.
- The show depicts Allison's romance with Luther as a long-standing legitimate attraction. At the same time, the comic implies she is simply using her powers to manipulate Luther to cope with her divorce. Contrary to the comics, she is portrayed in the show as much more compassionate and far less deliberately manipulative.
Trivia[]
- According to Steven Blackman, Allison suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from her time in Dallas.[10]
Appearances[]
- The Umbrella Academy
Gallery[]
Promotional Images[]
Season 1[]
Season 2[]
Season 3[]
Season 4[]
Other[]
Season 1[]
Season 3[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals"
- ↑ "The Swedish Job"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Run Boy Run"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "The End of Something"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Right Back Where We Started"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "End of the Beginning"
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedS2Ep10 - ↑ Nelson, Samantha (2022-06-28). "‘The Umbrella Academy’ Showrunner Talks Season 3’s Biggest Moments". Netflix Tudum. Archived from the original on 2022-06-29. Retrieved on 2022-07-20.
See More[]
| The Umbrella Academy Characters on Netflix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Villains | Leonard Peabody • Carl Cooper • The Cleanse • Jean Thibedeau • Gene Thibedeau | ||
| Umbrella Academy | Luther • Diego • Allison • Klaus • Five • Ben • Viktor • Lila • Sir Reginald • Grace • Pogo | ||
| Sparrow Academy | Marcus • Ben • Fei • Alphonso • Sloane • Jayme • Christopher • Sir Reginald • Pogo | ||
| Temps Commission | Hazel • Cha Cha • The Handler • The Swedes • A.J. Carmichael | ||