"I Heard a Rumor" is the eighth episode of The Umbrella Academy. It aired on Netflix on February 15, 2019.
Synopsis[]
As Viktor practices controlling his new abilities, Allison tags along with a local cop to find out what happened outside the restaurant.
Plot[]
As Allison drives out to Harold Jenkins' grandmothers house, she remembers the events of a year ago when Patrick caught her using her power on their daughter Claire to make her go to bed. Allison arrives at the house and finds it empty, but she spots Viktor's violin case through the window and knows she's in the right place.
At the hospital, Viktor is concerned when Leonard checks himself out of the hospital, claiming that they want him to come back the following day to fit a prosthetic eye. One of the staff makes him sign voluntary release papers and Viktor asks about the other three men in the parking lot the previous night. He learns that two are dead and the last one is in critical condition.
Luther wakes up in the Academy with one of the women from the rave in his bed. Klaus, still sober, calls a family meeting consisting of him, Luther, Five, and Ben's spirit (although the others are not aware of his presence). Klaus tells them about his conversation with their father and the revelation that he killed himself in order to bring the Academy back together. The others are disbelieving at first until Pogo arrives and confirms Klaus' story telling them Grace's programming was altered so that she could not give first aid and that the security tape was deliberately staged to further a mystery Sir Reginald hoped they would come together to solve to reignite their desire to be a team.
Viktor and Leonard talk about Viktor's power display the previous night. Viktor is horrified that he killed the two men, but Leonard tells him it was self-defense. Telling Viktor that he has a gift, Leonard promises to help him control it.
Caught in a traffic jam, Hazel and Agnes discuss their plans. Hazel is visibly uncomfortable with Agnes' plans for three years' worth of trips knowing that the world will end in days. Allison is in the same jam, close to where Viktor triggered his powers the previous night. Spotting something, Allison gets out of the car and finds Viktor's scarf. She questions a local police officer, Sergeant Dale Chedder, over what happened. Chedder recognizes her and Allison convinces him to let her tag along on the investigation by claiming to be researching a role as a small-town cop.
At the police station, Diego Hargreeves tells Detective Chuck Beaman that he didn't kill Patch. Beaman knows he didn't, but he's not the one Diego has to convince since he's being transferred upstate. Telling Diego that Patch knew that he cared as much about helping people as she did, Beaman shakes his hand and slips him the cell key to escape.
Leonard uses Sir Reginald's diary to help Viktor train. In flashback, a four-year-old Viktor uses his ability to destroy a wine glass using resonance frequencies. Leonard walks him through concentrating on a singular sound, getting Viktor to remember everything from the previous night. Viktor remembers the sound of the engine getting louder and louder until it resonated in his mind and was unleashed. Leonard believes the power to be extraordinary, but Viktor is terrified.
Five talks with Klaus, wondering how their father knew about the impending apocalypse since he did not have the ability to time travel. However, his plan worked because all the Academy came home in the wake of his death. Diego returns having escaped prison and tells them Allison is in danger since she went after Leonard and Viktor alone. They need Luther, who has been missing since breakfast.
In the past, Viktor's training proceeds for twelve days with success. He is able to harness the resonance of a tuning fork to shatter glass. However, during one of his training sessions, Viktor harnesses the resonance of a thunder storm outside and destroys a large number of glasses without control. Sir Reginald begins to see just how powerful he could be. Back in the present, Leonard walks Viktor through controlling his power and he successfully repeats the unleashing of his power. Leonard almost slips up when he outright tells Viktor that his power is tied to his emotions, which then focus sounds around him into energy, but covers it by telling him he was guessing and putting it together.
Klaus, Diego and Five find Luther drinking in a bar. He claims to be done with the family after finding out that he wasted four years of his life on the moon. Diego tells him that Allison is in danger because she went after Viktor's boyfriend, who is a convicted murderer. Still having feelings for Allison, Luther tells him he should have led with that and leads the way out of the bar.
Sergeant Chedder and Allison talk to the survivor of the bar assault, who reveals that Leonard paid them to rough him up so he could look good in front of his girlfriend. However, they took it too far and harassed the girlfriend as well. Allison reveals that she is looking for her brother, and the description of the guy that paid the patient matches Leonard. Chedder is upset that Allison lied to him but they get no more answers out of the patient due to having more tests scheduled.
Leonard tries to get Viktor to practise his power more, but he wants to work with the violin because his concert as first chair is tomorrow. Leonard tells him that the power is important, but to Viktor, so is his music.
Hazel and Agnes arrive at a motel prior to visiting a bird sanctuary. Hazel asks her what would she do if she had two days to live. After some clarifying about the specifics, Agnes tells him that she would spend her last day with him. Hazel tells her he has to do something that he can't tell her about but promises that he will be back for her the following day.
Viktor practices the violin and then goes looking for Leonard. When he can't find Leonard in the house, he has a flashback to being locked in a special vault under the academy.
At the hospital, Allison questions the staff and learns that Viktor and Leonard were at the hospital in the morning. Chedder learns the patient they were questioning has gone missing. Allison heads to the Jenkins' cabin and finds Viktor has powers they never knew about. Allison tries to tell him that Leonard is Harold Jenkins, a convicted murderer, but Viktor does not believe it because he loves Leonard. Newly aware of Viktor's powers, Allison remembers an incident when they were four that suddenly makes sense to her. 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." Viktor is furious, believing that his sister knew he was powerful all along, though in truth Allison had only just understood what had happened, and that their father had made her his accomplice. Viktor's fury builds, threatening to tear the cabin apart. Tearfully, Allison tries to stop him by using her power on him, but Viktor slices with his violin bow and the energy cuts Allison's throat, severing her vocal chords.
As Allison clutches her bleeding throat, Viktor screams and realizes what he has done, telling her that he is sorry and didn't mean to do it. Leonard arrives and takes in the scene, pulling Viktor away and telling him that they have to go. They leave Allison dying on the floor, while the body of the surviving attacker lies under the cabin porch.
Allison's other siblings arrive to find her bleeding out on the floor of the cabin, and desperately try to save her life.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves
- Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves
- David Castañeda as Diego Hargreeves
- Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves
- Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves
- Aidan Gallagher as Number Five
- Mary J. Blige as Cha Cha
- Cameron Britton as Hazel
- John Magaro as Leonard Peabody
- Adam Godley as Pogo
AND
Guest Starring[]
- Sheila McCarthy as Agnes Rofa
- Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves
- Jordan Claire Robbins as Grace
- Rainbow Sun Francks as Chuck Beaman
- Matt Biedel as Sergeant Dale Chedder
Co-Starring[]
- Patrick Stevenson as Larry
- Coco Assad as Claire
- Jordana Blake as Young Allison (Age 4)
- Alyssa Gervasi as Young Viktor (Age 4)
- Ordena Stephens-Thompson as Small Town Nurse
- Braden Hendrickson as Patrick
- Taylor Jackson as Raver Girl
Appearances[]
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| Characters | Creatures | Events |
| Locations | Organizations and titles | Sentient species |
| Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Trivia[]
- Allison's divorce and loss of custody from her daughter appears to have been very traumatic for her, causing her to conclude that her life is a lie and that the use of her powers is morally wrong as it forces people to do things against their will.
- Allison refuses to use her powers any more, even if her life or the lives of her family are threatened.
- As Allison drives to the cabin to rescue Viktor, she thinks of various times she has used her powers which she has used for her personal gain, all of which are instances of when she forced people to do things against their will. This gives some insight as to why she has sworn off her powers. The rumors heard are:
- ”I heard a rumor I made the soccer team”
- ”I heard a rumor you want to be my friend”
- ”I heard a rumor you like broccoli”
- ”I heard a rumor you left me alone”
- ”I heard a rumor you stopped crying”
- ”I heard a rumor I got it in one take”
- ”I heard a rumor I'm perfect for the role”
- ”I heard a rumor you love me” - it is not known who this was said to. If it was her ex-husband Patrick, it is likely why he divorced her and took custody of their daughter, as it would mean she forced him to love her.
Music[]
| Song title | Artist | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Stormy Weather | Lena Horne |
|
| Stay With Me | Mary J. Blige |
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| Mad About You | Hooverphonic |
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Gallery[]
External Links[]
- (rating 8,6)
I Heard a Rumor on IMDb
| The Umbrella Academy Season One | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| "We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals" • "Run Boy Run" • "Extra Ordinary • "Man on the Moon • "Number Five" • "The Day That Wasn't" • "The Day That Was" • "I Heard a Rumor" • "Changes" • "The White Violin" |