Harlan Cooper, also known by the pseudonym Lester Pocket, was a non-verbal child with an unspecified disorder who grew close with Viktor Hargreeves when Harlan's parents took him in, Sissy and Carl after the former hit him with her car. Harlan accidentally caused the Sparrow Academy timeline and a Grandfather Paradox leading to the Kugelblitz when, in his grief over Sissy's death, Harlan inadvertently killed 27 of the mothers of the 43 children born at the same time, including the Umbrella Academy's parents before the team was born. By the time Harlan returned as an adult, he had become capable of speaking and had a degree of control over his powers.
Biography[]
Manifesting abilities[]
Harlan seems like an ordinary kid when Viktor is taken into the Cooper house, albeit a nonverbal one with a disability never defined but suggestive of the autism spectrum. Harlan immediately connects with him, and sometimes, onlu Viktor can halt his episodes. Viktor and Harlan's mother get into a debate over their relationship and feelings, and Harlan runs from the farmhouse and finds himself at the lake; Viktor finds him moments later at the bottom of the lake, having drowned.

Viktor gives Harlan CPR.
Viktor uses his abilities to part the water and rescues Harlan from the bottom, but is distraught to find that he is no longer breathing and is unresponsive. Viktor attempts CPR, but is unsuccessful. As he's providing mouth-to-mouth, some glowing particles enter Harlan's mouth from Viktor's. Suddenly, Harlan coughs, regurgitates the water, and begins breathing as Sissy arrives on the scene.
Harlan later begins experiencing strange abilities that are flagged on the Temps Commission's Infinite Switchboard; Viktor also begins to see Harlan screaming his name. Viktor and the other members of the Umbrella Academy go to help Harlan, and Viktor finds him unable to control his abilities. After a fight between the Commission and the Umbrella Academy — which the Academy eventually wins — Viktor tells Harlan that he can take back the energy he gave him and fix him, and Harlan obliges. Viktor takes back the energy, returning Harlan as a regular child without abilities. However, while driving to a new life with his mother, Harlan telekinetically floats a toy above his hand.[1]
Death[]
Allison killed Harlan after she learned that he was responsible for the deaths of the Umbrellas' mothers. His body was taken to the Sparrow Academy in the back of a car by Allison.[2]
Powers[]
Former powers[]
- Sound Manipulation: Like Viktor, from whom he received his powers, Harlan manipulated sound and converted it into energy and physical force. His adult self was able to activate them with conscious effort, but significant emotional turmoil could still amplify his abilities and cause him to lose control over them.
- Enhanced Hearing: Harlan possessed far more sensitive hearing than the average human. According to himself, every living thing had its unique sound; he could teach Viktor to detect these sounds rather than focusing on the physical sounds he could hear.
- Sound Absorption: Harlan's abilities were reliant on contact with sound, causing him to resonate with sound and energy similarly to a tuning fork. Initially, his powers resembled Viktor's and would turn his irises white.
- Energy Manipulation: Harlan could manipulate energy in a variety of ways. This energy manifested as a golden orange colored energy and could be used as a defensive or offensive ability.
- Energy Projection: In Season 3, he demonstrated the ability to convert and project absorbed energy as bright golden energy emanating from his body. His powers were strong enough to repel Viktor's force field, sending them flying across the room.
- Sonic Pyrokinesis: As an adult, Harlan's energy manifested as tendrils of flame-like energy. These flames can be lethal, as a single blast was powerful enough to disfigure and kill Jayme and Alphonso.
- Electronic Disruption: Harlan's powers sometimes cause nearby lights to flicker and behave erratically.
- Force-Field Generation: Harlan could manifest bulletproof, protective barriers around himself. When his father almost shot him, he instinctively created a force field, which then burst into a shockwave that propelled the bullet through Carl's chest. When his powers grew out of control, he unleashed a continuous burst of sonic energy that acted as a shield, with himself at the center.
- Power Augmentation: Harlan appears to be able to directly or indirectly amplify the abilities of others. After Allison was struck by his energy, her rumor was amplified, removing the need for her to say "I heard a rumor" to activate them. Allison's irises and vocal rings also glowed gold whenever she used her abilities from that point on.
- Telekinesis: By manipulating sound waves, Harlan could move and control objects and generate force with his mind. After Viktor seemingly removed his powers, he could effortlessly spin a toy above his hand. Upon his mother's death in 1989, he sent several objects (including the nearby hospital beds and tables) flying. His Telekinesis was so powerful that, while overwhelmed by emotion, he caused the Umbrella Academy's mothers to fatally bleed from their eyes, noses, and mouths.
- Energy Manipulation: Harlan could manipulate energy in a variety of ways. This energy manifested as a golden orange colored energy and could be used as a defensive or offensive ability.
- Atmokinesis: Just like Viktor, Harlan was able to manipulate the weather. He was able to generate a large snowstorm at the Cooper farm.
- Emotion Empowerment: Harlen is capable of amplifying and boosting his powers with his emotions. This ability was shown when he was able to send all the objects in the hospital room when his mom died, and was able to release sonic-based fire and kill two of the sparrow academy members. However, this comes at a price as whenever he boosts his powers, he loses control of them.
Relationships[]
Viktor Hargreeves[]

Viktor and Harlan had an increasingly close relationship, and Viktor seemed at times one of the only ones able to control his episodes; the two frequently connected even when his mother, Sissy, couldn't connect with him. Viktor seemed increasingly distressed and heartbroken when he found Harlan dead, having drowned, and was able to transfer his ability to him to bring him back to life.
In the Sparrow Timeline, Harlan still has his powers, which results in the murder of the Umbrella Academy's mothers, which causes the Kugelblitz itself. He also detects the Umbrella Academy and goes to Hotel Oblivion to find them. He reconnects with Viktor, whom he admits he wishes had been part of his life. Additionally, Harlan assists Viktor in learning his energy manipulation, which leads to Harlan's power being leached from him.
Once Allison murders Harlan, it greatly upsets Viktor and causes a lot of disruption.
Notes[]
- Harlan's disorder is never specified, but his symptoms are very similar to ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Harlan was non-verbal as a child and only communicated with grunts or his hands. While these symptoms are not in all autistic children, these symptoms are not uncommon at all.
Appearances[]
- The Umbrella Academy
- Season Two
- "Right Back Where We Started" (First appearance)
- "The Frankel Footage"
- "The Swedish Job"
- "The Majestic 12"
- "Valhalla"
- "Öga for Öga"
- "The Seven Stages"
- "743"
- "The End of Something"
- Season Three
- "Meet the Family" (First appearance as Lester Pocket)
- "World's Biggest Ball of Twine"
- "Pocket Full of Lightning"
- "Kugelblitz"
- "Kindest Cut"
- "Marigold"
- Season Two
References[]
See More[]
The Umbrella Academy Characters on Netflix | |||
---|---|---|---|
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 | ||
Other villains | Leonard Peabody • Carl Cooper • Cleanse • Jean Thibedeau • Gene Thibedeau | ||