Harlan Cooper, also known by pseudonym Lester Pocket, was a non-verbal child with an unspecified disorder who grew close with Viktor Hargreeves when he was taken in by Harlan's parents, 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 that 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. Harlan immediately connects with him and sometimes, Viktor is the only one that can halt his episodes. Viktor and Harlan's mother get into a debate over their relationship and feelings, and Harlan runs from the farm house 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 which are flagged on the Temps Commission's Infinite Switchboard; Viktor also begins having visions of 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 is able to take back the energy he gave him and fix him. Harlan obliges and 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[]
Harlan was killed by Allison 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 and Abilities[]
Former powers[]
- Telekinesis: After having Viktor remove his powers from him, Harlan is shown to retain telekinetic abilities, effortlessly spinning a toy above his hand. This appeared to be connected to his former ability of absorbing and manipulating sound, due to the same resonating sound produced from both powers.
- Sound Absorption: Like the person he got his powers from, Harlan's powers were reliant on him being in contact with sound.
- Sound Projection: Harlan is able to use sound waves and vibrations to devastating effects, such as repelling objects. When his father almost hit him with a bullet, Harlan produced a small shockwave in a moment of fear, propelling the bullet through his father's chest.
- Force-Field Generation: At the family farm, Harlan unleashed a continuous burst of sonic energy that formed a sort of energy shield, and he was stuck in the center.
- Levitation: Harlan can cause himself to hover/float in the air unassisted, allowing him to seamlessly float in the air and prevent his body from making contact with the ground below. He displayed this ability inside of his force-field.
- Sonic Pyrokinesis: Harlan has demonstrated the ability to create powerful flames with sound strong enough to kill a person, as was the case with Jayme and Alphonso.
- Power Augmentation: Harlan has shown the ability to directly or indirectly empower or amplify the powers of others, as he amplified Allison's powers to give her the ability to use them without having to say her typical phrase, "I heard a rumor".
- Sound Projection: Harlan is able to use sound waves and vibrations to devastating effects, such as repelling objects. When his father almost hit him with a bullet, Harlan produced a small shockwave in a moment of fear, propelling the bullet through his father's chest.
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 in an effort 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. In 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 Viktor had been apart of his life. Additionally, Harlan assists Viktor in learning his energy manipulation which leads to Harlan's power being leeched from him.
Once Harlan is murdered by Allison, it upsets Viktor greatly and is the cause of a lot of disruption.
Notes[]
- Harlan's disorder is never specified.
- His symptoms are very similar to ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). As a child, Harlan was non-verbal and only communicated with grunts or with 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Umbrella Academy | Luther • Diego • Allison • Klaus • Five • Ben • Viktor • Lila Pitts • Sir Reginald Hargreeves • Grace • Pogo | ||
| The Sparrow Academy | Marcus • Ben • Fei • Alphonso • Sloane • Jayme • Christopher • Sir Reginald Hargreeves | ||
| Villains | Hazel • Cha Cha • The Handler • Leonard Peabody • The Swedes • A.J. Carmichael | ||
| Other | Harlan Cooper • Sissy Cooper • Raymond Chestnut | ||