THEORY EIGHT

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This theory is about what the first posteret of each Hargreeves member can mean and that Five could be the one that dies in season 4. 

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As has become the norm for the series, Season 3 ended with a massive cliffhanger as the Hargreeves siblings arrived in a new timeline, where their adopted father, Reginald Hargreeves, was alive and well with his mysterious and previously deceased wife, Abigail. Even more surprising, the siblings had lost their powers and decided to go their separate ways. It's not yet clear what will bring them back together, but the show's new character posters could present some clues

As I have noted, Season 4's character posters weren't posted in the Hargreeves' numerical order. This was also the case for Season 2's posters, which were posted in the order that the siblings arrived in 1960s Dallas, so this could be the chronological sequence in which we see them again in Season 4. It could also have something to do with the events teased in the first season four poster , which included a timeline for each sibling, as well as a few undated events. Each poster also includes a set of emojis, which hint at their individual paths throughout the series.

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VIKTOR IS IN FOR A WILDE RIDE

Viktor, aka Number Seven, is the first poster in the sequence. Like the rest of his siblings, Viktor wears an Umbrella Academy uniform on the left, but much like in season 2's promotional materials, he's wearing pants instead of shorts or a skirt. His outfit on the right is more casual, perhaps indicating that he's leading a more laid-back life away from his family. The emojis included with his poster are a violin, an explosion, a handshake and a beer mug, and the previous Season 4 poster revealed that Viktor would be "taken" at an unknown point in time.

The first three emojis nod to Viktor's journey from being an ordinary violinist to embracing his powers and being accepted by his family. The fourth, however, could have a variety of meanings. Viktor might be celebrating something or may have taken up a new career as a bartender. Alternatively, it could be a clue to who will take him in Season 4 or how they do it. Considering it's the first poster in the series, perhaps Viktor's disappearance will occur early in the season and bring the Academy back together.

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LUTHER'S RETURN MIGHT HAVE SOME POSITIVE RESULTS

The next one is Luther, aka Number One, whose new outfit feels like a natural progression from past seasons' costumes. While he's still in a blue shirt and gloves like in season 2 and 3, he has added a vest and some brown boots to his wardrobe. Luther's emojis include a moon face, a flexing bicep, a man in a tux, and a man dancing. The previous poster confirmed that Luther would return home at an unknown time.

Luther's emoji journey nods to his mission on the moon, his fighting career in the '60s, and his marriage to Sloane in Season 3. Since he was rather distraught when he arrived in the new timeline without his wife, it seems odd that his final emoji would be a dancing man, but it wouldn't be The Umbrella Academy without at least one dance sequence. With him returning home, presumably to the Academy and his adoptive father, maybe Luther will team up with Reginald or at least get some answers about what happened to Sloane.

Maybe he will even team up with Reginald because he can get Sloane back. So that might mean that Luther is ready to do anything to get his wife back maybe even join his dad or betray his own family. 

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DIEGO IS GOING BACK TO BASICS

Both of Diego's outfits are ones that we have seen before, with Number Two sporting his vigilante costume and knives from Season 1. This matches up with the Season 4 poster revelation that Diego would be "back in action." He is also the only sibling carrying his umbrella over his shoulder, which feels fitting for a character who often prefers to act on his own. Diego's emojis include a knife, a wolf, a father and son, and a package.

Although the first three emojis clearly show Diego's arc, going from being a knife-wielding vigilante to a "lone wolf," as Lila called him, and later taking care of his and Lila's fake son, Stanley, the final emoji only raises more questions. Him and Lila could be moving into a new place together, or he could be working as a deliveryman when he's not fighting crime. It's also a bit surprising that Diego has returned to vigilantism since he and Lila seemed content to just live normal lives together after losing their powers. That said, Diego has always been a fighter and probably won't let a lack of powers hold him back.

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LILA OFFICIALLY JOINS THE HARGREEVES CLAN

Since Lila wasn't an original member of The Umbrella Academy, her poster depicts her in her Season 2 costume when we found out she was the Handler's adopted daughter. Her new outfit is quite modern and casual, and after going platinum in Season 3, it seems she has returned to her natural hair color. Being introduced in Season 2, Lila only has three emojis, which consist of a red high-heel, a briefcase and a baby bottle.

The first emoji reflects Lila's connection to the Handler and their penchant for red footwear, while the second calls back to her mishap with the time-traveling briefcase in Season 3. The baby bottle likely connects to the revelation that she was pregnant in the Season 3 finale, suggesting that Season 4 will explore Lila's journey into motherhood. Her poster also reads "Lila Hargreeves," indicating that she and Diego likely tied the knot between seasons and making her an official member of the family.

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ALLISON HAS EVERYTHING SHE WANTS

Allison's poster brings back her blonde hair from Season 1, but her new picture shows that she's grown her hair out since cutting her curls into a dramatic bob in Season 3. She is also dressed in lighter tones, much like she was at the beginning of Season 2, and the main color in her outfit is blue, similar to Viktor, Luther and Ben. Allison's emojis include a clapper board, a barber pole, a talking head, and a mother and daughter.

As the emojis reflect, Allison went from being a successful actor to working in a hair salon. After refraining from using her powers, she embraced them in Season 3 and betrayed her siblings to get her daughter Claire and and husband Ray back in the new timeline. Based on the final emoji, it seems Allison will still have them with her in Season 4, just like she wanted. However, something will pull her back into the fray, and while Allison did stop Reginald from killing her siblings, they probably haven't forgotten her betrayal. She'll likely have to do something to get back into their good graces when they join forces again.

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KLAUS IS BACK TO USUAL FORM

Similar to Luther, Klaus's new outfit feels like a culmination of everything that came before. After sporting longer hair in Seasons 2 and 3, he is back to his shorter hair from Season 1, albeit tamer than before. He's also sporting a floral yellow robe resembling what he wore in his Season 3 poster, has no shoes, and is carrying his clear and pink umbrella from Season 1. Klaus's emojis are a ghost, hands pressed together, a skull and a sponge.

As the emojis show, Klaus has come a long way with his powers, from learning to embrace the dead to using them to become a cult leader to mastering the art of dying. With his powers now gone, perhaps the sponge indicates he'll be doing some metaphorical cleaning and getting sober again. Alternatively, Klaus could do some literal cleaning or just absorb the world around him with a new perspective. The inclusion of his umbrella could be indicative of his individuality or perhaps symbolize a return to his roots in a way that brings his story full circle.

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BEN MIGHT BE RETURNING TO HIS OLD SELF

Ben joins the siblings in his Umbrella Academy uniform, even though the version of Ben that survived was from the Sparrow Academy. He also has a new outfit that is reminiscent of his attire as a ghost, but this version is blue and gray instead of all black. It comes with an umbrella as well, cementing his alignment with the Hargreeves from an alternate timeline. Ben's emojis are a skull, a ghost, an octopus and a padlock, and the previous Season 4 poster said he would be released on an unknown date.

While the emojis are rather straightforward, detailing Ben's evolution from a ghost in the first two seasons to an alternate version that embraced his powers and the padlock hinting at his impending release, they still leave a lot of questions about  Season 4. It remains unclear what Ben is being released from and why (We all know now that it's jail, but back when these postered appeared, we didn't).

It's also curious that his new outfit doesn't match the suit and glasses Ben was wearing in season 3's post-credits scene, leaving me to wonder how he got there and whether there's more than one Ben in this timeline (Like I explain in one of my earlier theories)

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FIVE IS FINALLY GROWING UP

For Number Five, the Umbrella Academy uniform was a staple for two seasons. Now, he's donning a suit similar to the one he wore in Season 3's promotional materials, and after three seasons with the same haircut, it appears he's finally had time to change it up by growing it out. Unlike everyone else, Five carries his umbrella in his left hand. His emojis include a briefcase, twins in matching bunny ears, a fishing rod and a detective.

Five's journey highlights his time with the Commission, his encounter with his past self, and his attempt to retire in Season 3. Even without an apocalypse to worry about, it seems Five will still be on the case, potentially trying to figure out what happened when Reginald and Allison reset the universe. Depending on the order of events, he could also be investigating Viktor's disappearance. The choice to have Five holding his umbrella in his left hand also feels deliberate, but given the numerous ways he stands out from his family, the meaning behind it remains elusive.

Like I mention Five is the only one that holds his umbrella in his left hand, and I don't think it is because the actor is left handed, Klaus is also left handed but he holds the umbrella in his right hand, so there must be a reason why Five is holding his umbrella in his left hand.

I noticed that in the season 3 postered, then Allison is the only one that is not looking forward on her poster while all the others are looking forwards and it ends with her betraying her own family, so maybe Five being the only one that holds his umbrella in his left hand must mean something, maybe he betray his family, or maybe it means that he is the one that dies.     

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REGINALD TAKES HIS PLACE WITH THE FAMILY

The adoptive patriarch hasn't been included in character posters for past seasons, but for season 4, Reginald Hargreeves completes the set. His image on the left depicts him with brown hair and a purple suit, as he appeared in season 2's promotional materials. Reginald's image on the right shows him with white hair and a brown suit. He has a black umbrella with both outfits. Reginald's emojis are a face with a monocle, an alien, a truck and a brain.

While he didn't have as active of a role in some seasons, Reginald's emojis call back to his missing monocle, the reveal that he was an alien, and his training sessions with Klaus in Season 3. The brain emoji could hint at his role as the mastermind behind the Academy's existence and the new timeline. It could also refer to Viktor's hallucinations in Season 2, in which Reginald made him eat a brain to restore his memories. It seems worth noting that his past outfit is from the '60s, when this version of Reginald first met the siblings, suggesting there could still be more consequences for their time-meddling.

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Also season 4 will bring the Netflix series to an end, and the official posters may reveal who dies in the coming episodes. Netflix has teased TUA final season with footage from its 2024 preview as well as through posters shared on Twitter. And the new season 4 posters showcase the Hargreeves siblings walking with umbrellas seemingly innocent images that may hold deeper meanings.

It seems inevitable that one of the main characters from the shown will die in the final outing, and there are multiple people who would make sense that they would die. With world-ending stakes during every season of the show, it's only right that the show concludes with a sacrifice of some sort. The posters might tease which of the leads will die, as one of them contains a subtle but perplexing difference.

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THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY SEASON 4 POSTERS SET NUMBER FIVE APART

Like I mention earlier, Five is the only Hargreeves that is holding his umbrella in his left hand.

Season 4 posters showcase the Hargreeves siblings' personalities as they walk with their umbrellas, with Klaus wearing flashy attire and Diego holding his over his shoulder. However, the images set Number Five apart in a small way that could be more meaningful than we expect. While his brothers and sister plus Lila and Reginald are all walking with their umbrellas in their right hands, Five is holding his in his left. It's a subtle difference, but it's one that probably doesn't exist for no reason.

It's worth noting that Five is either left-handed or ambidextrous, as he uses both hands to perform basic tasks throughout the show (the younger version primarily uses the left, while the older Five writes with his right hand). However, Klaus also uses his left hand to smoke, suggesting he's a lefty or ambidextrous as well. And if both of them are lefties and only one is carrying his umbrella with his dominant hand, that's likely not the reason Five's poster stands out. The creators may be trying to tell us something with his poster and it may not bode well for the character.

It's possible Five's poster stands out because he's the Hargreeves sibling who will die in season 4. This would be a clever way of alluding to that twist without actually confirming it. And Five being the character to perish makes a lot of sense, especially when one considers his role in the story.

WHY FIVE DYING WOULD MAKE SENSE

Five's Journey Has Been Building To A Huge Sacrifice

There are several characters who could die in season 4 like Viktor or Diego, but Five arguably is one of them that makes the most sense. For one, Five is always the character attempting to stop the apocalypse a dangerous duty that's already put him in near-fatal situations. He's also capable of time traveling, which has the potential to go seriously wrong. This is shown in season 1, when he's stuck in the future for 45 years. He's also much older than he appears, with his body returning to its teenage state when he finally finds a way back to his true timeline.

The Umbrella Academy also gives ominous glimpses into Five's future, suggesting he won't get a happy ending. While the show's newly reset timeline may allow Five to change his fate, the scenes featuring the older version of his character are pretty bleak. They make a tragic future seem inevitable for Five, whose characterization has fit with that from the very beginning.

SEASON 4 NEEDS TO KILL AT LEAST ONE OF THE HARGREEVES SIBLINGS

Five seems the most likely to die in season 4, especially with posters pinpointing him as different from his siblings. However, even if Five doesn't perish during the final episodes, one of the Hargreeves siblings really needs to die. Although this would mark a tragic ending to the beloved series, it would also highlight The Umbrella Academy's stakes. Like Stranger Things, The Umbrella Academy has yet to deliver consequences that fit the seriousness of its story. For its ending to be believable and satisfying. It will have to prove that it can do the unthinkable.

Given Five's actions in previous seasons of the show, he seems the most willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. However, there are reasons the other Hargreeves kids could perish. Allison needs redemption after season 3, and she'd undoubtedly be willing to give her life for any cause that would save her daughter. Klaus and Ben would also make a certain amount of sense, as both nearly died prior to the final outing. Diego could also be the one since he always wanted to be the hero, then it would also make sense if he dies so the others could escape something. It would also make sense if Viktor is the one that dies, that he sacrifice himself as a hero, so instead of destroying the world, he would be saving it, but give his own life to do it. Only time will tell who is killed in the show's last batch of episodes but the posters are a reason to worry about Five.

But I hope not that Five will die, I will cry my eyes out, and if he dies, I hope he will get a good death, like he sacrifice himself to save his siblings. 

But if Five does die, then don't worry guys. I will change it in some of my books so he wouldn't die, but instead giving him that happy ending he deserve, living happy together with my OCs. 

A/N: That was one of my other theories. More will come

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