There is no concrete formula for success, but in the case of The Umbrella Academy, are certainly their casualties. After all, the original series Netflix was born from the unlikely partnership of a singer from one of the most popular emo bands of the last decade and a Brazilian. 3s4x6k
Yes. Gerard Way (for those who don't , lead singer of My Chemical Romance) to Gabriel Bá (from São Paulo who conquered the world with the fanzine 10 buns) ed forces and delivered, back in 2008, a comic series about a family of dysfunctional heroes with a hint of Addams family and a good deal of trouble.
Result? One Eisner Award on the shelf, two more volumes and a series Netflix who managed to beat the absolute popularity of the darling Stranger Things. More than 45 million of subscribers followed the story of the brothers Hargreeves and guaranteed for The Umbrella Academy A second season has already been confirmed without a premiere date.
plot 6h1h10
Developed by Steve Blackman e Jeremy Slater, The Umbrella Academy orbits around an interesting family of superheroes that was conceived, shaped and destroyed by their patriarch. And oh, you can also count on some typical setbacks like the end of the world, professional killers with animal masks and all the family drama that a family of misfits deserves.
We are introduced to its strange universe with a scene in a pool in Russia, in which a teenage girl spontaneously gives birth after planting a chaste kiss on a boy's cheek, setting the stage for the chaos that follows. Watch the series trailer:
But the affair had not been an isolated event. On the contrary. Another 42 women also end up giving birth on the same day under the same circumstances, drawing the attention of the eccentric beyond. Sir Reginald Hargreeves (colm feore) – a wealthy Brit whose butler is a talking chimpanzee and his wife is a robot – who, on one mission, manages to adopt seven of the children.
six out of seven Hargreeves they have special powers, from the very conventional and beaten superhuman abilities, to those as strange as the ability to possess monsters from other dimensions. Hargreeves creates a team of “superheroes” with the six who have special abilities, marking them as The Umbrella Academy (or Umbrella Academy, literally) and calling them numbers instead of names.
However Sir Reginald ends up neglecting one of her children, the "ordinary" child, Number Seven, while training the rest of the children to reach their full potential. seven, or rather, Vanya Hargreeves (Ellen Page), devotes himself to his mundane life and music. A highlight is the opening of the series to the chords of Phantom of the Opera straight from his violin, in a more rock 'n' roll revamp.
Aside from the aforementioned Hargreeves, the Umbrella Academy is comprised of: Luther Hargreeves, or Number One (Tom Hopper); Diego Hargreeves, or Number Two (David Cataneda); Allison Hargreeves, or Number Three (Emmy Raver-Lampman) e Klaus Hargreeves, or Number Four (Robert Sheehan). Ben Hargreeves, or Number Six (Justin H. Min), ed away from mysterious circumstances prior to the series' departure point. The killers Hazel (Cameron Britton) e Cha Cha dance (Mary J.Blige) close the main cast.
The Umbrella Academy: Much More Than a Hero's Journey 19531w
Without further ado, the reasons why The Umbrella Academy so fascinating is the way in which we follow its main characters deal with their childhood traumas, in the best of Campbell's hero's journey mold.
In a nutshell, the hero's journey is a formula devised by Joseph Campbell in the book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. While the mythologist detailed all the common paths since Homer's time, he also cataloged the entire process that today is the strong basis of some classics such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings ou Batman do Nolan.
Find out more about the characters in the series:
With The Umbrella Academy it would be no different, there are indeed certain narrative modulations that evoke the classic trajectories, but there is no room for protagonism here. All the Hargreeves have a chance to shine, deconstruct, grow and evolve over the course of the series. And, in the end, Luther, who looks and feels like a classic hero, ends up being overshadowed by his out-of-the-way brothers Klaus and Number Five.
While the main plot sounds conventional – stopping the apocalypse is a very saturated plot point in superhero franchises –, The Umbrella Academy it's anything but that.
From the fight scenes to the music"Istanbul (not Constantinople)"Of They Might Be Giants, for a subplot that involves Number Five surviving the Apocalypse in the arms of a Mannequin, the spectacle devolves into such wonderful chaos that it becomes incredibly surreal and increasingly difficult to find any plot point that resonates with a typical audience.
And don't think that the gem of the plot lies in the Hargreeves. The journey of antagonists Hazel and Cha Cha is just as interesting. There's not much to say without giving away the preciousness of their narratives, but there is something very powerful in the way in which both end up stealing the spotlight and the audience's attention in their own conflicts. They go far beyond being just another obstacle. Highlight goes to the performance of Mary J. Blige, which is a far cry from the soul diva figure she is known for.
The Umbrella Academy it's much more than saving the world. It is understanding yourself and accepting yourself, as well as understanding the other and accepting them, with forgiveness being the greatest heroic act at the end of the day.
The Umbrella Academy premiered on the day February 15 and first season is available on Netflix.
