The Umbrella Academy is one of those deliciously binge-worthy shows that will have you hitting the ‘next episode’ button without a second thought. The supernatural drama first hit our Netflix accounts in 2019 and, after four thrilling and imaginative seasons, it looks like the story has come to its final conclusion.
But after the mind-bending finale of season 4, you might have been left feeling like The Umbrella Academy’s Marigold concept needs a little explaining. Well, you’re in the right place.
By the time the show's closing credits started rolling, we finally got answers to some of our biggest The Umbrella Academy questions – like… how did the children get their superpowers? The answer? Marigold, of course.
ICYMI: ‘Marigold’ is revealed to be the secret sauce that turned this group of ordinary kids into extraordinary heroes — but also the reason the world keeps ending. Let's dive into the origins of the Hargreeves family and the apocalypse, and trust us, it's a wild ride.
Only Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally could pull this off.
The Umbrella Academy's Marigold explained
In season 4 of The Umbrella Academy, we’re introduced to Marigold and Durango. Think of them as the yin and yang of the universe, but with superpowers and a whole lot of destruction. The final season of Netflix’s supernatural drama finally gave us the lowdown on these mysterious particles, and let's just say, it was a lot.
Turns out, the Hargreeves’ powers aren't just a random quirk of fate. They're the result of a cosmic experiment gone very, very wrong.
At the end of season 3, in a major cliff-hanger, Reginald’s custom-made timeline becomes real. In this new reality, the Hargreeves siblings (who now have no powers) finally meet Reginald’s wife, Abigail (who is alive and well in this multiverse) – and she has some serious explaining to do. Abigail reveals that many years ago, she created a new element, Marigold, which is the literal essence of the universe. But in doing so, she also created its counterpart, Durango.
What are the powers of Marigold?
Marigold is basically the universe's version of a superhero serum. It’s the reason the Hargreeves have their powers, and also the reason for the never-ending apocalypse. So what is Durango? Well, Durango is the evil twin of Marigold — think Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. It's a destructive force that, when combined with Marigold, causes the entire timeline to be wiped from existence.
In the new timeline, the Hargreeves lost all their superpowers, and it’s Marigold that holds the key to them regaining them. As if this wasn’t enough, Marigold is also what created the multiverse in the first place, and is the reason why the Hargreeves kids are doomed to keep repeating a loop of apocalypses.
Warning: major spoilers coming up!
Ultimately, the Hargreeves sacrifice themselves and their entire existence in order to restore the normal universe and erase the destructive multiverse. When Marigold and Durango come into contact, they cause ‘The Cleanse’, which gets rid of the broken timelines and restores the main timeline. But in this reality, the Hargreeves don’t exist — and never did.
This ending left a lot of fans unhappy, but in a tear-jerking post-credits scene, we see eight marigold flowers blossoming next to a tree, which is a tribute to the Hargreeves and Lila. How poetic.
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