The final season ofThe Umbrella Academywas divisive among fans for many reasons, but one element in particular sparked major controversy: the romance between Aiden Gallagher’s Five and Ritu Arya’s Lila. Viewers unanimously disliked this pairing for several reasons — one of which being that Lila was already married at that point in time, to Five’s brother Diego (David Castaneda) — but Arya has since spoken up about the unpopular relationship, offering a far more favorable opinion.
Speaking withColliderabout her newest project,Paris Has Fallen, Arya also addressed fans' less-than-enthusiastic reactions to the romance between Five and Lila. Surprisingly, she seemed to be a fan of their dynamic, stating,“I absolutely loved my storyline. I thought it was really creative and smart. I love art that pushes boundaries and creates conversations.“Despite this enthusiasm, however, she did add that the final season’s shorter length made it difficult to flesh out certain aspects of the story as much as she would’ve liked — including her character’s relationship with Five.
I’m really proud of all the work that we did. I just wish that we had 10 episodes instead of six.
Given that the three previous seasons ofThe Umbrella Academyall consisted of 10 episodes, it’s no wonder that season four’s six-episode run felt a little hasty — both to the actors and the fans. Unfortunately, the show’s subpar reviews and ratingsdemonstrate just how detrimental of a decision this diminished runtime really was. Plot holes and unanswered questionsprevented fans from feeling satisfied at the series' conclusion, and many familiar characters acted in ways that completely contradicted their earlier depictions — Lila and Five among them. An additional four episodes could have very well solved many of these issues, including giving fans a chance to view Lila and Five’s relationship more favorably.
Diverting From the Source Material Led to ‘The Umbrella Academy’s Downfall
On the other hand, 10 episodes instead of six may not have made much of a difference to the final season of theUmbrella Academy, or for fans’ reactions to Lila and Five’s relationship. The characters' histories simply made them incompatible in a romantic context, and to many viewers, the large age gap was just the cherry on top. Not only did Five canonically kill Lila’s parents and create the Commission — which would go on to raise Lila and then betray her — but Five’s brother, Diego, is also married to Lila. For Five to have an affair with his brother’s wife seemed like an irrevocable act of betrayalthat was also wildly inconsistent with the protective instincts and familial loyaltywhich had defined Five’s character.
The Umbrella Academy Ending Makes No Sense (and That’s a Problem)
The Umbrella Academy was a great show, but the ending of the fourth and final season makes no sense.
It’s hard to overlook the fact thatThe Umbrella Academy’s lowest rated seasonwas also the only one to diverge sharply from the source material. Based on a comic series by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba, the first three installments ofThe Umbrella Academywere relatively faithful adaptations that changed minor details without altering the overarching plot. It’s still unclear why the final season chose to break away, crafting an entirely original narrative, but the results certainly speak for themselves, as Five and Lila’s relationship was just one of many, many unpopular decisions made in the last few episodes ofThe Umbrella Academy.
The Umbrella Academy
