The Umbrella Academy season 3 explained at least one thing about Reginald Hargreeves’ motivations and what his true intentions with his children were, particularly Victor. Audiences found out in the first season that Reginald had been drugging Viktor for most of his life after Reginald felt that Viktor was becoming too powerful and too unpredictable. In The Umbrella Academy season 3, the roles were reversed with the Sparrow Academy drugging Reginald. While it may feel like an ironic form of justice, Reginald’s reasons for drugging Viktor were weak excuses. However, with the reintroduction of Harlan, Reginald’s decisions may be a bit clearer (if not still problematic).
When Harlan was reintroduced in The Umbrella Academy season 3, he recounted parts of his life to Viktor. In the years after the events of season 2, Harlan couldn’t control the power that Viktor accidentally gave him. At the end of season 3, episode 3, Harlan kills two of the Sparrows, Alphonso and Jayme, in one blast. In the following episode, Harlan explains that he and Sissy had to move often and changed their names, to keep from being caught. It was also revealed that Harlan accidentally killed all the Umbrella Academy’s mothers before they gave birth, meaning in that timeline, none of the Umbrella Academy had been born. Considering this, it's more understandable why Reginald was so afraid of Viktor's powers and tried to suppress them.
Harlan's Outburst Still Doesn't Justify Drugging Viktor
Even though viewers saw how dangerous the power that Viktor and Harlan share could be, especially when they’re emotional, it doesn’t justify Reginald’s decision to drug Viktor. Allowing Viktor to better come into his own and to learn how to get ahold of his powers within the safe space of the academy would’ve been so much better for Viktor’s physical and mental well-being. Because Reginald decided to drug Viktor, he endured emotional abuse by both Reginald and his siblings. The years of abuse came to a head in The Umbrella Academy season 1 when Viktor caused the apocalypse, so it wasn’t the right move on Reginald’s part. If Viktor had been allowed to grow up with his powers and get a better handle on them, Viktor and the world would’ve been better off. Not to mention that it would’ve spared Harlan a life on the run and from dying a gruesome death at the hands of Allison.
Umbrella Academy S3 Gave Reginald A Taste Of His Own Medicine
One of the more ironic parts in The Umbrella Academy season 3 is when the Umbrellas learn that the Sparrows have been drugging Reginald for a while to keep him from manipulating them. The Umbrellas don’t really agree with it, and Klaus even helps Reginald get sober by tricking Jayme and Alphonso into thinking he took his pills. Five would later find out that it was Pogo who helped the Sparrows start drugging their father. While drugging their father is still problematic for many reasons, audiences saw what happened as soon as Reggie was off his meds.
Even though Harlan was the cause of multiple deaths throughout his life, he didn’t get the training he needed to control his powers, which ultimately led to accidental deaths. His lack of training does not prove that Reginald was right when he drugged Viktor. Viktor now has a grasp on his powers and can control them; all he needed was training, but Reginald was too afraid of his son’s power. Hopefully, Reginald has learned his lesson after being drugged by the Sparrows in season 3. It will surely be interesting to see what this father-son dynamic is like in the fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy.