Content Warning: The following contains discussions of sexual assault and rape.

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Umbrella Academy season 3. 

Allison has often used her powers to get what she wants, but The Umbrella Academy season 3 has made her character irredeemable after she attempted to sexually assault her brother, Luther. Allison was first introduced in The Umbrella Academy as a celebrity who used her abilities to become a famous actor. As the series has gone on, her actions have escalated, culminating in the horrific act that occurs in The Umbrella Academy, season 3, episode 5, "Kindest Cut."

Allison's powers give her the ability to control people and their reality with the use of just her voice. She prefaces her desires with the statement, "I heard a rumor," and what follows can change the way a person thinks, acts, or feels. Allison initially used her powers at the command of Reginald, her father, keeping Viktor controlled by forcing him to believe he did not have powers. As she got older, Allison began using her powers for her own gain. Most shockingly, she uses her powers in The Umbrella Academy season 3 to force Luther to kiss her against his will. It seems things would have gone farther, but Luther couldn't breathe, so Allison stopped.

Related: Umbrella Academy Season 3's Viktor Transition Was Perfectly Balanced

In The Umbrella Academy, Allison had a chance at a character arc, as Allison stopped using her powers for her own benefit, but by attempting to sexually assault Luther, her character has lost any sense of growth. The writers are likely following the events of the comic, where Allison is a villain who used her powers to manipulate Luther from the beginning of their relationship. Though it was not as overt in the show, Allison used her powers for manipulation from the beginning. It is implied that Allison used her powers on her ex-husband, Patrick, to make him fall for her. She also used her powers on her daughter, Claire, to stop her from misbehaving which caused the downfall of her relationship with Patrick.

Blended image of Allison using her powers in The Umbrella Academy S3

Grief is powerful, and Allison has faced a lot of trauma in her life. She was forced to use her powers on Viktor, even if she didn't actually understand what she was doing. Allison lost custody of her daughter. She lost her husband Raymond, who was there for her when she was trapped in the 1960s and faced traumatic racism. In season 3, she discovered that the new Umbrella Academy timeline meant her daughter no longer exists. Allison would do anything to get Claire back and cope with her pain. Yet this extended trauma and suffering doesn't give her character a blank slate to behave however she likes.

Although there is a lead-up to the events in The Umbrella Academy, season 3, episode 5, "Kindest Cut," using sexual assault to solidify a character as a villain is also extremely careless from a writing perspective. This isn't the only example of Hollywood recklessly using sexual assault for character development. The Umbrella Academy seems to do just that, proven by the most unsettling part of the scene when romantic music plays as Allison uses her powers on Luthor, forcing him to kiss her. This leaves the impression that the showrunners arguably aren't aware of how problematic Allison's actions are with the attempted sexual assault being largely ignored for the rest of the season.

Allison has definitely used her powers for questionable reasons prior to The Umbrella Academy season 3, but much of the last two seasons showed a character arc that was making her a better person. While Allison deserves sympathy for the pain she's faced, there is never an excuse for sexual assault. Allison's powers in The Umbrella Academy are inherently a violation towards anyone she uses them on, but by targeting people for love and sex, Allison crosses a line that can't be uncrossed.

Next: Did THAT Umbrella Academy Character Actually Die In Season 3?

The Umbrella Academy season 3 is now available on Netflix

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