In season 3, The Umbrella Academy ending explained through one quick shot that Ben was alive and well. However, this brief post-credits scene raises more questions than it answers. Three seasons in, The Umbrella Academy set itself a precedent of leaving each season on a huge cliffhanger. This previously saw the siblings finding themselves in a new timeline, and The Umbrella Academy season 3 ending is no different. After finding the machine in the Hotel Oblivion, the remaining siblings found Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) using them as an energy source for that machine.
This had clearly always been the plan, as Reginald wanted to use the seven super-powered humans in either timeline to power this machine and remake the universe to bring back Abigail. However, Allison rejected Hargreeves' plan, and her double-crossing left the siblings alive, albeit powerless, in the new Umbrella Academy timeline. This ended with another new reality with Reginald at the head of a huge business empire. The siblings are left to explore this new world in their own ways. It’s not clear whether other versions of the Umbrellas and Sparrows exist in this reality, but The Umbrella Academy season 3 end credits scene might give clues to that.
What Happens In Umbrella Academy Season 3's End Credits Scene?
In the opening of The Umbrella Academy season 1, a scene set on October 1, 1989, shows a Russian woman flirting with a boy. She then jumps into a pool and spontaneously gives birth to a child that likely grew up to be Viktor Hargreeves (Elliot Page). The Umbrella Academy's narrator, Pogo, explains that 43 babies were born this way on that day. Notably, only 16 children were born in the Sparrow timeline. In The Umbrella Academy season 3, the woman at the pool met a gruesome end because of Harlan, and the new opening scene is instead set on a train in Seoul on that same day.
The Umbrella Academy season 3 ending explained that a person who looks like Ben (Justin H. Min) rode what appears to be the same train from the opening scene. This Ben is reading a book in Korean and wears glasses but is still portrayed by the same actor. There is no dialogue during this scene, but it heavily implies that, just as The Umbrella Academy season 1 intro was likely the birth of Viktor, the season 3 intro was Ben’s birth.
Which Ben Is On The Train In The Season 3 Post-Credits?
The Umbrella Academy season 3 introduced the Sparrows' Ben who grew up in a separate timeline and, while serving as his team’s Number Two, has developed a more abrasive personality. By the time of The Umbrella Academy ending for season 3, the audience is already well acquainted with the two Bens. The original Umbrella Ben died when he was young as part of “the Jennifer Incident” before proceeding to haunt Klaus (Robert Sheehan) until his spirit moved on at the end of season 2.
While there were initially theories that the Ben shown in The Umbrella Academy ending explained it was a whole new version different from both Umbrella and Sparrow Ben, showrunner Steve Blackman confirmed this is Sparrow Ben in the scene. This is confusing at face value, as this Ben is much calmer and doesn't seem to display Sparrow Ben's personality traits. That said, since Sparrow Ben's main goal is to please his father, this could have led him to the train in South Korea, where he was born.
What Does The Season 3 Post-Credits Scene Mean For The Umbrella Academy?
Reinventing Sparrow Ben for The Umbrella Academy season 4 might seem like a strange choice, but it opens up a lot of possibilities for the future of the show’s storytelling. In season 3, audiences have seen how the family is excited to welcome in someone who can fill the hole left by Umbrella Ben’s death. Sparrow Ben, as he was initially introduced, was a poor candidate for this task due to his standoffishness, but The Umbrella Academy ending explained that he might be undergoing some changes on a new journey. He's still not the original Ben, but Sparrow Ben is becoming an increasingly interesting character.
Why It's Good That The Post-Credits Ben Isn't The Original One
Although some viewers might be eager for the original Umbrella Ben to return in some form, it is actually a good thing that it is still The Umbrella Academy season 3's Sparrow Ben who will be featured moving into The Umbrella Academy season 4. While bringing back the original Ben might have seemed like a way to restore his family's dynamic, doing so would have undercut the importance of the original Ben’s The Umbrella Academy season 2 arc and his process of moving on. As Sparrow Ben's presence might well generate more tension going forward, his inclusion is the best choice for the future of the show.
The Season 3 Post-Credits Scenes Set Up The End Of The Umbrella Academy Story
The Umbrella Academy season 4 will mark the end of the road for the Netflix original series. While the show has now moved past the comic book stories, there is no telling where the road might lead. However, this Umbrella Academy ending explained that Ben will likely play a large role in what is coming for both the Hargreeves in the Umbrella Academy and the Sparrow Academy.
The last season will feature only six episodes, the shortest of any season, but Steve Blackman has promised a satisfying conclusion for fans of the show. The biggest question based on the post-credit scene is what Ben is doing in South Korea and what role he will play in this last go around for The Umbrella Academy.