Reginald Hargreeves’ return in The Umbrella Academy season 3 could be more important than one thinks. The head of the house Hargreeves has been focal to the Netflix series from the beginning. In his death, he reunited the Umbrella Academy. Season 2 revealed quite a few new details about the Hargreeves patriarch, but now that he’s alive in season 3’s altered timeline, Reginald may be more crucial than ever.
In The Umbrella Academy season 3, Reginald is back and leading the Sparrow Academy, seven super-powered individuals also born on the same day as the titular characters. Since the Umbrella Academy changed the timeline in 1963, the present was also altered. Reginald is still alive and, now that he is no longer the original Hargreeves’ father, his monocle is also intact. Reginald’s monocle was destroyed in the original Umbrella Academy timeline, but he got it back in season 3. It might seem like a small detail, but the monocle is one of the most relevant elements in Reginald’s arsenal.
While there have been certain changes made from The Umbrella Academy comics by Gerard Way and artist Gabriel Bá, the Netflix series has maintained certain connections to the source material. Reginald wearing a monocle is one of them. However, the series has yet to reveal the monocle’s secret powers — that could change in The Umbrella Academy season 3. In the comics, Reginald’s codename is “The Monocle,” which is what he prefers to be called as opposed to his first name. The object gives him the ability to see people as they really are. Five has used it in the past and, now that Reginald has it back again in the show, it’s possible it will finally be utilized. The Umbrella Academy, who may or may not know what it can actually do, could steal the monocle to discover certain truths about the new timeline. This could, in turn, help them figure out how they can restore the original timeline without any further damage.
It’s also possible the Hargreeves will learn the truth about Reginald being an alien by looking through the monocle. If nothing else, the monocle having such abilities certainly explains Reginald’s wealth of knowledge — he always seems to be one step ahead of his kids. His plans also suggest he sees things others don’t. Considering The Umbrella Academy has yet to delve into why Reginald wears the monocle all the time despite being an alien, it's likely this important piece of information will be revealed in season 3. It can't be a coincidence that Reginald's return also brings back his monocle and it's about time the series takes the next step in revealing the truth about it.
The Umbrella Academy has been operating without being able to see the whole picture, working against time to save the world in different timelines. However, even Five's time with the Commission failed to reveal the full truth about what's been going on. Perhaps The Umbrella Academy season 3 will finally provide the Hargreeves siblings with the information they need to make things right, and the monocle could be exactly what they need to do it.