The Umbrella Academy has lots of big questions to answer when it returns to Netflix for Season 3, with the biggest of all being "What up with those Sparrow Academy goons?" The mysterious way Season 2 ended has kept fans talking and speculating ever since the group's Dallas-based timeline alterations changed everything. It's been almost two years since all we first watched all those wild moments happen, so fans are understandably hyped to see how things play out in new episodes. So let’s all give star Justin H. Min a sincere round of applause for offering up some comic-friendly details to keep us satiated while waiting for the premiere.
Despite his character being dead in the show’s central timeline across its first two seasons, Justin H. Min’s character Ben is definitely alive and well in Season 3, though he isn’t the same version as Klaus’ spiritual buddy. He’ll be a more hardcore version of Number Six, and it sounds like he’ll be leaning into his comic book distinction of being The Horror, or at least the tentacled side of things. Speaking with EW, he described Sparrow Academy Ben embracing his power set in the show’s future, saying:
I think the previous version of Ben was fearful of his powers. It was something he never fully learned how to control on his own, so when these tentacles were unleashed, he didn't know what would transpire. But since the Sparrows have been trained since such a young age to utilize their powers during combat, it's something the new Ben feels much more control over. It's a casual way for him to assert his superiority.
In the very first montage where we introduce the Sparrows, you even see him using his tentacles to smoke a cigar and drink. It's something he whips out as a party trick and will do very casually. He has control over it and he's very proud of it.
I do hope this version of Ben has seen Tom Cruise's Cocktail, and will mimic some bartending moves while making the aforementioned drinks. I love the idea of casually presented tentacles.
Ahead of its more recent images that possibly indicate changes to some characters’ origin stories, The Umbrella Academy gave fans a first look at new footage when revealing the show’s premiere date, but we’re still waiting for a full-blown trailer to make its way into our timeline, with or without the tentacles at the ready. I’m also already waiting for the the Funko Pop! version of Christopher Hargreeves, the telekinetic cube that makes up the most…telekinetic cube…member of the Sparrow Academy. Be there, or be square, amirite?
Season 3 of The Umbrella Academy will be readily available for those with a Netflix subscription on Wednesday, June 22.
