Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy series is a refreshing show bringing its own unique spin to the superhero tv space. The show is based on a comic book series of the same name written by author Gerard Way.
The show’s premise is based around the mysterious birth of 43 children on the same day in October 1989. Prior to this day none of the mothers had shown signs of being pregnant so as you can expect these children had to be special. As we find out in the series, each of these children has their own unique power some of which are most useful than others.
In this article, we’ll be breaking down each of the main characters’ powers and ranking them. If you’re yet to check out the show we suggest you do so before continuing as there will be some mild spoilers in the descriptions.
Diego
Diego might be the most skilled hand-to-hand fighter in The Umbrella Academy but when it comes to powers he drew the short straw. The power that he was born with is the ability to manipulate the trajectory of an object which he does often with his signature knives. Between his knife throwing, hand-to-hand proficiency, and staff-wielding ability Diego is dangerous, however, he is less dangerous than his other family members.
Luther
After taking one look at Luther you should be able to know what his power is. After being injured and undergoing life-threatening surgery to morph his body with that of a gorilla’s Luther’s physique is extremely muscular and abnormally large. These attributes complement his powers of superhuman strength and enhanced resilience allowing him to deal devastating blows with his hands while absorbing ample punishment himself.
Allison
While her superpower may not be combat orientated there is no denying the strength of Allison Hargreeves. Boasting two powers, the first allows her to command anyone to do as she pleases simply by prefacing a statement with “I heard a rumour”, the second allows her to manipulate the reality of other people. When it comes to throwing down hand to hand she’s also a skilled combatant so overall her skillset is impressive.
Klaus
While placing Klaus this high may seem odd, if you’re watched on through season two of the show you’ll get how this makes sense. Klaus has the power to see and speak to the dead and later on in the series it’s revealed he can also conjure them to appear in the real world. The most important of his abilities and why he takes a place so high on the list is that Klaus is immortal. It’s hard to argue power when somebody can’t be killed right?
Ben
Similar to Klaus, not having to take death into account can make someone quite powerful and with the kelp of Klaus the character of Ben can reveal his power. Having died before the series began, Ben is seen alongside Klaus during the show and in later stages shows that he can possess living people. Ben’s power is that he can summon eldritch tentacles from a portal in his stomach which can inflict devastating damage on his foes. Whether living or dead, this ability is extremely powerful and a great asset for the team.
Five
Five is one of the most mysterious characters in the show and displays some mind-blowing power. The two key abilities that Five has are the ability to teleport and the ability to travel backward and forwards in time. While he hasn’t quite mastered time travel, when he does so, Five will be a force to reckon with.
Vanya
There was no real competition for the number one spot on this list as the show’s second season highlights just how much more powerful Vanya is than her siblings. Vanya has the ability to manipulate sound to be used as a weapon. She can use this energy both for offense and defense creating a barrier around herself. She’s got other abilities too like weather manipulation, telekinesis, and even flight. There is no messing around when it comes to taking on Vanya and as we’ve seen, it’s not a task you should attempt alone.