When it comes to villains, Netflix The Umbrella Academy has an eclectic roster. In the previous three seasons, fans have seen Sir Reginald Hargreeves cause Multiversal chaos. There has also been turmoil among the Hargreeves siblings thanks to Viktor (formerly Vanya) and Allison.
Of course, who could forget the Temporary Commission and the Handler who tried to keep the chronology intact? The Umbrella Academy Season 4 continues this trend with the Keepers. However, even though they cause havoc, this sect actually has a good reason to be on the warpath.
The Umbrella Academy's Gene and Jean Thibedeau, Explained

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Gene Thibedeau (Nick Offerman) and his wife, Jean (Megan Mullally), are seen early in the season running a cult. They are the Keepers. The main chapter is being investigated by Lila and Five for the CIA. However, they have no idea what awaits them. The Keepers are talking about the “Umbrella Effect”. The leaders believe that it is a series of things that transpire from previous timelines seen before Season 4. After all, every season has had an apocalypse, which ended with a reset at the end of The Umbrella Academy Season 3.
The Keepers are collecting relics, toys, VHS tapes and other items that prove they are in a false timeline.. Gene and Jean were ridiculed by their college peers when they spoke of memories seeping in and “waking” people up in what they believed to be a facade. Other members have nightmares about their past lives. Some buy items to prove that the timeline has changed. The Thibedeaus even kill a merchant who tries to get a price for them, all because they need proof of a barn they have.
It is a museum of sorts, a tribute to the past that contains information and articles about the Umbrella Academy as children from season one and Reginald who trains them. It also contains details about the infamous “Jennifer Incident.” Fans will remember that this is where Ben died. This puts the couple at the center of the mystery of Ben and Jennifer and the belief that Jennifer is the key to restoring reality to what nature intended it to be.
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The Thibedeaus have a giant squid in the barnThis is the same squid that Jennifer was found in. All the girl told the media when she was rescued was that this was “the Purification.” As such, this is the name of the reset the Thibedeaus want her for. It leads them to ambush the brothers when they find Jennifer in a fake town called New Grumpson. Over time, the Hargreeves clan discovers that this was a protective hold funded by the new Reginald.
Reginald wanted Jennifer kept away from society. He didn't know the Thibedeaus were in a rage. They end up kidnapping Jennifer and putting her in the barn. They lock her in there to trigger memories and activate the Purification.They don't know What exactly it is, or As It's part of their eccentric style, which is ironic for some educators who like to dance in their room.
The Keepers did not foresee The Umbrella Academy Ben chases Jennifer. He is intrinsically linked to her, which leads to an assault on the barn. Ben uses his tentacles, saves her, and escapes. It leaves the Keepers desperate to get Jennifer back. They have put emergency measures in place, using their CIA spies and their own militia to try to kill the Hargreeves brothers. They can't afford for anyone to meddle in the Cleanse.
The Keepers feel trapped and like they are losing their minds in this illusion. They want to be freed, so relentless violence will have to do. However, as they unite all their soldiers, the Keepers get help from the same person who sent the brothers after Jennifer. That person is David Cross's Sy Grossman, who plays both sides of the equation in The Umbrella Academy final season. Sy is the one who gets the brothers moving again to fight against the Keepers.
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Sy is now found pretending to be a member of the cult. It details how they need to keep Ben with Jennifer and how they need the people in Reginald's care to be as far away as possible. Ben and Jennifer will trigger the end of days, they just need to not be disturbed. It's due to Ben's marigold and Jennifer's durango, the substances that Reginald and his wife, Abigail, created and that gave them their powers, respectively.
In the new timeline, these substances keep Ben and Jennifer attracted to each other, infecting them with some sort of virus. Gene and Jean end up finding them, using their legion to block cops, activists, and the Academy. It's only a matter of time. Incredibly, Sy kills Gene and transforms into his form. He wants to speed up the PurificationHe refuses negotiations from Reginald's team, as they want Ben back, especially a Viktor that Ben had saved in season two.
Jean suspects something is wrong with her husband The Umbrella Academy series finale. This leads the false Gene to kill Jean and encourage his people to resist.. The Purification is near. By shaping Sy as a false prophet, this gives the show a biblical twist. He used the Thibedeaus as pawns. They had manpower and influence, and he did the same with the Hargreeves brothers. In the end, Sy manipulates everyone because she is Abigail in disguise..
The Umbrella Academy's Thibedeaus are the antithesis of the Hargreeves

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Abigail wants to undo what she and Reginald have done: the corrupted reality. He needed foot soldiers, and the Thibedeaus were just that. They were desperate, gullible, and eager to get home. They had no idea what that would entail. The bomb is actually Ben and Jennifer fusing like a virus into a giant kaiju monster destined to devour the world. That means it will be a painful death, not the euphoric release they thought it would be.
The Thibedeaus are counterpoints for Reginald and Abigail. The Thibedeaus had great communication skills, a unified vision, and were skilled at mapping out their mission. Reginald and Abigail, however, were full of secrets, lies, and poor communication. That's why Abigail had to disguise herself and convince both sides to reunite Ben and Jennifer. As she sits with Reginald and lets the monster kill them, they are both happy.
There is no ego, no hatred, no frustration. It is all relief, which is more than can be said for the Thibedeau clan. In a sense, they tried to do the right thing, only to pay cruelly with their lives.. Their methods may have been sinister, but their intentions were good. Ultimately, Gene and Jean are some of the most tragic villains in the Netflix series, all because Reginald wanted to play God and find purpose after his wife died in the Prime timeline in season 1.
All four seasons of The Umbrella Academy are now available to stream on Netflix.

The Umbrella Academy
- Release date
- February 15, 2019
- Launch
- Aidan Gallagher, Elliot Page, Tom Hooper, David Castaneda
- Main genre
- Adventure
- Seasons
- 4
- Creator
- Steve Blackman, Jeremy Slater