Umbrella Academy Easter Eggs Even Comic Book Fans Missed

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for The Umbrella Academy Season 1, streaming now on Netflix.

As with any comic book adaptation, Netflix's The Umbrella Academy, while it's been condensed for TV, holds Easter eggs, nods and references to the Dark Horse Comics it was influenced by. We've seen this time and time again on both the big and small screens for materials tied to Marvel, DC and comics in general.

And as expected, Steve Blackman's 10-episode take on the story from Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba isn't any different. With that in mind, here's a look at some of the subtle ones that may have slipped by even those diehard fans of the source material.

THE EIFFEL TOWER

In Episode 1, "We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals," Allison finds Klaus rummaging through his dead dad's (Sir Reginald Hargreeves) desk for things he can sell to buy drugs. On the mantle behind the desk we see a framed newspaper clipping. It mentions a disaster the team averted at the Eiffel Tower. It comes up again in Episode 8, "I Heard A Rumor," where Allison's daughter Claire asks for a bedtime story on this adventure.

While we never find out what happened in the incident, both are references to the comic's first issue in The Apocalypse Suite titled "The Day The Eiffel Tower Went Beserk," where we see a young Umbrella Academy stopping an attack in Paris, only to discover the Eiffel Tower is a spaceship, with Gustave Eiffel himself being nothing more than a terrorist.

DR. TERMINAL STRIKES

When we dive into the past of the villain who was spurned by Reginald as a kid, Harold, we see he was a fanboy of the Academy who grew bitter towards them. These flashbacks to Harold's tragic childhood has him referencing the evil Dr. Terminal, who he believes is the cause of all evil, and it's why he wants to fight for justice with the Academy.

It doesn't turn out that way, with a vengeful Harold ending up corrupting Vanya and turning her into the White Violin. It's notable that he actually becomes Dr. Terminal here in the process, because Dr. Terminal was actually the big villain in The Apocalypse Suite, and the one who indirectly causes Vanya to become the White Violin, which led to her trying to destroy her siblings.

GERARD HAS HIS WAY

This is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment in Episode 1, where Vanya picks up a copy of the book she wrote that details the tormented life she endured growing up in a superhero family that considered her an outsider. As she glosses over it, she wonders aloud to her simian caretaker, Pogo, if Reginald ever bothered to even open it.

He didn't, but if you freeze the frame and check out the blurb praising the book at the back, the comic's writer Gerard Way did. It's a totally meta moment, as Way, who served as an executive producer, is apparently a critic in the series' fictional universe who gives the author a glowing review: "An incredible read… A revealing look into the amazing life of Vanya Hargreeves and the life she has lived. I couldn't put it down!"

NEXT PAGE: The Truth About Pogo is Stranger Than You Think

POGO'S PAST

When Pogo is reunited with the rest of the Umbrella Academy for Reginald's funeral, as they give their testimonies, he says, "In all regards, Sir Reginald Hargreeves made me what I am today." But that's not necessarily in terms of inner traits and characteristics as someone who cares for all the kids and who Reginald inspired.

This is actually a clever nod to Reginald (an alien who sought refuge on Earth) experimenting on chimpanzees and raising their already high brain function. He wanted to test their potential and speed up their evolution, which resulted in the most intelligent one becoming Pogo, a fiercely loyal ally until the end. We didn't see this in the show, but whenever Pogo ruminated on Reginald, it's clear he considered him his creator.

THE KRAKEN LIVES

In the books, Diego (Number Two) is known as the Kraken, mostly because he's a monstrous killer (and someone who can hold his breath underwater for a long time) in the way he goes about assassinating folks. However, in the show, we never really heard anyone referring to him by that name, the way they called Luther "Space Boy" or Allison "The Rumor," as in the comics.

But homage is paid to Diego's nickname in a few quick shots in the gym he's using as a lair. Diego often participated in boxing matches, and the posters for all these bouts had his moniker of "The Kraken" plastered all over them, alluding to how hard, fast and loud he hits -- something Luther points out in jest.

THE RED GAS MASKS

In Volume 2 of the comics, Dallas, the temporal agency known as The Commission sent its assassins to kill Number Five. They wore red gas masks, and would be exterminated at every turn the same way that the red shirts on Star Trek meant you were marked for death. Interestingly enough, the show doesn't change this, with these same masks being the ones the time travel hitmen wear.

We see them in all their glory when Five decides to blow the agency up as he tricks them into thinking he wants to be part of their crusade. The latter's definitely something that quickly shot past the eye, but once you pause, you'd see Five surrounded by these tributes to the time travelling story in the books that revealed his true purpose -- to change history.

NUMBER FIVE'S SPECIAL SANDWICH

When Five returns from the future, older but still in his young body, his first meal is a peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich. In fact, whenever he gets the chance, this is his meal of choice. It seems that the show is making him a kid again by doing so, but it's actually referencing his comfort food in the comics.

That's right, young or old, Five, as complex as he may be, is all about the simplicity of this particular sandwich. He never explains why, but if he's not making it himself, it's what their robotic Mom makes for him to keep him out of trouble.

Now streaming on Netflix, The Umbrella Academy Season 1 stars Ellen Page, Mary J. Blige, Tom Hopper, Cameron Britton, Robert Sheehan, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Adam Godley, Aidan Gallagher, David Castañeda, John Magaro, Ashley Madekwe and Colm Feore.

CBR

Umbrella Academy Easter Eggs Even Fans of the Comic Missed