Despite the acclaim of Netflix's The Umbrella Academy, one of the major criticisms fans have leveled against the popular comic adaption is on Allison and Luther's relationship, which many viewers read as incestuous. The show even acknowledges and jokes about it halfway through Season 2, but showrunner Steve Blackman has taken the time to address these critiques.
"I wanted to say to people, 'Look, they're not biological siblings, but yes, it's weird that they grew up together. But they didn't have a typical childhood,'" Blackman told Digital Spy.
Allison and Luther, of course, were both adopted by Reginald Hargreeves shortly after they were born.
"But yes, are they siblings? Sort of," he continued. "But they're also not biologically related, and there's such a puppy love story. You know, I don't know if it's real love. It might feel like real love to them. But it's sort of a kid love from growing up together, and beautiful moments from their past when they hung out together."
Five warned his family (so, so many times) that using his powers to escape from Vanya’s 2019 apocalypse was risky. Well, he was right - the time jump scatters the siblings in time in and around Dallas, Texas. Over a three year period. Starting in 1960. Some, having been stuck in the past for years, have built lives and moved on, certain they’re the only ones who survived. Five is the last to land, smack dab in the middle of a nuclear doomsday, which - spoiler alert! - turns out is a result of the group’s disruption of the timeline (déjà vu, anyone?). Now the Umbrella Academy must find a way to reunite, figure out what caused doomsday, put a stop to it, and return to the present timeline to stop that other apocalypse. All while being hunted by a trio of ruthless Swedish assassins. But seriously, no pressure or anything.
The Umbrella Academy stars Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher and Justin H. Min, with Ritu Arya, Yusuf Gatewood, Marin Ireland, Jordan Claire Robbins, Kate Walsh and Colm Feore. Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.