The fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy was just released on Netflix on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. To celebrate the great Netflix original series based on Gerard Way’s comic book series of the same name, we're ranking all seven of the Hargreeves siblings from worst to best.
I thought this ranking would be easy. I have clear favorites, of course, but as I watched the final six episodes of The Umbrella Academy, I realized just how much I like and respect all of these characters. Even the siblings ranked lower on the list are terrific, well-rounded, and messy characters. That’s a testament to the source material, Steve Blackman and the show’s writers, and of course, the entire cast that brought these characters to life.
Let’s get the ranking started with Ben, the seventh-best of the Hargreeves siblings.
There are some mild spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4 ahead!
7. Ben (Justin H. Min)
It’s not that I dislike Ben! I really think he’s a good character, and Justin H. Min is an incredibly talented performer. We spend far less time with Ben throughout the series compared to the other siblings. That changes much later in the series. In season 4, we find out some very interesting information about Ben and his connection to everything that’s been happening and why events played out the way they did.
Early in the series, I really enjoy Ben. He sacrifices himself to save the others, and that’s admirable. But every single one of the Hargreeves siblings fills that role at one point or another in the series.
With season 3 and the introduction of the Sparrow Academy, my opinion of Ben grew a little bit more negative. I don’t think Ben is all bad, but he’s clearly more selfish and self-serving than many of the siblings at times.
I’m glad that we really got to know the real Ben in the end, but it’s hard to make up for the lost time.
6. Luther (Tom Hopper)
I hate ranking Luther so low because Luther is truly an awesome character. Tom Hopper plays Luther so well, but somebody has to be sixth, and my guy Luthor takes that spot.
Luther shares the third tier, in my opinion, with Viktor and Allison. The Spaceman is a delight most of the time, and Luther brings so much comic relief to the series. Even within the family, Luther has a way of making others laugh or throw him a look because, as we know, he’s not the brightest crayon in the box.
But Luther is such a well-rounded person. He’s fiercely loving and loyal to his family, and to Sloane in season 3. It’s a shame Luther continues to be hurt over and over, but he always shows up when he’s needed, as evidenced by his role in season 4.
5. Viktor (Elliot Page)
Viktor is one of the most sympathetic of the Hargreeves siblings. Early in the series, it’s clear that Viktor was the odd one out as kids, and that continued into adulthood, through the first few seasons of the series, and even until the end of season 4. Viktor continued to remind everyone just how hurt they were by their father’s insistence to leave Viktor on the sidelines.
In the first season, I had a hard time connecting with Viktor’s story outside of the fact that they were consistently left out on the Umbrella Academy missions, took a back seat in all things related to family, and felt alone with no outlet in a harsh world. In the second season, it was great to see Viktor form a connection with Sissy, played by Marin Ireland, but that relationship was obviously short-lived, and it devastated Viktor.
Throughout the series, Viktor’s character develops. They grow closer with the family, often while pairing off for certain aspects of their mission. In the end, Viktor tries one final time to save Ben from becoming The Cleanse when the rest of the Hargreeves siblings back off. I think that shows Viktor’s growth and character development over the four seasons. In many ways, this was Viktor’s story, and that final act of courage and bravery to save one of their siblings should be recognized.
4. Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman)
Allison has always been right in the middle of the Hargreeves siblings for me. I never grew all that annoyed with her, despite some of her mistakes and character quirks. She was also never my favorite character, but I’ve enjoyed Allison’s journey, how her character has changed, and in many ways, how Allison stayed the same.
During the first season, I had a challenge understanding why Allison was so frustrated with her siblings. She was dealing with a lot and failing to accept responsibility for some of her personal failings in her relationships with her husband and daughter. As the series progressed, it was clear Allison, too, was searching for love and acceptance in a messed-up world.
After the first season, Allison proved to be one of the best characters in the series. Her role in Dallas during the Civil Rights Movement and the surrounding storylines were incredible. Season 3 is my favorite season for Allison. In season 4, we get to see Allison as a mom and caretaker of sorts for Klaus, who is riding the struggle bus.
On top of all that, Allison’s powers are one of the most intriguing in the whole series. It feels right to rank Allison as the fourth-best of the Hargreeves siblings, right in the middle.
3. Diego (David Castañeda)
Diego Hargreeves has always been near the top of my running rankings of the siblings from The Umbrella Academy. There’s something so refreshing about Diego as a character. He’s always in the middle of some drama and angry about something, but he’s also just good vibes, funny, and a great friend to have in a fight.
He puts on a front that he’s a big, tough guy, which he is at times, but he also might actually be the biggest softie in the Hargreeves family. He just doesn’t know how to connect with his emotions and express himself in the most positive ways.
For me, Diego was always a source of comedy. He puts on a brave face and projects, but he's lacking love and care like all the siblings, and it shows. Diego is a little bit further along towards healing his trauma and connecting with his emotions than some of his siblings. When he meets and begins his relationship with Lila, that’s Diego at his best.
In the fourth season, Diego is forced to take a step back as friction and issues develop with Lila and his family. Because of that, we don’t get to see Diego’s best qualities until near the end of the series.
2. Five (Aidan Gallagher)
When I started this ranking, Five was way lower on my list. I won’t lie; Five rubbed me the wrong way early in the series, particularly in the first season. I don’t know what it was exactly, but I don’t think I fully understood his character, why he was better than the rest of his siblings, and why he was so arrogant.
As I was rewatching season 3 recently and when I just watched the final season, I had a bit of a revelation. I actually love Five as a character! Five is the only person actually trying to fix all of these problems. He has his whole family’s best interests at heart. He’s always working to save the world. He’s the most selfless of all the Hargreeves siblings.
Gallagher does a phenomenal job playing Five. He’s the youngest of the cast by quite a big margin, but he goes toe-to-toe with incredible performers scene after scene. There aren’t very many performers who could pull off this character. Gallagher definitely doesn’t get enough credit.
And Five doesn’t get enough credit for holding the whole family together. He always shows up when his family needs him. And that’s why he’s the second-best of the Hargreeves siblings.
1. Klaus (Robert Sheehan)
There’s no doubt that Klaus is the best Hargreeves sibling. Klaus is also the best character in The Umbrella Academy series. It hasn’t been an easy journey for Klaus, not by far, but it’s been a joy to watch him grow, change, and entertain the masses with his self-awareness and cynicism.
Klaus brings the best out of his other siblings. He doesn't always make the correct choices, but he also bears the biggest burden. All of the siblings struggle with the weight and responsibility of their powers, but only Klaus’s power is a constant reminder of the failure and loss his family has suffered. Remarkably, Klaus is able to keep going, even when he feels like he can’t. Luckily, his family is there for him most of the time.
Klaus is so interesting to me because he’s changed so much over the course of the series. We’ve seen him in so many different situations. Every season, a new version of Klaus steps forward to steal the show. He’s an addict – in recovery and not. He’s a cult leader. He’s a hypochondriac in season 4 who just wants to not die. He’s died so many times! All of it is great!
And that’s our ranking of Hargreeves siblings! Drop your ranking of the Hargreeves siblings in the comments below!
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and Twitter account, sign up for our exclusive newsletter and check out our YouTube channel.