Could Harlan Return in The Umbrella Academy? 3 Theories on How He Could Play a Bigger Role

Although Vanya (Ellen Page) is certain she's taken Harlan's powers back at the end of season two, we see him levitating a small wooden sparrow after the Umbrella Academy returns to the future. When Vanya and her siblings return to the future, the Umbrella Academy has ceased to exist and in its place is something called the Sparrow Academy. They see a silhouette of the new group, including a member that seems to stand near a floating cube. It's hard to say whether or not there's any relation between the Sparrow Academy and Harlan, seeing as Harlan is an entirely new creation for the TV show. That being said, it can be reasoned that Harlan retains his powers based on what we've seen in season two.

It seems Harlan is in a good place at the end of season two, as he's last seen in the back of a car with his mom on the way to California. Yet all the trauma he went through, including killing his father, dying then coming back to life, and almost being taken by The Handler (Kate Walsh), could potentially be setting Harlan up to be the "big bad" for season three. For me, this theory hinges on whether or not Harlan can grow up in a loving household with his mother Sissy (Marin Ireland). If he's forced to grow up alone or worse, in an institution of some sort, he could end up wanting to take his revenge out on Vanya and the rest of the Umbrella Academy.

With stopping the apocalypse being the end goal for both seasons one and two of The Umbrella Academy, it would make sense that a potential season three would follow in their footsteps. Harlan isn't able to control his powers in 1963 and without proper training, this could lead to a potential apocalypse should someone set him off in the present day. However, with the introduction of the Sparrow Academy, it seems creator Steve Blackman is looking to ditch the apocalypse so it's probably safe to say that no, Harlan will not be the harbinger of doom. Instead, according to Inverse, Blackman is looking to shake things up and we can expect that "there will be more destructive family madness."