Here's the Story Behind Ben's Death on 'Umbrella Academy'
The strength of The Umbrella Academy series lies in its seven leads, and each member of the cast is beloved by viewers for a different reasons. Some fans love Klaus for his humor and kooky personality, while others go for Five's no-nonsense attitude and professionalism.
And while less is known about Ben, he's still a fan-favorite for his funny and loving dynamic with Klaus, and season two provided even more insight into his personality and powers. We also got a look at a flashback scene of his funeral in 2006, but the show didn't exactly explain how he died, and fans are still curious to know more about the story behind his passing. Here's what you need to know.
How did Ben Hargreeves die?
Ben died during a mission when the siblings were around 16 years old, and their adoptive father Reginald Hargreeves chastises them for not being the heroes the world needs. "Despite years of training and weeks of preparation, you allowed Number Six to die on this mission," he sternly says. "The Umbrella Academy has failed one of their own, the consequences of which are dire. Hold on to this feeling, children. Let it fester in your hearts, so there is never a next time."
However, there seems to be more to Ben's death than meets the eye. The exact circumstances of Ben's death are never revealed, and the siblings never seem to talk about the trauma of his passing. Interestingly, there are some theories that Ben had committed suicide, as the inscription on his statue in the manor reads, "May the darkness within you find peace in the light." Ben is characterized as being incredibly kind, and in a flashback scene of the siblings on a mission to foil a bank robbery, he seems reluctant to fight until Luther persuades him to. And as a fan pointed out to MH over email, almost every episode of Umbrella Academy features a trigger warning for "violence, suicide, fear, substances, language, and smoking."
There's also another theory that Luther and Reginald may have had an (accidental) hand in Ben's death, as they are the pushiest members of the family. In the comics, Vanya's book calls Ben "the kindest of my siblings, but he was so eager to please Father. He was easily manipulated, dragged into Father and Luther’s little games—and those two simply let him die." Pogo also recounts that, "None of the children want to be heroes, and none less than The Horror [00.06]. He’s only trying to please Hargreeves and Spaceboy. I suppose this is normal enough for a teenage human, but he’s not learning how to be an individual in his own right."
Justin H. Min is the actor that plays Ben, and he also believes that there's more to explore when it comes to Number Six, especially his connection to Klaus, who can see him even when he's not sober. "I think the reasons behind why Ben stays there and is with Klaus always, as opposed to the other ghosts in Klaus’ life, who sort of come and go...I think there’s definitely territory to be explored there with that," Min told CBR.
Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until season 3 to find out what happened to Ben, and even the comics don't have any inside information. In 2019, Umbrella Academy writer and executive producer Gerard Way told Forbes that he doesn't know where he wants to go with the character yet. "I never really answered that [Ben's death]. I originally just wrote the character to be dead, that was his function. I always knew I was going to resolve it," Way explained. "The thing about The Umbrella Academy, it's almost like improvisational jazz. You're just making it up as you go along."
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