Skip to main content

The Umbrella Academy is a sci-fi superhero story that often messes with the space-time continuum, leaving history up for interpretation and alteration. Meaning, as characters die, fans are left to wonder if they are indeed dead. If a character can come back to life via a little tinkering with the past, how are fans supposed to know who is gone for good, and who is gone for the time being? Who dies merely to serve an immediate yet temporary narrative purpose? 

[Spoiler Warning for Season 2 of The Umbrella Academy]  

The Umbrella Academy cast Netflix
L-R) Justin Min, David Castañeda, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Tom Hopper, Ellen Page, Cameron Britton, Mary J. Blige and Kate Walsh attend ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Premiere | Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Netflix

Season 2 of ‘The Umbrella Academy’ killed off The Handler…again 

While the first season of The Umbrella Academy left Kate Walsh’s The Handler dead, or so fans thought, the second season revealed her alive and well. Though wounded from having taken a bullet to the head, she’s ready to get back to business and feels she has earned the right to lead The Temps Commission, given all that she has sacrificed. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me0eoCwLj-A&t=73s?cache=clear

As the second season progresses, she cheats and scams her way to the top, threatening those who dare to stand in her way and eliminating those who can’t be threatened. Yet, the second season, once again, ends with her death. 

This time around, she takes several bullets to the chest, from former field agent Axel the Swede, after he realizes he became another one of The Hander’s Pawns. The Handler finally gets what’s coming to her, yet, considering she seems quite immortal (despite an utter lack of superpowers), can fans assume she has been eliminated forever? 

According to Kate Walsh, The Handler is dead

Kate Walsh sat down for an interview with Esquire to discuss The Umbrella Academy and her role in the show as The Handler. While focusing on season 2, and her character’s value to the existing narrative, season 3 did come up in discussion. 

When asked about The Handler’s fate at the end of season 2 and the character’s future in the landscape, Walsh noted that she believes the character will not return. The interviewer asked, “Is The Handler really dead this time?” Walsh responded: 

Yes, I think she is. I asked that too, but yeah, so far as I know I just did this season. So, I don’t have any future plans to come back, but you never know in Umbrella Academy.

Esquire

Walsh notes that, at this moment in time, she does not have plans to return to The Umbrella Academy; however, she didn’t think she was returning after the first season until showrunner Steve Blackman gave her call and explained how she could reenter. So, who knows, Blackman and those involved may be toying with the idea once again. 

Best in Entertainment