Allison Hargreeves, also known as "The Rumor", is one of the main protagonists of superhero television series The Umbrella Academy, an adaptation of the comic series of the same name.
During the first two seasons she was one of the seven flawed heroes, but the loss of her daughter Claire and husband Raymond Chesnut made Allison take a villainous turn hurting and betraying her family and plotting with her abusive adoptive father and main villain Sir Reginald Hargreeves.
She was portrayed by Emmy Raver-Lampman, who voiced Mary Elizabeth Becca Ryan in Family Guy.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Allison Hargreeves is one of forty-three children born simultaneously to mothers with no previous signs of pregnancy on the twelfth hour of October 1st, 1989. She was adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves and designated as his "Number Three" out of his 7 adopted children to "save the world".
Her father treated her more as an experiment than a person. She started training, once she was old enough to wobble. As a child, she was used by her father for her powers. He forced her to use her ability to make Viktor forget he also had powers and placed a psychological block on his mind that made him believe he was only normal. The other students were told that Viktor was sick and in isolation. Sir Reginald took Allison to see him and told her to say "I heard a rumor you think you're just ordinary."
The Rumor[]
Soon, about five years after the run-in with the compelled Viktor, Allison and the others made their first public appearance at a local bank. Whilst the thieves lined up the hostages, Allison strolled into the bank casually. One robber, however, noticed her demeanor and told her to line up with the others. Whilst he shouted at her, she whispered into his ear "I heard a rumor, that you shot your friend in the foot." Due to her ability, the robber obeyed her order. Soon after most of the robbers were subdued, her and the others watched as Ben annihilated the remaining robbers. Sir Reginald introduced the world to the inaugural class of the Umbrella Academy, but only mentioned that he adopted six children, rather than seven. The members, including Allison, of the Academy trained, and Sir Reginald monitored their sleep daily. All of the children, except for Viktor, were given umbrella tattoos on their wrists. Soon after, Luther and Allison snuck out of their rooms at night and met in a secluded section of the Academy. They had snacks, and Luther gave Allison a locket with A+L inscribed on it. Allison asked Luther to dance with her, but they were caught by Sir Reginald who forbade them from ever coming to the room again.
Almost ten years later, the academy was estranged and the members, including Allison, went their separate ways to strive on their own paths. Prior to the series, she married Patrick, on whom it is implied she used her powers to initiate their relationship: 'I heard a rumor that you love me'. She had a daughter named Claire with Patrick. Her marriage broke down after Patrick witnessed Allison using her powers on their daughter, after which he gained full custody of Claire. After the divorce, as well as being hired for several movies, Allison acquired Viktor's Autobiography Extra-Ordinary: My Life as Number Seven and was horrified by the pages within.
Season 1[]
During her time in the spotlight at a Red-Carpet Event, one reporter inquired Allison about her father's death. Allison was startled by this comment and informed by a security guard of his death as well. Startled and heartbroken, Allison left the event. The remaining members of the Hargreeves family converged on the Academy in the wake of their father's death.
Later Viktor is able to discover his powers and remembers what Allison did to him, Allison tries to calm him down but he cuts her throat, Allison almost dies but is rescued by her siblings, she loses her voice unable to use her power. She opposes Luther that insists in keeping Viktor locked up. Viktor breaks out and unleashes his powers almost killing his brothers and ending the world.
Season 2[]
Five transported all of the Umbrella Academy back in time to avert the apocalypse, Allison found herself in Dallas, 1961, at the height of the American Civil Rights Movement. She quickly stumbled upon Odessa's salon, where she began working shortly after. Where later she met her second husband, Raymond Chestnut. She quickly became an integral part of the movement, and years later in 1963, Allison was an integral part of the sit-in before the arrival of JFK in an attempt to gauge the attention of the media. The sit in was initially a failure, and Allison, along with her husband, Raymond Chestnut, were escorted off the premises by the police, where he was almost murdered by a racist police officer until Allison used her powers to make him walk away, confused and scared Ray left leaving Allison heartbroken.
As a result, Allison realized that her only chance to salvage the relationship with Ray was to explain about her past and her involvement with the Umbrella Academy. Ray was initially reluctant to believe her, but when she showed him her abilities, he believed her. Allison begun to misuse her powers again going too far physically punishing a racist man she had encountered before, Ray calls her out.
They are attacked in their house by two men known as the Swedes, Allison rumors one to kill the other by saying "I heard a rumor you killed your brother" he painfully obeys Allison's order murdering his brother.
Allison and Ray's relationship seemingly comes to an end when she was ready to return to her rightful place within the timeline back with her daughter in 2019 with the other members of the Umbrella Academy. Allison asked Raymond to return with her, but he was reluctant, citing that 2019 is not like 1963, and his duties were not finished. Nonetheless, Raymond told her that the years they had spent together had been the best of his life.
Season 3[]
Allison returns with her family to 2019, soon they discover Reginald Hargreeves is alive but claims not to be their father and they are attacked by the Sparrow Academy, 7 different children he adopted and replaced them with. The family finds a mysterious hotel to stay at.
Viktor, formerly Vanya comes out as trans to Allison, Allison is very supportive and tells him there's nothing that could make her love him less.
Allison goes to see Claire only to find out a different family and a different child.
Allison deals with PTSD from the racism she faced in the 60s and becomes more angry and depressed that her daughter doesn't exist anymore in this timeline, she is upset that Five can't do anything to bring Claire back. They are again attacked by the Sparrows, this time a mysterious older man saves them, killing two members of the Sparrow academy. It's later revealed his name is Harlan, he was the son of Sissy, Viktor's girlfriend from the 60s, while trying to save him as a child Viktor accidentally gave him powers. Allison tortures one of the Sparrows, Sloane using her mind controlling power until her nose bleeds. Both academies learn that the universe is ending, this time caused by a kuglebitz and team up. Allison tries to rumor herself to be happy but fails.
Diego notices Allison is unwell and offers her to get into a fight with local racists to blow off some steam, he is impressed by Allison's fighting skills, Luther finds out the next day and disapproves, he talks to Allison who noticed his relationship with Sloane, she sexually assaults him by saying I heard a rumor you wanted me, Luther begs her not to but she does it again, Allison changes her mind a moment later and gets him off her.
Later Viktor sets out to take away Harlan's power, during the day Allison has a vision of Ray that shows her support, when she comes back to reality she sees it's night she tries to intervene as Viktor is being hurt by Harlan's power, she is hurt in the process.
Luther changes teams and becomes part of the Sparrow Academy and Allison reprimands him, Luther reminds her about her assault on him.
Shortly after Allison begins to resent Viktor and blame him for her daughter disappearing, off screen she kills Harlan who accidentally killed their biological mothers and caused the kuglebitz to hurt Viktor. During a family reunion the two have a heated argument where Allison blames Viktor for all her misfortune and makes him choke, Five wonders how Allison can do it without saying I heard a rumor, Allison explains it's a residual gift from Harlan, Luther and Diego try to stop her before Allison tells Viktor they should've left him in the basement, Viktor slaps her and leaves.
Afterwards Lila has a conversation with Allison seeking advice from her to get Diego to forgive her and comforting her about her losses, Allison explains Lila people don't want apologies they just want to hear your wrongs, unless it's Viktor, Lila with her knowledge of time traveling tells her that just because Ray and Claire are gone it doesn't mean they never existed.
Later Luther tells Viktor to talk to Allison, when he asks for forgiveness Allison says she doesn't forgive him. Unknown to the family Allison makes a deal with Hargreeves to get her family back. Allison manipulates her family to agree with Hargreeves plan to save the world, he kills Luther and Klaus, Allison weeps but carries on with the lie.
Hargreeves almost kills her remaining 5 adopted siblings Sloane and Lila as he needed 7, revealing his goal was never for them to save the world, but only to use their powers for a machine he built to reset the universe and get his deceased wife Abigail back. Allison kills him to save them and sees he was an alien and not human. The remaining 7 survive and tell Allison not to push the button to start the machine, Allison ignores them and before Viktor uses his powers to stop her she asks him if he trusts her, Viktor says yes and Allison pushes the button to reset the universe, she goes back home and sees Claire and Ray in the same timeline. Meanwhile Hargreeves has taken over the city reunited with Abigail, Allison's siblings no longer have powers and Sloane is missing.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Persuasion: By saying "I heard a rumor", Allison can assert authority and influence over others. By compelling targets to stand still and issuing instructions, she makes them act according to her commands. Therefore, Allison can persuade targets to carry out a wide range of specific actions, even those contrary to their moral interests.
- Reality Manipulation: With her persuasion ability, Allison can rewrite the fabric of reality and alter it to suit her wishes and thoughts, interfering and controlling together the matter, like when she caused three men's heads to explode by saying "I heard a rumor I blew your minds".
- Sonokinesis: After getting hit by Harlan's powers, Allison's persuasion abilities seem to have amplified (which made her lose the need to say "I heard a rumor"). She has been shown to be able to use it as a small sonic scream, with her irises and vocal rings glowing a golden color.
- Telekinetic Blast: In season 4, Allison could project waves of telekinetic energy to impulse, hit and destroy multiple objects/people.
Trivia[]
- Allison Hargreeves' dark turn in season 3 of The Umbrella Academy is often compared to the Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as they are mothers who became villainous after the loss of a child and their husband and both were released in 2022.
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 Villains
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