WARNING: Spoilers for season three of The Umbrella Academy
Umbrella Academy fans have issued a warning about a controversial scene in episode five of the new series.
While the new season of The Umbrella Academy has had a generally warm reception - with an 89 percent critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes - some viewers weren’t happy with a particularly upsetting scene, which they felt should have been flagged with a content warning so viewers could choose to skip it if they felt uncomfortable.
One fan took to Twitter to write: “For anyone watching the new season of The Umbrella Academy: there is an assault scene in season 3 episode 5, around 30 minutes in. Pls repost so people can skip this if needed.”
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Another echoed the advice, writing: “Huge trigger warning for Umbrella Academy fans for sexual assault/consent issues in season 3 episode 5. About 30 minutes in and it’s a deeply uncomfortable scene.”
A third added: “Ep5 of umbrella academy new season should have a sexual assault warning.”
The scene in question involves Allison/The Rumour (Emmy Raver-Lampman), who has the power to control people’s mind by saying, “I heard a rumour that…”
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At the start of the new season, Allison is left reeling after the loss of her lover Ray and her daughter Claire following the time travel plot of season two.
Driven to the brink by her grief, she uses her mind control powers to attempt to sexually assault her adoptive brother Luther (Tom Hopper).
After Luther politely rejects her advances, she tells him: “I heard a rumour that you want me.”
Allison eventually tells Luther to stop after almost forcing him into sex, leaving him ashamed and sending Allison further on a self-destructive path.
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Aside from the lack of a content warning for those who may be triggered by depictions of sexual assault onscreen, the scene itself left a sour taste in some viewers' mouths.
One wrote: “Extremely disappointed that this season depicts Allison sexually assaulting Luther… and then never addresses it as such, or makes any effort to show Luther as having experienced a trauma.”
Another said: “What the actual f*** was that scene with Allison and Luther???? Like she straight up sexually assaulted him in an extremely awful way and then nobody ever called it what it was.”
UNILAD has contacted Netflix for a comment.
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If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivor’s Trust for free on 08088 010 818, or through their website thesurvivorstrust.org
Topics: The Umbrella Academy, Film and TV, Netflix
Simon Fearn