Art imitates life in “The Umbrella Academy” Season 3, as Elliot Page’s character – formerly known as Vanya – comes out as transgender and introduces himself as Viktor in the season’s second episode.
The transition is handled delicately and sweetly, and connects to a major plot thread from Season 2 that carries over into the newly released third season on Netflix.
In Season 2, Viktor struck up a relationship with Sissy (Marin Ireland) who was married to another man. That season ended with Viktor having to leave Sissy and her son Harlan in order to travel back to his time period, but the aftereffects of that relationship are still ringing in Season 3.
We watch as Viktor goes to look up what happened to Sissy in the time between when he left her and the present day, and learns that she died. The episode then flashes back to an emotional moment between the two characters.
“You have given me the greatest gift of a lifetime,” Sissy told Viktor. “You let me feel alive for the first time. You let me find hope again. That’s a wonderful thing.”
Viktor wipes away tears and begins walking around Hotel Oblivion (a key location in Season 3) when he passes by a barber shop with various old school men’s haircuts on display in the window. We then hear voiceover from Sissy.
“You don’t even notice the box that you’re in, until someone comes along and let’s you out,” she is heard saying.
The implication is that Sissy helps Viktor realize his true self, and he’s now embracing that by living life as Viktor Hargreeves.
Viktor gets a close-cropped haircut and walks up to his brothers, who remark on the haircut but then keep talking about other things. But when Diego (David Castañeda) refers to Viktor as Vanya, Viktor replies, “It’s, uh, Viktor.”
“Who’s Viktor?” Diego asks, confused.
Viktor gives him a knowing look before saying, “I am. It’s who I’ve always been.” After a pause, Viktor asks, “Is that an issue for anyone?”
His brothers sweetly say no, with Five saying he’s “truly happy for him.”
It’s a very positive coming out experience for this character, that is then further reflected in Luther (Tom Hopper) and Allison’s (Emmy Raver-Lampman) reactions when Viktor tells them the news.
“The Umbrella Academy” Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.