In the epic conclusion of ‘The Umbrella Academy,’ we’re schooled in the facts that Marigold and Durango, if they ever meet, can provoke a world-ending event, aptly called the Cleanse. We unravel the enigma of Ben’s death, involving the substance Durango, in an episode remembered as the Jennifer Incident. Our final glimpse of the series leaves us a tantalizing hint of a new narrative arc on the horizon—a post-credits scene with blooming Marigold flowers.In this superhero tale of deeply dysfunctional siblings, ‘The Umbrella Academy’, the source of the Hagreeves’ powers, Marigold, becomes an accepted part of the landscape. However, in Season 4, the plot thickens around the very nature of Marigold, even introducing us to its arch-nemesis, Durango. Producing a wild unraveling of their universe’s history, development, impact, and implications, from warped multiverses to the Cleanse everyone’s trying tooth and nail to avert.

The Cleanse: Marigold Vs. Durango

Imagine a substance so luminous and transcendent that it’s potentially the heart of the universe. If you’ve been following the series, that’s precisely what Marigold represents. Trace back to Season 1, when the Hargreeves first drew breath, Marigold graced their mothers’ lives as tiny golden particles, which resulted in the children developing super-powers. This fourth chapter presents Marigold in an amplified form—an intoxicating golden elixir, tricking our unsuspecting gang into a round of shots. The after-effects? Drastic and unpredictable changes for the Hargreeves.

Surprisingly, Abigail Hargreeves (Liisa Repo-Martell) created Marigold. An action that shattered the original timeline and created Durango, the natural balancing element for Marigold. Much like the Yin needs its Yang, these particles balance the scales of their universe. A collision of both would induce a cataclysmic event—the Cleanse.

Unraveling the Jennifer Incident

In Season 1, Ben Hargreeve’s mysterious death stumped even his siblings. But Season 4 allows their memories to resurface, with a little help from this timeline’s Reginald (Colme Feore). Flashback to a fateful mission when young Ben helps a captive, Jennifer (Victoria Sawal), escape a shipping container. Their physical contact initiated the Cleanse process due to Jennifer’s Durango-infused body, only to be abruptly halted as Reginald executes both—an infamous event now known as “the Jennifer incident.”

All was not in vain, though. Ben’s connection to Jennifer in Season 4 proved an indispensable asset, despite the Cleanse’s untimely restart during a car accident. This time around, Five (Aidan Gallagher) sparks a new strategy—to restore the original universe and save the world one last time.

The Significance of Marigold in the Closing Scene

In the illustrious final scene of ‘The Umbrella Academy,’ we affirm there will be no looming apocalyptic threats in the original timeline. Then, during the post-credits scene, eight vibrant marigold flowers bloom at the base of a tree, with golden flecks dancing around lifting our spirits—a symbolic closure, perhaps? Resonating with Allison’s (Emmy Raver-Lampman) final words, “maybe we’ll see each other again.”

Take a dip into the world of ‘The Umbrella Academy’ on Netflix now if you haven’t yet. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a good ol’ mystery sprinkled with memorable misfits on a quest to save the world?