Luther Hargreeves is a vital member of The Umbrella Academy, but what aspects of his character do only comic fans know about?
The Umbrella Academy is a mega-hit for Netflix, and many fans are already familiar with the cast and characters. Some might even know that the show is an adaptation of a comic book series written by My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way. And some might even be fans of the comic and might know more things about the characters than casual viewers of the show.
Luther Hargreeves, best know as Spaceboy, is the leader of the Umbrella Academy. The Netflix adaptation does an adequate job at adapting his storyline, but some details remain exclusive to those who read the comic books.
During most of his time in the comics, Luther goes by his moniker, Spaceboy. The nickname comes from his accomplishment of being the youngest person ever to become an astronaut. During the first series, Apocalypse Suite, several posters depict Luther and calling him "The First Boy in Space."
It is unclear, however, if Luther chose the nickname himself. It's possible that The Monocle gave it to him or that the media chose it to depict his space adventures and lifestyle.
Luther's powers include enhanced strength and durability, but his personality compliments his leadership skills. As a child, he was exceptional and dedicated, to the point where he excelled at almost anything he tried. He shows above-average talent in flying and shooting.
This resistance, combined with a considerable ruthless style, contributes to Sir Reginald's initial favoritism for him. It's also the reason why Luther becomes the Academy's leader.
The reveal that Spaceboy and The Boy are fraternal twins is a shocking twist in the comic book, revealed at the very end of the second series, Dallas.
The series does mention that two of the 43 children born on October 1, 1989, are twins, so there's always a chance that Luther and Five will follow suit. Season 2 did a lot for their relationship, so it's very plausible that season 3 will finally address their situation.
The Academy's first mission has them fight the Eiffel Tower. The Parisian landmark goes on a rampage, attacking and destroying a large part of the City of Lights. Zombie-robot Gustave Eiffel is responsible for the attack, which the children discover once they enter the Tower and find him in the control room. Just before going into the structure, Spaceboy punches the Tower and knocks it to the ground.
The attack ends with the Tower launching into space, where it spends 20 years in orbit before crashing back into Earth. The show gets rid of this sequence and instead reveals the team's first mission was a bank heist. There are pictures of them at the Eiffel Tower, though, so perhaps some version of the attack did happen.
One of Luther's physical trademarks is his enormous and hairy torso. In both the comics and the television show, Luther has a near-death accident. To save his life, Reginald takes drastic measures.
In the comic, he actually attaches Luther's head into the body of a Martian Ape. In the television show, he simply injects Luther with a serum that turns his upper body into that of an ape. The change doesn't affect his powers, though, only his appearance. In the comics, Spaceboy's body is wildly disproportionate, whereas, in the show, people might simply think he skipped too many leg days.
In the comics, Spaceboy spends his time on the moon accompanied by a robot he names Ben. The robot serves as Luther's servant, tending to him and making his existence less solitary. The machine's name most likely comes from Luther's deceased brother.
The Robot addresses Luther as "Number One," much to the man's chagrin. Luther leaves Ben behind once he returns to Earth to attend his father's funeral, intending to return to the moon and reprogram Ben so that it would no longer refer to him as "Number One."
During the second volume, Dallas, Luther travels back in time with Séance and Kraken to stop The Boy from killing President Kennedy. They arrive too early and must wait three years for a new televator. They adapt to their circumstances by trying to do good during the Vietnam War.
The Kraken takes a more direct approach, leading soldiers in the war. Spaceboy also lends his help but, because of his appearance, must do it clandestinely.
Spaceboy, Kraken, and Séance receive the help of a young Pogo while trapped in the past. Pogo builds the televator that allows the brothers to travel in time again, with Séance's help.
During their interactions, Spaceboy tries to warn Pogo about his ultimate death at the hands of the White Violin, but fails. Eventually, he leaves the ape behind and continues his mission to stop the Temps Aeternalis from assassinating President Kennedy.
At the start of the Dallas series, a depressed Luther loses his will to fight. He gains quite a bit of weight, regretting the choices that led the Academy to such a terrible state.
Luther's weight isn't a problem in itself, but his state is a direct mirror of his mental state and his inability to take care of himself or keep up his previous health and fitness as a result. For a long time, the character saw himself as only a leader, so to see him give up and stop caring about anything is jarring. During his crisis, the Kraken assumed the leadership of the Academy.
Along with the Kraken, Luther is the one who discovers the Hotel Oblivion. A prison built by his father, the Hotel is also a so-called "Abraxan," a cosmic trap. It also houses a hungry, primordial creature who escapes along with the rest of the prisoners. While the latter go to the Academy's city to wreak havoc, the former's fate remains unknown, for now at least.
Spaceboy's discovery of the Hotel brings another crisis of fate, this time concerning his father. His feelings towards Reginald are among the most complicated in the series, so it'll be interesting to see how he deals with all these secrets in future storylines.
