Diego Hargreeves (Number Two) – Backstory Leading Up to Season 3

The Umbrella Academy

Diego Hargreeves was one of the forty-three children mysteriously born on October 1, 1989, to women who had shown no signs of pregnancy beforehand. He was adopted by the wealthy and emotionally distant Sir Reginald Hargreeves and raised as Number Two of the Umbrella Academy alongside Luther, Allison, Klaus, Five, Ben, and Viktor. From childhood, Diego desperately wanted his father's approval, but he constantly lived in Luther's shadow. Reginald viewed Luther as the leader, leaving Diego with a lifelong chip on his shoulder.

As a child, Diego displayed incredible control over projectiles. While he became famous for throwing knives, his true power was the ability to manipulate the trajectory of objects in flight. He trained relentlessly and developed into one of the Academy's most capable fighters. However, years of harsh training and emotional neglect created a rebellious streak in him.

One of the most important relationships in Diego's life was with Grace, the robotic mother Reginald built to raise the children. Unlike Reginald, Grace showed genuine affection toward the siblings. Diego loved her deeply and often defended her when the others dismissed her as just a machine.

Everything changed when Ben died during a mission. Ben's death shattered the family and contributed to the Academy's eventual breakup. Diego left the team and spent years operating as a vigilante, patrolling the streets and fighting criminals. Five later mocked him as a bargain version of Batman, but Diego genuinely believed he could make a difference.

Season 1

When Reginald dies in 2019, the estranged siblings reunite for the funeral. Diego immediately suspects his father was murdered and becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. During this time he is romantically involved with Detective Eudora Patch, one of the few people who truly understood him.

His investigation leads him into conflict with the Commission and the assassins Hazel and Cha-Cha. Tragedy strikes when Eudora is killed, devastating Diego and fueling his determination to stop the coming apocalypse.

Throughout the season, Diego slowly reconnects with his siblings. Although he often argues with Luther and the others, he repeatedly risks his life to protect them. By the end of the season, Viktor's powers trigger the apocalypse, forcing the family to escape through time with Five.

Season 2

The siblings become scattered across Dallas in the early 1960s. Diego arrives in 1963 and is committed to a psychiatric hospital after claiming he knows President Kennedy will be assassinated.

There he meets Lila Pitts, a witty and unpredictable woman who quickly captures his attention. Diego falls for her, believing she understands him better than anyone else.

Eventually, Diego learns Lila is actually an agent of the Commission and the adopted daughter of the Handler. Even more shocking, she possesses the ability to mimic the powers of other superpowered individuals. Despite the betrayal, genuine feelings develop between them.

During the final battle, Diego unlocks a greater understanding of his abilities, demonstrating he can manipulate bullets and other projectiles, not just knives. After defeating the Handler and preventing another apocalypse, the siblings finally return home to 2019.

Season 3 Beginning

Instead of returning to their original timeline, the Umbrellas discover they have created a new reality. Reginald never adopted them. Instead, he formed the Sparrow Academy, a completely different team of superpowered children.