Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Umbrella Academy season 4.

Summary

The Hargreeves siblings get enhanced powers inThe Umbrella Academyseason 4, andLila also gets an upgrade to her usual abilities.Lila’s original poweris to copy other people’s powers, but she gains laser vision inThe Umbrella Academy’s final season. This comes in handy on multiple occasions, with Lila’s laser eyes proving an efficient means of fighting enemies at a distance. Lila’s laser vision is among the team’s strongest weapons in the fourth outing, though she doesn’t know how to use it initially.

And the ending ofThe Umbrella Academyseason 4shows that Lila is still capable of mimicry, so there are questions about why she’s able to utilize a new ability in the first place.It’s a big jump from Lila’s original power to laser vision, and they don’t have a ton in common. However,The Umbrella Academyoffers an explanation for Lila’s laser eyes, even if it’s not an incredibly detailed one.

Diego Hargreeves (David Castañeda) looks concerned in Umbrella Academy with an image of Diego stopping bullets behind him

Umbrella Academy: How Diego’s Powers Work

Across several seasons of The Umbrella Academy, Diego has revealed new aspects to his powers, prompting many viewers to wonder about their nature.

Lila’s Laser Eyes Ability Is Part Of The Umbrella Academy Season 4’s Upgrades

She Gets Them From Taking Marigold A Second Time

The Hargreeves siblings get their powers backafter consuming marigold inThe Umbrella Academyseason 4, andthe marigold seems to give all of them an upgrade to their usual abilities. Allison, Viktor, and Klaus are all notably stronger after taking marigold a second time, with the substance changing how they use their original powers — and even granting them new ones. For example, Allison can “rumor” people from a distance without speaking, but she also boasts telekinesis. And Klaus can channel spirits rather than merely communicating with them.

Although characters like Diego and Luther remain relatively the same when it comes to their skill sets, Lila gets one of the most obviously new additions to her reservoir.

The Umbrella Academy season 4-7

Lila’s laser eyes appear to be part of this pattern, making her more powerful as a result of her second exposure to the marigold. Although characters like Diego and Luther remain relatively the same when it comes to their skill sets, Lila gets one of the most obviously new additions to her reservoir. This reaffirms the randomness of how the marigold works, as there’s no deeper explanation for why Lila gets laser vision of all things.

Lila’s New Ability Reaffirms The Random Nature Of How Marigold Gives Powers

The Umbrella Academy Doesn’t Offer A Deeper Explanation

The Umbrella Academyseason 4 doesn’t offer a deeper explanation for the Hargreeves' upgraded powers, so the effects of the marigold seem to be totally random. The series never explains why some of its characters boast nearly identical abilities to seasons 1-3, while others are able to call upon new ones. And Lila’s laser eyes have nothing to do with her mimicry, nor do they connect to her personality or purpose in the show. It’s incredibly random, and that seems to be the point. That’s just how the marigold works inThe Umbrella Academy.

The Umbrella Academy

Cast

The Umbrella Academy is based on the comic book of the same name created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá. The Hargreeves — collectively known as The Umbrella Academy — were born with superpowers, and their adoptive father utilized their abilities. However, as they grew older, the siblings grew apart as they dealt with their trauma. They are brought back together after their father dies and Five returns from the future with grave news: The world will end, and The Umbrella Academy has to stop it before it happens.

Still of Ritu Arya as Lila wearing a pink coat in The Umbrella Academy season 4.

The Umbrella Academy Season 4 Poster Showing Five Walking