Darkest Hour Part One

Lore & Background

In this alternate timeline, the Sparrow Academy siblings take center stage, with the original Umbrella Academy members largely absent or in different circumstances. The narrative focuses on the Sparrow Academy's own struggles and relationships, rather than on Reginald Hargreeves' secrets or the fallout from previous volumes. Time itself remains a complex force, but the story does not continue the plot threads from Hotel Oblivion. The volume explores themes of identity and legacy within this new framework, with no emphasis on Luther, Diego, or their strained dynamic.

In Their Own Story

The rain hammered against the stained glass of the Academy foyer. Luther stood alone in the center of the room, his white suit stained with mud and old blood. He looked at the empty chairs where his siblings should have been sitting. A clock on the wall ticked backward, then forward again. Allison’s voice echoed from a hallway that didn't exist yesterday. They were running out of chances.

Reader's Guide

Following the timeline-altering events of Hotel Oblivion, this arc finds the siblings attempting to stabilize reality once more. They return to the Academy grounds, but the atmosphere is fractured by guilt and mistrust. A new threat emerges, one that targets their very existence across time rather than just physical destruction. The family must confront the consequences of their father's experiments and their own repeated failures to save the world. Central conflict arises from a mysterious assassin known as the Sparrow, hunting them through different eras. This forces Luther, Diego, and others into uneasy alliances while Allison struggles with her isolation powers in this new reality. The resolution involves difficult sacrifices that temporarily halt the apocalypse but leave scars on the timeline itself. Impactfully, this story deepens the lore of Reginald Hargreeves without confirming his true nature fully. It bridges the gap between the original trilogy and the final conclusion in Part Two. Fans see how far the characters have degraded and what remains of their humanity when faced with inevitable doom again.

Did You Know?

• This volume was originally intended to be a standalone miniseries before becoming part of the main volume numbering.
• Gabriel Bá returned as the primary artist, maintaining the distinctive visual style established in the original trilogy.
• Unlike previous volumes, The Sparrow Academy does not directly continue the narrative from Hotel Oblivion, instead introducing an entirely new cast of characters.

Early Life and Anonymity

Fluent in Amharic and French from attending immersion schools, he dropped out of high school at seventeen to move into a Parkdale apartment with friends, including creative director La Mar Taylor. This period was marked by a hedonistic lifestyle, homelessness, and incarceration, experiences that later fueled his artistic focus. Before adopting the stage name 'the Weeknd'—a deliberate spelling change to avoid trademark conflicts—he performed under aliases like Kin Kane within hip-hop groups. His early musical journey began in 2009 when he anonymously uploaded tracks to YouTube, initially concealing his identity while experimenting with dark R&B sounds. This anonymity allowed his music to gain organic traction online before major media outlets and artists like Drake took notice of the mysterious project.

The Trilogy Era and Debut

After meeting producer Jeremy Rose in 2010, Tesfaye began releasing songs under the username 'xoxxxoooxo,' eventually co-founding the XO record label with Wassim Slaiby and Amir Esmailian. These projects established his signature alternative R&B sound, dark aesthetics, and falsetto vocals, earning him a nomination for the Polaris Music Prize and significant media coverage. During this formative period, he also began collaborating on film soundtracks and performing live, including a notable appearance at Drake's OVO Fest, which marked the beginning of his rise as a defining figure in popular music.

Commercial Dominance and Pop Crossover

Both records debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and produced massive chart-topping singles such as 'Can't Feel My Face,' 'The Hills,' 'Starboy,' and 'Die for You.' His commercial momentum continued with the 2018 EP, My Dear Melancholy, which featured the top-ten hit 'Call Out My Name.' This era cemented his status as one of the best-selling artists globally, amassing eight diamond-certified singles from the RIAA.

The After Hours Trilogy and Broader Ventures

Starting with the dream pop-inspired album After Hours (2020), Tesfaye launched an ambitious album trilogy based on three distinct time points. His influence extends to hosting the Apple Music radio show Memento Mori and serving as a goodwill ambassador for the World Food Programme since 2021. Additionally, his After Hours til Dawn Tour set a historic record as the highest-grossing tour by a male soloist, while he actively advocates for racial equality and food security.