Saying goodbye to The Umbrella Academy after four seasons may be hard for fans who fell in love with its characters, Viktor Hargreeve in particular. But it also marked an era for actor Elliot Page, who brought him to life.
For Page, reflecting on the show highlights just how much his life and journey paralleled Viktor’s. “Starting the show and so much of how Viktor was feeling at that time, Elliot felt at that time,” he recalls to PRIDE.
When we first met Viktor, he was pre-transition and adrift, lost in his life, his relationships, his connection to his powers, and, most of all, from his family. All of that made the character a danger to himself, and, because this is a superhero show, to the world. But rather than see him as a pure villain, both the other characters and audiences saw the conflict and pain inside him, and followed along as he first reconnected with family, found love, and eventually himself.
At the beginning of season three, Viktor shed all that baggage and finally trusted himself enough to fully embrace and recognize his trans identity. It’s beautiful and profound and we are just as meaningful to Page as a trans man, but also as a testament to the command he has of his craft . “It’s been very meaningful to, just as an actor, dive into the various arcs and all of the seasons with this character that have been so well written and incredibly fulfilling, and then ultimately to have his transition be a part of the show,” he says.
By the fourth season, Viktor is a new person. When we pick back up, he no longer shows powers but he’s perhaps the most powerful and fully realized as we’ve seen him. He’s living in Canada, he owns a bar, and he has the most mundane and familiar relationship drama. Considering the chaos and agony he was living through in season one, it’s a balm to see him living what is truly his best life.
Page agrees and again sees his own journey in Viktor. “To just start off the season, and there’s Victor, and there he is, and he’s doing his thing, and he’s connected in a new way, and his shoulders are back. I feel those changes in myself as well,” he shares.
While these may seem like small character moments to some, for those who, like Page, really see themselves in Viktor, they are powerful. They’re a reminder of why we need much more representation, and that Viktor is just the beginning. “It’s meant a lot ... knowing that just that character exists,” says Page. “But the reality is, we don’t have a whole lot of representation.”
We have a feeling that Page has every intention of changing that, which is why he’s actually the superhero we want and deserve.