"The World's Biggest Ball of Twine" is the second episode of The Umbrella Academy's third season.
Luther goes for a morning run and is accosted by Fei, Ben, and Sloane, who bring him back to the Sparrow headquarters. They think the Umbrella Academy has kidnapped Marcus and are holding Luther hostage in exchange. Luther is sure his siblings will come for him; in the meantime, he and Sloane grow closer.
Allison returns to the hotel. She had shown up at Patrick's home, only to find that he was married to someone else and that their daughter does not exist in this timeline.
Thinking of Sissy, Vanya enters the hotel's barbershop, emerging with a new haircut and identity. He then announces to his brothers — who are arguing about next steps — that he now goes by Viktor. Five is adamant that the timeline is perfectly fine, and, considering himself retired, agrees to accompany Klaus on a road trip to rural Pennsylvania. On the way there, Klaus admits they are there to find his birth mother. The two arrive at an Amish community, where Klaus learns from his aunt that his birth mother died before he was supposedly born. However, an energy pulse from the mansion causes cows on the farm to disappear, necessitating a quick exit.
Diego adjusts to new fatherhood, and takes Stan to a convenience store to get ear medicine. While there, the two are able to overpower Jayme and Alphonso.
Allison and Viktor wait for Marcus. Distraught, Allison exits and follows Lester Pocket down an alley, only for him to disappear. Meanwhile, Lila steals the briefcase from the mansion.
At the end of the day, the Sparrows release Luther and order him to tell his family to return Marcus, but before he leaves, Sloane floats him up to her bedroom where they share a kiss. Back at the hotel, Five explains that their mothers all died before they were due to give birth to them, and that their arrival has caused a Grandfather Paradox.
Tropes:
- 10-Minute Retirement: Five believes there's no danger besides the possibility of Paradox Psychosis, so he wants to fully indulge himself in this declared state of retirement on a corny road trip and see all kinds of roadside attractions with Klaus. The kugelblitz erasing a bunch of cows puts an end to that mindset.
- Analogy Backfire: As part of Klaus' pitch for him and Five to go on a road trip, he claims they could be like Thelma & Louise on the road. Five questions this choice of comparison by noting that the characters die at the end.
- Cat Scare: When chasing after the old man into an alley, Allison gets startled by a hobo taking a leak behind a corner.
- Chased by Angry Natives: Set up as a Shout-Out to Raiders of the Lost Ark, Klaus flees from an angry mob of Amish across a field and yells at Five to start the car.
- Cluster F-Bomb: Lila swears up a storm while bashing the malfunctioning briefcase against a park bench.
- Coming-Out Story: Viktor comes out to his siblings, telling them his new name and that he's male due to now realizing he's a trans man. They all accept him at once.
- Doomed Supermarket Display: A couple of displays get trashed at the supermarket during Diego's fight with Alphonso.
- Enter Stage Window: Luther has some trouble getting into Sloane's room via the window.
- Family Eye Resemblance: Klaus's aunt tells him he has his mother's eyes. This is what really pushes her to believe the claims of her alleged nephew as true.
- Faux Affably Evil: The Sparrows act like good hosts to Luther, whom they hold hostage in exchange for Marcus. Of course it isn't long before Luthor's life is threatened while he's enjoying English muffins and cashew butter.
- Grandfather Paradox: According to Five, something in their time traveling caused a time paradox, and they weren't born in the new timeline.
- Honey Trap: Sloane and Luther grow closer throughout the episode despite being on opposing sides. When Sloane asks Luther where he and his siblings are staying, he accuses her of trying to honey trap him.
- Important Haircut: Viktor gets a haircut as part of his coming out as transgender. It's used as the lead-up to the reveal — he gets it over an internal monologue about being true to himself; after Diego compliments him on his haircut, Viktor says that it was more than his hair and comes out to his brothers.
- No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Dine: After Luther gets kidnapped by the Sparrows, the first thing they do is offer him to have breakfast with them which takes Luther by surprise.
- Queer Establishing Moment: Viktor cut his hair short before arriving at a meeting between his siblings. When Diego addresses Viktor by his deadname, he is corrected as Viktor reintroduces himself with: "It's Viktor. It's who I've always been." He comes out as a trans man through this.
- Ret-Gone: Due to the Grandfather Paradox mentioned above, Claire, Allison's daughter, never came to exist in this timeline.
- Trauma Button: Already in a fragile emotional state from the loss of her daughter, Allison is triggered by the diner server approaching her, which dredges up memories of the racist server from the 1960s.
- Who Shot JFK?: The Hargreeves' meddling in 1963 led to them being called "The Kennedy Six" and being blamed for JFK's assassination.
- Workout Fanservice: The Sparrows are all seen on treadmills working out early, while in their exercise clothes. Many are attractive (though not all).
