The White Violin

Origin

Vanya was one of several 'special' children born randomly from mothers who had shown no signs of pregnancy. He (along with six others) was raised by Reginal Hargreeves to save the world. Vanya always felt out of place among the group because she never demonstrated any of the special skills they had.

Creation

Vanya was created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá.

Major Story Arcs

Apocalypse Suite

Vanya Hargreeves is one of the children adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves. Unlike the rest of the children, she was not allowed to go into the field or do much of anything. She was always told that there was "nothing special" about her. As a result, she grew up self conscious and with little confidence. Her only real skill, however, was music; she could play the Violin extremely well. The rest of her 'family' had no interest in her music, and would not attend her recitals.

As she grew older, she wrote a book, a sort of tell all entitled: 'Extra-Ordinary: My Life as Number Seven'.

An excerpt from her book concerning her childhood reads, "I was never made to feel a part of the team, much less the family, and I was just happy to be sent off to school."

The only person she had a close bond with was Diego Hargreeves, AKA The Kraken. But since she left them, he felt that she abandoned him, and wants nothing to do with her anymore.

Shunned even after Reginald Hargreeves' death, Vanya was invited to perform in the Orchestra Verdammten by the Conductor. He needed someone to be the lead violin in his Apocalypse Sonata. She refused, giving her family one more chance. They argued and fought, sending her away again. Then the Conductor of 'The Orchestra Verdammten,' changed her forever. He revealed that Sir. Hargreeves ran extensive experiments on his children as they slept, and that according to Hargreeves' notes, she was "the most dangerous of all." He had put together an experiment to change Vanya, though the Conductor had modified the experimentation to be more painful.

After some tweaking and operations, he changed her physical appearance and seemingly amplified whatever power she had. Her mind was also warped, so she now reveled in destruction and chaos. With the first note from her violin, she ripped the Conductor in half. The next target was the headquarters of the Umbrella Academy. With mere notes she destroyed the memorial statue of the Horror, and killed Pogo. She then invited them to her recital.

Back at the Icarus theater (where the Orchestra was based) the White Violin prepared to end the world. The murderers of the Orchestra kept most of the Umbrella Academy at bay. The White Violin cut the Rumor's throat before she could suggest anything. Before the White Violin could kill anyone else, Séance distracted her by pretending to channel Hargreeves, telling her how much of a disappointment she had ended up being. 00.05 then shot her in the head. Before she passed out, White Violin said that the symphony could not be stopped. A huge chunk of the moon fell to Earth, going to end it all. The Séance, in a display of power he didn't know he had, caught it with his telekinesis and saved the world.

They managed to save both Rumor and the White Violin. Rumor's vocal cords had been destroyed, the White Violin was left paralyzed and amnesiac. She did not know what she had done. The Rumor forced her to watch the news, see the destruction she had created. Although it was shown that Rumor had developed a grudge against her sister, it is later shown that she has forgiven her. Visting her in the hospital and comforting her.

Dallas

White Violin remains paralyzed and powerless. She remembers none of what happened to her.

Powers

At first, the White Violin seemed powerless. After some experimentation, her true powers were unlocked. The music she plays is dangerous, highly destructive. With a note she can rip a man in half, and a symphony can destroy the world. Vanya despite seeming to lack powers for most of her life, was actually revealed to be the most powerful of the children.

Other Media

In the Netflix TV show of Umbrella Academy, Vanya is a member of the Umbrella Academy and can absorb and manipulate sound. During the course of the series, Vanya has changed her name to Viktor and goes by he and him.