Gene Thibedeau

Gene Thibedeau
Biographical information
Marital status	Married
Physical description
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Other information
Played by	Nick Offerman

Gene Thibedeau is one of the two leaders of the conspiracy theorist movement called the Keepers.

Biography

History

In The Unbearable Tragedy of Getting What You Want, Gene and his wife Jean were playing Euchre against twin players Milton and Merle when Gene spotted someone in the distance. The two left and met with the man selling merchandise from a suitcase. They were interested in buying a pair of videotapes, which cost ten grand, but they only had five grand on hand. However, the man exclaims they pay or leave, and they pay, but moments after this, Gene kills the man, and Jean compliments her husband for doing it.

Eventually, Gene, besides his wife, holds a small presentation where the topic "The Umbrella Effect" is discussed, mainly by his wife, Jean. As the presentation continues, artifact evidence is shown through a slide show of merchandise and objects of the Umbrella Academy. Evidence of their claims are presented through a slideshow, and they also reveal that Sir Reginald Hargreeves and his wife Abigail are trying to suppress these facts and findings.

Lila and Five were in attendance, going under pseudonym names. Jean and Gene soon called them out and asked them to stand up. They did, and when asked about their identities, they introduced themselves. They focused on Five, who claimed his name was Jerome from Orlando. When asked if they're curious about anything in particular, Five asks about one subject mentioned earlier, "The Cleanse".

Gene started to talk about it with great interest, but Jean stopped him by touching his face, and Gene continued in a calmer tone. Jean mentions that a lecture will be held on said subject at a later date and offers them an invitation to attend if they leave their number and address with them.

It's later revealed that a lady named Jennifer, who is Sy Grossman's daughter, was allegedly kidnapped by them.

In Jean and Gene, Gene and his wife, Jean, t-bone their car into the van the Umbrella Academy family rode in. They then proceed to take the unconscious Jennifer out from it and drive away, much to Ben's dismay.

In The Squid and the Girl, a little while after Jennifer awakens in a personal room for her, Gene and Jean enter. Gene carries some fresh hot clothes from the dryer, and Jean has a tray with a mug and a pitcher. They introduce themselves as Doctors to Jennifer and jokingly note that Jennifer can decide who is the dominant one of them and the other would be the recessive.

Jennifer then asks them if they're keeping her prisoner there, but Jean denies it and states they have many questions about the Cleanse as Gene sits in the room. However, Jennifer has no clue what the Cleanse is, and Jean, not wanting to perturb Jennifer, drops the subject. Gene chimes in, stating that the "gang of miscreants" tried to kidnap her. Although Jennifer tries to refute that, she cannot follow up with a rebuttal; hence, Gene offers to contact someone that Jennifer knows. Growing anxious, Jennifer realizes that her entire life was a sick lie and believes that she was some sick joke of some sort. Jean pacifies Jennifer and offers her a drink, which turns out to be a mug of alpaca milk.

Meanwhile, Five, Lila, and Diego break into the Thibedeau couple's HQ, but they're nowhere to be found, so they ransack the place to find any clues.

Gene is mentioned during a conversation between Ben and Sy when Sy asks where his daughter was.

Gene and Jean visit Jennifer in her room. After Jennifer assures Jean that she's fine, Gene says they'd like to take her somewhere. Where they take her is a barn filled with artifacts from various timelines. Gene states that the community college they once worked at called them crazy for their beliefs. Jean then claims she has memories of teaching at Harvard, and Gene taught at MacArthur.

Jennifer quizzically asks what all that has to do with her, and Jean and Gene grab her hands while Jean asks how they can help bring upon the Cleanse. However, Jennifer calls them crazy and grabs a nearby knife, which she points at them.

Disappointed by the turn of events, Gene pulls out a revolver as Jean and laments how their kindness toward her was disrespected. They then uncloak a nearby object, revealing that underneath it is a giant squid corpse, causing Jennifer to panic. With that, the two have Jennifer locked away in the barn.

That night as Ben infiltrates their home, Jean and Gene dance to Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves. They soon shoot two of their guards, which allows Ben and Jennifer to escape. With that done, Gene goes to fetch the wagon.

In The Cleanse, Gene rides in the passenger seat. Jean passes through a King Reg drive-through and speaks a coded message. The person working there asks Jean to drive on to the next window. There, Jean interacts with a worker named Bea, who is revealed to be a member of the Keepers and is tasked with shutting down the place.

Eventually, the restaurant is renovated by other Keeper members to suit their needs. Bea approaches them and reports that their missing person has yet to be located and that a man wishes to see them. When questioned about who and how he gained access there, Bea claims he knew the code phrase. The man in question was Sy, who introduced himself as Denny Mutz of the Red Deer Chapter. Gene claims that he doesn't know of such a sect, and Sy assures him they're a splinter sect and praises Jean, which Gene doesn't like, but Jean tells him to stop. Jean allows Sy to sit beside her, and when Gene asks why he is there, Sy answers that he's there about the missing girl.

In Six Years, Five Months, and Two Days, Gene states his dislike and distrust of Sy, but Jean claims he's clean and that they should give him a chance. They then speak to Sy, who claims he's interested in the Cleanse, and they inform him of how Jennifer escaped with Ben. In light of this, Sy says they need a plan to prevent the Umbrella Family from reuniting with Ben, which Gene is notably apprehensive about Sy boldly taking the lead.

Afterward, when Sy asks Gene for an update on Ben and Jennifer's whereabouts, Gene pulls out a gun and demands that Sy leave. Although they have a brief back-and-forth conversation, Sy ultimately leaves as Gene watches him. Later, Gene checks his car and is confronted by a whistling Sy who impales him with a tentacle, and as Gene dies, he pulls off Sy's face, revealing him to be Abigail Hargreeves. His body is then disemboweled, and his skin is worn by Abigail, who then enters the restaurant, where he runs into Jean. She notices he's wearing a new shirt and eating ice cream, which gives him the runs. However, before their conversation continues, Bea informs them that Ben and Jennifer have been found, and Gene suggests they act promptly.

In End of the Beginning, Gene stands by as Jean gives Bea the clear to play the song Map of the Problematique, which is a war call to unite all of the Keepers across the globe.

Eventually, Jean and Gene give a joint speech together about how their time has come, and soon they're confronted by Viktor and Reginald. They demand to see Ben and Jennifer, but Gene and Jean refuse to allow them to, and Gen is notably, if not weirdly, confrontations with Reginald. When they separate, Jean confronts Gene over his actions back there and how he knows Reginald, but he brushes it off, much to Jean's dismay. This leads to Jean accusing Gene of being a nonbeliever; hence, Gene kills her and rallies the Keepers to his side.

As the Cleanse goes on a rampage, Gene sits on a bench beside Reginald, who laments about not shooting sooner. Gene claims he's a good person and admits he ended the world as they know it. Reginald demands to know who Gene is, and Gene tears off his face, revealing himself as Abigail.

Relationships

• Jean Thibedeau: Jean is Gene's wife.

Appearances

• • Season Four
    • "The Unbearable Tragedy of Getting What You Want"
    • "Jean and Gene"
    • "The Squid and the Girl"
    • "The Cleanse"
    • "Six Years, Five Months, and Two Days"
    • "End of the Beginning"