Come episode 2, the Hargreeves have their powers restored and come to the rescue of Jennifer. Things go south quickly, however, with Gene and Jean swooping in to kidnap her before The Umbrella Academy have a chance to help. Believing her to be the key to restoring the true timeline, The Keepers leaders ask her how to instigate The Cleanse.
Though Jennifer tries to escape, Gene and Jean trap her in a barn…with the giant squid. Eek.
The Keepers pop back up again in episode 5 when Sy Grossman tells Gene and Jean that Ben is the real key to The Cleanse, advising them to get to Ben before The Umbrella Academy do.
Swooping in to ambush several members of the Hargreeves family, the leaders receive word that one of the teams has located Ben and Jennifer, with them putting a call out for the Keepers to unite and ready themselves for The Cleanse.
Ultimately, however, Gene and Jean are killed off by Abigail who goes on to wear Gene’s body as a disguise.
Are we weird for feeling kind of sad about it?
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Where you’ve seen The Umbrella Academy’s Gene and Jean Thibedeau actors before
If you recognise Gene and Jean, that’s because they’re played by power couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally.
The two have been married in real life since 2003 (hence the insane on-screen chemistry), with each having a long list of roles.
David Crotty
Recently, Nick Offerman won over audiences as Bill in The Last of Us, for which he earned a Primetime Emmy Award. Prior to that, Offerman appeared as Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation over 2009 – 2015, with him having also had roles in everything from The Founder (2016) to 21 Jump Street (2021) and Civil War (2024).
Along with an appearance as Tammy, Ron Swanson’s toxic ex on Parks and Rec, Mullally is best known for her role as Karen in Will & Grace which earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2000 and 2006.
Beyond that, Mullally has appeared in recurring roles on Bob’s Burgers, Percy Jackson, The Great North, 30 Rock and countless others.