Jesse Custer

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Jesse Custer was born in the early 1970s, son of John Custer, a U.S. Marine from Texas, and Christina L'Angelle, a troubled runaway. The couple met in 1973 when Christina, encouraged by the Vietnam War-protesting group she was traveling with, spat in the eye of the first soldier she saw returning from overseas. Despite the assault, the two recognized a sense of displacement in each other, and a relationship formed. Quickly, John and Christina fell deeply in love and later gave birth to a son, Jesse. Merging with Genesis has given Jesse 'the Word of God', a power which forces the listener to obediently follow his commands, so long as the listener can hear and comprehend what is said. This power is signified by Jesse's eyes glowing an eerie red. Genesis is the result of a sexual union between an angel and a demon, something not defined by good or evil, and potentially as powerful as God Himself. It escaped its confinement in Heaven and fled to Earth, finding Jesse. After Genesis's conception, God left Heaven, and no one knows where He went or why. Jesse's quest for God takes the form of an unconventional road trip. He visits many American landmarks, including New York City, Texas, and New Orleans.

In Their Own Story

Jesse Custer was born on January 17, 1975 son of John Custer, a U.S. Marine from Texas, and Christina L'Angelle, a troubled runaway. The couple met in 1973 when Christina, encouraged by the Vietnam War-protesting group she was traveling with, spat in the eye of the first soldier she saw returning from overseas. Despite the assault, the two recognized a sense of displacement in each other, and a relationship formed. Quickly, John and Christina fell deeply in love and later gave birth to a son, Jesse. Jesse is a cocky young man, using his skills and good looks to get easy money. Eventually, returns Annville Texas to find Tulip O'Hare. The two fell in love as kids, along with Jesse and Tulip's friend, pursued a life of crime, stealing expensive cars without getting caught. Jesse and Tulip enjoyed a high life of crime and sex on the highways. Jesse planned on proposing to Tulip after finding out she is pregnant but after a robbery goes bad, their friend betrays them. She's injured and miscarries their child, and they go their separate ways for a while. He began practicing as reverend to an ungrateful and ignorant Annville Texas. Jesse is struck by a supernatural force later identified as Genesis, grafting itself to Jesse's soul and releasing an explosion of energy that destroys the church and the town, killing the whole population. Jesse eventually discovers that Tulip had never truly betrayed him to Cassidy, as he had kept her dependent on drugs and alcohol after she thought Jesse had died. Cassidy and Jesse somewhat reconcile. Cassidy dies in flames, and Jesse is shot by a sniper hiding on a rooftop under order from Herr Starr. Tulip arrives in time to kill Starr, but not to save Jesse, who dies in the ashes of his best friend. Jesse, now resurrected and with his lost eye restored, seeks out Tulip, who explains she cannot and will not forgive him for betraying her a second time. On the verge of parting ways forever, Jesse tracks her down on horseback and asks for her to take him back, which she does.

Reader's Guide

Jesse Custer's journey begins with his birth on January 17, 1975, to John Custer and Christina L'Angelle. After his father's death and his mother's disappearance, Jesse is raised in Angelville by his grandmother and Jody, learning to fight, hunt, shoot, and maintain machinery. He eventually escapes and returns to Annville, Texas, to find Tulip O'Hare. The two fall back into a life of crime, but after a robbery goes bad and Tulip miscarries their child, they separate. Jesse becomes a reverend in Annville. His life changes when Genesis merges with his soul, giving him the Word of God and destroying the church and town. Jesse sets out on a road trip to find God, accompanied by the vampire Cassidy. Along the way, he encounters the Saint of Killers, the Grail organization led by Allfather D'Aronique and Herr Starr, and is captured by Jody and T.C. again. God visits Tulip's corpse and returns her to life, commanding her to persuade Jesse to give up his quest. Eventually Jesse and Tulip reunite. After losing his memory and recovering in the desert, Jesse finds Tulip and Cassidy in Salvation, a town abused by Odin Quincannon. Jesse eventually discovers Cassidy had kept Tulip dependent on drugs and alcohol. Cassidy dies in flames, and Jesse is shot by a sniper under Herr Starr's order. Tulip kills Starr, but Jesse dies. Jesse is resurrected, his lost eye restored, and he tracks down Tulip on horseback, asking her to take him back, which she does.

Did You Know?

• Jesse Custer was ranked the 11th Greatest Comic Book Character by Empire.
• In 2011, IGN ranked Jesse Custer 34th in the Top 100 Comic Book Heroes.
• Dominic Cooper portrayed the live action version of Jesse Custer in the television series Preacher.
• Jesse's power, the Word of God, forces listeners to obey his commands as long as they can hear and comprehend what is said, and is signified by his eyes glowing an eerie red.
• Genesis, the entity that gives Jesse his power, is the result of a sexual union between an angel and a demon.