This article is about character from the Netflix series. You may be looking for Thomas Jepperd, the character from the graphic novels.
Thomas "Tommy" Jepperd is the deuteragonist of Sweet Tooth. A fearless drifter with a troubling history of pain and grief, Jepperd traveled alone in the post-pandemic world before he runs into Gus, a boy with deer antlers, and finds himself on a mission to escort the boy safely to Colorado. He is commonly referred to as "Big Man" by Gus.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Before the Great Crumble, Jepperd was a football player for the Guardians. His wife, Louisa, was pregnant during the period when the H5G9 virus was spreading rapidly, and when she went into labour, they struggled to get her admitted to the hospital. At last, they were able to get into the maternity ward, though Jepperd was not allowed to be with his wife while she gave birth. The two hoped desperately that their child would be born normal. When Jepperd discovered that his new son was part sheep, he was initially horrified and started to run away. However, after a brief conversation with Aditya Singh, he was able to pull himself together and realised that the child was still his, even if it was a hybrid. He returned to the maternity ward, only to discover that his wife and son were already gone. He never saw either of them again.[1]
After, this Jepperd enlisted as a Last Men. He would be promised to be reunited with his family if he did the Last Men's bidding. He eventually caught many Hybrids and was known as the Hybrid Catcher. When he was promised to see his family again, he only saw the bone remains of his son and his wife. Eventually after this, he left that life behind and wandered the world alone as an exile.
Meeting and Rescuing Gus[]
Jepperd ran into a hybrid boy named Gus, and saved him from numerous hunters who had planned to cut off his antlers and sell them on the black market. Though he initially only planned to get him to shelter, Jepperd developed an affinity for Gus and promised to aid him in his quest to find his mother, Birdie, in Colorado.
Issues arose on their quest, however, when Jepperd was taken hostage by the Animal Army, who believed that Jepperd had ulterior motives towards Gus given his history as a Last Man. Despite Gus telling the Army that he trusted Jepperd, most of them called the former Last Man's death. Bear's decision to allow him to walk away cost her the leadership of the Animal Army, and was the impetus for her joining Gus and Jepperd on their trip to Colorado.
Jepperd and Bear were initially sceptical that their trip to Colorado would yield any results pertaining to Birdie, or any sign that she was still alive. Nonetheless, neither could bring themselves to have this conversation with Gus, and shortly after they came across Judy, who had been living in Birdie's house since she disappeared. Things became complex for Jepperd and Bear when it was revealed that Gus was a scientific experiment conducted by Birdie using microorganisms and therefore did not have real parents. Gus ran away from Bear and Jepperd following this and called the Preserve, who he believed would take him in and care for him.
Unbeknownst to Gus, however, he had actually called the Last Men and given them their location. The Last Men arrived along with their leader and Jepperd was shot. He was later rescued by Aimee Eden who wanted him to assist her with taking back the Preserve.[1]
Personality[]
As a former Last Man, Jepperd is often aware of the ugly side of humanity and in the first few episodes acts as a grim counterbalance to Gus's naive nature.
Jep is very athletic and resourceful. He is not above threatening people in order to achieve what is needed however he is reluctant to harm innocents.
Over the span of time, he grows closer with Gus. He comes to like having the hybrid boy around.
Abilities[]
- Peak-human durability: Due to an old injury, Thomas has a strong pain tolerance, as when he had no meds on him and had to find more.
- Peak-human condition: Thomas is in fit human shape, owing to his size and being a former football player, as he was able to run fast enough to catch a moving train.
- Hand-to-hand combatant: Thomas is a skilled fighting in unarmed and armed combat, as he was able to hold his own against the last men in multiple situations.
- Expert marksman: Due to hunting hybrids as part of the last men, Thomas has become a expert with guns.
Weaknesses[]
- Medication: While Thomas is shown to be in good condition, if he doesn’t keep up with his pain relief meds, his leg starts hurting and slowing him down.
- Injury: Thomas has an old Injury, possibly from playing football pre-apocalypse, that affects him severely when he is not on pain meds.
Trivia[]
- Jepperd attended LSU. He states this at the beginning of the football game playing on the television at the Singhs' home.[2]