Gideon Gemstone is one of the main characters in the T.V. series, The Righteous Gemstones. He is portrayed by Skyler Gisondo
Background[]
Born to Jesse Gemstone and Amber Freeman, Gideon was the eldest of three sons. At some point in his life, he elected to leave the Gemstone compound and work in Hollywood as a stuntman. It was unknown how this played out as his family remarks they have not heard from him in a long time.
Season 1[]
As of the beginning of season 1, Gideon was the estranged eldest son of Jesse and Amber Gemstone. He had left the family to pursue a career as a stuntman in Hollywood. However, he randomly showed back up in Charleston at his family's compound close to the Easter holiday. Feigning a desire to return to the family and get involved in Gemstone Ministries, Gideon used this as an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the church's operations, namely their money handling during Sunday services. It is later revealed that Gideon was one of the blackmailers that had confronted his father Jesse in the red utility van. Gideon had been working with one of his stuntman buddies, Scotty, to try and blackmail his father in order to abscond to Thailand with the proceeds. When that failed with Jesse running over/hitting Scotty and Scotty's girlfriend, Gideon and Scotty hatched a plan to commit a major heist on Gemstone Ministries.
In a flashback episode, it is revealed that Gideon and his father had a falling out. Jesse disapproved of Gideon's stunt work in Hollywood. Because of this conflict and Jesse's callous dismissal of Gideon, Gideon would secretly record Jesse and his friends doing cocaine, drinking, and canoodling with prostitutes/strippers. This recording on Gideon's phone would form the basis of his and Scotty's original blackmail scheme, later being stored on a hard drive that would eventually fall into Jesse's hands.
After hiding out in an RV park, Scotty appeared at the gates of the Gemstone compound and was admitted, falsely claiming that Gideon "saved" Scotty and brought him to the Lord. Using this cover story to involve Scotty more in the church's operations, they were able to case the main sanctuary and plan a heist of upwards of $3 million on Easter Sunday. Come Easter Sunday, Gideon would get cold feet and back out of the heist operation. Frustrated, Scotty would then kidnap Gideon, Jesse, and Eli at gunpoint, force them to open the church's vault, where Scotty would then take off with his proceeds. However when Scotty absconded, in his haste he failed to notice his surroundings and got himself in a horrific car accident, hitting Gideon's great uncle, Baby Billy Freeman, while Baby Billy was being fellated while driving with his wife, Tiffany. Scotty was rendered unconscious by the accident. When Billy and Tiffany try to assess damages, Scotty regains consciousness and starts screaming, which shocks Tiffany to the point she pulls the trigger on a firearm, which discharges and kills Scotty by a headshot.
However, upon being confronted by Eli, Gideon would take sole responsibility for the heist, specifically omitting the part where it all started with his blackmail video of his father, Jesse. Because Jesse didn't speak up to clarify about the situation, Amber would go on to banish Gideon from the family. Knowing full well it was actually his responsibility, Jesse let his guilt get to him. Jesse goes on to reveal the blackmail video to the families of everyone involved, which leads Amber to shoot Jesse in the buttocks and offer Jesse an ultimatum: either get Gideon back, or neither are welcome back in their home. Gideon would be discovered working for the Gemstone Ministries mission in Haiti, as a way to pay off his debts to the church. Jesse goes to Haiti and confronts Gideon, who coldly refuses to come back with Jesse, stating that Jesse's motives are selfish and not from some fatherly love. Jesse would return to Charleston and tell Amber this, who decides to separate from Jesse until Gideon returns. Jesse later has a change of heart, and ends up returning to Haiti, where he gets his hands dirty by working alongside Gideon on the mission.
Season 2[]
At the beginning of season 2, Gideon is seen riding his dirtbike into the Gemstone Compound. In the interim between seasons, he seems to have worked things out with his parents and family, taking a job as a cameraman for the church's Sunday services. Amber and Jesse meet with Gideon, imploring him to address his youngest brother Abraham's self-indulgence, of which there are pieces of evidence scattered throughout the house. Gideon also moves into his great-grandfather's house on the property, the Grandaddy Roy Manor. Jesse jokingly states that the whole house reeks of urine due to Roy Gemstone's incontinence in his later years, the result of heavy dementia. Gideon opts to sleep in one of the guest rooms instead of the master bedroom until he can afford to have the place professionally cleaned.
Gideon attempts to talk to Abraham about his self-control, but is unsuccessful. Eventually, Jesse has to be straight with all three boys about engaging in self-love, and in true Jesse fashion, it is awkward.
Gideon's bike skills are quite impressive, as he shows throughout the season. Gideon's big moment comes after Eli is shot, and Jesse designs a ridiculous diversion trap for the assailants, dubbed the Cycle Ninjas. After the Ninjas realize Eli is no longer at the hospital and try to escape, Gideon chases each down on his dirt bike, and forces all of them to crash or dismount, leading to their arrest. Jesse is impressed by Gideon's biking ability, and this leads Gideon to rethinking his life with his family.
He has a meeting with his parents, stating his desire to leave Charleston and move to Atlanta, a city with a huge film and TV industry. He tells Amber that the life he's currently living, to his parents' approval, feels fake and contrived. Amber immediately shoots this idea down, but Jesse was on the fence, only disagreeing at Amber's insistence. Jesse had seen Gideon's abilities firsthand and actually saw that he was talented. Jesse and Amber eventually relent, allowing Gideon to go back to being a stuntman for motorcycle/dirt bike scenes.
In the final church service scene, Gideon is seen in the pews alongside the rest of his family enjoying the service.
Quotes[]
Because of my frame they have me doubling for women a lot. It's called wiggin'.
Photos[]
References[]
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