Gene McDowell

Gene McDowell
Characteristics
Name	Gene McDowell
Kanji	ジーン・マクドウェル
Romanji	Jīn Makudōeru
Age	50
Gender	Male
Affiliations	Grave Diggers (founder)
Relatives	Kip McDowell (son)
Manga Debut	Chapter 2
Image Gallery

Gene McDowell is the founder of the Grave Diggers, a group of gangs that 15 years ago was controlling the whole Five Points. When he was young, he seems to have been friends with Edward King, who seems was also part of the Grave Diggers.

Appearance

Gene McDowell is a tall, bulking and imposing Caucasian man, with short hair, moustache and beard. He has a visible scar on the left eye, but the reason is unknow. The Grave Diggers' tattoo is on his neck.

Personality

Among the criminality that plagues Five Points, Gene McDowell is some kind of exemption: even as a mob boss, he is usually calm, quiet and polite, never letting his emotions to dominate him, and always tries to use any means before using violence. He has a strong sense of personal honor and ethics, refusing to commit unnecessary crimes.

Even though his controlled attitude may get him looks weak, he is actually very intelligent and deceptive, able to predict the policeman's blackmail and counterattacking by ordering his execution, even if he would prefer avoids it.

He acts similarly to a father for Brad Burns, teaching him assassination's techniques and hiding the latter's identity from Luke, even though he would prefer Brad has a different life, still respecting his decision. He also loves unconditionally his son Kip and, despite knowing the latter's depraved nature, he still protects him, even threatening Brad if necessary. However, he states if Kip would not be his son, he would kill him by himself for Kip's heinous crimes. He also relinquishes to kill his former friend Edward King, knowing he is a brutal criminal, when the Crimson Gang's leader threatens Kip's life.

In some way, Gene cares for Five Points, even dreaming, in his youth, he could transform the district in a better place; but after several years, he looks to have been disillusioned and sad, never losing a melancholic expression on his face. He feels responsibility for his failures, to improve Five Points's conditions and turn Kip in a mature man. Still, towards the very end, he looks to have conserved some hope and idealism, asking to Danny, the Iron Butterfly's boss, to do what he couldn't.

History

Five Points, N.Y.

Gene is first seen at his bar, where he is black-mailed by the corrupt policeman that is in charge of his region. The policeman wanted more money, and mentioned that one of the Grave Diggers boys was killed by the Iron Butterflies. Gene mistakenly though that he wants they to start a war with them, but the policeman had something else in mind. He suggested to Gene, that they kill his colleague policeman that is in charge of the Iron Butterflies territory, so that he can take it and he will leave Grave Diggers alone. Later Gene is regretting how the things turned for the Grave Diggers, who 15 years ago was controlling the whole Five Points and right now only a small part is left in their control. He then tells to his man to contact the Grim Reaper, since he has a job, seemingly accepting the offer that the policeman suggested. But Gene had something else in mind, he ordered the killing of the cop who ordered this job and was in charge of the Grave Diggers territory. His man, questioned him if this was actually a good idea, since they are killing a cop. But then Gene replies otherwise they have to follow that piece-of-shit cop and wait his to suck their bones dry.

Later Gene is seen at his bar with Brad, who was collecting his money for the job. They talk about his brother Luke and the past. Gene was happy that he took them 13 years ago, when he met them on the street. To which Brad replies, he should be thanking him, since if he didn't took them, he wouldn't have become the man he is now.

Learning about the last job of Brad, Kip was angry at his father, and made a scene at his bar, yelling at him, since Gene promised that Kip will do the next job, instead of the Grim Reaper. Gene replies to him, that he already have a job. But Kip is not satisfied with the shitty job of collecting money from the Saloons, since he is supposed to succeed him one day and take over the gang. This angers Gene, who slams Kip's head at the bar and ask him what is his purpose? Kip replies that the Grave Diggers to control the entire sixth borough. After that Gene releases him and says that he will one day be the boss, but until then, he must do his job and to stop being jealous of his mates and to act more like a son.

Learning about the incident with Karen, Gene goes to the Saloon together with Kip. Angry that someone hurt one of his girls, he ask who did it. But the Madam afraid of Kip, says no one saw anything and Kip adds that since this is his overseeing place, he will find the one who did it.

Later Gene contacts Brad for a new job and calls him in his office, where he also calls Kip, who when saw Brad, thought that Gene will give the job to him. But Gene said to him, that Brad will be his bodyguard, which angered Kip, who starts to yell at Gene and saying he can do it himself. But Kip gets calm, when Gene with a serious look ask him is he disobeying him?

Gene arrives with 2 of his men, just before Brad was about to kill Kip. He says that know what Kip have done and it's unforgivable, and even wants to kill him himself. And because of that he has no intentions of attacking Brad. But since Kip is his only son, if Brad kills him, he will avenge him, by killing Luke. And leaves Brad a choice: to make all the Grave Diggers his enemies and lose his brother or continue being his pet? Brad choose to leave, for which Gene complimented him for his wise choice and that now Brad will continue working for him as his dog, his Grim Reaper. Kip tried to order the other two GD member to shoot Brad, but Gene orders them to lower their gun and that nobody should touch him, because he is his pet. Later Gene was seen in his office, talking with one of his men, who said to him that Brad haven't responded to their call and he haven't been entering or exiting his house. Then Gene asked about Kip's condition, learning that his wound on he shoulder was light and he will recover in couple of weeks.

Edward returned in Five Points after hearing there was war going there and visited Gene. Who pointed gun at him, but Edward shot his hand and made him drop it. Gene asked him if he come to hear about his son's obituary, but Edward responded he is not interested in that and it's here for business, since he heard about the war from Gene's son, Kip. A man send by Kip contacted Gene and told him that the Grim Reaper is alive, Gene ordered everyone to retreat. He told Edward, that he shouldn't have come back, since his son is alive and he plans on taking out all the gangster now that he is free from his leash. And that's it's Edwards fault to bring such monster to the world, and his for making him the best hitman. Gene wondered which one will Brad kill first, him or Edward. But Edward told him, that it's not the Grim Reaper who will stop the war, but his merchandise he sold to Kip. After Gene heard that Edward have sold a gatling gun to Kip, he rushed into battle. There he found Kip killed all with the gun, except Brad. Gene slapped Kip and pointed his gun at Brad, but Luke got in the way. He told him to leave, but Luke pointed gun at Gene. He then remembered his past and how they come with Edward in Five Points, and after seeing all the injustice there, he decided to live there and protect Five Points. Gene told Luke that he is not ready to hold a gun and went to him and took his gun and then hit him. But Luke still didn't give up on his brother and continued to cling on Gene. After multiple hits from Gene, he was finally knocked, but then Gene decided not to kill anyone of them since enough blood was already shred and told them to leave and never to show in front of him.

Gene took Kip and went back at his bar, where he found that Edward have killed more GD members and took all his money. He left Kip at a couch and pointed a gun at Edward, but Edward told him to not do it, since he got Kip at aim with his gun. Then Edward asked him if the Grave Diggers are finished, to which Gene replied yes and it's his fault for that and that ever since he left Five Points, he wanted to kill him, but it the end, it won't be him who will kill him and lowered his gun. In that moment Edward pointed a gun at Gene's head and asked if it's Brad the one who will kill him and that he will meet anyone who wants to kill him and then left.

Gene took responsibility for the war and his execution was appointed. There he saw Danny, the boss of Iron Butterflies. He asked him what brings him here, and Danny replied it's his execution. Gene asked Danny, how much he paid Edward, he suspected that Edward have contacted him too, not only Kip and promised to took the Grave Diggers down. But Danny tried to say he is not involved and also have loses. But Gene told him he lost Raymond and those under him, who were a threat to him. Gene told Danny, that even being a piece of shit, he is a man who still loves Five Points and asked him to take care of it. While his crime was announced, he saw Brad and told to himself that his crime is that he wasn't able to stop Edward, failed to make Kip into a real man, and for making Brad the Grim Reaper, for all of which he apologized and then was hanged. His body was left hanging for seven days and later buried in Greenwood Cemetery in unmarked grave, so that his name would not be spoken.

He is then remembered by Brad during his fight with the Crimson gang's member Dodo, using Gene's lessons to defeat the powerful opponent. During this flashback, Gene delivers to his future hitman his gun, and asks to Brad if he considers him a merciless person; but replies he is not going to apologize to Brad, as it's the boy who chose to come into the criminal world.

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