Klaus Helmut Starr is the Allfather of the Grail. Prior to becoming the Allfather, he was the leader of the Samson Unit. His name means rigid in German.
When he learned about Jesse Custer's power, Starr decided to throw a coup against the Grail, using Jesse as the new messiah instead of Humperdoo. However, after Custer's frequent betrayals and releasing Humperdoo into the world, Starr reached his breaking point and moved on, planning to torture and kill Jesse. Due to D'Aronique's death, Starr was promoted to taking his place to become the new Allfather.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Klaus Starr was orphaned when he was four years old.[1]
From 1976-1979, Starr was crowned Kleiner Herr Düsseldorf, much to the other contestants dismay. Upset, the others carved a scar shape like a star into Klaus’s face, telling him "A star for a Starr".[2] This left him blind in one eye.
Joining the Grail[]
In 2004, as a Lieutenant Colonel of Germany's Anti-Terrorist unit GSG-9, Starr was invited to try out for the Grail. He succeeded in all of the trials. His methods were highly unorthodox, including distracting one of his opponents by masturbating, threatening a woman he was supposed to seduce, tolerating his genitals being electrocuted, and finally killing the remaining candidate but not being disqualified for it.[1]
Saltonstall explained to Starr the Grail's true goal: Maintain the bloodline of Christ. After being presented his new uniform, Klaus pushed Saltonstall off the tower and assumed command of the Samson Unit.[1]
In 2016, Starr was delivered a map from Dany while watching a snuff film.[3]
Tracking Jesse Custer[]
Starr had collected intel on Jesse and his power. He then sent Lara Featherstone and Hoover to New Orleans to confirm their intel.[4]
Klaus flew out to Vietnam after learning of a situation with a flying pig. He reported the situation back to the Grail and requested more operatives before deciding to kill the village and the pig with toxic water. After the village had been killed off due to the toxic water, Klaus was told to go to New Orleans for his next mission, Jesse Custer.[1]
Starr was shown footage of Jesse using Genesis but was barely interested. As he left for his date, Starr ordered Featherstone and Hoover to kill Jesse and his friends. His date was later interrupted and left abruptly. The following day, he prepared to execute Hoover and Featherstone for their botch but decided to spare them after Featherstone insisted they use "B.R.A.D." the next time. Starr then spoke of a rape fantasy and requested they order him professionals.[5]
Recruiting Jesse to replace the messiah[]
As Starr reviewed surveillance of Jesse discussing God's disappearance, Starr finally decided to review Jesse's file. As he reviewed an Angelville pamphlet, three male prostitutes barged into his office. Starr dismissed them, stating he wanted women but they take his "No" as a "Yes" and Starr was raped by a prostitute as he was held down by the other two. During this, Starr sparked an idea and ordered Featherstone to call off "B.R.A.D." after the prostitutes left.[5]
A week later, Starr confronted Jesse and told him he was aware he knew God was missing.[5] Starr explained the Grail to Jesse, including the fact that the Grail were the ones who hired and killed Mark Harelik. Starr then introduced Jesse to the Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury at his New Orleans office. After the Pope subtly mentioned the messiah, he dismissed the two. However, Jesse commanded him to reveal who the boy was and to take him to the messiah.[6]
Starr then took Jesse across the world to meet the messiah, introducing the messiah as "Humperdoo", an inbred simpleton descendant of Jesus. After the messiah broke into an agitated state, Starr and Jesse left. As Starr escorted Jesse back to Denis' apartment, Starr proposed Jesse become the messiah instead of Humperdoo. After Jesse refused, he can be of better help than his friends.[6]
When Featherstone asked why Jesse Custer was being kept alive, Starr told her that the messiah was a moron and he planned to have Jesse replace the messiah. Starr then recruited Featherstone and Hoover to join the coup, which they didn't hesitate to agree to. As Featherstone left, Hoover told Starr he doubted himself worthy for such an assignment, but Starr told him there was no one available, praying it wouldn't come down to him when the time came.[7]
Later, Starr was told that God was hiding in a dog suit performing sex acts. Starr then deduced Jesse was only looking for God to look for forgiveness for having his father killed. Starr presents Jesse with archives of his past prayers. After Starr reviewed a few of them with Jesse, he told the latter that the only way he'd save his soul was if he joined him. When Jesse declined, Starr presented Jesse with a recording of a young Jesse claiming he's glad God killed his father. However, Jesse still declined to join him and Starr was commanded to shove the tapes up his own ass, which he did. As he was doing so, Starr called Hoover, telling him it had come down to him.[7]
After the Saint of Killers returned to Hell, Starr had Cassidy and Tulip brought to his office. He explained to the two that Jesse was destined for greatness. Starr also explained Jesse didn't need the two, which the latter knew deep down, prompting the two to leave Jesse. Later, Jesse, now alone, returned to his office. Starr was asked what happens next and Starr knelt before Jesse and placed Jesse's hand on his head.[8]
As Jesse prepared for his first messiah speech, Starr presented Jesse with an 11th-century Flemish fencing cloak which Jesse refused. Starr then joined Jesse and recorded Jesse as he made his first speech in front of Christian children. When Armenians stormed the classroom, Starr was knocked aside. After Jesse took the Armenians down, Starr revealed Jesse had already gone viral. Starr was then pinned to the wall after Jesse realized the Armenian attack was staged and Jesse said that wasn't what he signed up for.[9]
On the way to the airport, Starr asked Jesse why he didn't use Genesis on the Armenians and Jesse claimed he didn't need to. Regardless, Starr warned Jesse he would have to use Genesis soon. When they arrived at the airport, Jesse was bombarded by journalists but Starr dismissed them. After they boarded the plane, Starr told Jesse not to worry about his friends after Cassidy had left a voice message. However, when he learned Tulip had been shot, he told Jesse to deal with her and to return to him once he'd finished, for an extract of his soul. Starr then called Featherstone and scolded her for compromising his plan and to call off Tulip's ambulance.[9]
Breakdown in negotiations[]
As Humperdoo's unveiling approached, Starr was tasked with eliminating members of the Hare Krishna. While he was away, he sent Hoover and Featherstone to Angelville to spy on Custer. The two were captured, but let go by Jesse as a token of good faith. Starr met with Jesse in secret and delivered him his missing soul piece, though this turned out to be a placebo as Starr knew Jesse would try to use it against him. He was still willing to work with Jesse, though, and took him to the car to give him his soul. Unfortunately, Starr and the Grail were attacked by Tulip who, acting on God's orders, gunned down most of them and injured Starr, scarring the top of his head. Starr fled without returning Jesse's soul and subsequently decided to leave Jesse to his own devices for a while. Meanwhile, Starr was forced to train Humperdoo in order to prepare him for his unveiling. He received a call from the Allfather, who wanted to know what progress Starr had made with the Messiah. Much to Starr's surprise, D'Aronique is fascinated by Humperdoo's tap-dancing abilities and wants the unveiling accelerated. He questions Starr about Jesse Custer, but Starr assures him Jesse is no threat to the Messiah.
Forced to accelerate his plan, Starr sets his sights on Cassidy, hoping to use him to bring Jesse to his side. The Grail successfully kidnapped the inebriated vampire, and even managed to film a hostage video. Unfortunately for Starr, Cassidy was rescued by Les Enfants du Sang. He tasked Hoover with retrieving Cassidy while he figured out another way to get to Jesse.
When Starr arrived back in his office, he was greeted by D'Aronique himself, much to his shock. After feasting with the Allfather, the leader of the Grail explains his vision of the apocalypse, which involves a nuclear holocaust. The Allfather asks if Starr is a true believer and, after being satisfied with the answer, demands to know about Jesse Custer once more.
Out of time[]
Starr went to Angelville to negotiate Jesse's release from his contract. After rejecting his offer (by urinating on his shoes), Madame L'Angelle informed Starr that she wanted souls. Starr then proposed giving her hundreds of souls from the Soul Happy Go Go vault, as the company was a subsidiary of Grail Industries. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that directly, as it would raise suspicions from the Allfather. Instead, he organized a heist, sending Tulip and Jody to Osaka, accompanied by his agent, Featherstone. Marie agreed to lend Jesse, though she warned Starr she would kill her grandson without a second thought if he tried to double-cross her.
With Gran'ma out of the way, Starr and Jesse travelled to the Grail headquarters in New Orleans. Shortly before arriving on their floor, Starr warned Jesse that if he wanted to be the Messiah, he would have to kill Allfather D'Aronique. The Allfather greeted them once the elevator door was opened, as Starr pretended to have captured Jesse. Jesse stole Starr's gun and killed all the guards before shooting the Allfather. With the threat seemingly neutralized, Jesse asked where his soul was, and Starr informed him it was up D'Aronique's ass. Much to their surprise, D'Aronique was still alive, as the bullet didn't penetrate his fat. Jesse was quickly surrounded by more guards, as Starr pretended once more to have captured Jesse.
On the Allfather's orders, Starr had Jesse strapped to a gurney, though he also put a gun in the preacher's pocket. Jesse eventually managed to free himself and kill D'Aronique, with Starr arriving just in time to see the aftermath. As he congratulated Custer, the preacher's soul dropped from the Allfather's intestine, resulting in a scuffle between Starr and Jesse. Jesse reached his soul first and swallowed it. Armed with Genesis once more, he rejected Starr's offer to become the Messiah, thinking Starr was just as crazy as the Allfather. Starr warned him that if Jesse refused to be the Messiah, he would have to resort back to D'Aronique's plan, which prompted Jesse to consider murdering Humperdoo. Starr pleaded with Jesse, reminding him he was not a cold-blooded killer, though Jesse seemed undeterred. Though Custer ultimately relented, he ruined Starr's plans by dressing Humperdoo as one of the clones and released them all onto the streets of New Orleans. Before Jesse left, he used the Word on Starr, forbidding him from wearing hats.
New purpose[]
After bitterly trying on new wigs, Starr was finally successful in capturing Cassidy. He took the vampire to Masada and ordered his favorite torturer, Frankie Toscani, flown in. After killing Hoover, Starr informed Featherstone of his plan to use Cassidy as bait for Jesse. Starr also claimed he was done with trying to bring Jesse over to his side, having grown tired of being betrayed and humiliated by the preacher. His new mission was to torture and kill Jesse along with everyone he cared about.
Abilities[]
- Durability: When Starr tried out for the Grail, he endured his testicles being shocked while showing no signs of pain. Over the course of the series, Starr has endured immense suffering. He has been raped, had a scar carved into his head, lost an ear, had his genitals ripped off by a dingo and a leg removed and eaten by a group of cannibals. Depressed at his misfortune, he tried to hang himself, he failed and tore off his nipples in the process.
- Multilingual: Starr is fluent in English and knows Vietnamese to an extent. It is assumed he speaks German as well, it being his native language.
- Expert marksman: Starr is shown to be highly proficient in using a handgun.
Appearances[]
Season 1Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
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Behind the scenes[]
- Klaus Starr is portrayed by Pip Torrens.
- Morse Bicknell served as a stand-in for the character in the first season Preacher episode, "The Possibilities".
Gallery[]
Season 2[]
Season 3[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dufalt, Olivia (writer), Yip, Wayne (director) (July 31, 2017). Preacher Season 2: "Pig". Episode 17. (2x07).
- ↑ Preacher Season 4: "Fear of the Lord". Episode 41
- ↑ Kelley, Chris (writer), Winant, Scott (director) (June 12, 2016). Preacher Season 1: "The Possibilities". Episode 3. (1x02).
- ↑ Goodman, Sara (writer), Slovis, Michael (director) (July 3, 2017). Preacher Season 2: "Damsels". Episode 13. (2x03).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Rosenberg, Craig (writer), Dowse, Michael (director) (August 14, 2017). Preacher Season 2: "Puzzle Piece". Episode 19. (2x09).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Laws, Mary (writer), Green, Steph (director) (August 21, 2017). Preacher Season 2: "Dirty Little Secret". Episode 20. (2x10).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Goodman, Sara (writer), Barba, Norberto (director) (August 28, 2017). Preacher Season 2: "Backdoors". Episode 21. (2x11).
- ↑ Catlin, Sam & Wagner, Rachel (writers), Slovis, Michael (director) (September 4, 2017). Preacher Season 2: "On Your Knees". Episode 22. (2x12).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Catlin, Sam (writer), Yip, Wayne (director) (September 11, 2017). Preacher Season 2: "The End of the Road". Episode 23. (2x13).