Jake "The Snake" Desmond

Jake "The Snake" Desmond is the antagonist of "The Tale of Jake the Snake", an episode of the 90s show Are You Afraid of the Dark? Desmond got his nickname for his ability to "snake" through any defense. His tool of choice was a "lucky" hockey stick that enabled its user to play better, but caused them to become a snake, where they would spend the rest of their days in a pit in the training room basement.

Zach and his friend Wiley were trying out for the school hockey team, but Wiley just wasn't as skilled as his friend was. After the first day of tryouts, Wiley met up with Jake in the basement. Jake handed his cursed hockey stick to Wiley, promising him it would help him play better. The powers of the stick granted Wiley uncanny abilities, which ended up earning him a position on the hockey team that otherwise might have gone to Zach. That night, while Wiley slept, the stick turned into a cobra, which proceeded to bite him. Wiley suddenly getting scales on his body and started shedding profusely. On top of that, he also suddenly became distant with Zach and started to think like a snake. The next time Wiley decided to meet Jake in the basement, he asked about the scales. Jake told Wiley not to worry and that he had to keep using the stick if he wanted to play well.

But Zach had followed Wiley and decided to confront Jake, who now was more snake than man as he had been the very first to use the cursed hockey stick. Jake plotted to make Wiley his newest addition to the pit of snakes. Zach tried to warn Wiley about Jake's intent, but to no avail. After a struggle, Zach made off with the stick and tried to return it to Jake. But Jake captured Zach and suspended him above the pit of snakes, intent on making him their next meal. Wiley showed up, having reclaimed the sitck, and saw Jake's hideous form and Zach being lowered into the pit. Using the stick, Wiley hits Jake with a hockey puck, knocking the creature into the pit amongst the squirming reptiles. But Wiley's final transformation begins shortly thereafter. Zach proceeds to snap the stick upon his knee, causing it to become a cobra. Zach destroys the cobra by throwing it into the basement furnace. Wiley reverted back to normal since the transformation was incomplete.

Shortly after Zach and Wiley left, Jake's hand could be seen emerging from the pit.