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| “ | I will exercise mercy if your confession is compelling. But if not, I will purge and I will be reborn. | „ |
| ~ Joe "passing sentence" on his victims. |
| “ | It's my right to purge! | „ |
| ~ Joe's most famous quote, |
Joseph "Joe" Owens is the main antagonist of the first season of the TV series The Purge. He is a former factory worker who rounds up everyone who he feels has mistreated him and "judges" them in mock court trials.
At first glance, Joe appears to be a heroic man who protects people on Purge Night. It is not until after he captures Penelope Guerrero that his true motives become clear: he has concocted an elaborate scheme to serve his own twisted form of justice to the people he believes have wronged him.
He is portrayed by Lee Tergesen, who also portrayed Tobias Beecher in Oz, Chet Donnelly in the TV series Weird Science, Richard Beck in Chicago P.D., Billy Skags in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Dale Schrader in Criminal Minds.
Biography[]
Joe is a former factory worker who started a business installing Purge Night security systems after being laid off. He lives with his elderly and disabled father, John Owens. On Purge Night, he goes out into the street and saves several people from Purgers - only to hold them hostage in a kangaroo court, claiming that they have all wronged him and must be judged. Among the "defendants" are:
- Jane Barbour, an African-American woman who walked out on their one Tinder date after he made off-color, racist jokes.
- Rick and Jenna Betancourt, two nouveau riche financiers who backed out of investing in Joe's business.
- Penelope Guerrero, a Hispanic teenager who did not thank Joe for holding open the door for her.
- Charlie, an unhoused drug addict who bullied Joe in high school.
- Eileen, a labor representative for the factory that laid off Joe, his father, and several of his friends.
He allows each of them the chance to defend themselves, but has already decided that they will all die. He kills Jane, Charlie, and Eileen, but Penelope manages to get the better of him, stabbing him in the eye with a screw. The remaining captives flee from an enraged Joe before Penelope's older brother Miguel, who has been looking for her all night, saves their lives. Joe is about to kill Miguel in an indoor swimming pool when the alarm marking the end of Purge Night sounds; he immediately backs off, reasoning that killing someone off-Purge is "just murder." He promises to find and kill Miguel and Penelope next year. In order to protect his sister, Miguel shoots Joe twice and kicks him into the pool, where he drowns.
Personality[]
Behind his friendly, "average guy" exterior, Joe is an angry, bitter, and vindictive man who believes that the world has cheated him. He resents anyone who has the money, happiness, and/or good fortune he feels has been unfairly denied to him. He especially resents Hispanic and African-American people, who he believes receive government assistance that he deserves; rich people; and women who ignore or reject him. He is a fan of Bobby Sheridan, a motivational speaker who preaches that killing people during the Purge is a way for white American men to reclaim their "rightful place" as the most powerful members of society.
Quotes[]
| “ | I. Will. Purge! | „ |
| ~ Joe listening to motivational tapes before putting his victims on trial |
| “ | I will exercise mercy if your confession is compelling. But if not, I will purge and I will be reborn. | „ |
| ~ Joe before beginning his mock trials on the people he has captured |
[]
 Villains
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Joe Owens | Henry Bodreaux | David Ryker | Rex | Good Leader Tavis | Mercy Cult | Ross Bailes | Lila Stanton
Ben Gardner |
Demon Purger |
The Jackals |
Haywood Diedrick |
Andrea Ziv |
Hector Carmona |
Clint |
Officer Reynolds |
Silas Barker |
Paul Barker |
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