7 Tragicomic Secrets Of Gregor: The Immortal Decapitation Gag In What We Do In The Shadows

Few recurring characters in the world of What We Do in the Shadows embody the show's blend of absurd comedy and dark, historical tragedy quite like Gregor. As of December 2025, the character remains one of the most memorable and hilarious subplots, a perpetually doomed human caught in the eternal, chaotic love triangle with the vampire couple Nadja and Laszlo. His story is a centuries-long saga of passion, horses, and, inevitably, a messy, violent end.

The character, who reappears in multiple lives under different names like Jeff and Jesk, is a brilliant comedic device that highlights the vampires' casual cruelty and their inability to truly let go of their past. From a medieval knight to a modern-day parking attendant, Gregor's existence is a masterclass in tragicomic reincarnation, and here is an in-depth look at his entire, unfortunate, and unforgettable arc.

The Many Lives of Gregor: A Tragic Biography

Gregor is not a single character but a soul constantly reincarnated, destined to fall in love with Nadja and meet a gruesome end, primarily through beheading. His story is one of the show's most enduring and darkly funny running gags. The role is brilliantly portrayed by actor Jake McDorman.

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• Full Name/Aliases: Gregor, Jeff, Jesk.
• Portrayed By: Jake McDorman (American actor known for Limitless and Dopesick).
• Key Relationship: Nadja of Antipaxos (recurring human lover).
• Primary Antagonist: Laszlo Cravensworth (Nadja's vampire husband).
• First Appearance: "Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1) - mentioned.
• Physical Appearances: "Pilot" (as Jeff), "Manhattan Night Club" (Season 1, Episode 4), "Ghosts" (Season 2, Episode 2).
• Recurring Fate: Decapitation (beheading).
• Historical Lives Mentioned: Knight (Medieval Era), Stable Boy, Various others across centuries.
• Modern Life: Jeff (a parking attendant in Staten Island).
• Final Form (So Far): A ghost, trapped in the vampires' house.

1. The Centuries-Long Love Affair with Nadja

Gregor's connection to Nadja is the core engine of his tragic story. Their relationship spans centuries, and in every life, he is a human man—a knight, a stable boy, a commoner—who falls madly in love with the beautiful, ancient vampire. Nadja, for her part, seems genuinely fond of him, referring to him as her "favorite lover" and a "very handsome man."

The relationship is always intense and passionate, often culminating in them riding off together on a horse, only for the romance to be abruptly and violently cut short. This recurring pattern suggests a powerful, perhaps even cursed, soul connection. Nadja's inability to resist him, despite knowing his inevitable fate, speaks volumes about her own complex feelings about love and mortality. In the modern era, she rediscovers him as Jeff, a polite but slightly simple parking attendant in Staten Island, instantly recognizing the soul of her former lover.

2. The True Origin of the Decapitation Gag

The central joke of Gregor's existence is his repeated decapitation. While initially presented as a simple act of jealous rage by Laszlo, the show later reveals a much darker, more absurd history. The recurring gag is not just a random plot point; it's a centuries-old tradition.

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The first death mentioned is when Gregor, as a knight, was beheaded on the battlefield. However, the show establishes that in subsequent lives, it is Laszlo who is the primary, albeit accidental, executioner. This recurring violence is not an act of malice towards Gregor's soul, but a consequence of Laszlo's uncontrollable jealousy and his desire to protect his marriage, though his methods are always over-the-top and messy. The sheer number of times Gregor has been beheaded—at least 37 times, according to Nadja—elevates the joke from a simple murder to a historical, almost mythical, running joke.

3. Laszlo's Complex Motivation: Jealousy or Duty?

At face value, Laszlo's repeated killing of Gregor is pure, unadulterated jealousy. He despises the idea of Nadja having a lover, especially one she is so clearly obsessed with, even if it's only for a brief, human lifetime. Laszlo's attempts to kill Gregor/Jeff are always spectacular failures of subtlety, such as accidentally running him over with a car or trying to use a rusty guillotine.

However, some fan theories suggest a more complex, almost co-dependent dynamic. Laszlo knows that Nadja's love for Gregor is a temporary, human obsession that will fade. By "removing" Gregor, Laszlo is, in a twisted way, clearing the path for Nadja to return to him, ensuring their eternal, non-monogamous bond continues. The show itself hints at the complexity, as Laszlo ultimately supports Nadja's freedom, even if he dislikes the specific person who makes her unhappy. The rivalry between the two men—the immortal vampire and the perpetually doomed human—is a central source of comedy and a brilliant exploration of the concept of eternal marriage.

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4. The Evolution from Gregor to Jeff to Jesk

The character's name changes are integral to the comedy and the show's exploration of reincarnation. In the modern era, Nadja first finds him as Jeff, a parking attendant who has vague, unsettling memories of a past life involving a horse and a beautiful woman. Jeff is confused, forgetful, and utterly unequipped to handle the reality of vampires.

After Nadja attempts to restore his memories by showing him historical paintings and artifacts, he begins to remember. He recalls his name is Gregor and gains the confidence and swagger of his knightly past. However, this is short-lived, as the memories—and his head—are quickly separated from his body. The final, and arguably most pathetic, name is Jesk, which is the name he uses as a ghost trapped in the house. This descent from a noble knight (Gregor) to a confused human (Jeff) to a pathetic ghost (Jesk) perfectly encapsulates the character's downward, tragicomic spiral.

5. The "Ghosts" Appearance and His Final Fate

Gregor's story arc seemingly concludes in the Season 2 episode "Ghosts," which provides one of the most memorable and bizarre twists to his fate. After his last decapitation, Gregor/Jesk returns as a ghost, trapped in the vampires' house due to his unfinished business: retrieving his head.

In a hilarious sequence, he attempts to interact with the vampires, who are also dealing with other ghosts. The vampires, in their usual chaotic fashion, try to help him "move on." This involves a surreal attempt to reunite his ghost body with his actual, preserved head, which Nadja had been keeping in a jar. The resolution, however, is pure WWDITS: he is accidentally sucked into a ghost vacuum cleaner by Guillermo, seemingly ending his physical and spectral presence in the house. This final, ignominious end is a perfect comedic capstone to his centuries-long tragedy.

6. Jake McDorman's Critical Role

The character's success is largely due to the performance of actor Jake McDorman. McDorman masterfully navigates the subtle shifts in Gregor's personality across his reincarnations. As the knight Gregor, he exudes a confident, romantic charm. As the parking attendant Jeff, he is sweetly confused and utterly mundane, making his attempts to recall a past life all the more hilarious.

McDorman's ability to play the straight man against the wild antics of Natasia Demetriou (Nadja) and Matt Berry (Laszlo) is crucial. He grounds the absurdity of the reincarnation plot, making the audience genuinely feel for the poor, doomed man, even as they laugh at his fate. His brief, impactful appearances have cemented Gregor as one of the show's most beloved and tragic recurring entities.

7. The Topical Authority and LSI Entities of the Gregor Arc

The Gregor subplot is a rich vein of topical authority for the series, touching on several key themes and entities:

• Reincarnation and Immortality: It explores the mundane horror of a human soul being eternally recycled for the amusement of the immortal.
• The Nadja-Laszlo Marriage: It provides a deep dive into the unique, non-monogamous, but fiercely loyal nature of their relationship.
• Decapitation as Comedy: The sheer number of beheadings turns the gruesome act into a running, absurd joke, a classic element of the show's dark humor.
• The Ghost Lore: Gregor/Jesk's appearance in "Ghosts" expands the show's mythology beyond just vampires, introducing the rules (and ridiculousness) of spectral unfinished business.
• Key LSI Entities: Nadja's Doll, The Sire, The Guide, Baron Afanas, Colin Robinson, Guillermo de la Cruz, Staten Island, The Mosquito Collectors, Ancient Greece, Medieval Knight, Vampire Lore, Past Lives, Unfinished Business.

While the final season of What We Do in the Shadows may not feature a return for Gregor/Jesk, his legacy as the perpetually doomed human lover who just couldn't keep his head is secure. His tragicomic arc stands as a perfect example of the show's genius: taking a dark, fantastical concept and rendering it utterly, hilariously mundane.