Jed Chandler was Tom Chandler's father who took care of his wife and kids while he is away.
Events of The Last Ship[]
Season 1[]
When the Red Flu pandemic broke out, Jed sequestered his son, Tom's, wife and kids to his cabin in the woods. Jed then uses his connections at the Pentagon to get a message to his son from his wife and kids telling him they are okay. (“Phase Six”)
While bringing back a buck he hunted, Jed stops by the house of one of his friends, Potter, to split it with him. When Potter tells him he and his wife, Jenny, got infected, Jed leaves them the whole buck and marks their house with a red X. He returns back to the cabin and tells them he couldn't find anything. When Darien says she is going into town to look for a part to fix Jed's radio, Jed says it is too risky but Darien is adamant in her decision so Jed tells her the part he needs and to bring a gun. When Darien returns with the part, Jed fixes the radio and they both hear someone say Olympia has a remedy before it shorts out. Jed thinks it is a hoax while Darien thinks it could be genuine. The next day, Darien hands Jed a glass of water while he manages to fix the radio and calls out to his son, unaware that Darien is infected. (“Trials”)
Jed desperately radios for anyone asking for help after they are all infected with the Red Flu. When no one responds he gets frustrated and packs everyone into his car and drives to Olympia, desperate to find a cure. On the way he arrives at a checkpoint where they tell him to turn away and that Olympia can't help them. Jed, desperate, ramps through with them shooting at him. Jed eventually hears his son's voice on the radio and tells him they are all infected and tells him where they are. Despite Tom telling him to stay there, Jed takes Darien and the kids to continue to Olympia while leaving his radio behind. They eventually arrive but Darien dies of the Red Flu and the people working there take her body. His son eventually finds them and Jed tells him about Darien while he gives them all the cure. Jed then escapes Olympia with his family and his son after learning Olympia kills people and burns the bodies at a coal plant to power the city. (“No Place Like Home”)
Season 2[]
After Tom and Burk commandeer a van, Jed and the kids get in and Tom drives them away from Olympia to meet more of Tom's men. Tom leaves Russ Jeter behind to protect Jed and his kids while he, Burk, and Green head to the power plant to hurt Amy Granderson, the leader letting everything at Olympia happen. After Jeter finds a vacant house, Jed guards the children while they sneak in. Jed tells Jeter how he regrets taking them to Olympia and Jeter tells him he is a hero for helping them survive as long as they did. When Sam gets sick, Jed stays behind to take care of him while Jeter looks for meds. Ashley tries to call Tom but Jed stops her and stops her from leaving for help, reassuring her that Jeter will come through for them, but Ashley says she'll only wait twenty minutes. (“Unreal City”)
Jeter eventually returns with some meds and Jed encourages Jeter to take some for a bullet he suffered days ago, but he says he is fine. When an Avocet van arrives, Jed tells the kids to get down. When they storm the house, Jed disarms and kills one while Jeter kills the other and they evacuate before more arrive. When Lt. Green radios that he is being pursued by enemy forces, Jed tells Jeter to help him while he looks after the kids. When Tom's forces force Granderson's forces to surrender, Jed and the kids are escorted onto the ship and enter Tom's office. Tom says they will all stay in his cabin until they head back to Norfolk. (“Fight the Ship”)
Jed then stands with Sam and Ashley as planes leave from Norfolk to deliver the cure across the country. Jed spends time with the kids, including Ava Tophet fishing with them all. Jed, Ashley, and Sam then go into their old home to gather supplies. While there he listens to Tom explain how the ship isn't safe for them because people will continually attack them for the cure. They think he is leaving but is surprised when Tom says he has decided to leave the Nathan James to take care of them in their home, as part of the promise he made to them and Jed takes Sam and Ashley to unpack their things after he is done. Jed confronts Tom the next day, telling him that his crew need him and he has more work to do. Jed tells him that Darien's death is Jed's fault, not Tom's, for letting Darien go into that town and he needs to let go of the guilt and let Jed take care of Tom's kids while he goes to save the world. Jed gets through to Tom and Tom says goodbye to continue his work. (“It's Not a Rumor”)
When Sam and Ashley call Tom asking about the missile attacks, Jed tells Tom they are okay and sends the kids with Kelly Tophet. Jed then tells Tom if there is anymore action near them he will get them out and tell them while Tom takes care of the Immunes. (“Achilles”)
Season 3[]
When Kara goes on the run discovering a conspiracy to destroy the American government from the inside, she calls Jed to take her mom and son into hiding. Jed tells Kara that he has his SAT phone with him if she needs to contact him and they leave. (“Scuttle”)
Ashley reveals that Jed was killed trying to protect her and Sam from Allison Shaw's forces. (“Don't Look Back”)