Carnivàle/Clayton Jones

Clayton "Jonesy" Jones
Carnivàle
Actor	Tim DeKay
First Appearance	1x01 - Milfay
Last Appearance	2x12 - New Canaan, CA
Series Billing	Main Cast
Episode Count	24

Basic Information

Season 1

Jonesy is Samson's right hand man. Samson's the one who tells the men where to pitch the tents, but Jonesy's the one who keeps them in line and makes sure they're doing their jobs. He's a good man, but rough around the edges because of the hand life dealt him. Samson respects him, but is still wary of Jonesy's alcohol problem. Jonesy doesn't improve matters when, during a powerful dust storm, he enters Management's trailer and finds nothing behind the curtain. Believing that Management must have been a fiction Samson cooked up, he almost leaves the carnival, but is drawn back in by Dora Mae's death. Samson regains Jonesy's trust after Management temporarily employs Lodz to manipulate Ben. The shifting power dynamic does not go unnoticed by Jonesy, who once again sides with Samson.

His powerful feelings for Sofie are immediately apparent to all, but she's reluctant to become involved. As a result, Jonesy, who rarely knows whether Sofie's coming or going, enters into a brief but passionate affair with Rita Sue. The affair is doomed from the start, something which both are aware of, but they continue long enough to be seen by Libby, Sofie's closest friend. Jonesy eventually ends the affair, much to Rita Sue's displeasure, but it's too late. During a tarot reading, Apollonia reveals to Stumpy that his wife has been having an affair. When pressed for the identity of the man, Apollonia divulges his name to Sofie, but not to Stumpy. Appalled, Sofie discovers that Libby was aware of the affair and refrained from telling Sofie.

Sofie plans an elaborate revenge scheme, which culminates in Jonesy finding her in bed with Libby. Sofie chastises them both, saying "This is what it feels like to be betrayed by someone you love." Nevertheless, when Sofie winds up trapped in a burning trailer, Jonesy is the first to rush in to save her. The season ends with both lives in the air.

Season 2

Jonesy manages to rescue Sofie, but after the incident he makes it brutally clear that he wants nothing more to do with her. He also sits down with Libby and assures her that he won't tell anyone about her and Sofie, another relationship which is now over. As Jonesy deals with the added hassle of Sofie becoming a roustie, he also strikes up a flirtatious relationship with Libby, something which doesn't please Rita Sue and Stumpy. After a violent and lengthy brawl with Stumpy over the issue, and after seeing Ben and Sofie post-coitus, Jonesy pursues Libby with renewed vigor. Soon, the two are married, and happily it seems.

Unfortunately for the both of them, Jonesy and Libby are kidnapped by a man who wants revenge on Jonesy for being party to the death of his wife. The man's wife was killed when the Carnivàle ferris wheel malfunctioned and crashed. Jonesy, who was blameless in the ordeal, is horribly tarred and feathered, and Libby is forced to watch. Ben, on the road in pursuit of Stroud and Scudder, chances upon the tragic scene, and orders Libby to leave the area immediately. He proceeds to drain the life from the nearby vultures and restores Jonesy to perfect health, curing his limp as well.

After this, Jonesy becomes Ben's wingman, assisting him in his more dangerous endeavours and defending his reputation to the other carnies. Eventually, in order to win back the other carnies, Jonesy reveals his completely healed leg and Ben's complicity in the deed.

Once the carnival arrives at Brother Justin's New Canaan, Jonesy is charged with the task of rescuing a captive Sofie. He follows Stroud to the abandoned woodshed and, after knocking Stroud unconscious, frees Sofie. Sofie, unfortunately, is feeling less than grateful. She is now under the influence of her role as the Omega, and chooses to retrieve Stroud's gun and shoot Jonesy in the chest, then leave him for dead.

Samson, who must get the carnival moving before the inhabitants of New Canaan realize that their messiah has been murdered, has no choice but to abandon Jonesy to his fate.

After Carnivàle's cancellation, Dan Knauf revealed that Jonesy would be alive in season 3.