Jarred is a pivotal character whose life is defined by loyalty, sacrifice, and a long struggle against the Shadow Lord. He begins his story as a close companion to Prince Endon, having been brought to the palace as a young child to be the prince's friend and companion. The two grew up together like brothers, developing secret codes and a deep bond of trust that would later prove crucial. As a young man, Jarred becomes suspicious of the kingdom's strict rules that keep the royal family isolated. After the death of Endon's father, he discovers an ancient book revealing that the king must always wear the magical Belt of Deltora to protect the land. When he tries to warn the grieving new king, the treacherous chief advisor Prandine accuses him of attempted murder, forcing Jarred to flee the palace.

Escaping into the city of Del, Jarred is horrified to discover that the beautiful capital he saw from the palace was merely an illusion, hiding terrible poverty and suffering. He finds shelter with an old blacksmith named Crian and his granddaughter Anna. Taking Crian as his mentor, Jarred becomes a blacksmith, marries Anna, and keeps a vigilant watch for any signal from Endon. Years later, when the Shadow Lord finally attacks the palace, Jarred deciphers a coded message from Endon and leads the king, queen, and his own wife Anna to safety. To protect the queen's unborn child and preserve the royal bloodline, Jarred and Endon make the extraordinary decision to switch identities. Jarred and Anna flee to the Forests of Silence, where their daughter Jasmine is born.

Tragedy strikes when Grey Guards capture Jarred and Anna. While Anna dies in captivity, Jarred is forced to fight monstrous creatures in the Shadow Arena. A severe head wound during combat robs him of his memories and his identity. He eventually escapes the Shadowlands, but with no recollection of who he is, he wanders Deltora as a haunted and driven man. After a peaceful man named Doom is killed protecting him, Jarred takes that name for himself and channels his rage into leading the Resistance against the Shadow Lord. As the masked and mysterious Doom, he is hardened and cynical, believing that the Shadow Lord can only be defeated by strength of arms rather than the magic that failed Deltora. He develops a near-instinctive ability to detect the Shadow Lord's shapeshifting spies, the Ols, but he also harbors a bitter misjudgment of King Endon, believing the former king cowardly abandoned his people.

Jarred's role in the story becomes fully realized when his own son, Lief, embarks on the quest to recover the seven gems of the Belt of Deltora. Unknown to Lief at first, the man he believes is his father is actually King Endon, while the stern resistance leader Doom is his true father, Jarred. Throughout the quest, Doom aids Lief, Barda, and Jasmine from the shadows, rescuing them from Grey Guards and offering the resources of the Resistance. His guarded nature slowly gives way as he reconnects with his daughter Jasmine, though the full truth of his identity only emerges near the end of the journey. His character arc moves from a hopeful young man betrayed and broken by fate, to a hardened warrior who has lost everything, and finally to a father who regains his family and his true name. Jarred is a skilled blacksmith, capable of crafting weapons and even repairing the Belt of Deltora. He is also a formidable fighter, proficient with a sword and dagger, and possesses exceptional resilience and survival instincts honed through years of captivity and combat. His ability to sense Ols makes him a valuable and dangerous enemy of the Shadow Lord.