Clare

"No. 47 in the Organization, Clare, successor of Teresa's flesh and blood, bearer of Irene's right arm and the one who carries Ophelia's hopes and soul to hunt the Awakened Being Priscilla." –Clare

Clare is the protagonist of Claymore. She is the only known Claymore to have taken in the flesh and blood of another Claymore to become one, rather than taking in the flesh and blood of a Yoma, making her a quarter-Yoma as opposed to half-Yoma like other warriors. As such, she was given the rank No. 47. Despite this, she shows great prowess when fighting Yoma and Awakened Beings, and has acquired great techniques.

Clare is the only person to have volunteered to undergo the process of becoming a claymore.

Etymology
"Clare" is a transliteration of the Japanese "Kurea" (クレア, pronounced "ku-re-a").

In the West, "Clare" derives from three sources: the French feminine name "Claire" (derived from the French word for "clear" or "light"), the British-Irish "Clare" derived from the Latin "clarus" (famous). And the Irish county Clare (Anglicization of the Irish-Gaelic "an Clár"), meaning "a plain or flat place."

According to The Gaelic Etymology of the Languages of Western Europe by Charles Mackay, "claidheamh" can be pronounced "claire," the Scottish Gaelic word for "sword," and more specifically a "claymore" (claidheamh mór). Possibly a homophone for the "Clare" above.

Human
Clare as a child appears thin and frail. She wears her brown hair long and has green eyes. Her scarred body depicts abuse from Yoma that used her as a cover.

Claymore
Her hair is cut in a pageboy. As a trainee, she wears it in a long "hime" (princess) style. When ambushed by a Yoma during her final test, she cuts off 2/3 of her hair to hang out a window as a decoy (Extra Scene 4). It has remained short since, and is pale blond as with other Claymores. Her eyes are silver and her body scars gone, except for the unseen stigmata on her abdomen. She has a wispy, frail body which disguises her supernatural strength.

Height: 170 cm (5 ft 6.92in—same height as Elena). Dominant arm: right.

She lost her right arm in a fight with Ophelia. But Irene gives her remaining arm to Clare.

Yoki-suppressant returns a Claymore to her original eye color. But in the anime, Clare's eyes in Rabona are depicted brown, not green (possibly a directional continuity issue).

Partial Awakened Form
Clare's eyes turn gold with slit pupils like a Yoma and her face and body become distorted. Her legs become hock-jointed like a horse's, making her faster, and blades grow from her right arm, with her left becoming large and claw-like. Her awakened right arm is most likely what Irene's right arm would have resembled on awakening.

Personality
"You already appear calm on the surface. But your real heart is a whirlpool of passion." –Irene

Even from childhood, Clare's enormous willpower is apparent when she would persistently follow Teresa despite the dangers. While with Teresa, she was initially mute, but gradually opens up.

Her determination to kill Priscilla made her take Teresa's flesh and blood into her body and become a Claymore. As a Claymore, she has a chilly demeanor, refusing all help and wanting to master all things by herself. But this is a facade.

Clare repeatedly risks all to save others. But she grieves deeply when others do the same, as did Jean. Clare ignores all warnings, rushing into any situation, regardless of danger.

Acute Yoki Sensing
As with Teresa, Clare follows yoki flow in opponents, predicting their moves. This ability has helped Clare to easily slay normal Yoma and Average Awakened beings. However, this technique doesn't help her win against certain opponents that have developed techniques which work around this difficulty, such as Ophelia, whose vibrating Rippling Sword is intensely difficult to dodge or block even for the most powerful warriors.

Awakened Limbs
First seen during the Northern Campaign. Clare's legs become hock-jointed—a cross between a horse and Pterosaur. Her left arm becomes a giant claw, and her right arm sprouts several blades. Her awakened limbs allows her to move at lightning speed.

Clare's awakening ends with Jean dying, as she brings Clare back to normal. Clare's next awakening attempt fails against Priscilla, due to a mental block caused by Jean's death.

Quicksword
By releasing all yoki into the sword arm, controlling the berserking arm through sheer will, Clare attacks at superhuman speed. Irene tries teaching Clare the Quicksword. When Irene realizes Clare can never master the Quicksword in her condition, Irene cuts off her arm and gives it to Clare as a "parting gift" (Scene 38).

Voice Change
Clare has the ability to impersonate a male voice and other types of voices.. She does this only once in her search for Raki in Hanel.

Windcutter
Flora's technique, it is similar to Quicksword in its many consecutive attacks at superhuman speed. Slower, yet more accurate than Quicksword. During the Seven Years Time-Skip, Clare trains with Windcutter since it releases no yoki.

Yoki Suppression
After the Seven Years Time-Skip in Alphonse, Clare, along with the other "Seven Ghosts," has learned to hide one's yoki aura, while retaining yoki sensing and fighting ability.

Organization Rating
From Claymore Databook 1.


 * Yoki: E


 * Agility: E


 * Muscular Strength: E


 * Spirit: D


 * Peception: C+


 * Leadership: E

Early life
Clare's parents are killed by a Yoma impersonating her brother. When the Yoma attacks Clare, an unnamed Claymore kills the Yoma (Scene 3).

But another Yoma captures Clare, forcing her to travel with him as a cover and toy. Scars on her body show abuse. Clare's suffering shuts her down emotionally and she becomes mute.

But still another Claymore would come into her life.

Time with Teresa
At the village of Teo, Clare accompanies seven Yoma. Teresa arrives and kills all seven. When Clare sees Teresa, she sees the same pain in Teresa's eyes as Clare endured. Empathizing with Teresa, she tries embracing Teresa, despite Teresa's rejections (Scene 12,13).

Afterward, she follows Teresa through the wilderness. After falling from a cliff, Clare passes out from dehydration and Teresa allows her to follow. Teresa guesses Clare's name. After an attack by a bandit, Clare manages to speak and explain to Teresa about her feelings.

Teresa kills a Yoma at the town of Rokut. She leaves Clare with a couple. But the Yoma was protecting the town from bandits, who now attack. Teresa returns. When Clare regains conscious, Teresa had killed all the bandits, thus marking herself for death (Scene 17).

Teresa deserts the Organization—she and Clare go into hiding. Teresa is targeted for death. The Organization sends Priscilla, Irene, Noel and Sophia. Teresa defeats the hit squad. Teresa escapes with Clare, but an awakened Priscilla finds them. Clare watches the fight and Teresa's death.

Once Priscilla leaves, Clare takes Teresa's head and searches for a member of the Organization. She finds Rubel and demands Teresa's flesh and blood be put in her (Scene 24).

Employment as a Claymore
Clare joins the Organization to avenge Teresa and, during her transformation, meets Elena, befriending her and relying on her for support during her painful hours.

In her final test, Clare struggles with an old rival in a ruined town. Clare is the only one who senses the Yoma. She saves the injured rival and kills the Yoma (Extra Scene 4).

Clare is ranked No. 47, the lowest.

Raki
At the village of Doga, Clare saves a young boy, Raki, from a Yoma disguised as an older brother. Later, she rescues him from the desert and deposits him at an inn in Egon (Scene 1,3).

Later, when Raki searches for Claire, she rescues him from a Yoma disguised as a Claymore. After guessing that Raki was exiled from Doga, she lets him follow her as her cook.

Traveling with Raki
Rubel gives Clare the Black Card of Elena. Clare reveals to Raki the Black Card system when one cannot control awakening. She kills Elena on Mount Shire, despite Raki's protests (Scene 4).

While on a mission to Rabona, Clare is forced to hide her identity with yoki-suppressant. She arranges with Father Vincent, who requested a Claymore, to care for Raki if she dies. The Yoma attacks Clare in the cathedral. She is unconscious for two days. When she recovers, she finds and kills the Yoma (Scene 11).

Awakened Being Hunts
Clare disobeys orders regarding an Awakened Being Hunting Party in Toriro. The party leader, Miria, threatens to complain to the Organization. But Clare is sent yet on another party, against a more dangerous Awakened Being (Scene 25).

The Paburo Hunting Party is also lead by Miria, plus Deneve and Helen. Helen taunts Clare about her ranking.

Later, when the party actually meets the Awakened Being, Miria realizes the Organization misinformed them of the Being's power. All four Claymore go down, but Clare somehow gets up, despite her injuries. Miria gets up and helps Clare kill the Awakened Being, with Clare removing five of its six arms (Scene 26).

Miria now trusts her new friends and reveals her mistrust of the Organization. The four swear an oath of friendship and promise to meet again. Finally, Miria warns the group to stay away from the top five Claymores (Scene 30).

Fight with Ophelia
Clare joins her third Awakened Being Hunting Party in the town of Gonal. The leader is Ophelia, one of the single-digits that Miria warned about. Ophelia challenges Clare and Raki to a fight. Clare refuses so Ophelia cuts off her legs. Ophelia toys with Raki, while Clare reattaches her legs. When the Awakened Being appears, Clare and Raki escape while Ophelia fights the being.

Clare orders Raki to leave, promising to meet again. She flees alone, but Ophelia catches up. Ophelia slices off Clare's arm and Clare escapes by falling off a cliff. Ophelia follows and destroys the severed arm. After losing her left hand, Clare is helpless (Scene 36).

Irene shows up and disables Ophelia with her "Quicksword."

Clare wakes up in a cabin, in Irene's Hidden Valley, where Irene hid since Teresa's death. While recovering, Clare confesses she wants Priscilla's head. Irene decides to train Clare in her Quicksword attack. After seeing Clare can never do the Quicksword, Irene cuts off her right arm, giving it to Clare as a parting gift.

After Clare leaves, she comes across the awakened Ophelia in a forest. They fight until Ophelia realizes her awakening. She challenges Clare, allowing her to use her new move to cut through Ophelia's long body. When Clare reaches the end, Ophelia lets Clare kill her (Scene 40).

Witch's Maw
After a three month time-skip, Clare arrives at the town of Hanel. She is disguised as a man. From her room at the local inn, she sees Jean leading an Awakened Being Hunting Party to Mount Zakol.

Later, while Clare speaks with a young girl about a Clare and Teresa statue, a Claymore arrives, Raquel, fatally wounded. Raquel tells Clare the hunting party has been captured. She begs Clare to help. Clare promises as Raquel dies. She heads to Mount Zakol, site of the Witch's Maw, an abandoned casle, home of Riful of the West (Scene 41).

Inside, Riful oversees the torture and awakening of the Claymores, done by her consort, Dauf. Jean is the sole survivor.

After fighting several Yoma, Clare enters the castle. Dauf attacks. She fights Dauf, trying to get past him to save the party. Dauf finally catches her. But Galatea appears. Originally sent to retrieve Clare, Galatea rescues Clare and tries to leave, but Dauf caves in the entrance. Galatea, now forced to fight Dauf, orders Clare to get Jean, while Galatea holds off Dauf (Scene 43, 44).

In the chamber Clare finds an awakened Jean. Despite Jean's pleas to be killed, Clare copies Galatea's yoki technique and pulls Jean back to normal.

Jean pledges her life to Clare before they return to help Galatea. The three Claymores defeat Dauf at the last moment, but Riful rescues Dauf before his head is taken off. Riful rewards Clare's efforts by telling her where Priscilla is, before leaving with Dauf. Galatea allows Clare to continue her journey.

Clare objects to Jean following her, saying that the debt is already paid since Jean's example of willpower made her Quicksword even better. She abandons her search for Raki when Rubel and Rafaela catch them. Rubel informs them of the death of Claymore No. 7 Eva in Alphonse. Clare also learns that Raki has been captured by slave-traders and reluctantly accepts her orders to go north (Scene 50).

The Northern Campaign


Clare is one of the 24 Claymore chosen to fight in the Northern Campaign. In the town of Pieta, Miria puts Clare on Flora's team, along with Lily (No. 18), Wendy (No. 30) and Karla (No. 39) (Scene 51).

During the first battle, Flora is hesitant to let Clare fight as she suspects Clare of weakness. However Clare, with Flora's help, saves the entire team from a possessed Karla and eventually kills the Awakened Being.

This changes Flora's perception of Clare's power. After the first battle, Flora challenges Clare to a fight in order to determine whose attack was quicker—Flora's Windcutter attack or Clare's Flash Sword. In the end, Flora judges that Clare's attack is quicker, though less accurate. Flora surrenders the title of "Fastest Sword among the Claymores" to Clare.

During the second battle, Rigardo critically wounds Jean, causing Clare to forget her orders to protect Flora. Flora is cut in half by Rigardo. Clare, enraged, awakens parts of her body, while scarcely holding on to her human mind. Though she kills Rigardo, she loses control and cannot turn back.

She begs Helen to kill her before fully awakening. But the critically wounded Jean sacrifices herself to save Clare, fulfilling her vow to serve Clare. Though Clare recovers, she refuses to accept what Jean did and grieves. Clare is one of the Seven Ghosts (Miria, Helen, Deneve, Cynthia, Tabitha and Yuma), who deserts the Organization after the Northern Campaign.

Alphonse
Clare hides in the mountains with the Seven Ghosts. They learn to hide their yoki aura. During seven years, each polished her own specialty. Clare's is the Windcutter, since the Quicksword radiates yoki, giving away one's presence. According to Deneve, Clare trained hardest out of everyone.

Miria, Deneve, Helen, Cynthia and Tabitha save Nina's hunting party—including Clarice—from Awakened Beings. Meanwhile, Clare and Yuma reach a deserted town, where they with find a slave trade prison. They find clues of Raki being there and having escaped, giving Clare new hope that he is still alive. She requests that she travels south and fights Miria to settle it. In the end, all of the survivors travel south.

Toulouse
On their way south, Miria, Deneve, Helen and Clare rescue an Awakened Being Hunting Party fighting Riful of the West, recruiting Claymores for her plan (Scene 70). Clare remains behind after the other three escape. Pretending to consider Riful's offer to join forces, Clare asks about the status of the Abyssal Ones. After finding out what she needs, she escapes (Scene 71).

When everyone is safe, Miria questions the hunting party leader, Audrey, and learns that Galatea and Rafaela are no longer with the Organization. The Ghosts proceed south.

On reaching Rabona, they fight and defeat Agatha. Clare is the first one to reveal herself and uses Windcutter. Clare remeets Galatea. Afterward, Clare learns from Sid that Raki passed through the city with a young girl. Clare, Yuma and Cynthia leave Rabona together to find Raki (Scene 82).

Lautrec
They proceed west, over the Toulouse border into Lautrec. Here they reach the east-most town, Lacroa, where they spot a search party from the Organization.

When a female "villager" awakens, Clare and Cynthia engage the Awakened Being, while Yuma knocks out the three Claymores, then the two Men-in-Black (Scene 83).

The three defeat the Awakened Being, but give themselves away, as Rubel witnessed everything. The three meet privately with Rubel. Cynthia realizes Rubel is a spy for the Organization's enemies. Clare says Rubel is baiting them to rescue Rafaela and Renee, hoping they get killed in the process. Despite the three's misgivings, Clare decides to rescue the two Claymores, anyway (Scene 85)

Riful and Dauf
As Clare, Cynthia and Yuma approach Riful's Second Hideout, they stop to rest. But Dauf spots them and a fight ensues. Dauf catches Yuma by the leg—Clare cuts it off. Cynthia escaped with Yuma, as Clare uses the Windcutter to distract Dauf. While Cynthia regenerates Yuma's leg, Clare follows Dauf to Riful's castle (Scene 90).

Inside the castle, Riful continues prodding Renee into awakening the merged Luciela-Rafaela.

Clare follows Dauf inside, which starts a second fight. The fight distracts Riful downstairs, allowing Renee to swallow her yoki suppressant and escape. Clare too escapes, but returns to the castle and finds Rafaela-Luciela. Clare enters its consciousness (Scene 91).

Rafaela's Dream World
Inside the entity's mind, Clare walks with "Jean" in a forest—repeating a scene from the aftermath of. "Rafaela" emerges and Jean vanishes. Rafaela says that this world is constructed from Clare's memories, but warns if Clare dies in this world, her real body will die.

Rafaela attacks. Clare "dies" in the first fight—but it was only a dream within a dream. She "wakes up" and a second fight begins. The Windcutter ineffective, Clare uses the Quicksword and kills Rafaela. As Rafaela dies, her memories and emotions flood into Clare, so that Clare will "find what she must know." (Scene 92).

The Destroyer
Clare wakes up naked in a swirling mass of yoki. She emerges from the awakened Luciela-Rafaela—"The Destroyer"—mushrooming into a sky-high, demonic parody of the Clare and Teresa statue. Clare senses the battle between Riful and the Twins—Alicia and Beth. Surprised at Twins' progress, Clare realizes she should not have any memories of them (Scene 93).

Clare wonders why Rafaela had given her memories, but Destroyer begins firing rods from a halo-like crown. Clare warns the approaching Helen and Deneve. The Parasitic Rods morph into Yoma-like creatures. Clare says that the "real hell is just about to begin." (Scene 94).

Parasitic Rods
Cat-like "Yoma" attack the Claymores. Clare says they are lifeless automatons—parasites needing a host to reproduce. She advises to chop them up without getting hit by the rods.

When the second barrage begins, Clare uses her yoki sense to predict the trajectories of the rods, keeping everyone out of harm's way. But Priscilla's approach distracts Clare.

Priscilla
Clare releases as much yoki as she can and attacks, but Priscilla beats her back. Despite Helen's pleading about Raki, Clare apologizes that her only reason for living is to kill Priscilla. Clare tries repeatedly to awaken, but reverts back to normal.

Deneve suspects Jean's death put a wedge inside Clare's mind. Priscilla defeats Clare easily, but before she can kill her a rod barrage distracts her and Deneve and Helen snatch Clare and escape.

Deneve and Helen carry Clare toward the Destroyer. Priscilla, briefly distracted by Dauf, closes in on them. When the Destroyer strikes again, Priscilla destroys its body, which turns out to be a facade. The real body of the Destroyer, a shapeless dark mass of intertwined bodies, emerges and spreads over the entire forest, sucking the life out of everything it touches.

In the confusion, Clare's lower torso is assimilated by the Destroyer, the upper torso dropping from Helen's grip. The Destroyer lifts the remainder of Clare's body and assimilates her. Then Prisicilla appears and Deneve and Helen begin fighting her.

Clare's will takes control the yoki mass and seizes Priscilla, allowing Deneve and Helen to escape. The Destroyer swallows the surrounding forest, finally contracting into a shapeless cocoon (Scene 104).

Later, Deneve tells her comrades that Clare entered the mass in order to save them from Priscilla and trap her as well.

Return to Rabona
The Ghosts bring the deformed cocoon to the outskirts of Rabona. Galatea examines it and confirms the presence of Clare and Priscilla. Galatea warns that releasing Clare from the cocoon would likely free Priscilla.

Raki
Raki is unafraid of Clare, despite her chilly manner. She finally gives her name after he thanks her. When she finds him unconscious in the desert, she takes him to Egon and deposits him at an inn. After Raki admits he was banished from Doga, she allows him to follow her as her cook.

Clare becomes attached to Raki as they travel together. After Gonal, she and Raki have to separate. She kisses him and vows to survive. Clare loves Raki. She keeps searching for him during the seven year time-skip.

Teresa
Teresa rescues Clare from a Yoma, pretending to be her parent. A mute Clare tries bonding to Teresa, only to be rebuffed. While following Teresa in the wilderness, Clare regains her voice and reveals seeing the same pain in Teresa's eyes as Clare suffers and only wants to comfort Teresa. Teresa and Clare become like mother and daughter.

They live happily together for a short time. Clare loves her new mentor so much that she insists on sleeping with Teresa. The moment Teresa is killed, Clare hates herself for being so afraid. Teresa's death inspires Clare to use the Organization as a venue for revenge. She insists that Teresa's flesh and blood be put into her, so that Teresa will live on in Clare.

Priscilla
Clare hates Priscilla—Teresa's killer—making Priscilla's death Clare's life mission. To kill Priscilla, Clare is ready to abandon friends and her very humanity.

Rubel
Despite Rubel's presence from the start of Clare's career, their relationship is a chilly one. His double-dealings anger Clare. At Lacroa he explains all, which angers Clare even more. Except for Irene, Rubel understands Clare's motivations better than anyone. His understanding is cerebral, however. Irene, from an emotional level, perhaps understands Clare the best.

Elena
Clare's only friend in Claymore school. During their painful transformation, they could only sleep by embracing each other. Later as Claymores, Elena gives Clare her Black Card.

Miria
Clare respects Miria for her strength. But despite their later friendship, Miria's first impression of Clare at Toriro (and later in Pieta) convinces Miria that Clare is incorrigibly reckless. Even after the Seven Year Time-Skip, Miria always has someone "baby-sitting" Clare. But Miria respects Clare enough to travel south with her.

Deneve and Helen
Clare is initially hostile to them, especially Helen when taunted for her low rank. She drew her sword against Helen when she teased her about Raki. Deneve is less hostile. But in the Paburo Mountains, Clare willingly rushes into battle to help Deneve and Helen.

After the Being is killed, the four Claymore become friends, promising to survive and meet again. They later do in the Northern Campaign.

Ophelia
Clare joins the Awakened Being hunting party at Gonal. Miria previously warned Clare about Ophelia, who hints at killing humans and getting away with it. Ophelia attacks Clare, cutting off her legs, in a bizarre game to see if Clare can reattach them, as Opheila slowly kills Raki. Later, when Ophelia recognizes her awakened form, she lets Clare euthanize her, playing a game in reverse—this time to lose, not win. Clare seems to no longer harbor ill will toward her, stating later in the manga that she carries Ophelia soul and hope (of killing Priscilla).

Galatea
Galatea impresses Clare for her strength and her Yoki Manipulation when fighting Dauf. So much so that Clare later tries to copy it. But the relationship is ambivalent, as Galatea's true business is to bring Clare back to the Organization. The three Claymore are forced to fight together. But after Dauf's defeat—the moment of truth. Jean decides the issue when she supports Clare. Galatea is forced to retreat. When they met again after seven years, Clare greets Galatea and is pleased when Galatea recognizes her.

Jean
Clare is in awe of Jean's enormous willpower when she kept her mind even when her body awakened. This inspires her to improve her Quicksword. She fights alongside her without complaint but is irritated by Jean following her after the encounter with Riful. When Jean dies after helping Clare to avoid awakening, she is extremely distraught, saying it was not fair that she, the weakest of the Claymores, should survive while Jean, a single-digit, died. Much later, Jean's death is theorized by Deneve to be the reason why Clare subconsciously prevents herself from fully Awakening.

Behind the Scenes

 * Clare's voice actor is Houko Kuwashima and her English voice actor is Stephanie Young.
 * Clare's song on Claymore Intimate Persona is "Full Lyrics for Kiokuthumb|300px|right," meaning "Memory."
 * In the manga, Flora and Clare fight but in the Anime, Jean interferes. Also, in the Anime, Clare fights Priscilla in the ending episodes and Jean dies to save her from awakening afterward. Afterward, she deserts the Organization with Raki.
 * Clare is ranked No. 47 within the Organization. Her ranking refers to the 47th prefecture, Okinawa prefecture, where Norihiro Yagi, the author of Claymore, was born.