Irene

In her time as a Claymore, Irene was Number Two, known for her high-speed sword, gaining her the title 'Quicksword Irene'. When she was attacked by Priscilla, she faked her own death and deserted the Organization. She emerged from hiding to help Clare. Her death is implied but never confirmed.

Appearance
Claymore: Irene has long pale hair (in the anime, it is silver), calm eyes and an aquiline nose.

After deserting the Organization: Irene's hair has grown (in the anime, it has grown to her knees) and has only her right arm until she gives it to Clare. She wears a dark leather outfit and a lighter-coloured, ragged cloak.

Employment as a Claymore
Her story before becoming a hybrid is unknown or how she rose to Number Two. Among the Claymores, Irene was Number Two during Teresa's time. She was well known for her great speed wielding a sword, which earned her the title Flash Sword Irene. She makes acquaintances of Teresa, Sophia and Noel during her employment.

Battle with Teresa
After being demoted to Number Three by Priscilla's employment, Irene was summoned to a Yoma hive to rally with Noel, Sophia and Priscilla on the mission to assassinate Teresa. She seemed to be the only one who was informed of their mission and was given the duty of passing on the information to the others. Sometime before she joined Noel and Sophia, she encountered Priscilla in combat. According to her, she accepted Priscilla's high ranking despite her lack of experience immediately and she had shook with fear at the sight of her. She was the first to realise Priscilla's exceptional loathing for Yoma and her potential to surpass Teresa. Irene added that she would not be confident to assault Teresa without Priscilla.

When the group found Teresa, she entered the building first, performing her Quicksword against her. Teresa commented that she had improved over the years. Irene seemed shocked when she still could not overpower Teresa. When Priscilla engaged in single combat with Teresa, she stayed on the sidelines, explaining to Noel why Teresa was known as 'Teresa of the Faint Smile' and why Priscilla, who fought with her Yoki suppressed, was the best opponent. Irene was the first to identify when it was time to intervene when Teresa was beginning to gain the upper hand. She rallied the other three, stifling Priscilla's desire to fight Teresa one on one. Even with her Yoki released, Irene could not defeat Teresa. In fact, she was the first to be wounded out of the four. Irene was amazed that she had underestimated Teresa again when the group was defeated.

When Teresa spared Priscilla, she was amazed, knowing that the old Teresa would not have hesitated to kill her. When Teresa left, she tried to gather the group again for another assault but Priscilla's Yoki ran wild in her maddened state and, despite Irene's efforts, she pursued Teresa alone. By the time Irene, Sophia and Noel had reached the battlefield, Teresa had released her Yoki and Priscilla was close to Awakening. Irene identified Priscilla's condition of Yoki release and was astonished again by Teresa's strength. She never intervened between the two warriors.

When Priscilla killed Teresa and Awakened, Irene was the first to attack but lost her left arm in the second they clashed. She was distraught when Sophia and Noel were killed and, when she was slashed by Priscilla, she seemed dead.

Desertion
She regained consciousness some time after Priscilla and Clare had left the site and, knowing she would be no use to the Organization with one arm and fearing death (be it from the Organization or Priscilla herself, if she returned). She deserted to a far-off valley surrounded by mountains, suppressing her Yoki so it was invisible. There she remained for years until her Yoki aura had almost vanished, living a simple life away from wars, abandoning the use of her sword.

When the battling Ophelia and Clare approached her hiding place, she felt that Clare's aura was almost identical to Teresa's aura, though she did not identify her until she found them. Ophelia turned her sword upon Irene for interrupting her as she was about to kill Clare. Irene easily blocked her sword with the Quicksword, even Ophelia's Rippling Sword was no match for it. She easily incapacitated Ophelia and took in Clare after she lost consciousness. Irene forcefully persuaded Clare to stay instead of recklessly going after Ophelia. Afterwards, she questioned Clare about her motives for becoming a warrior, trying to dissuade her from hunting Priscilla. However, when Clare told her that was impossible, Irene decided to teach Clare the Quicksword.

It became clear to Irene that Clare could never truly master the Quicksword since she was not made for it. However, she continued to teach her for a day. That night, she gave Clare her old Claymore uniform and talked about Teresa. She told Clare that Teresa's death had been because of her unlocking the love in Teresa's heart. She then encouraged Clare to live on, since she was the only proof Teresa existed. The next day, she completed her Quicksword lessons with Clare and, as a parting gift, gave Clare her own remaining arm. She insisted Clare kept it, saying that she did not need it when Clare certainly did.

After Clare left, a helpless Irene was confronted by Rafaela. She never showed regret for her decisions to use her Quicksword, a technique that would release her Yoki and make her detectable, or to give her arm to Clare. Though her death is implied (as Clare is leaving Irene's dwelling, she notes that her arm reacts - this is roughly the same time after of Rafaela and Irene's exchange), it has not yet been confirmed.

Personality
Irene is a calm, calculating and intelligent Claymore, being a good strategist. This suits her Quicksword Technique, which requires a calm demeanor. She seems almost emotionless. However, she said that she envied Teresa for having someone she loved. She displayed a fear of dying by deserting the Organization after losing her arm. She is not afraid to sacrifice herself though, when she gave her arm to Clare.

Abilities
Quicksword: Irene's trademark technique involves a high speed sword technique that it becomes invisible to the naked eye. This is done by channeling all of one's yoki into one arm - in essence - awakening that arm alone (See Fit for Battle, Ch. 1 - pg 117). It is a dangerous technique as the natural instinct is to release yoki throughout the body, thereby requiring extreme concentration at all times to focus yoki and to control the awakened arm. Irene can perform this technique so well that she does not even appear to draw her sword.

Yoki Sensing and Suppression: Irene showed an adeptness at sensing Yoki energy when she identified Priscilla's state and, in order to stay in hiding, she displayed a talent of suppressing her own Yoki over prolonged periods of time.

Teresa, Noel and Sophia
The four seem to know each other. Whether from training or from early work is unclear but Teresa had seen Irene's Quicksword before and Sophia commented that she had not seen Irene in a long time.

Priscilla
From the moment Irene saw her, she held Priscilla as an object of fear for her immense powers. However, she could have a hold over her with her leader-like attitude. The fear of Awakened Priscilla had apparently 'still not left her' after her time in hiding.

Clare
Irene identified her aura as alike to Teresa's aura and felt compelled to save her. After that, she realized that she was the girl that was with Teresa and willingly trained her to become stronger. She desired Clare to continue living since she was 'the only proof Teresa ever existed'.

Etymology
'Irene' is of Greek origin, meaning 'peace', probably a reference to her calm attitude to everything or the fact that she withdrew from battle for so long. A Saint of the same name was one of three sisters who were martyred in Macedonia, probably a reference to the fact that she was one of the three who 'died' at Priscilla's hand.

Behind the Scenes

 * Irene's voice actor in the anime is Minami Takayama and, in the English dub, it is Wendy Powell.
 * Irene has a song on the Claymore Intimate Persona CD called Shippu. This can either mean 'suppress' or 'hurricane', both meanings are congenial to Irene.
 * In the manga, Irene is known as 'Ilena'.

Appearances

 * Claymore Manga Chapter 18
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 19
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 20
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 21
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 22
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 23
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 24
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 36
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 37
 * Claymore Manga Chapter 38
 * Claymore Anime Episode 7
 * Claymore Anime Episode 8
 * Claymore Anime Episode 13
 * Claymore Anime Episode 14