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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.