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. Clare is the only Claymore to date to have volunteered to undergo the process.

But she is one quarter-Yoma, while the other warriors are half-Yoma. Thus given rank No. 47—the lowest. But she shows great prowess when fighting Yoma and Awakened Beings.

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

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.

Appearance
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: When ambushed by a Yoma during her final test as a trainee, she cuts off 2/3 of her hair to hang out a window as a decoy. 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: 170cm (5ft 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
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 things by herself. But this is a facade, as Clare retains her compassion.

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.

Abilities
Acute Yoki Sensing: Like Teresa, Clare senses yoki to the point where she can predict her opponent's moves. This is easier against opponents with hugh amounts of yoki, such as Awakened Beings.

Awakened Limbs: First seen during the Northern Campaign. Clare's legs become hock-jointed, her left arm becomes giant claw, and her right arm sprouts several blades. Her speed outpaces Rigardo. But Clare awakens, leading to Jean's sacrificing her life to revert Clare back to normal. Clare's next attempt at this ability fails against Priscilla, due to a mental block caused by Jean's death.

Quick Sword: By fully releasing her yoki into the sword arm to the point where it goes beserk while controlling it through sheer will, Clare is able to produce many consecutive attacks at superhuman speed. This technique was passed down by Irene through training and acquiring her right arm. The accuracy of the technique increased by using her yoki sensing in conjunction.

Voice Change: Clare has the ability to change her voice to diguise herself. This ability was used only once in her search for Raki in Hanel.

Windcutter: The special technique of Flora, it is a sword drawing technique similar to the Quicksword in that the result produces many consecutive attacks at superhuman speed. The move is considered somewhat slower, yet more accurate than the Quicksword. During the seven years in hiding, Clare began to train and use the Windcutter over the Quicksword since the latter requires yoki release.

Yoki Suppression: After the seven years time-skip in Alphonse, Clare, along with the other "Seven Ghosts," has learned how to completely suppress her yoki while retaining the ability to attack and sense the yoki of others.

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 (this scene repeats with Clare, "Zaki" and Raki).

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 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.

Clare follows Teresa for many days, going without food or water. Teresa's dismissals, an attack from bandits and even falling from a cliff does not stop her. After falling from a cliff, she passes out from dehydration and Teresa reluctantly allows her to stay until they reach the next town. She is delighted also when Teresa manages to correctly guess her name. When the bandit Rig, who Teresa injured, attempts revenge, she is brave enough to attack him. Once Teresa frightens Rig away, Clare becomes so distraught that she manages to speak and finally explain to Teresa about her feelings.

Teresa leaves her at the town of Rokut, after buying her new clothes and finding her a family to live with. Though she originally protested at leaving her, Clare finally consents to stay. However, the fact that Teresa had killed a Yoma meant that the bandits that attacked them could attack the town. Clare fled from the bandit that tried to attack Teresa and was knocked unconscious. 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. They are followed by Priscilla, Irene, Noel and Sophia. Clare, though never involved, watches the battle that ensued. After the hit squad is defeated, Clare escapes with Teresa, but an awakened Priscilla catches up with 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. When she found Rubel, she begs him to put Teresa's flesh and blood within 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. During her training, she develops her cold and independent attitude.

Even when she dislocated her arm during training, she would not let anyone help her. In the last phase of her training, she battled with an old unnamed rival and was the first to realise the presence of a Yoma. She saved the injured rival and berated her for wanting to die rather than be saved by her. Clare killed the Yoma but not without her hair being cut and she helped the rival out of the training grounds.

Once she was ready, she was given rank No. 47, the lowest rank within the Organization. Clare did her jobs given to her by Rubel and, along the way, met Raki. She was surprised when he takes an interest in her but remained cold and distant towards him, denying to even give him her name.

At the village of Doga, Clare killed a Yoma that disguised himself as Zaki, Raki's older brother. Just as she left, Raki finds and thanks her for killing the Yoma and, after another request, she finally consented to give him her name. After a while, she found Raki again while tracking a Yoma, starved and weak in the wilderness. She deposited him at an inn in Egon and pays for his lodging and food.

She saved Raki from a Yoma that disguised herself as a Claymore to use him as a hostage. Clare managed to kill the Yoma despite having sustained an injury. After discovering that he'd been thrown out of his village just like she had, she allowed him to 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 rendezvous with Elena on Mount Shire and, despite Raki's protests, kills her without compunction. She buries Elena, using Elena's sword as a gravemark. She admits that Elena was her only friend during her transformation.

While on a mission to Rabona, Clare is forced to hide her identity with yoki-suppressent to change her silver eyes to normal. She meets with Father Vincent, in charge of the cathedral, and asks if Raki would be allowed to stay if she dies. Clare was injured in the first fight with the Yoma and was unconscious for two days.

She again fights the Yoma with Galk and Sid. She pushed herself with her injuries so much that she accidentally surpassed her limit. She asked Galk to kill her but Raki protected her, saying that he would die with her. Miraculously, Clare came back to her ordinary self and is able to leave Rabona with him when she recovered.

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, despite being No. 47.

The Paburo Hunting Party is also lead by Miria, plus Deneve and Helen. Helen taunts Clare about her ranking. Later, Miria has a practice fight with Clare to determine her strength and Clare is defeated.

Later, when the party actually meets the Awakened Being, Miria realizes the Organization mistinformed 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 challeges 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. 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.

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.

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.

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). 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 of the north with seven other survivors. The Seven Ghosts learned to hide their yoki completely. 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, harvesting Claymores for her project. 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.

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.

Lautrec
They proceed west, over the Toulouse border into Lautrec. Here they reach the eastmost 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.

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.

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 heals Yuma, Clare follows Dauf to Riful's castle.

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.

Rafaela's Dream World
Inside the entity's mind, Clare walks with "Jean" in a forest—repeating a scene from the aftermath of Mount Zakol. "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."

The Destroyer
Clare wakes up naked in a swirling mass of yoki. She emerges from the awakened Luciela-Rafaela, 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.

Clare wonders why Rafaela had given her memories, but new entity, The 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."

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. Clare goes down. A rod barrage distracts Priscilla—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 what turns out to be a facade. The real body of the Destroyer, a shapeless dark mass of intertwined bodies, emerges.

In the confusion, Clare's lower torso is gone, the upper torso dropping from Helen's grip. The Destroyer lifts Clare's body. Then Prisicilla appears. Deneve and Helen fight her, but while no one is looking, Clare gets "swallowed."

Clare apparently takes control the yoki mass and seizes Priscilla, allowing Deneve and Helen to escape. The Destroyer swallows the surrounding forest, before contracting into a shapeless cocoon.

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. She keeps searching for him during the seven year time-skip. As revealed in Scene 100, her sole motivation was to confirm his safety and say farewell before she awakens and destroys Priscilla.

Teresa
Teresa rescues Clare from a Yoma, pretending to a 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
Clare does not show any inclination of friendship toward her handler. She simply treats Rubel like a messenger and a supplier of information. She is angered by the tricks he plays on her and is even more so when she encounters him again after seven years.

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 (Deneva in anime) is less overtly hostile, but does not take Clare seriously, either. But in the Paburo Mountains, Clare willingly rushes into battle to help Deneve and Helen.

When the hunting party survives, all four Claymore are friends and promise to survive and meet again. They later do in the Northern Campaign. Deneve and Helen now care deeply for Clare, spiriting her away in the wake of her failed attack on Priscilla. They mourn when Clare is trapped inside the Destoyer cocoon.

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 song on Claymore Intimate Persona is "Kioku," 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 afterwards. 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.