Jack Bauer

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24 character
Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer
Portrayed by	Kiefer Sutherland
Day	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Jack Bauer is the protagonist of the United States television series 24, in which he has trained and worked in various capacities as a government agent, including US Army Delta Force, LAPD SWAT, and finally the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) Los Angeles. Within the 24 storyline, he is a key member of the latter and is often noted as the best agent CTU has. Jack's job usually involves him helping prevent major terrorist attacks on the United States, saving both civilians and governments. On many occasions Jack does so at great personal expense, as those he thwarts subsequently target him and his loved ones. Actor Kiefer Sutherland portrays Jack Bauer in the television show and video game, and in 2006 signed on for at least three further seasons.^[1] Bauer is often cited as an inspiration for CIA interrogators^[2][3]

Contents 1 Origin 2 Concept and creation 2.1 Character creation 2.2 Kiefer Sutherland 3 Appearances 3.1 Day 1 3.2 Day 2 3.3 24: The Game 3.4 Day 3 3.5 Day 4 3.6 Day 5 3.7 Day 6 3.8 Day 7 4 Other appearances 4.1 24 mobisodes 4.2 24: The Game 4.3 24: The Movie 4.4 24 action figure 4.5 24 Comics 5 Law and Politics 6 In mass media 7 Characteristics 8 Skills 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Origin

Jack Bauer was born February 18, 1966, in Santa Monica, California^{[citation needed]} to Philip Bauer, who placed his livelihood in his company, BXJ Technologies. The name of Jack's mother is unknown, as she has never been mentioned in the show's history. Jack had one brother, Graem (or "Gray," as Jack called him), who wanted nothing more than his father's respect, and earned it by going to work for him. Philip hoped that Jack would follow Graem's example, but, as Jack said in Day 6, "I just had to go my own way."

Jack has a Bachelor's Degree in English and a Master's Degree in Criminology from The Australian National University. He entered the U.S. Army and eventually joined the elite Delta Force (Among his honors are the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and the Legion of Merit). He left the Army with the rank of Captain, according to his service record. Following his career in the Army, Jack worked for both the Los Angeles Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics unit and for the Central Intelligence Agency as a case officer in the clandestine service. He is recruited into the Counter-Terrorist Unit (CTU) by Christopher Henderson which results in his future position as Special Agent in Charge.^[4]

[edit] Concept and creation

[edit] Character creation

The writers of 24 collaborated with Sutherland to create the part of Jack Bauer. Tanooj Luthra was the head writer who actually came up with the name Jack Bauer. There are theories that Jack Bauer's name and mind-set are heavily influenced by British philosopher Jeremy Bentham, which can also be the case for James Bond and Jason Bourne who all share initials, as well as values. Sutherland is also an executive producer of 24.^[1]

[edit] Kiefer Sutherland

Joel Surnow commented that they did not have any actors in mind for the part; "We didn’t really know who it was. We were casting a lot of people and then we heard Kiefer Sutherland’s name and thought, that’s Jack Bauer."^[1] Initially Kiefer Sutherland had reservations about playing Jack Bauer, stating, "I thought, 'This is really clever and different, so there's no way they're going to pick it up. But I could use the money, and no one will ever see it'."^[5]

In 24, Sutherland must produce around 18 hours of film each season, "which is like making 12 movies, so there are going to be mistakes along the way, but I am incredibly surprised by how many things work well as a result of working at that pace."^[5]

Sutherland signed a contract to play the role of Bauer for three more seasons for $40 million. Reactions by critics to his performance have been very positive with five Emmy nominations and a win in 2006 for his work in Season 5. He also won a Golden Globe for the role in 2002.^[6]

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Day 1

During season 1, Bauer's wife Teri and his daughter Kim are kidnapped by Victor Drazen, a man Bauer believes he killed in a covert mission called Operation Nightfall in Kosovo two years earlier. Jack must try to rescue them, while simultaneously preventing an assassination attempt on presidential-candidate Senator David Palmer. Erroneously believing that Kim is murdered by Drazen, Jack kills Drazen and his associates. As Bauer is returning to CTU, Nina Myers, whom he knows to be a traitor, kills Teri before being arrested. Jack cries with Teri in his arms to end the first season.

[edit] Day 2

A year after the events of Day 1 and the loss of his wife Teri, Jack is asked to be brought back into action by George Mason and CTU at the request of the NSA. Jack, who is still seemingly overwhelmed by his wife's death and the fact that his daughter Kim wants nothing to do with him, refuses as he holds CTU responsible for what happened to Teri. However, at the request of now-President Palmer, he goes to CTU, where he learns that there are terrorists in Los Angeles who plan to blow up a nuclear bomb in the city sometime within the course of that day.

[edit] 24: The Game

In this videogame, taking place six months after Day 2, Jack Bauer must stop Peter Madsen (who formerly received orders from Jack) from detonating several bombs in Los Angeles, subsequently causing what Madsen calls the "downfall of Los Angeles". This videogame also clears the gap left by Day 2 regarding Max, whom Jack kills at the end.

[edit] Day 3

Three years later (Season 3), Jack returns from an undercover sting operation of Ramon Salazar, a Mexican drug lord. While the operation is a success and results in the arrest of Salazar, it comes at a heavy price. Bauer ends up with a heroin addiction in order to maintain his cover with the Salazars, and attempts to fight it by going "cold turkey". Ramon's brother, Hector, insists that Bauer be kept alive to buy the Cordilla virus and resell them to underground organizations worldwide for a one billion dollar profit. Eventually Bauer wins the trust of Ramon Salazar but learns that another buyer is in play, headed by Nina Myers. The sale of the virus goes bad, but Nina Myers is taken into custody and is eventually executed by Bauer after he deems her useless. He then learns that the man behind the distribution of the virus and the attacks is Stephen Saunders, one of Jack's former team members presumed dead from Operation: Nightfall in Kosovo. Eventually Jack and Chase capture Saunders and retrieve the vials of virus. On their last retrieval, Jack is forced to make a decision to cut the hand of Chase to gain the final virus device; Chase had fastened the device to his hand with a titanium clamp to prevent the escape of the suspect carrying it. After leaving the hospital following Chase's decision, Jack takes a moment in his parked SUV. For the last remaining minutes in the 24 hours since the day began, Jack sits alone in his car, crying.

[edit] Day 4

Three months later, Jack is fired by Erin Driscoll due to his heroin addiction acquired prior to Season 3. He finds employment with the Department of Defense. Bauer becomes involved in a relationship with the daughter of the Secretary of Defense, Audrey Raines. However, after Jack is called back to CTU in Season 4 to help them stop a terrorist mastermind named Habib Marwan, Audrey witnesses Jack interrogate her estranged husband Paul Raines, which makes her question whether or not she can be in a relationship with him. Later in the day, Jack is told by former President David Palmer, whom Logan brought in as an adviser, to invade the Chinese consulate to extract a man named Lee Jong who has key information. However, the Chinese consul was accidentally killed by friendly fire. The Chinese soon learn that Jack was behind the attack, and at the conclusion of the season, Jack is forced to fake his own death and go into hiding in order to avoid being taken into Chinese custody, and also as protection from being killed by U.S. government elements to prevent his revealing of military secrets to the Chinese.

[edit] Day 5

After Michelle Dessler and David Palmer are killed, and Tony Almeida is presumed dead by assassins, Jack is forced out of hiding. He discovers that this was the assassins plot: to frame him for the murders. Chloe O'Brian is saved by Jack as assassins attempt to kill her as well. Jack interrogates the assassin and retrieves information that they were setting him up. Terrorists take over an airport terminal, but CTU learns that the hostage situation was a decoy to obtain military-grade Sentox VX1 Nerve Gas. Jack follows a series of leads which takes him to Christopher Henderson, a man Jack used to work under at CTU. Jack goes undercover when the terrorists try to release a canister at the Sunrise Hills shopping mall, and he stops the attempt against the orders of the President. At the end of the season Jack is captured and imprisoned by the Chinese for his actions from Day 4.

[edit] Day 6

Over the last 11 weeks, the United States has been a target of non-stop terrorist attacks and bombings, in public buildings and transportation. Jack is released from China 20 months after his capture at the end of Day 5. It is revealed that he is being released only to be handed over to Abu Fayed. However, Jack manages to escape and tries to warn President Wayne Palmer of Hamri Al-Assad's innocence, a man whom Fayed convinced the US was behind the attacks. Jack saves Assad from an air strike, and the two are able to thwart a bombing attempt on a subway and rescue a civilian family held hostage. As the events unfold, painful memories of his murdered squadron leads Curtis Manning to attempt to kill Assad, leaving Jack no choice but to shoot Curtis in order to get more of the information they need from Assad, sending Jack into an emotional state of overwhelming grief. Jack attempts to quit from CTU, but a nuclear bomb explodes, decimating Valencia, California. He realizes he cannot stop what he's doing until he stops Fayed once and for all. New leads point to an involvement with a company run by his father Phillip Bauer and brother Graem. Jack interrogates Graem for information, but before he can get a lead Phillip Bauer sees his son as too much of a risk to reveal his involvement and kills Graem himself (under the impression Graem had a heart attack from the drugs). Jack discovers his father's involvement and trails him to a hotel, where he is holding his grandson Josh Bauer hostage. Phillip agrees to trade Josh's life for Jack's. As Phillip is about to execute his son, Jack makes a last sentiment, claiming that he became what he did for his own reasons, and not to spite his father. Phillip leaves before shooting Jack, who eventually manages to thwart Fayed's nuclear plans, killing him before any more bombs could detonate.

Jack is told that Audrey Raines died looking for him in China, but later discovers that she has actually been kidnapped by the Chinese. He completes an exchange with the Chinese and manages to save Audrey, as well as his nephew who gets mixed up in the events when Phillip Bauer returns. Jack tearfully bids goodbye to Audrey after being told by her father, James Heller, that he cannot give her good enough care. The season ends with Jack staring out into the horizon, uncertain of his future.

Assuming that Day 1 took place in 2001 when the series began, Jack would be 44 years old on Day 6, which is 9 years and 2 months from Day 1 in the series.^{[original research?]}

[edit] Day 7

Jack Bauer will return in Day 7 of 24, in which he is on trial for torture. He is approached by FBI Agent Renee Walker, who tells him of a possible threat to the country that is being forwarded by Jack's old friend, Tony Almeida, who has been presumed dead for nearly 5 years after the events of Day 5. According to the show's creative team, as well as the Day 7 trailer, CTU will not play a role on the show for the first time ever, although both Chloe O'Brien and Bill Buchanan will make appearances in Jack's aid.

[edit] Other appearances

As the principal character in 24, Jack plays a prominent role in the television series as well as the video game. Jack is the main protagonist of the 24 series and the books, and has appeared in every episode to date. He is the only character to have done so, although Glenn Morshower, as Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce, has appeared in every season.

[edit] 24 mobisodes

24 Day Six Debrief is a Sprint TV exclusive, sponsored by American Express, that takes place 35 hours after the nuclear device exploded in Valencia, CA. Part 1 is roughly 90 seconds in length. The time clock starts ticking at 9:00:00 and ends at 9:01:34. Two agents, Agent Ramirez and Agent Moss, track Jack down to an apartment and ask him to come to CTU for debriefing about the recovery of the tactical nukes. The series consists of 5 parts, no longer than three minutes in length each. The Debrief consists of Agent Ramirez and other agents attempting to discover more about the supposed-death of an undercover agent, Marcus Holt, who disappeared shortly into Jack's imprisonment in China at the hands of Cheng Zhi. Since Holt was involved with the Chinese government, it is believed that Jack leaked information that led to his identity being discovered and execution. At the end of the series, the agents announce that they have no conclusive evidence about his involvement, but Ramirez promises to keep a close eye on him until he is certain. Jack tells Ramirez that if he ever sees him again, he better say "the Lord's prayer", because it will mean he's come to kill him.

With that, Jack Bauer is released from custody and the interrogation ends.

[edit] 24: The Game

24: The Game takes place between Day 2 and 3. Jack begins waiting outside the ship where terrorists are going to release a Ricin Bomb in the water supply. A CTU Team triggers an alarm causing Jack and his team to storm the ship. Jack and his team finds the whole ship's crew dead in a cargo hold. He runs into an enemy from his past, known as Peter Madsen. It is unclear what the story is between them, but it is stated that he framed Jack's family for a vile crime, this is hinted with Jack saying to him: "Eight years ago, my family was not involved". Madsen also states that he no longer takes orders from Jack. Most likely it's hinted that Madsen was under Jack's command either in the army or in an SWAT team, and Madsen betrayed Jack. Madsen kidnaps Jack's daughter Kim, and later Kate Warner. Jack finally kills Madsen in the end when he tries to escape by shooting up his speedboat with an M-80 assault rifle, causing it to explode. He also kills Max, who was holding Kate hostage, saving her life. However Max managed to shoot Jack once before dying, the second of two times he was shot in the final hour of the game, the first time being by Madson. As a result, Chase Edmunds takes Jack to the hospital via helicopter.

[edit] 24: The Movie

Main article: 24: The Movie

Kiefer Sutherland will portray Jack Bauer in a 24: The Movie in the future. The film is not yet being made, and it is not known when it will be released. According to the official 24 magazine, Kim Raver (Audrey Raines) and Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O'Brian) will join Kiefer in the future film with Elisha Cuthbert as Jack's daughter, Kim Bauer

[edit] 24 action figure

In January 2007, McFarlane Toys announced plans for a line of 24 action figures. Two figures of Jack Bauer are currently in production. Both are packaged as boxed sets and re-create scenes taken directly from the series. The first figure is expected to hit store shelves in August 2007, with the second scheduled for holiday season 2007 release. According to Sutherland in Wizard Magazine after the announcement, another Bauer figure had been designed at one point in the past and given to him to approve the likeness.

[edit] 24 Comics

IDW has released a series of Comic Books based on the adventures of Jack Bauer and other members of the 24 Cast. 24's Comic License is published by IDW Publishing

• 24: Nightfall - A tale shedding more light on the background and characters of Day 1, including Victor Drazen. Written by J.C. Vaughn and Mark L. Haynes
• 24: Cold Warriors - A original tale of intrigue featuring Jack Bauer and Chloe O'Brien, set in Alaska. Written by Beau Smith and Steve Bryant

[edit] Law and Politics

American politicians and lawyers have taken to using Jack Bauer and his actions as a way of framing the debate on American interrogation techniques.

In a legal conference in Ottawa, Canada, for example, US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia took offense at a Canadian judge's remark that his nation did not consider what Jack Bauer would do when setting policy. "Scalia shot back: "Jack Bauer saved Los Angeles.... He saved hundreds of thousands of lives… Are you going to convict Jack Bauer? Say that criminal law is against him? 'You have the right to a jury trial?' Is any jury going to convict Jack Bauer? I do not think so."^[7]

[edit] In mass media

Jack Bauer has been referenced in other television shows, both subtly and obviously. In an episode of House, also on FOX, Dr. Gregory House responds to an emergency situation by saying sarcastically, "Oh, a level three! Maybe we should call Jack Bauer."

Bauer appeared in the first half of the season finale of the 18th season (episode 399) of The Simpsons with Chloe O'Brian as part of Springfield Elementary's new Counter Truancy Unit. He gets embarrassed on a prank call made by Bart Simpson (due to a crossover of calls). In the end, Bauer and the CTU break into Springfield Elementary, ruining its bake sale. They were about to arrest Bart for the prank call until a nuclear bomb activates in the background. Bauer then promptly tells the people that it was in Shelbyville, much to their relief.^[8]

A Season 11 episode of South Park, entitled "The Snuke", appeared in a 24 format, with the South Park character Eric Cartman taking the role of Jack Bauer. Other characters were parodied, including Chloe O'Brian. Also, several previous 24 storylines were used in the episode. Jack Bauer was referenced by Congressman Tom Tancredo in the May 15, 2007 Republican debate in South Carolina after a question about torture. Jack Bauer also made an appearance on Conan O'Brien's opening sketch of the 2006 Emmys.

[edit] Characteristics

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Bauer's behavior and actions are consistent with doing that which has to be done to protect the United States and his family. Indeed, these seem to be the only moral imperatives that Jack follows consistently.^[9] His philosophy was perhaps best expressed after he shot a witness in front of George Mason, the CTU Special Agent in Charge. George expressed dismay at Jack's extreme action, and Jack's reply typifies his attitude: "That's the problem with people like you, George. You want results, but you never want to get your hands dirty."^[10] Lying, torture, theft, and even killing people he cares about are all viable options to Jack. In this way the character gives a twist to the understanding of "hero" in American popular culture.^[11] Comparisons with the very people he battles are inevitable. As stated by George Mason in Day 1, "Rules do not apply to Jack Bauer. He does what he wants, when he wants, and he does not care whose life it affects." The very day he was released from a 20 month stay in a Chinese prison for violating the sovereignty of their consulate, he was willing to risk the exact same thing again by going into the Russian Consulate over the objection of former President Charles Logan, who attempted to redeem himself for his actions during Day 5 by offering to help Jack locate Dmitri Gredenko.

Jack's work brings with it dangers that occasionally put his and his family's life on the line, as well as the lives of those close to him, in order to serve the greater good. In one instance, he was forced to choose between defying a terrorist with a biological weapon or killing one of his superiors, Regional Director Ryan Chappelle. Despite efforts to locate the terrorist before the deadline, Bauer was forced to execute Chappelle to prevent the release of the weapon. In the fourth season, Bauer drew the ire of the Chinese government when he infiltrated and extracted a Chinese scientist named Lee Jong from the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, which resulted in the death of the Chinese Consul. Lee was shot during the raid and needed immediate medical attention. At CTU, Bauer learned that the sole doctor was already working on Paul Raines, estranged husband of Audrey Raines who earlier in the series had saved Jack's life. Much to Audrey's horror, Bauer drew his weapon and ordered the doctor to abandon Paul Raines and begin surgery on Lee. Raines went into cardiac arrest and died shortly afterward. With the information he obtained from Lee, though, Bauer was able to prevent a nuclear explosion in Los Angeles. He is also willing to kill Chase in season 3 at Salazar's ranch.

Jack is rarely seen showing remorse for such actions until after the crisis has passed. He has on occasion revealed his more vulnerable side, including notable scenes like at the end of Day One when he starts crying while holding his wife's dead body, the end of Day 3 when he breaks down crying after the traumatic events of the day and while holding Tony Almeida's lifeless body in the middle of Day 5. Jack also has an emotional outburst directed at James Heller at the end of Day 6 which, unlike most such occurrences, was not toward a strategic aim, but was brought about by Jack's strong personal feelings regarding his life, his time in China and Audrey Raines.

When it was discovered terrorists were preparing to release a canister of nerve gas in a crowded shopping mall, Jack was ordered by his superior Lynn McGill to let the terrorists carry out the attack, which would have led to hundreds of deaths, and then follow them in the hopes of recovering the other nerve gas containers they had stolen. Jack refused and stopped the attack, even against the rationalization that a few hundred deaths were nothing compared to the hundreds of thousands of deaths the rest of the nerve gas could inflict.

Jack has volunteered for suicide missions in the past, ranging from crashing a plane with a nuclear bomb in the desert on Day 2, to asking his Chinese captors on Day 5 to kill him instead of interrogating him for years, knowing that he would never speak. On Day 6, Bauer offered no resistance when he was released from Chinese custody only to learn he was a bargaining chip for a known terrorist. Only when he learned that CTU was fooled by terrorists and that his death would amount to nothing did he begin to resist and escape his captors. Once again, later that day he requested that president Wayne Palmer allow him to carry out an exchange with the Chinese to release Audrey Raines on the basis he would sacrifice himself by destroying the building he would be in with explosives, in order to destroy the component being exchanged.

[edit] Skills

After serving in many career fields, Jack has a number of skills that he has garnered over the years. During his time in the U.S. Army and Delta, he learned to speak foreign languages (Spanish and Russian are among the languages he has spoken, and he seems to understand Serbian) and has become a deadly soldier. He is also an expert marksman. He is very fast, as well as very durable. His ability to withstand torture has been shown time and time again, as he refuses to break. This was shown in Day 2 when he clinically died (temporarily) rather than give up the location of a chip to an expert interrogator. Then, following Day 5, he spent 20 months in a Shanghai prison and was subjected to brutal torture everyday, but he never spoke a single word, let alone give the Chinese any vital information. During the early stages of Day 6, Jack is tortured and could have been killed by Abu Fayed as part of a deal Fayed made with the United States in exchange for the stoppage of terrorist attacks, but manages to escape. Jack is also a very capable mission-leader, a skill he garnered from his military career as well as from his time in the LAPD SWAT division. His close quarter fighting skills are top-notch, as he is more than capable of killing a man with his bare hands, as witnessed in Days 2, 4, 5, and 6, or his teeth when he bit into the jugular vain of one of Fayed's men, instantly killing him and enabling him to escape further torture and possible death. He also has surprising strength for a man his size (5 ft 10 in, 167 pounds). Perhaps his most notable skill is the fact that he is a ruthless interrogator who's not above bullying or using any form of torture to get answers. As demonstrated during Day 6, Jack is not even above torturing a member of his own family as he used chemical torture and suffocation on his brother Graem during an interrogation in a successful attempt to get him to cooperate.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Jack Bauer's Official Character Profile