 |
DIO has declared that this article has stopped in time, and any or all information on it may be outdated. Help improve this article by checking and updating its info wherever necessary And now time resumes! |
  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
| “ | I am willing to let your child wither and die inside of you if that's what's required. Am I the sort of enemy you want to make? | „ |
| ~ Claire to her pregnant former partner |
Claire Hale Underwood, later returning to her maiden name Claire Hale, is the deuteragonist in Seasons 1 to 5, later main protagonist in Season 6, of the Netflix series House of Cards. She is Frank Underwood's wife and number one co-conspirator, as she happens to be as cunning, manipulative and ruthless as her husband.
After Kevin Spacey (who portrays Francis) was fired from House of Cards following several allegations of sexual harassment and assault, his character was written out of the show and Claire became the main character.
She was portrayed by Robin Wright.
Biography
Early life
Claire is an only child, born at April 8, 1966 at Dallas, Texas. She comes from generations of ranchers and she lives at the elite enclave city of Highland Park. Grow up into riches and luxury, she becomes very sophisticated and she attends the the prestigious Phillips Academy before she goes in Radcliffe. However during her studies she was sexually assaulted by the future General Dalton McGinnis and as result got pregnant (although she had abortion). After her graduation at Radcliffe she went into Harvard. It is also believed that she met Frank Underwood during her time at Radcliffe.
Season 1
Claire is the CEO and the founder of Clean Water Initiative (CWI), a charity, non-profit organization intent on bringing clean, drinkable water to developing impoverished countries. However she is just as ruthless, cold-hearted and pragmatic as her husband since she did not hesitated to fire half of her staff including old people who could not get another job. She abused her position in order to help her husband in his political plays and as a way for her and her husband to appear as caring individuals. After Frank did not become Secretary of State, she agrees to help him take revenge and force themselves into the White House. However she did not hesitate to sabotage Frank when he did not grant her with fund for her projects. After that and for a few amounts of episodes she leaves him and go live with her lover, photographer Adam Galloway, in New York. She however returns back to Washington, DC after the death of Peter Russo (one of the her husbands puppets) and she continues assist Frank in his crooged way to power. At the end of Season 1 Frank has become the Vice-President and she leaves CWI to the hands of her former partner Gillian Cole.
Season 2
In season two, Claire has an office in the White House and secretly helps her husband to usurp President Walker. During an interview, it is revealed that she had been raped and as a result of that she had an abortion. After that she starts a bill to prevent military officials to rape female soldiers. She even convinces the First Lady to sign as she and herself have become very close friends. It is all fake however, since she exploits both the First Lady and another female rape victim to achieve her and her husbands goals. After she betrayed the female soldier who she used in order to gain publicity for her plans, she abandons both her bill and the woman, whose life and mental health are ruined because of Claire. She manipulates the First Lady into visiting a physiologists alongside with her husband in order to save their marriage. She then leaks this to the press implying that president's mental state is not healthy. This will leave the road open to Frank to give the decisive strike, force President Walker to resign and take the presidency.
Season 3
Claire is now the First Lady with all the luxuries. She however is restless since she wants to gain experience by holding political office in order to run for president in 2024. She has fail the commit for the US ambassador to the UN which results in her forcing Frank to place her in the position by abusing his power. She starts her career quiet successfully however, as she make several alliances in UN. But this won't last because a peace crisis breaks out between America and Russia involving the Jordan Valley. The Underwoods start negotiating terms but President Petrov refuses them. Claire makes alliances and manages for a peace keeping orientation and she agrees with Frank to send troops to Jordan Valley, something Russia sees as detrimental to Russia's sphere of influence in the Middle East. Her downfall however is with another incident between America and Russia. Russia has arrested an american activist, Michael Corrigan, because he protested against the tyrannical Russian administration. Claire and Frank travel to Russia for negotiations for both Corrigan and the crisis at Jordan Valley. Claire requires to have a private talk with Corrigan in order to persuade him to sign Petrov's contract and return to America. She fails though and Corrigan commits suicide. Both parties agree to an announcement and then there would be made peace at the Jordan Valley. Claire however announces to all the world that Corrigan committed suicide because of Russia's torture and inhuman ways of treating him. This ruined the peace plans and all relations between America and Russia. During the trip back to America, Claire argues with Frank which leads to her being fired of the ambassador office. She returns to be the First Lady again and starts helping Frank to win the Democratic nomination for Presidency. She lays a partial role in his campaign. However, she feels a certain disappointment because of her being only the way to Frank's power goals. She confronts Frank in the oval office and tells him he is not enough for her. After probably the greatest fight between both of them she decides to leave him in the middle of his campaign.
Season 4
Season four starts with Claire being back to Dallas to her parents' house. There she meets with her mother, who is dying of cancer. She refuses to speak with Frank and she hires a political operative, Lyanne Ferguson, to be her campaign manager for the 30th district. Frank discovers her plan and sabotages it by endorsing someone else in the race. She then is forced to tell the world that she is with her mother and not her husband.
She reluctantly returns to Frank, but secretly undermines him by exposing dirty secrets to the public, such as Frank's late father's involvement to the KKK. When Frank discovers what she has done, she tells him that if he wants to win the election he has to nominate her as his Vice-president. He refuses and tells her that she will only be the First Lady. However, Frank is shot, she returns to the White House and manipulates the acting President, Donald Blythe. She actually rules the White House and starts unauthorized projects by the president. During the G8 meeting she confronts Petrov and persuades him to sign with the Chinese and stop the oil crisis. When Frank regains his strength and is informed about her actions, he congratulates her and apologizes for his behavior. He finally admits that he needs her, and agrees to let her be his Vice President. Through their usual lies and manipulations, Frank and Claire gradually eliminate all the other candidates for Vice President until Claire clinches the nomination.
During the last episode of season 4, the Underwoods are hit with two crises at once: a terrorist group kidnaps an American citizen, and journalist Tom Hammerschmidt publishes a damning investigative article exposing Frank's crimes. Claire tells Frank that they must create an atmosphere of fear and panic in order to distract the public; she suggests that they let the hostage die. In the last scene, she and Frank watch as the terrorists murder their hostage in front of the entire world.
Season 5
Personality
Claire is a very strong and decisive woman. She is ready to do whatever it takes to gain what she wants and doesn't let her feelings get in the way. She is cunning, ruthless, cruel and manipulative. She is willing to betray everyone and also erase anyone who will pose as threat to her. However she has a soft side since she is being seen to have some regrets (ex. when she fails to save Corrigan or when she abandons her protege) and she has affection towards others such as Tom Yates, Adam and even her mother, whom she has a very troubled relationship.
Gallery
Trivia
- She had at least three abortions because both she and Frank decided it would be too cruel for them to raise children. However it is not yet clear if she regrets it or not.