Chloe O'Brian


Meet Chloe O'Brian. If you have never watched 24 you probably think, by looking at her picture, you know pretty much everything there is to know about her. Nerd, geek, out-of-step with her peers, more at home with a computer, her boyfriend has a Spock costume ... sure, much of that is true. Some less-than-aware fans sneer at Mary Lynn Rajskub's (pronounced Rice-Cub) monotone delivery without knowing that this is an integral part of the performance. Chloe has Asperger's Syndrome. But Chloe is disabled about like Superman is weakness-impaired. She says and does what needs to be said and done, which puts her miles ahead of the pack. She has the instincts of a heat-seeking missile. She's the only one smart enough to know when what Jack Bauer is doing is correct (and when he's not, she's the only one he'll listen to). This all also makes her a social outcast, but then so is Jack Bauer. Chloe is, in fact, a female Jack Bauer. She does on the computer what Jack does in the real world. Chloe represents the first autistic character -- in fact, the first female disabled character -- to be a full-blown TV hero. She's also been drawn as a thoroughly multi-dimensional person. Her disability is implied (and established by comments from the creators) but never stated. She's a whole person.

We've seen Chloe go from the above through (re)marriage, motherhood, intense maturing (due to her job and friendship with Jack), and through her career height as interim head of CTU. In short, she has gone from Jack's peevish technical analyst friend to a person who is arguably Jack's soulmate. When last we saw her, she was Jack's boss.

If 24 is known for anything (and it will be known for some troubling things), it should be known for this amazing character. Chloe O'Brian is easily Jack Bauer's equal (wait till you see her leave her computer, whip out a rifle and fend off the bad guys). And she also makes Joss Whedon's list of all-time favorite TV characters (and Stephen King's, as well). Dave Barry wants to marry her if Jack doesn't (setting aside the fact she's fictional, of course). Oh, and they've just named a Homeland Security protocol after her. Take that, simpering girly girls!

Oh, and thanks to chloista4ever, here is a Huffington Post tribute to the All-Time Hero Tech.