Characters of Claymore Project

[jamie95403]

I suspect Uma of greater things in the future. Everyone in the manga may be underestimating her and Tabitha. The fact that both are not taken seriously due to their low Yoki may be a good sign. Just like Clare at the beginning of the series.

Regardless of what the Data Books and reader polls say (and I'm not saying that either is wrong), I personally find it hard to put artificial limits on the warriors in my mind. I wish them to be free to develop and not fit any preconception of what they can and can't do. I wish to be surprised, saddened, delighted and elated by what the warriors do in the future. As Irene said, I expect nothing.

So how will Uma and Tab develop in the future? What will they do? Well, I hope it's unpredictable. So I won't try to predict anything definite here!

[HegemonKhan]

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CLARE the Impulsive and Stubborn One seeking Vengence

in ch 100 pages 23-25, Clare herself tells us that, that just wasn't the case, all she truly cares about is revenge. Clare just wanted to see Raki to say goodbye to him. Oh, Clare cares about Raki, Deneve, Helen, and the others, but she doesn't really-care about them (if that makes any sense), as the ONLY thing she truly-really cares about is revenge on Priscilla.

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P.S.

at some point, I'll put together and complete my Clare analysis. (I got some bit and pieces of it, but I need to put it together and need to complete it too)

but here's what I've got so far:

ch 24 p 22: Clare: "My existence was nothing more to her [Priscilla] than a stone by the side of the road. I wasn't even enough to fill her [Priscilla's] belly. Or, perhaps, I didn't even get reflected in her [Priscilla's] eyes."

ch 24 p 23: Clare: "I couldn't even hate the beast [Priscilla/Yoma] that killed Teresa. It was me overcome by fear, that I couldn't forgive."

ch 24 p 27: Clare: "I don't recall how I lived on after that. I only knew that I was searching for a stranger dressed in black."

ch 24 p 28: Clare to Rubel: "I want you [Rubel] to put Teresa's flesh and blood inside me!"

ch 24 p 29: Clare: "And that's how I became the first person ever to knock on the Organization's door of her own free will."

ch 25 p 12: Rubel to Clare: "You [Clare] never change. Always doing things the hard way. What would you [Clare] have done if one of them had been a Voracious Eater [an Awakened]? Or, could it be..."

ch 25 p 13: Rubel to Clare: "You [Clare] were hoping for that. The Yoma in the cathedral turned out to be an ordinary one. It just needed plenty of food to transform from a shriveled up mummy. Voracious Eater is a nickname meant for clients and common folk. It's a substitute for Awakened Being. A name just for outsiders."

ch 25 p 14: Rubel to Clare: "In fact, they're failed members from our own ranks. That's why we don't call them Awakened Beings. It's better to let the masses think that they're Yoma that have lived long and evolved. If you [Clare] faced a voracious eater, that is, an Awakened Being, you [Clare] would be cut to ribbons in seconds."

ch 25 p 15: Clare to Rubel: "If you [Rubel] are done talking, I [Clare] am going back."

ch 25 p 15: Rubel to Clare: "Do you [Clare] want Priscilla's head? Give it up. You [Clare] can't beat her [Priscilla] whatever you [Clare] do."

ch 25 p 16: Rubel to Clare: "Even among Awakened Beings, Priscilla is the best. I [Rubel] had heard she [Priscilla] would surpass Teresa. When she [Priscilla] awakened, it was as if her [Priscilla's] latent abilities were released. We don't give Awakened Beings special treatment. They aren't human or half human, they're just another kind of Yoma. If we get a request, we send a group to deal with them. Otherwise, we leave them alone. That's all."

ch 25 p 16: Clare to Rubel: "If you [Rubel/Organization] got a request from town about Priscilla, what would you [Rubel/Organization] do?"

ch 25 page 17: Rubel to Clare: "We'd weigh the Organization's strength against Priscilla's power and let the chief [Rimuto, or Rubel?] decide. Don't worry, the current #1 [Alicia] and #2 [Beth] are powerful enough to handle things. Every era has its hero. It's too bad it isn't you [Clare]."

ch 25 p 18: Rubel to Clare: "All right. I [Rubel] will add you [Clare] to the hit squad. We got a request from a town [Lido] west of here. It's confirmed, the target is an Awakened Being. It isn't Priscilla, but it did kill a warrior [unknown, so who?] of average strength."

ch 25 p 19: Rubel: "So, this might be a chance for you [Clare] to discover the limits of your [Clare's] strength."

ch 26 p 13: Miria to Clare: "...Because, I [Miria] had a different impression of you [Clare] when we first met. It felt as if the strongest [Teresa, or Clare?] was standing before me [Miria]."

ch 28 p 26: Clare: "Despair? After only this?"

ch 28 p 27-28: Clare: "I [Clare] have known a greater opponent [Priscilla] and felt true despair [death of her, Clare's, beloved Teresa]."

ch 29 p 7: Miria: "Did she [Clare] single-mindedly practice this move [EYLSA/PYS] for the sole purpose of fighting an Awakened Being [Priscilla]? [Yes]"

ch 30 p 13: Galatea: "...The weak one [Clare] is listening calmly. Wait. She [Clare] is troubled inside, but she [Clare] isn't showing her [Clare's] emotions outwardly. Rather, the weak one [Clare] is deeply uneasy. Something tragic happened in her past [Priscilla killing her, Clare's, beloved Teresa]. Something [unforgiveness/hatred towards herself, Clare] she [Clare] has locked away in her [Clare's] heart."

ch 30 p 28: Clare: "I [Clare] think we're being watched [by Galatea]."

ch 30 p 29: Galatea: "Ah. So she [Clare] could sense me [Galatea] from that far. But, she [Clare] is not sure, it seems."

that's Teresa's wishes/desires... for Clare to "live as a human, live with humans, and die as a human".

This was Teresa's own desire/wish. This is the one time Teresa FAILS at something. Teresa FAILS at understanding Clare. Teresa WRONGLY assumes Clare shares Teresa's own desire/wish (which i just described above).

Teresa's wish/desire/understanding (of happiness) was to be human again. Teresa yearned to be human again. ~"my beautiful black eyes and long black hair stolen from me as I transformed into a wretched monster, a Claymore".

Clare did NOT shared this same desire/wish/understanding (of happiness) as of Teresa's. Clare HAD KNOWN humanity.... and it was CENSORED! her whole family killed and eaten. she being a yoma's "pet" and no human cared/tried to help/save her. instead, she was saved twice by Claymores, from the 2 yomas whom were involved with Clare. Claymores were more of clare's "family" then humans ever would be. Clare had no attachment to humanity, unlike the "yearning-for-a-return-to-humanity" Teresa. (which Clare gave/provided Teresa, a sense of humanity again, albiet briefly, due to priscilla. Clare UNDERSTOOD Teresa. However, Teresa for the first time, FAILED at something; Teresa failed at understanding Clare.)

Clare's already experienced human life was awful. Clare had no desire to go back to being human. Becoming a Claymore was a wonderful thing for Clare, as she now had the potential power/ability to seek her vengence on Priscilla. Clare NEVER looked back upon her lost humanity, never had second thoughts about becoming a Claymore. Clare was dead, until she found Teresa, then dead again after Priscilla killed Teresa. Now, the only thing keeping Clare alive or interested with life, is the pursuit of REVENGE ON PRISCILLA. Clare lives ONLY TO KILL PRISCILLA. This is all that is left for Clare which she cares about. As nice as Raki+love is, and as nice as comrades+friendship is, it just doesn't compare/substitute for what Clare felt from being with Teresa. Teresa was literally Clare's life and happiness. Now that Teresa is gone, all that remains for Clare is vengence.

NO. Clare's idea of happiness was NOT returning to humanity, as what Teresa wanted. NO, it was Teresa herself. Teresa was Clare's idea of happiness. Being with Teresa was Clare's idea of happiness.

again.... i'll quote Clare's very words:

~"I don't want nice shoes. I don't want nice clothes. ( <- HK's interpretation: I don't care about humanity, I'm not like you Teresa... i just want... -> ). I want to be with TERESA FOREVER!"


we're talking about Clare, so who cares about what Teresa or irene or others want of Clare. What CLARE wants is what matters for CLARE. Teresa and Irene and others are merely EPIC FAILURES, at understanding CLARE'S WISHES/DESIRES/INTERESTS. they need to keep their own wishes, desires, interests to themselves, and LET CLARE SEEK THE THINGS SHE WANTS/WISHES/DESIRES FOR HERSELF!
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About Teresa, not caring about herself, but caring about Teresa.

HK’s Teresa: “Do whatever you want to me, I don’t care, but do NOT TOUCH CLARE!”

FACTS:

1. Rig puts his hand on Clare's shoulder. Teresa cuts his hand off instantly.

2. Rig punches Clare to the ground and stomps on her. Teresa after laying on the ground and willing/uncaring about to be raped by Rig, gets up, grabs Rig's own dagger/short sword, and puts it to his neck. Teresa gives her famous "FREEDOM speech" and rig runs away with his head up his bottom.

3. Rig is dragging an unconscious Clare and says to Teresa how Clare had called out for her, "Teresa.. Teresa.. ". Teresa immedately takes off his other hand and slices his head in half at the same time. (Teresa then gives another of her famous speeches. ~"you DAMNED humans. you're worse then yoma. I'll kill each and every one of you!". which she does. hehe.)

4. though strangely, Orsay did not lose his hand or life, when he held Clare hostage... (Teresa should have done the same to him for touching Clare... V.V). However, Teresa did rescue/take Clare back away from Orsay, whom was going to kill her.


CAN YOU SAY TERESA IS JUST A BIT PROTECTIVE OF CLARE, LOL. JUST A BIT. LOL.
(Teresa only sacrifice her life for Clare. only gave her very life for clare. only. lol)

Clare's path in life is solely that of Priscilla's death.

(incomplete. took too long. too much work)

(see bottom of my post for the ultimate confirmation of what I've said about Clare, as being correct)

1. chapter 24 pages 22-29

"I couldn't even hate the beast that killed Teresa. It was me, overcome by fear, that I couldn't forgive."

"I don't recall how I lived after that. I only knew I was searching for a stranger dressed in black."

"I want you to put Teresa's flesh and blood inside me!"

"And that's how I became the first person ever to knock on the Organization's door of her own free will!"

2. chapter 25 pages 12-19

"You never change. Always doing things the hard way..... Or could it be?"

"You were hoping for that......."

"Do you want Priscilla's head?"

"....It's too bad. It isn't you."

3. chapter 37 pages 1-30. chapter 38 pages 1-31

(too many lines. Entire chapter shows Clare's determination to kill Priscilla. Irene wants Clare to live. But, Clare just wants to kill Priscilla)

4. chapter 39 page 21 and pages 29-31. chapter 40 pages 20-37

"I just wanted to kill my brother's murderer! I just wanted revenge on the monster that killed my brother!.... It's that. That one horned monster's fault!"

"What are you? You."

"I'm Clare, number 47. I've taken on Teresa's flesh and Irene's right arm."

"I'm the one who's going to take the head of that one horned monster Priscilla. Forgive me. But, I have to take your soul, too."

(too many lines. Clare is clearly shown determined to take Priscilla's life, as seen in Ophelia's game, designed to test how much Clare wants to kill Priscilla and whether Clare has the potential to be able to do so)

5. chapter 45 page 31 and chapter 46 page 5

"Tell me the name of the man in the north, I am going to kill his woman."

6. Etc....

7. Chapter 100

8. chapter 101

9. Etc...

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Clare flat out confirms what I've said in my post about Clare and her "psychology":

chapter 37 page 19

"You said I should have forgotten everything and lived as a human, but there's no way I could do that. At that time Teresa was everything to me. Everything I lost. My life, my voice, even my joy in living. Teresa gave those back to me. Teresa gave me everything. So I had no choice but to move forward. I wasn't strong enough to forget all that and go on living."


wow, I didn't realize how well I knew Clare! I pretty much described Clare verbatum. hehe.


according to Clare herself, on chapter 37 page 19, HK is “officially the expert” on Clare. *grins*

(I was arguing with someone about Clare, and was excited at finding such direct proof that I was the one who was right about Clare's character, that I understood Clare so well, hehe)

As a human child:

witnessed her family killed and eaten by a Yoma; her father, mother, and brother. She was pounced on by the Yoma (possibly intending to rape her) only to witness a Claymore slice its head open and its blood and brain matter splattering on her face. she was abandoned by humans. she got "picked up" as a "Toy/Pet" for another Yoma, and dragged from town to town getting at least physically abused by it, as seen by her lashings-welted scars on her back. she was so traumatized she stopped speaking, going mute. she was dead and lifeless. she witnessed this 2nd Yoma sliced in half by Teresa, and each half of it fell to her sides, splattering her with its blood and guts. she is unphased by it. she clings-hugs Teresa, who kicks her 3 times. she witnesses a near, never actually happened, gang rape of Teresa by bandits, as/but Teresa's hideous Claymore body turns them off, after Teresa laughs and flashes them, lol. She steps off a cliff to continue to follow Teresa, splating once on a ledge and then on the ground below. she was flung into a pool of water by Teresa, who saying how she stunk with Yoma odor, lol. she then starts to cry as when she woke up, Teresa was not there, thinking Teresa had left her, but then Teresa appears with a rabbit for her to eat, lol. she nearly falls off the cliff to her death, but Teresa catches her and then roughly pulls her up and slams her hard into the ground back up on the ledge-path their walking on, lol. she tries to protect Teresa from getting raped by one of the bandits who had followed them and who had previously had his hand cut off when he had grabbed Clare's shoulder in their earlier encounter with the bandits. she whacks the bandit who's on top of Teresa ripping her clothes open with a stick and blood runs down his forehead. he gets up and punches Clare hard in the head knocking her down and then starts to brutally stomp on her. she's saved by Teresa. finally she speaks, as she hugs Teresa, revealing that she was saw through Teresa, seeing the same deadness in Teresa that was in herself, and thus selflessly trying to comfort Teresa, even though no one would nor did the same for her. and Teresa starts to cry, and says one of her famous quotes, "a little girl half my size, taught me that tears can flow from even silver eyes". Teresa goes to a town, and buys Clare some nice clothes and shoes, intending to leave her with one of the townspeople, and after killing a Yoma there, she does so. thinking that it was best for Clare, to "live as a human, live among humans, and die as a human", then to live a hard life with herself, a "monster". However, this was NOT what Clare wanted! Clare didn't want a "human life", as she already had that "human life" and it was awful! No, instead, Clare strips naked in front of the townsfolk as Teresa is about to leave her, and expresses what she wanted: "I don't want nice shoes. I don't want nice clothes! I just want to be with Teresa forever!". But, Teresa still leaves Clare, who's desperately trying not to cry. poor clare! well, Teresa is moving away from the town she sees the bandits racing towards the town! Oh SHIT, those bandits were targeting that town from the beginning but couldn't due to the Yoma there, which she had just now killed... Teresa races back to the town, but it is already in flames. the bandits had killed all the men, and taken the boys, girls and women to sell or use as slaves or sex slaves. Teresa is looking around for Clare... and then she happens to see that same bandit... dragging Clare behind him on the ground unconscious. he sees Teresa and fatally teases Teresa, saying how Clare had screamed "Teresa, Teresa!", possibly suggested.. he had raped her... well, that teasing, brought out the old "Teresa the MONSTER", she disappears and then re-appears behind the bandit (Rig is his name), with Clare in her arm, and Rig is missing his other hand now too, and then seconds later half of his head is sliding off at a diagonal. hehe. Teresa then proceeds to KILL EVERY HUMAN there except Clare of course, saying MONSTROUSLY ENRAGEDLY: ~"Say your prayers you bastards! You're worse then Yoma, I'll kill each and every one of you!". Clare finally awakens up, finding herself held in Teresa's arms, and being surrounding by a "beautiful flower ring" of dead, bloodily-killed bandits and townsfolk, hehe. Clare is forced to watch Teresa's execution, but Teresa decides to live instead, thankfully for Clare. Teresa takes Clare with her, however another execution team is sent after Teresa. But, Teresa easily defeats them as well. Clare then witnesses Priscilla snapping, and releasing her yoki uncontrollably, becoming "Orcish" as she nears Awakening. Teresa gets cut across the forehead. And then Teresa is finally killed, getting decapitated by Priscilla, who then Awakens, and kills the 3 other Claymores. Poor Clare had to witness her beloved Teresa's head severed and headless body fall to the ground, and then the Awakening of Priscilla and deaths of the 3 other Claymores. filled with self-loathing, Clare sets on her path of revenge against Priscilla. picking up her beloved Teresa's head in her arms, being unable to part with the dead Teresa, and searches for a Black coat, finding Rubel. Clare becomes the first and only person to "come knocking on the Organization's door", the first and only to want to become a Claymore. Clare to Rubel, holding up Teresa's head: ~"Give me! Put inside my body! Teresa's flesh and blood!".

as Trainee Claymore:

an older and stronger trainee Claymore is jealous of Clare, and challenges her to a spar match. Clare engages, but she's still not strong enough to wield the huge claymore sword, and she pops her arm right out of her shoulder socket! the older Claymore laughs... but it's cut short, as Clare smashes her dislocated shoulder into the wall, re-connecting her arm into her shoulder socket... and is ready to continue the sparring match! the older Claymore's mouth is resting on the ground in shock! Rubel then steps in, and puts a stop to it. Clare ends up saving this older Claymore in their final test/trial as trainees, and is the only one to kill the Yoma they are faced against in it, becoming an official-active ranked Claymore now.

as a ranked (active-Official) Claymore:

she nearly kills Raki, lol. she gets punched through the stomach by a Yoma. She kills her only friend Claymore as she was Awakening, that helped her while they were trainees. She herself nearly dies and Awakeneds, becoming a Half Awakened with Raki's help, when against the Yoma in Rabona, and while still weakened from the pills. she is tentacle pierced through her stomach and tongue-smashed into the cliff by the male Awakened. she gets her legs cut off by Ophelia. she gets her sword arm cut off by Ophelia. she gets her non-sword hand cut off by Ophelia. she is sliced through her torso. her shoulders are sliced open. Irene gives Clare her own sword arm, to replace Clare's destroyed-missing sword arm. Clare has her feet+legs crushed by Dauf's rod. Clare strike the fatal blow into another friend of hers, Jean, though Jean was already dying. Clare nearly Awakeneds again in her Partial Awakening, but Jean had helped her not do so. Clare gets her head decapitated in the strange mind-illusion battle against "Rafaela"/Destroyer. Clare gets pwned by Priscilla. Clare is restrained from killing Priscilla and can no longer Partially Awaken because of this. Clare's entire lower body is destroyed by the Destroyer. Clare ends up "merging" with the Destroyer, and entraps Priscilla with them in a "blob" like state of the 3 of them.

and that's about it. I might have left out some stuff though, meh.

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[jamie95403]

To regard any one statement by Clare, such as her only reason to exist is to kill Priscilla, as being true for all times and places, might limit our understanding of not only Clare, but of life in general.

Without getting into multi-personalities, we are still many people. A single personality will have many emotions, thoughts and feelings, ever changing.

As others have controversially speculated, if Clare did kill Priscilla, it may only bring partial closure, at best. Or even create more problems for Clare. Though we think otherwise at the time, many of our own “failures” prove necessary for true growth.

Though there were those of us were annoyed by Lucky's efforts to save Priscilla in the anime, we tend to forget that Lucky was also trying save Clare from going over to the “darkside.”

When Clare made her statement to Deneuve and Helen (Scene 100), Clare was indeed at a low moment in her life. After many years of effort, she “failed” to even begin any credible attack against Priscilla. I put quotes around “failed” because there may good reasons, beyond Clare's understanding at that moment why she “failed.”

And this is just one moment in her life. Think of her other moments. The first time her eyes met Teresa's in Theo village. Or when she laughed in the inn over Teresa's fears that the villagers would chase them away after the boy's rescue. Or when in agony she held Elena as she slept in a training school cell. Or the very moment she decided to save her enemy during that final exam, instead of abandoning her.

Each of these is another facet of Clare, each with their own “only reason to exist.” And each equally valid. May we see Clare have many “only reason to exist” moments!

[HegemonKhan]

I'm not saying that revenge is the only thing she desires and hatred the only thing she feels, but I am arguing that it is that which defines her, her main or strongest or deepest or at her roots, it's who she is and what her actions are towards.

Of course, anyone's free to provide their own assessment of Clare as well

This is just my own assessment, and I feel it's very well supported, but it's certainly not the only assessment of Clare, as she is quite complicated, and multi-charactered/personalified (making up a word here, lol)

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P.S.

I feel that people who want Clare to not be "just/only about revenge", that's more of the person's own personal desire (as revenge is something that most people are programmed to despise, as revenge is a "bad word", even the court system uses retribution as their legal euphenim for revenge, "an eye for an eye", or anotehr euphenim, "equal+fair justice; the punishment equals the crime". Justice = Retribution = Revenge = Vengence = Avenge'ment. They're all the same thing), and thus they don't want their precious Clare to be "about deplorable revenge". They want to see the "good" in Clare and revenge is "bad", so Clare can't be just/only/mainly/solely interested in revenge. But, I could be wrong in this assessment of mine about people who don't favor this revengeful view of Clare

and I understand your point in your post:

it's first a philosophical decision, about whether you believe in "single vs multiple", is there only one single TRUE characteristic of a person which define them, or are there multiple TRUE characteristics of a person which define them?

(philosophy question that this relates to: what's the most important value of people/a person? is it a single value, or multiple equally important values? truth, pleasure, happiness, well-being, love, peace, true-to-self, selfishness, altriusm/selflessness, greed, gluttony, success, teamwork, personal-solo work ethic, honesty, deception, power, beauty, vanity, pride, honor, valor, courage, bravery, intelligence, strength, healthiness, mental strength/calmness/coolness, rationality, consistancy, humor, seriousness, responsible, promptness, punctualness, preparedness, respectful, kindness, cruelty, restraint, boldness, shyness, modesty, gloatful, humbleness, creativity, predictableness, choatic, erratic, competitiveness, sacrifice, endurance/enduring, violence, aggressiveness, patience, impatience, and etc..)

if you believe in a single TRUE characteristic, than which characteristic? All other characteristics are just FAKE or HOLLOW characteristics, as there can only be a single TRUE characteristic.

if you believe in multiple TRUE characteristics, than which characteristics? These multiple characteristics as a sum-whole is what defines the person. It's akin to how medical people use "syndromes" to define an illness or problem, that they can't find or determine a single cause/symptom/diagnosis for it. Or it's like a "trend", when these multiple things happen, they cause the same result/pattern, a "trend".

yes, we are multiple personalities, actually:

like every second/day, our physical bodies change, bones/muscles repair with new cells, *old skin is shed and replaced with new skin*, etc, every cell gets replaced except for nerve cells. you're constantly a different person in terms of your physical body.

*we shed more skin each day, than when a snake does, maybe even a really long python, but I'm not sure, exactly how much skin we shed. If you want to see how much your skin sheds: take a shower/bath, and scrap/scratch your skin with your fingernails where ever on your body, your arms/legs/feet/shoulders whatever, you'll notice you have dark clumps/balls as you do so. this is your dead skin you scraped off, and its a dark clump/ball because the water has soaked it together and dark like this. Or, it can be light colored as well too. The longer you go without getting your body wet, the more pronounced this is.

and it's the same mentally, at any moment, I, you, and everyone can change their personalities completely 180 degrees. I can nice and sweet one second, and the next second I can be mean and cruel. I can be happy one second and sad or mad the next second. We can completely change who we are in terms of our mentalities, our personalities. You're constantly and at will whenever you want a different person in terms of your mentality.

thus, another big philosophical question: do we actually exist? Do, I HK, actually exist or not, as my body, brain, personality, emotions, behaviors, and mind are ALL constantly changing, I am never the same person, yet am I the same person from birth to death, even second to second, or not? Am I always me or not? If there is a me, what is this "me", than when everything about me is constantly changing, never the same? etc etc, hehe.

Philosophy is a really awesome scientific subject/field, if you like to think and be challenged hehe.

.

[jamie95403]

Much literature and film is one-dimensional. And most people on this planet, at least on an emotional level, want revenge. From fairy tales to the "Death Wish" film series, "revenge" is often where it's at, commercially and psychologically.

My sampling various manga and anime series reflected this eternal desire for retribution. Of course much great art has sprung from the quest for the Grail (of revenge).

The downside could be monotony. One Shakespearean scholar, the US novelist Louis Auchincloss wrote a book titled "Motiveless Malignity," about stereotypical characterizations in Shakespeare's plays.

Despite being written during the Renaissance, the plays still reflected the Medieval theory of "Humours," which a fictional character would possess a "single TRUE characteristic" as Hege put it. But the beautiful language does disguise the shallowness of characterization.

Yagi, to my inexpert estimation, does better (in terms of character growth).

From birth to death, people change. They learn to love, to hate, to fear, to trust. They gain knowledge, some true, some false. But they change. Whether that involves "single TRUE characteristics," "FAKE or HOLLOW characteristics, "multiple TRUE characteristics," it doesn't matter. It's all about growth.

Even Helen changed more than Hamlet!

Yes, Clare is "about" revenge. And even if we were to ignore her every other characteristic, that revenge keeps changing its shape, size, force and direction.

Regarding those "squeamish about revenge," my experience is they wouldn't read Claymore in the first place. They're into the New Age, self-improvement or religious fiction genres (though most I've read don't even reach the commonsensical level of Helen's "It's perfectly natural to always want to stay alive. We're only human, after all!").

The late Susan Sontag wrote a book titled "Against Interpretation," in which she warned how readers' experiences were being warped by schools and literary critics putting out their views on how everything should be read.

I'm glad this forum exists so we can all put forth our views, but in the end, like Yagi, we'll have to trust all the readers and ourselves to make up one's own mind on what Claymore means. And there is no "wrong" interpretation.

And sometimes, as Sontag said, we just have to let "it speak for itself."

All of the above is speculation only!

[Ravenstar]

I don't think that Dae's idea is a smart one... Planning to summon 3 dead Claymores in a way that will make them awaken.
I think that even if the 3 N°1s awakened and won the fight against the rebels, the organization itself will be in a grave danger. Why? because three awakened beings will attack any nearby source of Youki... And that means the organization...

Yes I agree that it wasn't a very smart plan.. but I don't think Dae was going for the smart plan of attack.. I believe that he does not care less what ultimately happens to the organization all he thinks and cares about is the pursuit of his science.. his research.. his creations.. he's the classic "mad scientist" type.. his resurrection of the dead Claymore screams Frankenstein or should I say Frankenstein's Brides! I think destruction is inevitable and I hope all "the resurrected ones" awaken!!

Roxanne did it in front of fellow Claymores because she needed witnesses. Had Roxanne simply killed the number 1 ranked warrior people would start asking questions. Basically she planned it out like that to cover her own ass.

I agree.. Another thing I can add about Roxanne's plot and I think this is the main reason she had gathered many witnesses is because she is cruel & heartless.. I think that killing Cassandra and becoming no.1 just wasn't enough for her.. she wanted her ascent to power to be epic and absolute.. everyone needed to bare witness as she shames Cassandra by showing the organization the horrible technique that Cassandra wanted to hide.. turning everyone's admiration into horror.. to add more insult and dishonor she delivers a crippling blow using the Evil Blade technique as if Cass was just a common monster..

oh my i think i'm internalizing Roxanne's personality too much..
*note to self stop listening to Roxanne's voice inside your head

to better determine the result if ever there would be a 1 on 1 battle between Roxanne and Cassandra here are the list of what we know about them..

Cassandra the Dust Eater

Strengths
~she is caring, loyal & seems honorable
~has a unique technique which is not easy to dodge and counter
~the technique also allows her to dodge attacks which makes her harder to kill
~has great endurance even if injured
*so she most probably has a significantly great amount of yoki or atleast has a significantly higher amount of yoki than that of an average no.1
*or although not likely she might just be a defensive type who developed a very useful & potent technique for both dodging and attacking.. remember aside from her exceptional endurance that her speed, strength & basic sword skills were only equal to an average rank.5 ( imagine if Deneve can learn Dust Eater )
~seems to have awakened so there would be a definite increase in yoki, speed & power etc etc..
*the strength of her will/humanity will also determine if her awakening helps her or not, coz she might be easily distracted by cravings for human flesh etc.. but as i've said she is pretty determined to avenge her friend
~last and most important of all she has a strong determination & will to avenge her friend & kill Roxy

Weaknesses
~her technique does not have the element of surprise anymore..
~her speed, strength and regular sword technique when in her normal state is inferior to most no.1s.. if i'm not mistaken only a match to an average no.5
~in her extreme emotional state she is careless w/c is what killed her the last time..

Roxanne of Love and Hate

Strengths
~from what i see she is observant & intelligent thus she excels and is experienced in assessing both her opponent & the battle situation around her
~her initial ability "Yoki Synchronization" gives her great potential and adaptability in battle
~she has mastered & maybe even surpassed the "Evil Sword" technique of former no.31 Uranus
~she has mastered & maybe even surpassed the "Yoki Perception & One Eyed Fighting" technique of former no.9 Neideen
~she has mastered & maybe even surpassed the "Beautiful Sword" technique of former the former no.5 Elizabeth
~she has practiced her left handed fighting style with Cassandra herself
~she has developed a technique to completely hide her yoki from a particular target
~she has a sick & twisted personality therefore fighting dirty & using an enemy's emotion to her advantage is not above her
*she might still have continued to improved when she became no.1 but we know nothing of the events after Cass's death..

Weaknesses
~she might become over confident & she toy's with her opponents which might give her opponent a chance to beat her
*her techniques might have weaknesses that we might not know of
*she also might have a lower amount of yoki due to the fact she was given a low rank initially ( "yoki volume" I think is one if not the most important factor/s in determining a trainees initial rank since they only have the basic skill & they lack experience.. I don't know if yoki volume can be increase with age, skill or experience but i believe it affects the potential power of a warrior )

so taking all this into consideration I think the odds are in favor of Roxy.. I'd say about 60-65% percent chance of success.. it all depends on how emotionally distressed & careless Cassandra is or how over confident Roxy is..

sorry if the post is too long.. to those who took the time to read it thank you..