Diane Beckman
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General
M. Diane Beckman, USAF is a fictional character in the NBC
television series Chuck
. Beckman is a senior official of the National Security Agency
, working within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
. She holds her rank of brigadier general in the United States Air Force
. She revealed that she spent a significant amount of time and resources hunting Orion
, the Intersect's chief designer, before he re-appeared and made a deal with the government. Little information about her personal life and past service has been revealed. She first entered the military prior to August 14, 1974, and fought in two battles during the Gulf War
. She has had a non-exclusive romantic relationship with Roan Montgomery for more than 20 years (see "Personality" below). Beckman also maintains a close friendship with Dr. Condoleezza Rice
.
", replacing the National Intelligence Director (Wendy Makkena
) as overseer of Operation Bartowski. Initially, Casey and Sarah were to protect Chuck only until the replacement Intersect was back online. Sarah and Chuck believed that once this occurred Chuck would be free to go back to his normal life; however Beckman secretly issued orders to Casey that Chuck was to be killed to prevent the government secrets he retained from falling into the wrong hands. However, after the destruction of the second Intersect this order was rescinded. Additionally, because Operation Bartowski was the only effective weapon against CIA splinter group Fulcrum
, Beckman decided that Chuck was far too important and valuable a resource to be released. She therefore blocked his attempts to contact Orion and have the Intersect removed. Beckman has also made it clear that if Chuck is ever identified, he will be taken into protective custody.
Beckman's primary role on the series is to provide "Team Bartowski" with intelligence updates on Chuck's flashes and assign their mission objectives. Most of the time these missions are the result of something Chuck flashes on in the course of his normal day. However on several occasions Beckman has issued an assignment of her own devising based on events elsewhere, to which Chuck's abilities as the Intersect are particularly well-suited. Beckman herself is seldom personally involved on these assignments and allows the team to proceed on their own. However in "Chuck Versus the Crown Vic
" she benched the team when a flash by Chuck went bad, and ordered Casey locked down when his personal vendetta against his former mentor botched a mission. Beckman personally involved herself when Chuck was contacted by Orion after a rogue search and flew to Burbank to debrief the team. This was the first time since the pilot episode
that one of the team's supervisors met with them in-person, and also the first time they were directly involved in that episode's mission.
General Beckman typically declines to interfere directly with the team's dynamics. However Sarah's confrontational attitude towards her treatment of Chuck in "Chuck Versus the Predator
" led to her concern that Sarah was too emotionally close to the asset. After Casey attempted to cover for them, she requested he provide an unedited report on Chuck and Sarah's relationship. This led to her reassigning CIA agent Alexandra Forrest as Chuck's CIA handler under directive 49-B. After Forrest subsequently failed to protect Chuck because she lacked Sarah's close personal connection and understanding of him, Beckman was forced to acknowledge that Sarah's feelings for the asset made her the best choice to protect him.
After Chuck's failed operation to locate his father, and he allowed Jill to escape, Beckman decided to pull the plug on Operation Bartowski and ordered Casey and Sarah to take Chuck into permanent custody. She reversed this decision when the Intersect was removed from Chuck's head in "Chuck Versus the Colonel
". In "Chuck Versus the Ring
" she offered Chuck an analyst position on the Intersect Project. She then freed Casey to return to his old unit, and reassigned Sarah to the Intersect Project with Bryce Larkin
.
Rounding out Beckman's interference with the team, she ordered Sarah to apprehend Casey upon learning that he had stolen a valuable item from a CIA facility, and when Casey was broken out, she came to Castle and ordered Sarah and Chuck to capture him, dead or alive. Despite the three agents eventually working together and taking down the Ring cell that had coerced him into stealing from the CIA in the first place, Beckman could not brook Casey's treason, and dismissed him on the spot. Beckman also wished to discuss Sarah transferring out of Burbank, as Chuck has needed her less and less.
Beckman does not look lightly on the three years and "untold millions of dollars" spent helping Chuck reach his potential, but has become understanding of Chuck's "hand-wringing" and "second-guessing" as part of his process. Beckman insists that until seeing video recovered from the Ring
, she had no knowledge that Sarah had killed Shaw's wife.
In the season 3 finale, Beckman is before the higher ups of the CIA, who were concerned about the state of Operation Bartowski and Chuck in particular. She gets swept away in a setup staged by a very much alive Shaw. The purpose was to discredit her so that he could take her place at the spies' convention, where the Five Elders of the Ring were going to be to take over the NSA and CIA. Team Bartowski arrests the Elders along with Daniel Shaw and Justin Sullivan, leading to the disintegration of the Ring. Chuck later reveals to Ellie that Beckman was reinstated, and she allowed him to resign from the spy world.
As of the season 4 premier, the federal government has rebuilt the Burbank Buy More as a secret joint NSA/CIA station, staffed by undercover spies. Beckman initially installs herself on-site in the guise of a Buy More manager, using Big Mike's old office and displaying her real forename or middle name, Diane, on her name tag (although she incongruously prefers her personnel to continue to address her as "General" even when undercover in the store). She has withdrawn her approval of Chuck's resignation, and systematically eliminates all private sector job opportunities in order to force his return to the CIA and Buy More. New "improvements" to the Buy More include a trap door through which she drops a reluctant Chuck through a Bespin
-esque tube slide into Castle. After rehiring Morgan Grimes as a "green shirter" salesman upstairs and an operative downstairs, Beckman reluctantly concedes to his observation that the Buy More and its undercover staff are far too efficient and pleasant, rendering the cover virtually transparent; accordingly, she authorizes Morgan to rehire the store's former staff and appoints him store manager in her stead.
General Beckman is the series' only regular character not based in the San Fernando Valley
, and is usually seen only in video conferences from her office. Still, her on-site management of the Buy More's reconstruction is not the only time she has been shown away from her Fort Meade
desk. She was in the field in two consecutive episodes, supervising the arrest of Alexei Volkoff
at the Bartowski family's forest cabin, and subsequently participating in the capture of Fatima Tazi and rescue of Roan Montgomery in Marrakesh, Morocco
. In the latter case, she called in an air strike on Tazi's counterfeiting presses and personally employed a rocket-propelled grenade to disable Tazi and prevent Montgomery's execution. Noticeably, the general dresses in her usual service uniform even in the field while her subordinate military personnel are in fatigue uniform. She also occasionally visits Team Bartowski in Burbank, particularly in season 4.
Although her position prevents her from doing so openly, Beckman ultimately proves her loyalty to her team in "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger
" when, after Chuck and Casey are "burned" by Clyde Decker for their attempt to free Alexei Volkoff and save Sarah's life, Beckman provides them with the information on where Volkoff is being taken and her own identity card to enter Castle. She also supposedly left Chuck a pair of sunglasses with the intent of restoring the Intersect to him after it was suppressed by Decker, however they were accidentally put on by Morgan first. She is, however, noticeably absent from Chuck and Sarah's wedding.
As of the end of season 4, the government has concluded Operation Bartowski, stripped Castle of its equipment, and sold off the Buy More/Castle complex. Concurrently, Beckman terminated the civil service employment of Chuck, Sarah and Morgan (although all three were employed by the CIA, not by her NSA), and arranged either a retirement or second dismissal of Casey from the Marine Corps. Beckman's involvement with Chuck and the Intersect Project appeared not to have concluded, as the Intersect-embedded sunglasses meant for Chuck were addressed as a gift from Beckman. In "Chuck Versus the Frosted Tips", Beckman came to Chuck to hire Carmichael Industries to help capture a man named Zorn to prevent him from selling CIA secrets. Later, Sarah calls Beckman regarding the Intersect glasses, only to learn that she had never sent any glasses; it is implied that Clyde Decker is responsible. At the end fo the episode, Beckman clandestinely meets with Chuck, warning him that since Morgan has outed himself as the Intersect, Decker has put a kill order on him.
She frequently lies to or withholds information from members of Team Bartowski, mostly Chuck, in the interest of national security. When the Beta Intersect was completed, she and Graham released Chuck of his obligations to the CIA and NSA, but, immediately after, ordered Casey to eliminate him, an order that was hinted at several times in the first season. Beckman has lied often on the subject of Orion, solely for the purpose of keeping the Intersect in Chuck's head and forcing him to become a spy. She later ordered Sarah to betray Chuck so that Chuck could be taken underground against his will. Further, she rescinded Chuck's resignation at the end of Season 3; despite Chuck saving her life and career, with Operation Bartowski declared an unmitigated success Beckman sabotages all attempts Chuck made to gain employment outside the CIA, declaring that Chuck is only out when she says so. She later insists that Chuck's sister Ellie Woodcomb be involuntarilly groomed as an Intersect, over the objections of the team.
Little is shown of the General's personal life. She is known to be friends with Dr. Condoleezza Rice
. Beckman is one of two current NBC fictional characters - the other being Jack Donaghy
of 30 Rock
- to be friends of the former Secretary of State
.
The first episode to explore Beckman's past or relationships in any detail was the season four episode, "Chuck Versus the Seduction Impossible
". The episode confirmed that she and Roan Montgomery (John Laroquette) have maintained an ongoing romantic relationship of sorts for more than twenty years, enjoying periodic rendezvous. At the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the pair were engaged in a tryst and promised to retire with each other in or about 2009 if they both survived. She was subsequently angered when Montgomery went on a rogue operation rather than meet her as he promised. Although they are not in an on-going committed relationship, per se, and although Montgomery's professional expertise is seduction and honey traps, Beckman does not entirely conceal her jealousy and resentment. Diane admitted that she too intended to cancel her plans to retire - both of them recognizing that they were too involved in their work to be comfortable settling down in a "normal" life. Beckman only had Montgomery tracked down because "you don't run from a general." Montgomery, NCS
Director Jane Bentley, and Mary Bartowski
are among the few characters with whom Diane is comfortable addressing her by her forename.
Beckman puts on a strongly professional attitude when dealing with the team, so she rarely shows signs of emotion. She was caught off-guard by Chuck's announcement that Orion had identified and contacted him. She was also, to humorous effect, flustered by Montgomery's charms after he aided the team in recovering the Cipher. When asked by Chuck if she had a life outside of the NSA she reassured Casey, who objected to his question, that she wasn't bothered and admitted that she wasn't just a uniform, and "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte
" was the first time she was shown out of uniform (having been interrupted during a cocktail party). Beckman is also highly driven and tenacious, having tracked Orion for years, and shows wounded pride and shock that Chuck succeeded in finding him after only a few weeks. She was deeply angered by Chuck's insistence of being freed of the Intersect, and has taken the fight against Fulcrum personally due to the increasing number of men and women she's sent to their deaths trying to defeat them, and sees Chuck and his team as the only group to have found "a chink in their armor", and that the outcome was going to "rest squarely on [Chuck's] shoulders".
Although generally unflappable, Beckman was openly upset when she pleaded with Daniel Shaw
to be allowed to disclose the full details of the team's recently completed mission with Carina in "Chuck Versus the Three Words". Despite her professionalism in front of her subordinates she has also at times displayed genuine sympathy and concern for the well-being of the team, and was visibly concerned by the realization that Shaw's knowledge of Sarah killing his wife placed Sarah in danger.
Beckman is known to be a reader of Ayn Rand
.
As she is a strict professional, Beckman officially does not approve of Chuck and Sarah beginning a romantic relationship. However off the record even she has acknowledged "it's about damn time." Beckman herself openly admitted to caring for Chuck in "Chuck Versus the Tooth
", when it became apparent the Intersect was taking a devastating effect on Chuck's mental state.
Like Col. Casey, BG Beckman has begrudgingly grown to appreciate Morgan Grimes' unusual talents and his importance in keeping the intersect (i.e., Chuck's mind) functioning properly. Although she initially hired him only under duress as a condition of Casey's delivery of the Ring Director, she demanded his involuntary reinstatement after his resignation only months later, and almost immediately appointed him manager of the Buy More in recognition of his knowledge and understanding of how to keep the cover store's appearance genuine. Morgan is the only regular character shown to address her by her forename, Diane, or "my captain", although he corrected himself each time in response to her displeasure.
Close-ups of Ms. Friedericy's costume are available at http://www.movieplayer.it/gallery/166646/il-generale-diane-beckman-bonita-friedericy-in-una-sequenza-dell-episodio-chuck-versus-the-subway/?personaggio=59512, http://www.movieplayer.it/gallery/166647/bonita-friedericy-in-un-immagine-promo-per-l-episodio-chuck-versus-the-subway/?personaggio=59512 and in the infobox above. Several of the ribbons are out of sequence, but are shown here in the order worn by the character. For example, the Kuwait Liberation Medals from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, being foreign awards, should follow all United States awards, not precede the GWOTEM and GWOTSM.
The two stars on her Southwest Asia Service Medal show that she served in two of the five distinct campaigns of the Gulf War
.
General Beckman's three awards of the National Defense Service Medal evidence that she first entered the military prior to August 14, 1974, as the three most recent periods of service for which the medal was issued are for the Vietnam War (January 1, 1961 - August 14, 1974), the Gulf War (August 2, 1990 - November 30, 1995) and the War on Terrorism (September 11, 2001 - ).
In "Chuck Versus the Intersect
" actress Wendy Makkena
appeared in a role credited as the National Intelligence Director. In some casting lists the character is identified as "General Mary Beckman". In the episode, the Intelligence Director briefed Casey alongside Director Graham on the Intersect theft, before dispatching him to Burbank to track down Bryce Larkin's contact.
Makkena was to continue appearing in this role, however was forced to drop out for unspecified reasons after the pilot was filmed. Bonita Friedericy also auditioned for the role, and took over when Makkena left. Although the Intelligence Director's name was never used in the pilot, and Schwartz and Fedak have not officially confirmed it, Friedericy has suggested the two characters are the same. General Beckman's ID card reads "Gen. M. Beckman" (as shown on Chuck's Chart, first seen in the second season episode "Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon
"), which matches the unofficial name of Makkena's character in the pilot. The video conference screen shown immediately before and after conferences with Beckman displays a large seal (essentially the U.S. Coat of Arms with the crest replaced by a globe ringed with satellites) around which are the words "Office of the Director of National Intelligence - United States of America", also suggesting the characters are the same.
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
M. Diane Beckman, USAF is a fictional character in the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television series Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
. Beckman is a senior official of the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
, working within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
DNI
DNI may stand for:* Director of National Intelligence, a U.S. cabinet-level official* Director of Naval Intelligence * Direct neural interface, a brain-computer interface* Do Not Intubate, an alternate term for "do not resuscitate"...
. She holds her rank of brigadier general in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. She revealed that she spent a significant amount of time and resources hunting Orion
Stephen J. Bartowski
Stephen J. Bartowski is a recurring character on the television series Chuck portrayed by actor Scott Bakula. Stephen is the estranged father of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski, and under the government codename "Orion" was the chief designer of the Intersect....
, the Intersect's chief designer, before he re-appeared and made a deal with the government. Little information about her personal life and past service has been revealed. She first entered the military prior to August 14, 1974, and fought in two battles during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. She has had a non-exclusive romantic relationship with Roan Montgomery for more than 20 years (see "Personality" below). Beckman also maintains a close friendship with Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
.
Series
General Beckman first appeared in "Chuck Versus the HelicopterChuck Versus the Helicopter
"Chuck Versus the Helicopter" is the second episode of the television series Chuck. It aired on October 1, 2007. Chuck is meeting with a government specialist connected with developing the Intersect to determine if the secrets can be removed from Chuck's head, but suddenly finds himself unsure...
", replacing the National Intelligence Director (Wendy Makkena
Wendy Makkena
-Career:Born in New York City, Makkena started her acting career in 1986 and appeared in the TV show Santa Barbara. She later landed her first movie role in Eight Men Out...
) as overseer of Operation Bartowski. Initially, Casey and Sarah were to protect Chuck only until the replacement Intersect was back online. Sarah and Chuck believed that once this occurred Chuck would be free to go back to his normal life; however Beckman secretly issued orders to Casey that Chuck was to be killed to prevent the government secrets he retained from falling into the wrong hands. However, after the destruction of the second Intersect this order was rescinded. Additionally, because Operation Bartowski was the only effective weapon against CIA splinter group Fulcrum
Fulcrum (Chuck)
Fulcrum is the codename of a fictional hostile espionage organization on the television series Chuck. Fulcrum serves as the series' main antagonists up until the end of season two, though their specific goals beyond acquiring the Intersect have not yet been fully revealed.-History:Very little...
, Beckman decided that Chuck was far too important and valuable a resource to be released. She therefore blocked his attempts to contact Orion and have the Intersect removed. Beckman has also made it clear that if Chuck is ever identified, he will be taken into protective custody.
Beckman's primary role on the series is to provide "Team Bartowski" with intelligence updates on Chuck's flashes and assign their mission objectives. Most of the time these missions are the result of something Chuck flashes on in the course of his normal day. However on several occasions Beckman has issued an assignment of her own devising based on events elsewhere, to which Chuck's abilities as the Intersect are particularly well-suited. Beckman herself is seldom personally involved on these assignments and allows the team to proceed on their own. However in "Chuck Versus the Crown Vic
Chuck Versus the Crown Vic
"Chuck Versus the Crown Vic" is the 11th episode of the first season of Chuck, airing on December 3, 2007. Chuck must deal with the aftermath of Bryce Larkin's departure as he goes undercover with Sarah to investigate a billionaire philanthropist...
" she benched the team when a flash by Chuck went bad, and ordered Casey locked down when his personal vendetta against his former mentor botched a mission. Beckman personally involved herself when Chuck was contacted by Orion after a rogue search and flew to Burbank to debrief the team. This was the first time since the pilot episode
Chuck Versus the Intersect
"Chuck Versus the Intersect" is the pilot episode of the American action-comedy television series Chuck. The episode was directed by McG and written by series co-creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak...
that one of the team's supervisors met with them in-person, and also the first time they were directly involved in that episode's mission.
General Beckman typically declines to interfere directly with the team's dynamics. However Sarah's confrontational attitude towards her treatment of Chuck in "Chuck Versus the Predator
Chuck Versus the Predator
"Chuck Versus the Predator" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of Chuck. It originally aired on March 23, 2009. Chuck Bartowski reluctantly tells his handlers that he has been contacted by Orion, the mastermind behind the Intersect computer and the person who can erase the Intersect...
" led to her concern that Sarah was too emotionally close to the asset. After Casey attempted to cover for them, she requested he provide an unedited report on Chuck and Sarah's relationship. This led to her reassigning CIA agent Alexandra Forrest as Chuck's CIA handler under directive 49-B. After Forrest subsequently failed to protect Chuck because she lacked Sarah's close personal connection and understanding of him, Beckman was forced to acknowledge that Sarah's feelings for the asset made her the best choice to protect him.
After Chuck's failed operation to locate his father, and he allowed Jill to escape, Beckman decided to pull the plug on Operation Bartowski and ordered Casey and Sarah to take Chuck into permanent custody. She reversed this decision when the Intersect was removed from Chuck's head in "Chuck Versus the Colonel
Chuck Versus the Colonel
"Chuck Versus the Colonel" is the 21st episode of Chuck's second season, and the 34th episode overall. It aired on April 20, 2009. Chuck and Sarah go on the run in an effort to locate Chuck's father. At the Buy More, Morgan becomes a pariah among his coworkers after Big Mike's demotion.-Main...
". In "Chuck Versus the Ring
Chuck Versus the Ring
"Chuck Versus the Ring" is the second season finale of Chuck, which aired on April 27, 2009. The day of Ellie and Devon's wedding arrives, but Chuck finds himself forced to protect both his sister and the event from a vengeful Ted Roark....
" she offered Chuck an analyst position on the Intersect Project. She then freed Casey to return to his old unit, and reassigned Sarah to the Intersect Project with Bryce Larkin
Bryce Larkin
Bryce Larkin is a recurring character on the spy comedy series Chuck on NBC. Bryce is the ex-college roommate and fraternity brother of the series' main character, Chuck Bartowski and was formerly partnered and once romantically involved with Chuck's CIA handler Sarah Walker. Bryce was responsible...
.
Rounding out Beckman's interference with the team, she ordered Sarah to apprehend Casey upon learning that he had stolen a valuable item from a CIA facility, and when Casey was broken out, she came to Castle and ordered Sarah and Chuck to capture him, dead or alive. Despite the three agents eventually working together and taking down the Ring cell that had coerced him into stealing from the CIA in the first place, Beckman could not brook Casey's treason, and dismissed him on the spot. Beckman also wished to discuss Sarah transferring out of Burbank, as Chuck has needed her less and less.
Beckman does not look lightly on the three years and "untold millions of dollars" spent helping Chuck reach his potential, but has become understanding of Chuck's "hand-wringing" and "second-guessing" as part of his process. Beckman insists that until seeing video recovered from the Ring
The Ring (Chuck)
The Ring is a major spy organization on the television series Chuck. The main antagonist of the second season , Fulcrum, is revealed in the Season Two finale to be only one part of the Ring, which then serves as the main antagonist of Season Three...
, she had no knowledge that Sarah had killed Shaw's wife.
In the season 3 finale, Beckman is before the higher ups of the CIA, who were concerned about the state of Operation Bartowski and Chuck in particular. She gets swept away in a setup staged by a very much alive Shaw. The purpose was to discredit her so that he could take her place at the spies' convention, where the Five Elders of the Ring were going to be to take over the NSA and CIA. Team Bartowski arrests the Elders along with Daniel Shaw and Justin Sullivan, leading to the disintegration of the Ring. Chuck later reveals to Ellie that Beckman was reinstated, and she allowed him to resign from the spy world.
As of the season 4 premier, the federal government has rebuilt the Burbank Buy More as a secret joint NSA/CIA station, staffed by undercover spies. Beckman initially installs herself on-site in the guise of a Buy More manager, using Big Mike's old office and displaying her real forename or middle name, Diane, on her name tag (although she incongruously prefers her personnel to continue to address her as "General" even when undercover in the store). She has withdrawn her approval of Chuck's resignation, and systematically eliminates all private sector job opportunities in order to force his return to the CIA and Buy More. New "improvements" to the Buy More include a trap door through which she drops a reluctant Chuck through a Bespin
Bespin
Bespin is a fictional planet, a gas giant in Star Wars films and books. The planet was first seen in the 1980 feature film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
-esque tube slide into Castle. After rehiring Morgan Grimes as a "green shirter" salesman upstairs and an operative downstairs, Beckman reluctantly concedes to his observation that the Buy More and its undercover staff are far too efficient and pleasant, rendering the cover virtually transparent; accordingly, she authorizes Morgan to rehire the store's former staff and appoints him store manager in her stead.
General Beckman is the series' only regular character not based in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
, and is usually seen only in video conferences from her office. Still, her on-site management of the Buy More's reconstruction is not the only time she has been shown away from her Fort Meade
Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation that includes the Defense Information School, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Courier Service...
desk. She was in the field in two consecutive episodes, supervising the arrest of Alexei Volkoff
Alexei Volkoff
Alexei Volkoff is the alias and alter ego of Hartley Winterbottom , a fictional character on the television series Chuck. Volkoff is the head of Volkoff Industries. For the first six episodes of the fourth season, he was an unseen character, directing his operatives from behind the scenes...
at the Bartowski family's forest cabin, and subsequently participating in the capture of Fatima Tazi and rescue of Roan Montgomery in Marrakesh, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. In the latter case, she called in an air strike on Tazi's counterfeiting presses and personally employed a rocket-propelled grenade to disable Tazi and prevent Montgomery's execution. Noticeably, the general dresses in her usual service uniform even in the field while her subordinate military personnel are in fatigue uniform. She also occasionally visits Team Bartowski in Burbank, particularly in season 4.
Although her position prevents her from doing so openly, Beckman ultimately proves her loyalty to her team in "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger
Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger
"Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" is the fourth season finale of the American NBC action-comedy television series Chuck. Aired on May 16, 2011, it is the season's 24th episode, and the 78th overall episode of the series. The episode was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill and written by series...
" when, after Chuck and Casey are "burned" by Clyde Decker for their attempt to free Alexei Volkoff and save Sarah's life, Beckman provides them with the information on where Volkoff is being taken and her own identity card to enter Castle. She also supposedly left Chuck a pair of sunglasses with the intent of restoring the Intersect to him after it was suppressed by Decker, however they were accidentally put on by Morgan first. She is, however, noticeably absent from Chuck and Sarah's wedding.
As of the end of season 4, the government has concluded Operation Bartowski, stripped Castle of its equipment, and sold off the Buy More/Castle complex. Concurrently, Beckman terminated the civil service employment of Chuck, Sarah and Morgan (although all three were employed by the CIA, not by her NSA), and arranged either a retirement or second dismissal of Casey from the Marine Corps. Beckman's involvement with Chuck and the Intersect Project appeared not to have concluded, as the Intersect-embedded sunglasses meant for Chuck were addressed as a gift from Beckman. In "Chuck Versus the Frosted Tips", Beckman came to Chuck to hire Carmichael Industries to help capture a man named Zorn to prevent him from selling CIA secrets. Later, Sarah calls Beckman regarding the Intersect glasses, only to learn that she had never sent any glasses; it is implied that Clyde Decker is responsible. At the end fo the episode, Beckman clandestinely meets with Chuck, warning him that since Morgan has outed himself as the Intersect, Decker has put a kill order on him.
Personality
Beckman is portrayed as a stern woman with little tolerance for confrontation from subordinates. She is abrupt and to the point, and shows little to no interest in Chuck's life beyond his service as the Intersect. Beckman frequently overrules both Chuck and Sarah's objections to placing him in situations that put him in danger or compromise his personal life and ethics. She firmly believes that they are at war with Fulcrum, and they must use whatever weapons in their arsenal to defeat them. As Operation Bartowski is their only successful asset in this fight, she refuses to allow Chuck to have the Intersect removed and demands he become a spy. Beckman's wryness has led actress Bonita Friedericy to name her "Chuckles" Beckman.She frequently lies to or withholds information from members of Team Bartowski, mostly Chuck, in the interest of national security. When the Beta Intersect was completed, she and Graham released Chuck of his obligations to the CIA and NSA, but, immediately after, ordered Casey to eliminate him, an order that was hinted at several times in the first season. Beckman has lied often on the subject of Orion, solely for the purpose of keeping the Intersect in Chuck's head and forcing him to become a spy. She later ordered Sarah to betray Chuck so that Chuck could be taken underground against his will. Further, she rescinded Chuck's resignation at the end of Season 3; despite Chuck saving her life and career, with Operation Bartowski declared an unmitigated success Beckman sabotages all attempts Chuck made to gain employment outside the CIA, declaring that Chuck is only out when she says so. She later insists that Chuck's sister Ellie Woodcomb be involuntarilly groomed as an Intersect, over the objections of the team.
Little is shown of the General's personal life. She is known to be friends with Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
. Beckman is one of two current NBC fictional characters - the other being Jack Donaghy
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He is the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric and later Kabletown....
of 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
- to be friends of the former Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
.
The first episode to explore Beckman's past or relationships in any detail was the season four episode, "Chuck Versus the Seduction Impossible
Chuck Versus the Seduction Impossible
"Chuck Versus the Seduction Impossible" is the fourteenth episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired on February 7, 2011. This episode followed the intended season finale, "Chuck Versus the Push Mix", making it the first of an additional eleven episodes ordered...
". The episode confirmed that she and Roan Montgomery (John Laroquette) have maintained an ongoing romantic relationship of sorts for more than twenty years, enjoying periodic rendezvous. At the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the pair were engaged in a tryst and promised to retire with each other in or about 2009 if they both survived. She was subsequently angered when Montgomery went on a rogue operation rather than meet her as he promised. Although they are not in an on-going committed relationship, per se, and although Montgomery's professional expertise is seduction and honey traps, Beckman does not entirely conceal her jealousy and resentment. Diane admitted that she too intended to cancel her plans to retire - both of them recognizing that they were too involved in their work to be comfortable settling down in a "normal" life. Beckman only had Montgomery tracked down because "you don't run from a general." Montgomery, NCS
National Clandestine Service
The National Clandestine Service is one of the four main components of the Central Intelligence Agency...
Director Jane Bentley, and Mary Bartowski
Mary Elizabeth Bartowski
Mary Elizabeth Bartowski is a character on the television series Chuck. Mary is the estranged mother of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski. She is portrayed by Linda Hamilton.-Biography:...
are among the few characters with whom Diane is comfortable addressing her by her forename.
Beckman puts on a strongly professional attitude when dealing with the team, so she rarely shows signs of emotion. She was caught off-guard by Chuck's announcement that Orion had identified and contacted him. She was also, to humorous effect, flustered by Montgomery's charms after he aided the team in recovering the Cipher. When asked by Chuck if she had a life outside of the NSA she reassured Casey, who objected to his question, that she wasn't bothered and admitted that she wasn't just a uniform, and "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte
Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte
"Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte" is the third episode of the third season of Chuck. It aired on January 11, 2010 as part of the season's three-part premier, following "Chuck Versus the Pink Slip" and "Chuck Versus the Three Words" on January 10...
" was the first time she was shown out of uniform (having been interrupted during a cocktail party). Beckman is also highly driven and tenacious, having tracked Orion for years, and shows wounded pride and shock that Chuck succeeded in finding him after only a few weeks. She was deeply angered by Chuck's insistence of being freed of the Intersect, and has taken the fight against Fulcrum personally due to the increasing number of men and women she's sent to their deaths trying to defeat them, and sees Chuck and his team as the only group to have found "a chink in their armor", and that the outcome was going to "rest squarely on [Chuck's] shoulders".
Although generally unflappable, Beckman was openly upset when she pleaded with Daniel Shaw
Daniel Shaw
Daniel Shaw is a fictional government agent on the television series Chuck. Shaw is introduced in the third season episode "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome" as a government agent specializing in the terrorist organization known as the Ring, and who becomes a mentor to Chuck Bartowski and ultimately...
to be allowed to disclose the full details of the team's recently completed mission with Carina in "Chuck Versus the Three Words". Despite her professionalism in front of her subordinates she has also at times displayed genuine sympathy and concern for the well-being of the team, and was visibly concerned by the realization that Shaw's knowledge of Sarah killing his wife placed Sarah in danger.
Beckman is known to be a reader of Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
.
As she is a strict professional, Beckman officially does not approve of Chuck and Sarah beginning a romantic relationship. However off the record even she has acknowledged "it's about damn time." Beckman herself openly admitted to caring for Chuck in "Chuck Versus the Tooth
Chuck Versus the Tooth
"Chuck Versus the Tooth" is the 16th episode of Chuck third season, and originally aired on May 10, 2010. When Chuck struggles with disturbing dreams, he believes his most recent one predicts danger for a visiting head of state. Beckman, however, is unconvinced and assigns Chuck to meet with a CIA...
", when it became apparent the Intersect was taking a devastating effect on Chuck's mental state.
Like Col. Casey, BG Beckman has begrudgingly grown to appreciate Morgan Grimes' unusual talents and his importance in keeping the intersect (i.e., Chuck's mind) functioning properly. Although she initially hired him only under duress as a condition of Casey's delivery of the Ring Director, she demanded his involuntary reinstatement after his resignation only months later, and almost immediately appointed him manager of the Buy More in recognition of his knowledge and understanding of how to keep the cover store's appearance genuine. Morgan is the only regular character shown to address her by her forename, Diane, or "my captain", although he corrected himself each time in response to her displeasure.
Awards
| Air Force Master Intelligence Badge (erroneously worn inverted in many episodes) | ||
| Air Force Cross Air Force Cross (United States) The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. The Air Force Cross is the Air Force decoration equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross .The Air Force Cross is awarded for extraordinary heroism... |
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was created by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960. The medal was intended as a new decoration of the United States Air Force to replace the policy of awarding the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Air Force personnel.The Air Force... |
Defense Superior Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."... |
| Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements... |
Distinguished Flying Cross Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The... |
Bronze Star with Valor device Valor device The Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor... |
| Defense Meritorious Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense... |
Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal The Meritorious Service Medal is a senior level military decoration presented to denote acts of meritorious service worthy of recognition. This medal can be awarded in a combat or non- combat theatre... |
Outstanding Unit Award Outstanding Unit Award The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is an award of the United States Air Force which was first created in 1954. The award is presented as a ribbon to any command of the U.S... |
| Air Force Recognition Ribbon Air Force Recognition Ribbon The Air Force Recognition Ribbon is a military award of the United States Air Force which was first created in October 1980. The ribbon is intended to recognize those who have received "non-portable" awards for accomplishment and excellence while serving on active duty in the United States Air... |
National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... with two service stars Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service... indicating 3 awards |
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy... |
| Southwest Asia Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War... with two campaign stars Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service... |
Humanitarian Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal The Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under... |
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) The Naut Tahrir al-Kuwait was instituted by King Fahd ibn Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.- Background :... |
| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) The Wisam Al-Tahrir was issued by the government of Kuwait for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.-Description:The Kuwait Liberation Medal was approved by the Kuwait Council of Ministers for award in five classes, generally according to the rank of the recipient... |
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,... |
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003... |
Close-ups of Ms. Friedericy's costume are available at http://www.movieplayer.it/gallery/166646/il-generale-diane-beckman-bonita-friedericy-in-una-sequenza-dell-episodio-chuck-versus-the-subway/?personaggio=59512, http://www.movieplayer.it/gallery/166647/bonita-friedericy-in-un-immagine-promo-per-l-episodio-chuck-versus-the-subway/?personaggio=59512 and in the infobox above. Several of the ribbons are out of sequence, but are shown here in the order worn by the character. For example, the Kuwait Liberation Medals from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, being foreign awards, should follow all United States awards, not precede the GWOTEM and GWOTSM.
The two stars on her Southwest Asia Service Medal show that she served in two of the five distinct campaigns of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
.
General Beckman's three awards of the National Defense Service Medal evidence that she first entered the military prior to August 14, 1974, as the three most recent periods of service for which the medal was issued are for the Vietnam War (January 1, 1961 - August 14, 1974), the Gulf War (August 2, 1990 - November 30, 1995) and the War on Terrorism (September 11, 2001 - ).
National Intelligence Director
Chuck Versus the Intersect
"Chuck Versus the Intersect" is the pilot episode of the American action-comedy television series Chuck. The episode was directed by McG and written by series co-creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak...
" actress Wendy Makkena
Wendy Makkena
-Career:Born in New York City, Makkena started her acting career in 1986 and appeared in the TV show Santa Barbara. She later landed her first movie role in Eight Men Out...
appeared in a role credited as the National Intelligence Director. In some casting lists the character is identified as "General Mary Beckman". In the episode, the Intelligence Director briefed Casey alongside Director Graham on the Intersect theft, before dispatching him to Burbank to track down Bryce Larkin's contact.
Makkena was to continue appearing in this role, however was forced to drop out for unspecified reasons after the pilot was filmed. Bonita Friedericy also auditioned for the role, and took over when Makkena left. Although the Intelligence Director's name was never used in the pilot, and Schwartz and Fedak have not officially confirmed it, Friedericy has suggested the two characters are the same. General Beckman's ID card reads "Gen. M. Beckman" (as shown on Chuck's Chart, first seen in the second season episode "Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon
Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon
"Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon" is the sixteenth episode of the second season of Chuck. It originally aired on March 9, 2009. When Cole Barker escapes after being tortured by Fulcrum and returns to Castle, Sarah Walker and John Casey are assigned to hunt down a scientist codenamed "Perseus", who...
"), which matches the unofficial name of Makkena's character in the pilot. The video conference screen shown immediately before and after conferences with Beckman displays a large seal (essentially the U.S. Coat of Arms with the crest replaced by a globe ringed with satellites) around which are the words "Office of the Director of National Intelligence - United States of America", also suggesting the characters are the same.