Jack Bauer
Encyclopedia
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist
of the American television series 24
. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) based in Los Angeles
, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C. during season 7.
Within the 24 storyline, Bauer is a key member of CTU and is often portrayed as their most capable agent. Bauer's job usually involves helping prevent major terrorist attacks on the United States, saving both civilian lives and government administrations. On many occasions Jack does so at great personal expense, as those he thwarts subsequently target him and his loved ones. Bauer's frequent use of torture
to gather information has generated much controversy and discussion. Entertainment Weekly
named Jack Bauer one of The 20 All Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture.
Actor Kiefer Sutherland
portrays Jack Bauer in the television show and video game. The television series ended on May 24, 2010 after 8 successful seasons. A feature film is now underway. TV Guide
ranked him #49 on their list of "TV's Top 50 Heroes".
commented that they did not have any actors in mind for the part; "We didn't really know who it was. We were casting a lot of people and then we heard Kiefer Sutherland's name and thought, that's Jack Bauer." In 2000, Sutherland was contacted by his friend, director Stephen Hopkins
, who was working on the pilot for the experimental real-time TV show and offered him the lead. Initially Sutherland had reservations about playing Bauer, stating, "I thought, 'This is really clever and different, so there's no way they're going to pick it up. But I could use the money, and no one will ever see it'."
Sutherland must produce around 24 hours of film each season, "which is like making 12 movies, so there are going to be mistakes along the way, but I am incredibly surprised by how many things work well as a result of working at that pace."
In 2006, Sutherland signed a contract to play the role of Bauer for three seasons following season five
. The contract was reported to be worth $40 million. Sutherland is also an executive producer
of 24.
, California
, on February 18, 1966, to Phillip Bauer, who placed his livelihood in his company, BXJ Technologies. The name of Jack's mother is unknown. Jack had one brother, Graem Bauer. Philip originally planned to give the company to Jack, but as Jack said in Day 6, "I just had to go my own way." Later on after leaving the U.S. Army, he married Teri Bauer, and later on had a child, named Kim Bauer.
Jack has a Bachelor of Arts
degree in English Literature
from the University of California, Los Angeles
and a Master of Science
degree in Criminology
and Law
from the University of California, Berkeley
. He enlisted in the United States Army
and later graduated from Officer Candidate School
. He was a member of Delta Force
and specialized in infantry operations. Among his awards and decorations are the Silver Star
, the Purple Heart
, and the Legion of Merit
. He received Airborne
, Air Assault
, Ranger
, and Special Forces
training. He left the Army in the rank of Captain after fifteen years of service. Following his military career, Jack worked for both the Los Angeles Police Department
's Special Weapons and Tactics unit and for the Central Intelligence Agency
as a case officer in the clandestine service. He was recruited into the Counter Terrorist Unit by Christopher Henderson.
He has demonstrated a high proficiency with firearms (typically the SIG P229 or USP Compact), explosives, electronic devices, resistance to torture (after being kidnapped by Chinese agents, and tortured for almost two years, it is revealed he hasn't spoken a single word for the whole time). He is fluent in German
(Season 8) and has demonstrated some ability to either speak or understand Spanish
(Seasons 1 & 3), Russian
(Season 6), Arabic
(Season 8), and Serbian
(Season 1). He is also shown to be capable of flying
planes (Season 2) and helicopter
s (Seasons 3, 5 & 8).
Jack's final dialogue with Renee Walker
in Season 7 offers insight into his perspective on torture and its ramifications:
24 Season 1
During season 1, Bauer's wife Teri
and his daughter Kim are kidnapped by Victor Drazen, a man Bauer believes he killed in a covert mission called Operation Nightfall in Kosovo
two years earlier.
Jack must try to rescue them, while simultaneously preventing an assassination attempt on presidential-candidate Senator David Palmer
. Erroneously believing that Kim is murdered by Drazen, Jack single-handedly kills Drazen and his associates in a fit of rage. As Bauer is returning to CTU, Nina Myers
, whom he knows to be a traitor, kills Teri. Teri had overheard Nina's phone conversation about her escape plans, and Nina decided to kill Teri to make sure there aren't any witnesses. Jack cries with Teri in his arms to end the first season.
24 Season 2
18 months after the events of Day 1 and the loss of his wife Teri, Jack is asked to be brought back into action by George Mason (the head of CTU at the time) and CTU at the request of the NSA. Jack, who is still seemingly overwhelmed by his wife's death and the fact that his daughter Kim disowns him, refuses as he holds CTU responsible for what happened to Teri. However, at the request of now-President Palmer (Jack's close friend), he goes to CTU, where he learns that there are terrorists in Los Angeles who plan to detonate a nuclear bomb in the city sometime within the course of that day. Thanks to Jack's work, the bomb is detonated in the Mojave Desert
with only the life of George Mason, who is currently dying of radiation poisoning, ended. Jack then spends the remainder of the day working with CTU to find out who was really behind the nuclear bomb in order to prevent war in the Middle East.
24 Season 3
Three years later, Jack returns from an undercover sting operation of Ramon Salazar, a Mexican drug lord. While the operation is a success and results in the arrest of Salazar, it comes at a heavy price. Bauer ends up with a heroin addiction in order to maintain his cover with the Salazars, and attempts to fight it by going "cold turkey
". Ramon's brother, Hector, insists that Bauer be kept alive to buy the Cordilla virus and resell them to underground organizations worldwide for a one billion dollar profit. Eventually Bauer wins the trust of Ramon Salazar but learns that another buyer is in play, headed by Nina Myers. Nina won the virus and Jack has to prove to her that he hates CTU. Nina even makes Jack kiss her. The sale of the virus goes bad, but Nina Myers is taken into custody and is eventually executed by Bauer after he deems her useless. Kim was about to shoot Nina when Jack shoots her instead. He then learns that the man behind the distribution of the virus and the attacks is Stephen Saunders, one of Jack's former team members presumed dead from Operation: Nightfall in Kosovo. At one point Saunders threatens to use the virus if the President doesn't have CTU Regional Director, Ryan Chappelle killed. Chappelle is getting close to discovering Saunders has a daughter. The President reluctantly puts this on Jack. Jack utters the words "God forgive me" and carries out the execution per the President's orders. Eventually Jack and Chase Edmunds
capture Saunders and retrieve the vials of virus. On their last retrieval, Jack is forced to make a decision to cut off Chase's hand using an axe to gain access to the final vial; Chase had fastened the device to his hand with a titanium clamp to prevent the escape of the suspect carrying it. After leaving the hospital following Chase's decision, Jack takes a moment in his parked SUV. For the last remaining minutes in the 24 hours since the day began, Jack sits alone in his car and cries over all the events he's had to endure, such as killing Chappelle.
24 Season 4
Eighteen months later, Jack is fired by Erin Driscoll due to his heroin addiction acquired prior to Season 3
. He finds employment with the Department of Defense
and becomes involved in a relationship with the daughter of the Secretary of Defense, Audrey Raines
. Eighteen months after Day 3 Jack is called back in CTU to help them stop a terrorist mastermind named Habib Marwan. Audrey witnesses Jack interrogate her estranged husband Paul Raines, which makes her question whether or not she can be in a relationship with him. Jack is unable to stop Air Force One
from being shot out of the sky with a stolen Stealth Fighter jet, leading Vice President Charles Logan
to assume office. Later in the day, Jack is told by former President David Palmer, whom Logan brought in as an advisor, to invade the Chinese consulate and extract a man named Lee Jong who has key information. However, the Chinese consul was accidentally killed by the Chinese guards shooting at Bauer. Lee Jong was also injured during the raid, leading Jack to force doctors at CTU who had been operating on Paul Raines to sacrifice him in order to save Lee, much to Audrey's dismay. Jack and CTU are soon able to beat the clock and intercept the nuclear warhead that Marwan had targeted Los Angeles with. But the Chinese soon learn that Jack was behind the attack, forcing Jack to fake his own death and go into hiding in order to avoid being taken into Chinese custody.
24 Season 5
After Michelle Dessler
and David Palmer are killed, and Tony Almeida
is presumed dead by assassins, Jack is forced out of hiding. He discovers that the assassin's plot was to frame him for the murders. Chloe O'Brian
is saved by Jack as assassins attempt to kill her as well. Jack interrogates the assassin and retrieves information that they were setting him up. Terrorists take over an airport terminal, but CTU learns that the hostage situation was a decoy to obtain military-grade Sentox nerve gas. Jack follows a series of leads which takes him to Christopher Henderson, a man Jack used to work under at CTU. Jack goes undercover when the terrorists try to release a canister at the Sunrise Hills shopping mall, and he stops the attempt against the orders of the President. Jack and CTU then are able to thwart the terrorists next attack by blowing up a natural gas facility the terrorists had used to circulate the nerve gas throughout the city. Jack eventually learns that it is President Charles Logan
who is behind the day's events. Jack works and goes to great lengths to recover a recording implicating the President, going as far as to hijack an airplane that was carrying the person whom the recording had been passed off to. Eventually, Jack is able to directly confront the President. Though he is unable to get Logan to confess to his crimes, he places a micro transmitter in the President's pen, which leads to his downfall. At the end of the season Jack is captured and imprisoned by the Chinese for his actions from Day 4. It is speculated that the Chinese learned that Jack was still alive by President Logan, looking to cover his tracks and trying to prevent Jack from exposing him.
24 Season 6
Over the last 11 weeks, the United States has been a target of non-stop terrorist attacks and bombings, in public buildings and transportation. Jack is released from China 20 months after his capture at the end of Day 5
. It is revealed that he is being released only to be handed over to Abu Fayed who wants revenge on Jack who had killed his brother years earlier. However, Jack manages to escape by biting out a man's jugular vein
and tries to warn President Wayne Palmer of Hamri Al-Assad's innocence, a man whom Fayed convinced the US was behind the attacks. Jack saves Assad from an air strike, and the two are able to thwart a bombing attempt on a subway and rescue a civilian family held hostage. As the events unfold, painful memories of his murdered U.S. Army Green Berets team leads Curtis Manning
to attempt to kill Assad, leaving Jack no choice but to shoot Curtis in order to get more of the information they need from Assad, sending Jack into an emotional state of overwhelming grief. Jack attempts to quit from CTU, but a nuclear bomb explodes, destroying Valencia, California
. He realizes he cannot stop what he's doing until he stops Fayed once and for all. New leads point to an involvement with a company run by his father Phillip Bauer and brother Graem. Jack interrogates Graem for information, but before he can get a lead Phillip Bauer sees his son as too much of a risk to reveal his involvement and kills Graem himself (giving the impression Graem had a heart attack from the drugs). Jack discovers his father's involvement and trails him to a hotel, where he is holding his grandson Josh Bauer hostage. Phillip agrees to trade Josh's life for Jack's. As Phillip is about to execute his son, Jack makes a last sentiment, claiming that he became what he did for his own reasons, and not to spite his father. Phillip leaves before shooting Jack, and leaves him a PDA with instructions to call a phone number belonging to Charles Logan. It is eventually revealed that a Russian general is involved with Fayed's plot, and Jack takes a Russian official hostage inside the Russian consulate, risking imprisonment for the same action he committed at the Chinese consulate years earlier. The official is found out to be in league with the terrorists, and Jack is not penalized for his actions by Russia. Eventually Jack manages to thwart Fayed's nuclear plans, killing him before any more bombs could detonate.
Jack is told that Audrey Raines died looking for him in China, but later discovers that she has actually been kidnapped by the Chinese. He completes an exchange with the Chinese and manages to save Audrey, as well as his nephew who gets mixed up in the events when Phillip Bauer returns. Audrey has lost her memory and does not remember Jack. Jack tearfully bids goodbye to Audrey after being told by her father, James Heller, that he cannot give her good enough care. The season ends with Jack staring out into the horizon, uncertain of his future.
the bloopers on season 6 : when jack in custody at russian consulate he gave the the CTU number to the guard (310-597-3781)..
this is the same number that chinese man giving jacks the number to call in order to save audrey raines.
When a sudden military coup takes place in the country, Jack helps Benton bring the orphans to the U.S. embassy so that they can leave the country and escape rebels who plan to turn them into child soldiers. After Benton is killed, Jack turns himself in to a subpoena executed by U.S. Marines and allows himself to be arrested at the embassy in order to let the children be removed from the war zone.
24 Season 7
At 8 AM, Jack begins his day at a Senate Subcommittee hearing; Senator Blaine Meyer is conducting an investigation into the actions of CTU, and it is clear that he intends to make an example of Jack. Bauer is rescued by FBI
agent Renee Walker
, who needs his assistance to prevent a developing terrorist threat: an extremist group is attempting to take over American infrastructure, including power, water and air traffic control. Jack is needed because Tony Almeida
is assisting this group. Jack and Renee succeed in apprehending Tony, who reveals that he is helping Bill Buchanan
and Chloe O'Brian
to reveal a conspiracy embedded deep within the American government. This conspiracy is controlled by the dictator of Sangala, Gen. Benjamin Juma, who first sends a subordinate, Col. Ike Dubaku, to capture former Sengalan Prime Minister Ule Matobo, whom Juma deposed, and then stages an attack on the White House
in the hopes of humiliating and eliminating President of the United States
Allison Taylor
. Jack, Tony, Bill and Renee, with support from Chloe and FBI agents Larry Moss and Janis Gold, are able to foil these efforts.
However, it becomes clear that Juma was not working alone: he had support from within America, in the form of a private military company
called Starkwood. Juma and Starkwood CEO Jonas Hodges had collaborated to develop a bioweapon, a fast-acting strain of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, which Hodges attempts to use to force President Taylor to include him and Starkwood in the highest circles of American government. Fortunately, the bioagent is destroyed before deployment via Tony's efforts, with only one known victim: Jack himself, who was exposed to the prion
while attempting to escape with it. FBI physicians predict death within two days; while an experimental treatment involving the stem cell
s of a family member does exist, it has a low probability of success. As Hodges is arrested, it becomes clear that he is but one link in a larger chain: the leaders of many American PMCs have been assisting his efforts, and had planned to use his bioweapon for similar purposes. Tony is revealed to be an agent of this inner circle when he escapes with the only remaining canister of bioweapon. Though his attempts to deploy it are foiled, he manages to escape custody when his allies capture Kim Bauer, who had flown to DC to watch the Senate hearings, and threaten her with death unless Jack breaks Tony out of FBI custody. Tony thereafter reveals that his actions ever since resurrection have revolved around Alan Wilson, leader of the PMC conspirators and the man who ordered the assassinations (as seen in the opening moments of season 5) of former president David Palmer, Chloe O'Brian, Tony himself and his wife Michelle Dessler, who, Tony reveals, was carrying their unborn child. Tony and Wilson are both remanded to federal custody, while Jack makes peace with his impending death, unaware that Kim has volunteered to provide stem cells for the experimental treatment.
Jack's emotional state is more central to the story than it has been in previous seasons. Though he and Senator Mayer begin the day with attitudes of mutual antagonism, Jack later visits him at his home for information on Starkwood (Mayer had been investigating Starkwood as well as CTU), and the two come to an understanding: both of them want to live in a world where Jack's methods are unnecessary, even though they have somewhat different means of bringing that world to fruition. He wins the respect of a Muslim
imam
, Muhtadi Gohar, while attempting to apprehend a terror suspect (whom Tony had framed), and in fact turns to Gohar for spiritual guidance at the end of his life. He is able to make peace with Kim, despite the many years and pains between them. However, his most notable emotional relationship is with Renee Walker, who quickly establishes her willingness to abide by the law when she allows Jack to torture a suspect who may be protecting Almeida. Renee is possessed of the same hatred of injustice as Jack, but is very hesitant to employ the methods he uses; the two characters personify the debate that has raged on the show (and about it) for many years: whether the ends justify the means. The final important revelation offered this season was that Jack by no means believes the law to be unnecessary or weak, stating that he "know[s] that these laws have to be more important" than the often few people he is trying to save (one must assume that 24 only reveals rare exceptions, and that in the "regular/workday" life of CTU, the targets are much smaller); however, despite this belief, he contends that his "heart couldn't live with" sacrificing innocent persons, however few (the example he cites is "fifteen people on a bus"), for the sake of maintaining some abstract law or legal fiction
.
24 Season 8
As season 8 started Jack Bauer was sitting with his granddaughter and watching TV. His daughter Kim asked if he wanted to come back to Los Angeles with her, he said yes.
On learning of an assassination attempt on Kamistani President Omar Hassan prior to peace talks with Russia, Jack contacts Chloe O'Brian at CTU. They learn that someone very close to Hassan is the suspected assassin. When Chloe asks for Jack's help, he says that he is done, but his daughter persuades him to help CTU foil the assassination attempt. The bomber is identified as one of the security personnel and Jack saves Hassan by killing the bomber.
Farhad Hassan (brother and Chief of Staff to Omar Hassan) is closely involved in the assassination as well as with smuggling nuclear fuel rods. This latter subplot involves Jack and Renee Walker going undercover to try and identify the location of the rods. Samir Mehran has the rods and wants to use them as leverage (as dirty bombs) to capture President Hassan. President Taylor asked Jack to protect President Hassan, but Hassan surrenders himself to Mehran to protect innocent lives being lost. Hassan is executed leaving Jack to apologise to President Taylor for his failure.
Jack and Walker return to his apartment and after a passionate moment together finds the two looking to their future, she is shot by a sniper (hired by the Russian foreign minister, Mikhail Novakovich). Renee dies shortly after in the hospital with a distraught Jack looking on. With revenge his only concern, Bauer attempts to interrogate Dana Walsh (a CTU mole), but President Taylor intercedes and orders that Jack be transferred to McGuire Air Force Base. In transit, he hijacks a helicopter and immediately tracks down an old friend, Jim Ricker, to supply him with weapons.
As he tracks Walsh, Jack is crossed by Chloe, nevertheless he finds Walsh and discovers the Russian involvement in the conspiracy behind President Hassan's death. Jack kills Walsh in cold blood after her failed attempt to escape with the information. This also leads him to Pavel Tokarev, the sniper who killed Renee. After brutally torturing Tokarev, Jack realises that the information he needs to discover the full extent of the conspiracy is on a phone SIM card, swallowed by Tokarev. Tokarev dies as Jack evicerates him and retrieves the card from his stomach. Tokarev's last contact was with former President Charles Logan. Jack captures Logan who leads him to Novakovitch, but unknown to Logan, Jack had placed a bug on him. After tracking down and eliminating Novakovich and his bodyguards, Jack then, via the bug, discovers that Logan is conspiring directly with Russian President Yuri Suvarov.
In the final hour of the series, Jack sets up an operation to take down Suvarov by having Logan ask Suvarov to come to his residence. Jack sits across in the next building with a sniper rifle aimed straight at Logan's room. However, before he has a chance to pull the trigger, Chloe intervenes, saying that they can use the recording Jack made of Logan and Suvarov's conversation as evidence. Jack agrees and gives her the recording. He then forces her to shoot him to avoid suspicion. As Jack is being transported to CTU, Logan (under the indirect authorization of President Taylor) arranges for his ambulance to be ambushed. In the final scene of the show, Jack is taken to a construction site to be killed. However, the agent charged with killing Jack receives a phone call from President Taylor, who had found them through a CTU drone via Chloe, Arlo, and Cole's help. Taylor orders the agents to stand down and release Jack.
In the final moments, Jack contacts Chloe at CTU. Still watching him on the drone, Chloe tells Jack that she and Taylor are buying time for him to flee the country, as he will now be pursued by both Russian and American agents for the events of the past hours and the revelation of the Russian conspiracy. Jack looks towards Chloe (at the drone), and tells her to protect Kim and her family because anyone that comes after him will try to use her to lure him out of hiding. Chloe promises to keep them safe and before running off, Jack tells Chloe that he had never thought it was going to be her that helped him through the years. He thanks her and then begins running away (which leaves the story open for the feature film), as Chloe tells Arlo to shut down the drone. The camera focuses and fades out on Jack's face one last time before the final clock, the only clock in all 8 seasons to count down from 3 seconds to 0.
has portrayed Jack Bauer in these episodes, including the prequels and the webisodes. Additionally, he voiced the same character in 24: The Game, 24: Day Zero and 24: DVD Board Game.
. The series consists of 5 segments, no longer than three minutes in length each. Two agents, Agent Ramirez and Agent Moss, track Jack down to a hotel room and ask him to come to District for debriefing about the recovery of the tactical nukes. The Debrief consists of Agent Ramirez and other agents attempting to discover more about the supposed-death of an undercover agent, Marcus Holt, who disappeared shortly after Jack's imprisonment in China at the hands of Cheng Zhi
. Since Holt was involved with the Chinese government, it is believed that Jack leaked information that led to his identity being discovered and execution. At the end of the series, the agents announce that they have no conclusive evidence about his involvement, but Ramirez promises to keep a close eye on him until he is certain. Jack tells Ramirez that if he ever sees him again, he better say "The Lord's Prayer", because it will mean he's come to kill him.
With that, Bauer is released from custody and the interrogation ends.
24: The Game takes place between Day 2 and 3. Jack begins waiting outside a ship where terrorists are going to release a ricin bomb in the water supply. A CTU Team triggers an alarm causing Jack and his team to storm the ship. Jack and his team finds the whole ship's crew dead in a cargo hold. He runs into Peter Madsen, an enemy from his past. It is unclear what the story is between them, but it is stated that he framed Jack's family for a vile crime, this is hinted with Jack saying to him: "Eight years ago, my family was not involved". Madsen also states that he no longer takes orders from Jack. It's hinted that Madsen was under Jack's command either in the army or in a SWAT team, and Madsen betrayed Jack. Madsen kidnaps Jack's daughter Kim, and later Kate Warner. Jack finally kills Madsen near the end of the game when he tries to escape by shooting up his speedboat with a Zastava M80 assault rifle, causing it to explode. He also kills Max, who was holding Kate hostage, saving her life. However Max managed to shoot Jack once before dying, the second of two times he was shot in the final hour of the game, the first time by Madsen. As a result, Chase Edmunds takes Jack to the hospital via helicopter.
Diamond Select Toys released 1/24 scale Minimates based on 24:
Enterbay released 1/6 scale figures based on 24:
McFarlane Toys
released 1/12 scale figures based on Jack Bauer:
Medicom Toy (Japan) released 1/6 scale figures based on Jack Bauer in their Real Action Heroes line:
episode 24 Minutes
of The Simpsons
. In the episode, he is accidentally called by Bart
in the middle of a shooting, who then plays a prank call on him. Enraged, he reappears at the end of the episode, having called all agents of his organisation and abandoning his mission to hunt Bart down and arrest him. A nuclear bomb then goes off in the distance, but everyone sighs with relief after Bauer reassures them that the nuclear bomb went off in Shelbyville.
(with 5 other nominations), a Golden Globe (with 4 other nominations), two SAG Awards (with 3 other nominations) and two Satellite Awards
, Kiefer Sutherland
's performance as Jack Bauer became (award-wise) the second most acclaimed Male Lead Dramatic TV performance of the 2000s behind only James Gandolfini
(with 3 Emmys, 1 Golden Globe and 3 SAG Awards). He is also the only Male Lead Drama TV Actor ever to have won all 4 awards.
Entertainment Weekly
put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "When Kiefer Sutherland's 24 superagent barks "Dammit, Chloe—we're running out of time!" America's ass is about to be saved in some new, heart-stopping way."
American politicians and lawyers have taken to using Jack Bauer and his actions to frame the debate on American interrogation techniques
, which have become an object of intense controversy.
For example, at a legal conference in Ottawa
, Canada
, Supreme Court Justice
Antonin Scalia
took offense at a Canadian judge's remark that Canada did not consider what Jack Bauer would do when setting policy. Scalia shot back: "Jack Bauer saved Los Angeles.... He saved hundreds of thousands of lives... Are you going to convict Jack Bauer? Say that criminal law is against him? 'You have the right to a jury trial?' Is any jury going to convict Jack Bauer? I don't think so."
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the American television series 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C. during season 7.
Within the 24 storyline, Bauer is a key member of CTU and is often portrayed as their most capable agent. Bauer's job usually involves helping prevent major terrorist attacks on the United States, saving both civilian lives and government administrations. On many occasions Jack does so at great personal expense, as those he thwarts subsequently target him and his loved ones. Bauer's frequent use of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
to gather information has generated much controversy and discussion. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named Jack Bauer one of The 20 All Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture.
Actor Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
portrays Jack Bauer in the television show and video game. The television series ended on May 24, 2010 after 8 successful seasons. A feature film is now underway. TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
ranked him #49 on their list of "TV's Top 50 Heroes".
Concept and creation
24 co-creator Joel SurnowJoel Surnow
Joel Surnow is an American writer and producer best known for being the creator of the television series 24 and La Femme Nikita. He also produced the Fox News Channel The 1/2 Hour News Hour.-Biography:...
commented that they did not have any actors in mind for the part; "We didn't really know who it was. We were casting a lot of people and then we heard Kiefer Sutherland's name and thought, that's Jack Bauer." In 2000, Sutherland was contacted by his friend, director Stephen Hopkins
Stephen Hopkins (director)
Stephen Hopkins is a Jamaican-born film director and producer. He is best-known for his continuation of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise with A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and the Predator franchise with Predator 2...
, who was working on the pilot for the experimental real-time TV show and offered him the lead. Initially Sutherland had reservations about playing Bauer, stating, "I thought, 'This is really clever and different, so there's no way they're going to pick it up. But I could use the money, and no one will ever see it'."
Sutherland must produce around 24 hours of film each season, "which is like making 12 movies, so there are going to be mistakes along the way, but I am incredibly surprised by how many things work well as a result of working at that pace."
In 2006, Sutherland signed a contract to play the role of Bauer for three seasons following season five
24 (season 5)
Season Five, also known as Day 5 of the television series 24 premiered on January 15, 2006 and aired its season finale on May 22, 2006.The Season Five storyline starts and ends at 7:00 a.m. It is the same time frame as the previous season....
. The contract was reported to be worth $40 million. Sutherland is also an executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
of 24.
Characterization
Jack Bauer was born in Santa MonicaSanta Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, on February 18, 1966, to Phillip Bauer, who placed his livelihood in his company, BXJ Technologies. The name of Jack's mother is unknown. Jack had one brother, Graem Bauer. Philip originally planned to give the company to Jack, but as Jack said in Day 6, "I just had to go my own way." Later on after leaving the U.S. Army, he married Teri Bauer, and later on had a child, named Kim Bauer.
Jack has a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
and a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in Criminology
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
and Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. He enlisted in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and later graduated from Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School (U.S. Army)
The United States Army's Officer Candidate School , located at Fort Benning, Georgia, provides training to become a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army...
. He was a member of Delta Force
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
and specialized in infantry operations. Among his awards and decorations are the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, and the 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...
. He received Airborne
United States Army Airborne School
The United States Army Airborne School — widely known as Jump School — conducts the basic paratrooper training for the United States armed forces. It is operated by the 1st Battalion , 507th Infantry, United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia...
, Air Assault
United States Army Air Assault School
The Sabalauski Air Assault School is a FORSCOM TDA unit located at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Its primary task is training leaders and soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division , other US Army units and US armed services in several courses annually.- Background :Air Assault School qualifies...
, Ranger
Ranger School
The United States Army Ranger School is an intense 61-day combat leadership course oriented towards small-unit tactics. It has been called the "toughest combat course in the world" and "is the most physically and mentally demanding leadership school the Army has to offer". The course is conducted...
, and Special Forces
United States Army Special Forces selection and training
The United States Army Special Forces soldier trains on a regular basis over the course of their entire career. The initial formal training program for entry into Special Forces is divided into four phases collectively known as the Special Forces Qualification Course or, informally, the "Q Course"...
training. He left the Army in the rank of Captain after fifteen years of service. Following his military career, Jack worked for both the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
's Special Weapons and Tactics unit and for the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
as a case officer in the clandestine service. He was recruited into the Counter Terrorist Unit by Christopher Henderson.
He has demonstrated a high proficiency with firearms (typically the SIG P229 or USP Compact), explosives, electronic devices, resistance to torture (after being kidnapped by Chinese agents, and tortured for almost two years, it is revealed he hasn't spoken a single word for the whole time). He is fluent in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
(Season 8) and has demonstrated some ability to either speak or understand Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
(Seasons 1 & 3), Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
(Season 6), Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
(Season 8), and Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
(Season 1). He is also shown to be capable of flying
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
planes (Season 2) and helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s (Seasons 3, 5 & 8).
Jack's final dialogue with Renee Walker
Renee Walker
Renee Walker was a fictional character on the TV series 24, portrayed by Annie Wersching. She was a former FBI special agent, and appeared in both season 7 and season 8.-Concept and creation:...
in Season 7 offers insight into his perspective on torture and its ramifications:
Appearances
As the protagonist and central figure of 24, Jack Bauer is the only character to have appeared in all episodes of the series.24 Season 124 (season 1)Season One, also known as Day 1, of the television series 24 was first broadcast from November 6, 2001 to May 21, 2002.The season's storyline starts at 12:00 a.m...
During season 1, Bauer's wife TeriTeri Bauer
Teri Bauer is a fictional character played by Leslie Hope on the first season of the television series 24.-Characterization:Teri Bauer was born in 1969. She is the wife of Jack Bauer and the mother of Kim Bauer...
and his daughter Kim are kidnapped by Victor Drazen, a man Bauer believes he killed in a covert mission called Operation Nightfall in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
two years earlier.
Jack must try to rescue them, while simultaneously preventing an assassination attempt on presidential-candidate Senator David Palmer
David Palmer (24 character)
David Palmer, J.D. is a fictional President of the United States played by Dennis Haysbert as part of the television series 24. Palmer served as the show's second-most prominent protagonist, after Jack Bauer. Throughout the series, Palmer's ex-wife Sherry and brother Wayne are both key figures in...
. Erroneously believing that Kim is murdered by Drazen, Jack single-handedly kills Drazen and his associates in a fit of rage. As Bauer is returning to CTU, Nina Myers
Nina Myers
Nina Myers is a fictional character on the television series, 24, played by Sarah Clarke. Nina was second-in-command of the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit during the first season of the show.-Characterization:...
, whom he knows to be a traitor, kills Teri. Teri had overheard Nina's phone conversation about her escape plans, and Nina decided to kill Teri to make sure there aren't any witnesses. Jack cries with Teri in his arms to end the first season.
24 Season 224 (season 2)Season Two, also known as Day 2, of 24 was first broadcast from October 28, 2002 to May 20, 2003. The season begins and ends at 8:00 a.m...
18 months after the events of Day 1 and the loss of his wife Teri, Jack is asked to be brought back into action by George Mason (the head of CTU at the time) and CTU at the request of the NSA. Jack, who is still seemingly overwhelmed by his wife's death and the fact that his daughter Kim disowns him, refuses as he holds CTU responsible for what happened to Teri. However, at the request of now-President Palmer (Jack's close friend), he goes to CTU, where he learns that there are terrorists in Los Angeles who plan to detonate a nuclear bomb in the city sometime within the course of that day. Thanks to Jack's work, the bomb is detonated in the Mojave DesertMojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
with only the life of George Mason, who is currently dying of radiation poisoning, ended. Jack then spends the remainder of the day working with CTU to find out who was really behind the nuclear bomb in order to prevent war in the Middle East.
24 Season 324 (season 3)Season Three, also known as Day 3, of 24 premiered in the United States on October 28, 2003 and aired its season finale on May 25, 2004...
Three years later, Jack returns from an undercover sting operation of Ramon Salazar, a Mexican drug lord. While the operation is a success and results in the arrest of Salazar, it comes at a heavy price. Bauer ends up with a heroin addiction in order to maintain his cover with the Salazars, and attempts to fight it by going "cold turkeyCold turkey
"Cold turkey" describes the actions of a person who abruptly gives up a habit or addiction rather than gradually easing the process through gradual reduction or by using replacement medication....
". Ramon's brother, Hector, insists that Bauer be kept alive to buy the Cordilla virus and resell them to underground organizations worldwide for a one billion dollar profit. Eventually Bauer wins the trust of Ramon Salazar but learns that another buyer is in play, headed by Nina Myers. Nina won the virus and Jack has to prove to her that he hates CTU. Nina even makes Jack kiss her. The sale of the virus goes bad, but Nina Myers is taken into custody and is eventually executed by Bauer after he deems her useless. Kim was about to shoot Nina when Jack shoots her instead. He then learns that the man behind the distribution of the virus and the attacks is Stephen Saunders, one of Jack's former team members presumed dead from Operation: Nightfall in Kosovo. At one point Saunders threatens to use the virus if the President doesn't have CTU Regional Director, Ryan Chappelle killed. Chappelle is getting close to discovering Saunders has a daughter. The President reluctantly puts this on Jack. Jack utters the words "God forgive me" and carries out the execution per the President's orders. Eventually Jack and Chase Edmunds
Chase Edmunds
Chase Edmunds is a fictional character who was a high-ranking agent in the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit on Fox's 24...
capture Saunders and retrieve the vials of virus. On their last retrieval, Jack is forced to make a decision to cut off Chase's hand using an axe to gain access to the final vial; Chase had fastened the device to his hand with a titanium clamp to prevent the escape of the suspect carrying it. After leaving the hospital following Chase's decision, Jack takes a moment in his parked SUV. For the last remaining minutes in the 24 hours since the day began, Jack sits alone in his car and cries over all the events he's had to endure, such as killing Chappelle.
24 Season 424 (season 4)Season Four, also known as Day 4 of the television series 24 premiered on January 9, 2005 and aired its season finale on May 23, 2005.The Season Four storyline starts and ends at 7:00 am....
Eighteen months later, Jack is fired by Erin Driscoll due to his heroin addiction acquired prior to Season 324 (season 3)
Season Three, also known as Day 3, of 24 premiered in the United States on October 28, 2003 and aired its season finale on May 25, 2004...
. He finds employment with the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
and becomes involved in a relationship with the daughter of the Secretary of Defense, Audrey Raines
Audrey Raines
Audrey Louise Raines is a fictional character played by actress Kim Raver on the television show 24.-Characterization:Audrey was born in either Albany, New York or Providence, Rhode Island . Her mother died when she was nine...
. Eighteen months after Day 3 Jack is called back in CTU to help them stop a terrorist mastermind named Habib Marwan. Audrey witnesses Jack interrogate her estranged husband Paul Raines, which makes her question whether or not she can be in a relationship with him. Jack is unable to stop Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
from being shot out of the sky with a stolen Stealth Fighter jet, leading Vice President Charles Logan
Charles Logan (24 character)
Charles Logan is a fictional character played by Gregory Itzin in the television series 24. During the show's fourth season, Logan is the Vice President of the United States who is sworn into office as President of the United States when former President John Keeler is critically injured in a...
to assume office. Later in the day, Jack is told by former President David Palmer, whom Logan brought in as an advisor, to invade the Chinese consulate and extract a man named Lee Jong who has key information. However, the Chinese consul was accidentally killed by the Chinese guards shooting at Bauer. Lee Jong was also injured during the raid, leading Jack to force doctors at CTU who had been operating on Paul Raines to sacrifice him in order to save Lee, much to Audrey's dismay. Jack and CTU are soon able to beat the clock and intercept the nuclear warhead that Marwan had targeted Los Angeles with. But the Chinese soon learn that Jack was behind the attack, forcing Jack to fake his own death and go into hiding in order to avoid being taken into Chinese custody.
24 Season 524 (season 5)Season Five, also known as Day 5 of the television series 24 premiered on January 15, 2006 and aired its season finale on May 22, 2006.The Season Five storyline starts and ends at 7:00 a.m. It is the same time frame as the previous season....
After Michelle DesslerMichelle Dessler
Michelle Dessler is a fictional character played by Reiko Aylesworth on the television series, 24. She was one of Jack's closest and most trusted female allies at CTU as well as one of his closest friends outside of work. The character first appeared in the second season of 24 as an Internet...
and David Palmer are killed, and Tony Almeida
Tony Almeida
Anthony "Tony" Almeida is a fictional character played by Carlos Bernard on the television series 24. Almeida appeared in a total of 115 episodes, the third highest number of episodes of any character in the series behind Chloe O'Brian and main character Jack Bauer , portrayed by Mary Lynn Rajskub...
is presumed dead by assassins, Jack is forced out of hiding. He discovers that the assassin's plot was to frame him for the murders. Chloe O'Brian
Chloe O'Brian
Chloe O'Brian is a fictional character played by actress Mary Lynn Rajskub on the US television series 24. An analyst at CTU Los Angeles , she is Jack Bauer's most trusted colleague, often doing unconventional and unauthorized favors for him, even at personal risk to herself...
is saved by Jack as assassins attempt to kill her as well. Jack interrogates the assassin and retrieves information that they were setting him up. Terrorists take over an airport terminal, but CTU learns that the hostage situation was a decoy to obtain military-grade Sentox nerve gas. Jack follows a series of leads which takes him to Christopher Henderson, a man Jack used to work under at CTU. Jack goes undercover when the terrorists try to release a canister at the Sunrise Hills shopping mall, and he stops the attempt against the orders of the President. Jack and CTU then are able to thwart the terrorists next attack by blowing up a natural gas facility the terrorists had used to circulate the nerve gas throughout the city. Jack eventually learns that it is President Charles Logan
Charles Logan (24 character)
Charles Logan is a fictional character played by Gregory Itzin in the television series 24. During the show's fourth season, Logan is the Vice President of the United States who is sworn into office as President of the United States when former President John Keeler is critically injured in a...
who is behind the day's events. Jack works and goes to great lengths to recover a recording implicating the President, going as far as to hijack an airplane that was carrying the person whom the recording had been passed off to. Eventually, Jack is able to directly confront the President. Though he is unable to get Logan to confess to his crimes, he places a micro transmitter in the President's pen, which leads to his downfall. At the end of the season Jack is captured and imprisoned by the Chinese for his actions from Day 4. It is speculated that the Chinese learned that Jack was still alive by President Logan, looking to cover his tracks and trying to prevent Jack from exposing him.
24 Season 624 (season 6)Season Six, also known as Day 6, of the television series 24 premiered in the United States on Sunday, January 14, 2007, the UK on January 21, 2007 and in Australia on January 30, 2007.The season's storyline began and ended at 6:00 a.m...
Over the last 11 weeks, the United States has been a target of non-stop terrorist attacks and bombings, in public buildings and transportation. Jack is released from China 20 months after his capture at the end of Day 524 (season 5)
Season Five, also known as Day 5 of the television series 24 premiered on January 15, 2006 and aired its season finale on May 22, 2006.The Season Five storyline starts and ends at 7:00 a.m. It is the same time frame as the previous season....
. It is revealed that he is being released only to be handed over to Abu Fayed who wants revenge on Jack who had killed his brother years earlier. However, Jack manages to escape by biting out a man's jugular vein
Jugular vein
The jugular veins are veins that bring deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava.-Internal and external:There are two sets of jugular veins: external and internal....
and tries to warn President Wayne Palmer of Hamri Al-Assad's innocence, a man whom Fayed convinced the US was behind the attacks. Jack saves Assad from an air strike, and the two are able to thwart a bombing attempt on a subway and rescue a civilian family held hostage. As the events unfold, painful memories of his murdered U.S. Army Green Berets team leads Curtis Manning
Curtis Manning
Curtis Manning is a fictional character on the television series 24 portrayed by Roger Cross.-Characterization:Before joining CTU, he was a member of the Boston Police Department's SWAT unit and had...
to attempt to kill Assad, leaving Jack no choice but to shoot Curtis in order to get more of the information they need from Assad, sending Jack into an emotional state of overwhelming grief. Jack attempts to quit from CTU, but a nuclear bomb explodes, destroying Valencia, California
Valencia, California
Valencia is an affluent planned community located in the City of Santa Clarita, California and Los Angeles County, California, U.S. in the northwestern corner of the Santa Clarita Valley, adjacent to Interstate 5. In 1987, it was one of the four unincorporated communities that merged to create the...
. He realizes he cannot stop what he's doing until he stops Fayed once and for all. New leads point to an involvement with a company run by his father Phillip Bauer and brother Graem. Jack interrogates Graem for information, but before he can get a lead Phillip Bauer sees his son as too much of a risk to reveal his involvement and kills Graem himself (giving the impression Graem had a heart attack from the drugs). Jack discovers his father's involvement and trails him to a hotel, where he is holding his grandson Josh Bauer hostage. Phillip agrees to trade Josh's life for Jack's. As Phillip is about to execute his son, Jack makes a last sentiment, claiming that he became what he did for his own reasons, and not to spite his father. Phillip leaves before shooting Jack, and leaves him a PDA with instructions to call a phone number belonging to Charles Logan. It is eventually revealed that a Russian general is involved with Fayed's plot, and Jack takes a Russian official hostage inside the Russian consulate, risking imprisonment for the same action he committed at the Chinese consulate years earlier. The official is found out to be in league with the terrorists, and Jack is not penalized for his actions by Russia. Eventually Jack manages to thwart Fayed's nuclear plans, killing him before any more bombs could detonate.
Jack is told that Audrey Raines died looking for him in China, but later discovers that she has actually been kidnapped by the Chinese. He completes an exchange with the Chinese and manages to save Audrey, as well as his nephew who gets mixed up in the events when Phillip Bauer returns. Audrey has lost her memory and does not remember Jack. Jack tearfully bids goodbye to Audrey after being told by her father, James Heller, that he cannot give her good enough care. The season ends with Jack staring out into the horizon, uncertain of his future.
the bloopers on season 6 : when jack in custody at russian consulate he gave the the CTU number to the guard (310-597-3781)..
this is the same number that chinese man giving jacks the number to call in order to save audrey raines.
24: Redemption
Looking for a place where he can 'be at peace', Jack finds himself traveling the world and eventually winds up in the fictional African nation of Sangala. Here, he stays with his old friend and former special forces colleague Carl Benton, who runs a school for rescued war orphans. During his stay in Sangala, Bauer is found and subsequently subpoenaed by a state department official to appear before a senate hearing to answer questions concerning his activities with CTU, for which he has been trying to avoid for more than a year.When a sudden military coup takes place in the country, Jack helps Benton bring the orphans to the U.S. embassy so that they can leave the country and escape rebels who plan to turn them into child soldiers. After Benton is killed, Jack turns himself in to a subpoena executed by U.S. Marines and allows himself to be arrested at the embassy in order to let the children be removed from the war zone.
24 Season 724 (season 7)Season Seven, also known as Day 7 of the American serial television series 24, was to premiere on January 13, 2008, but was delayed for one year due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. On November 23, 2008, Fox aired 24: Redemption, a two-hour TV movie set between seasons. Season...
At 8 AM, Jack begins his day at a Senate Subcommittee hearing; Senator Blaine Meyer is conducting an investigation into the actions of CTU, and it is clear that he intends to make an example of Jack. Bauer is rescued by FBIFederal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
agent Renee Walker
Renee Walker
Renee Walker was a fictional character on the TV series 24, portrayed by Annie Wersching. She was a former FBI special agent, and appeared in both season 7 and season 8.-Concept and creation:...
, who needs his assistance to prevent a developing terrorist threat: an extremist group is attempting to take over American infrastructure, including power, water and air traffic control. Jack is needed because Tony Almeida
Tony Almeida
Anthony "Tony" Almeida is a fictional character played by Carlos Bernard on the television series 24. Almeida appeared in a total of 115 episodes, the third highest number of episodes of any character in the series behind Chloe O'Brian and main character Jack Bauer , portrayed by Mary Lynn Rajskub...
is assisting this group. Jack and Renee succeed in apprehending Tony, who reveals that he is helping Bill Buchanan
Bill Buchanan
Bill Buchanan was an American songwriter.-Career:His most famous composition took place in 1956, when he and Dickie Goodman created the sound collage "The Flying Saucer." After Buchanan and Goodman severed their partnership in 1959, Buchanan later wrote the song "Please Don't Ask About Barbara"...
and Chloe O'Brian
Chloe O'Brian
Chloe O'Brian is a fictional character played by actress Mary Lynn Rajskub on the US television series 24. An analyst at CTU Los Angeles , she is Jack Bauer's most trusted colleague, often doing unconventional and unauthorized favors for him, even at personal risk to herself...
to reveal a conspiracy embedded deep within the American government. This conspiracy is controlled by the dictator of Sangala, Gen. Benjamin Juma, who first sends a subordinate, Col. Ike Dubaku, to capture former Sengalan Prime Minister Ule Matobo, whom Juma deposed, and then stages an attack on the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in the hopes of humiliating and eliminating President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Allison Taylor
Allison Taylor
Allison Taylor may refer to:*Allison Taylor, 24 character*Allison Taylor...
. Jack, Tony, Bill and Renee, with support from Chloe and FBI agents Larry Moss and Janis Gold, are able to foil these efforts.
However, it becomes clear that Juma was not working alone: he had support from within America, in the form of a private military company
Private military company
A private military company or provides military and security services. These combatants are commonly known as mercenaries, though modern-day PMCs refer to their staff as security contractors, private military contractors or private security contractors, and refer to themselves as private military...
called Starkwood. Juma and Starkwood CEO Jonas Hodges had collaborated to develop a bioweapon, a fast-acting strain of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, which Hodges attempts to use to force President Taylor to include him and Starkwood in the highest circles of American government. Fortunately, the bioagent is destroyed before deployment via Tony's efforts, with only one known victim: Jack himself, who was exposed to the prion
Prion
A prion is an infectious agent composed of protein in a misfolded form. This is in contrast to all other known infectious agents which must contain nucleic acids . The word prion, coined in 1982 by Stanley B. Prusiner, is a portmanteau derived from the words protein and infection...
while attempting to escape with it. FBI physicians predict death within two days; while an experimental treatment involving the stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
s of a family member does exist, it has a low probability of success. As Hodges is arrested, it becomes clear that he is but one link in a larger chain: the leaders of many American PMCs have been assisting his efforts, and had planned to use his bioweapon for similar purposes. Tony is revealed to be an agent of this inner circle when he escapes with the only remaining canister of bioweapon. Though his attempts to deploy it are foiled, he manages to escape custody when his allies capture Kim Bauer, who had flown to DC to watch the Senate hearings, and threaten her with death unless Jack breaks Tony out of FBI custody. Tony thereafter reveals that his actions ever since resurrection have revolved around Alan Wilson, leader of the PMC conspirators and the man who ordered the assassinations (as seen in the opening moments of season 5) of former president David Palmer, Chloe O'Brian, Tony himself and his wife Michelle Dessler, who, Tony reveals, was carrying their unborn child. Tony and Wilson are both remanded to federal custody, while Jack makes peace with his impending death, unaware that Kim has volunteered to provide stem cells for the experimental treatment.
Jack's emotional state is more central to the story than it has been in previous seasons. Though he and Senator Mayer begin the day with attitudes of mutual antagonism, Jack later visits him at his home for information on Starkwood (Mayer had been investigating Starkwood as well as CTU), and the two come to an understanding: both of them want to live in a world where Jack's methods are unnecessary, even though they have somewhat different means of bringing that world to fruition. He wins the respect of a Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
, Muhtadi Gohar, while attempting to apprehend a terror suspect (whom Tony had framed), and in fact turns to Gohar for spiritual guidance at the end of his life. He is able to make peace with Kim, despite the many years and pains between them. However, his most notable emotional relationship is with Renee Walker, who quickly establishes her willingness to abide by the law when she allows Jack to torture a suspect who may be protecting Almeida. Renee is possessed of the same hatred of injustice as Jack, but is very hesitant to employ the methods he uses; the two characters personify the debate that has raged on the show (and about it) for many years: whether the ends justify the means. The final important revelation offered this season was that Jack by no means believes the law to be unnecessary or weak, stating that he "know[s] that these laws have to be more important" than the often few people he is trying to save (one must assume that 24 only reveals rare exceptions, and that in the "regular/workday" life of CTU, the targets are much smaller); however, despite this belief, he contends that his "heart couldn't live with" sacrificing innocent persons, however few (the example he cites is "fifteen people on a bus"), for the sake of maintaining some abstract law or legal fiction
Legal fiction
A legal fiction is a fact assumed or created by courts which is then used in order to apply a legal rule which was not necessarily designed to be used in that way...
.
24 Season 824 (season 8)Season Eight, also known as Day 8, is the final season of the American serial television series 24. Filming for the season began on May 27, 2009, and it premiered on January 17, 2010 with a four-hour two-day premiere...
As season 8 started Jack Bauer was sitting with his granddaughter and watching TV. His daughter Kim asked if he wanted to come back to Los Angeles with her, he said yes.On learning of an assassination attempt on Kamistani President Omar Hassan prior to peace talks with Russia, Jack contacts Chloe O'Brian at CTU. They learn that someone very close to Hassan is the suspected assassin. When Chloe asks for Jack's help, he says that he is done, but his daughter persuades him to help CTU foil the assassination attempt. The bomber is identified as one of the security personnel and Jack saves Hassan by killing the bomber.
Farhad Hassan (brother and Chief of Staff to Omar Hassan) is closely involved in the assassination as well as with smuggling nuclear fuel rods. This latter subplot involves Jack and Renee Walker going undercover to try and identify the location of the rods. Samir Mehran has the rods and wants to use them as leverage (as dirty bombs) to capture President Hassan. President Taylor asked Jack to protect President Hassan, but Hassan surrenders himself to Mehran to protect innocent lives being lost. Hassan is executed leaving Jack to apologise to President Taylor for his failure.
Jack and Walker return to his apartment and after a passionate moment together finds the two looking to their future, she is shot by a sniper (hired by the Russian foreign minister, Mikhail Novakovich). Renee dies shortly after in the hospital with a distraught Jack looking on. With revenge his only concern, Bauer attempts to interrogate Dana Walsh (a CTU mole), but President Taylor intercedes and orders that Jack be transferred to McGuire Air Force Base. In transit, he hijacks a helicopter and immediately tracks down an old friend, Jim Ricker, to supply him with weapons.
As he tracks Walsh, Jack is crossed by Chloe, nevertheless he finds Walsh and discovers the Russian involvement in the conspiracy behind President Hassan's death. Jack kills Walsh in cold blood after her failed attempt to escape with the information. This also leads him to Pavel Tokarev, the sniper who killed Renee. After brutally torturing Tokarev, Jack realises that the information he needs to discover the full extent of the conspiracy is on a phone SIM card, swallowed by Tokarev. Tokarev dies as Jack evicerates him and retrieves the card from his stomach. Tokarev's last contact was with former President Charles Logan. Jack captures Logan who leads him to Novakovitch, but unknown to Logan, Jack had placed a bug on him. After tracking down and eliminating Novakovich and his bodyguards, Jack then, via the bug, discovers that Logan is conspiring directly with Russian President Yuri Suvarov.
In the final hour of the series, Jack sets up an operation to take down Suvarov by having Logan ask Suvarov to come to his residence. Jack sits across in the next building with a sniper rifle aimed straight at Logan's room. However, before he has a chance to pull the trigger, Chloe intervenes, saying that they can use the recording Jack made of Logan and Suvarov's conversation as evidence. Jack agrees and gives her the recording. He then forces her to shoot him to avoid suspicion. As Jack is being transported to CTU, Logan (under the indirect authorization of President Taylor) arranges for his ambulance to be ambushed. In the final scene of the show, Jack is taken to a construction site to be killed. However, the agent charged with killing Jack receives a phone call from President Taylor, who had found them through a CTU drone via Chloe, Arlo, and Cole's help. Taylor orders the agents to stand down and release Jack.
In the final moments, Jack contacts Chloe at CTU. Still watching him on the drone, Chloe tells Jack that she and Taylor are buying time for him to flee the country, as he will now be pursued by both Russian and American agents for the events of the past hours and the revelation of the Russian conspiracy. Jack looks towards Chloe (at the drone), and tells her to protect Kim and her family because anyone that comes after him will try to use her to lure him out of hiding. Chloe promises to keep them safe and before running off, Jack tells Chloe that he had never thought it was going to be her that helped him through the years. He thanks her and then begins running away (which leaves the story open for the feature film), as Chloe tells Arlo to shut down the drone. The camera focuses and fades out on Jack's face one last time before the final clock, the only clock in all 8 seasons to count down from 3 seconds to 0.
Other appearances
As the principal character in 24, Jack plays a prominent role in the television series as well as the video game. Jack is the main protagonist of the 24 series and the books, and has appeared in every episode to date. Kiefer SutherlandKiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
has portrayed Jack Bauer in these episodes, including the prequels and the webisodes. Additionally, he voiced the same character in 24: The Game, 24: Day Zero and 24: DVD Board Game.
24 Prequels
Jack Bauer is also featured in all four prequels, that can be found on the 24 DVD releases and various websites. These prequels are designed to bridge the gap between seasons. They provide backstory into story arcs for upcoming seasons, namely insight into what Jack's actions have been leading up to the next season. Prequels have been made for Seasons 4, 5, 6, and 7.24 Webisodes
24: Day 6 Debrief takes place 35 hours after the nuclear device exploded in Valencia, CaliforniaValencia, California
Valencia is an affluent planned community located in the City of Santa Clarita, California and Los Angeles County, California, U.S. in the northwestern corner of the Santa Clarita Valley, adjacent to Interstate 5. In 1987, it was one of the four unincorporated communities that merged to create the...
. The series consists of 5 segments, no longer than three minutes in length each. Two agents, Agent Ramirez and Agent Moss, track Jack down to a hotel room and ask him to come to District for debriefing about the recovery of the tactical nukes. The Debrief consists of Agent Ramirez and other agents attempting to discover more about the supposed-death of an undercover agent, Marcus Holt, who disappeared shortly after Jack's imprisonment in China at the hands of Cheng Zhi
Cheng Zhi
Cheng Zhi is a fictional character played by Tzi Ma on the television series 24. He is a Chinese official and an enemy of Jack Bauer. At the end of Day 6, Bauer badly scars Cheng during an assault and captures him.-24: Season 4:...
. Since Holt was involved with the Chinese government, it is believed that Jack leaked information that led to his identity being discovered and execution. At the end of the series, the agents announce that they have no conclusive evidence about his involvement, but Ramirez promises to keep a close eye on him until he is certain. Jack tells Ramirez that if he ever sees him again, he better say "The Lord's Prayer", because it will mean he's come to kill him.
With that, Bauer is released from custody and the interrogation ends.
24: The Game
24 Toys
Diamond Select Toys released 1/6 scale figures based on Jack Bauer:- 2008- Jack Bauer 8:00 AM
- 2009- Jack Bauer 3:00 PM Season 1
- 2009- Jack Bauer 9:00 PM Season 1
Diamond Select Toys released 1/24 scale Minimates based on 24:
- 2007- Season 1 Box Set (Jack Bauer, Nina Myers, David Palmer, Kim Bauer)
- 2007- End of Day 1 Two-Pack, PX Exclusive (Jack Bauer, Andre Drazen)
- 2007- Season 2 Box Set (Season 2 Jack Bauer, Tony Almeda, Michelle Dessler, George Mason)
- 2007- End of Day 2 Two-Pack, Suncoast/FYE Exclusive (Stretcher Jack Bauer, Prisoner Nina Myers)
- Canceled- Season 3 Box Set (Undercover Jack Bauer, Sherry Palmer, Chloe O'Brien, Chase Edmunds)
- Canceled- End of Day 3 Two-Pack (Jack Bauer, Stephen Saunders)
Enterbay released 1/6 scale figures based on 24:
- 2009- Jack Bauer
- 2009- President David Palmer
McFarlane Toys
McFarlane Toys
McFarlane Toys, a subsidiary of Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc., is a company started by Todd McFarlane that makes highly detailed models of characters from movies, comics, musicians, video games, and sport figures...
released 1/12 scale figures based on Jack Bauer:
- 2007- Jack Bauer Boxed Set 1
- 2007- Jack Bauer Boxed Set 2
Medicom Toy (Japan) released 1/6 scale figures based on Jack Bauer in their Real Action Heroes line:
- 2005- Jack Bauer (Suit) Season 4 7:00 am – 8:00 am
- 2005- Jack Bauer (Tac) Season 4 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
- 2007- Jack Bauer Season 5
24 comic books
IDW has released a series of comic books based on the adventures of Jack Bauer and other members of the 24 Cast. 24's Comic License is published by IDW PublishingIDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
- 24: Nightfall — A tale shedding more light on the background and characters of Day 1, including Victor Drazen. Written by J. C. Vaughn and Mark L. Haynes
- 24: Cold Warriors — An original tale of intrigue featuring Jack Bauer and Chloe O'Brian, set in Alaska. Written by Beau SmithBeau SmithBeau Smith is anAmerican comic book writer and columnist, best known for hiswork for DC Comics, Image Comics, IDW Publishing and as vice president of marketing for Eclipse Comics.-Early career:...
and Steve Bryant
The Simpsons
Jack Bauer appeared in the season 18The Simpsons (season 18)
The Simpsons 18th season aired from September 10, 2006 to May 20, 2007. The season contained seven hold-over episodes from the season 17 production line. Al Jean served as the Showrunner, a position he has held since the thirteenth season....
episode 24 Minutes
24 Minutes
"24 Minutes" is the twenty-first episode of The Simpsons eighteenth season and was broadcast on May 20, 2007 as part of the one hour season finale, alongside the episode "You Kent Always Say What You Want". It was originally promoted as being the 400th episode, but was broadcast as the 399th. It...
of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. In the episode, he is accidentally called by Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
in the middle of a shooting, who then plays a prank call on him. Enraged, he reappears at the end of the episode, having called all agents of his organisation and abandoning his mission to hunt Bart down and arrest him. A nuclear bomb then goes off in the distance, but everyone sighs with relief after Bauer reassures them that the nuclear bomb went off in Shelbyville.
Critical reception
Having won an Emmy AwardEmmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
(with 5 other nominations), a Golden Globe (with 4 other nominations), two SAG Awards (with 3 other nominations) and two Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama...
, Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
's performance as Jack Bauer became (award-wise) the second most acclaimed Male Lead Dramatic TV performance of the 2000s behind only James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini
James J. Gandolfini, Jr. is an Italian American actor. He is best known for his role as Tony Soprano in the HBO TV series The Sopranos, about a troubled crime boss struggling to balance his family life and career in the Mafia...
(with 3 Emmys, 1 Golden Globe and 3 SAG Awards). He is also the only Male Lead Drama TV Actor ever to have won all 4 awards.
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "When Kiefer Sutherland's 24 superagent barks "Dammit, Chloe—we're running out of time!" America's ass is about to be saved in some new, heart-stopping way."
American politicians and lawyers have taken to using Jack Bauer and his actions to frame the debate on American interrogation techniques
Enhanced interrogation techniques
Enhanced interrogation techniques or alternative set of procedures are terms adopted by the George W. Bush administration in the United States to describe certain severe interrogation methods, often described as torture...
, which have become an object of intense controversy.
For example, at a legal conference in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Supreme Court Justice
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
Antonin Scalia
Antonin Scalia
Antonin Gregory Scalia is an American jurist who serves as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. As the longest-serving justice on the Court, Scalia is the Senior Associate Justice...
took offense at a Canadian judge's remark that Canada did not consider what Jack Bauer would do when setting policy. Scalia shot back: "Jack Bauer saved Los Angeles.... He saved hundreds of thousands of lives... Are you going to convict Jack Bauer? Say that criminal law is against him? 'You have the right to a jury trial?' Is any jury going to convict Jack Bauer? I don't think so."