Claire Madison

Claire Madison (age: 30s) is a CIA agent and the head of operations at the North Dakota Black Site.

Biography
Claire spent her childhood on a farm. Due to poor soil quality and frequent droughts, her family had difficulty growing crops and were often short on money. An intelligent and curious child, Claire would often disassemble old household electronics and try to put them back together. After her father died in a wheat thresher accident, the family fell further into poverty and was forced to sell the farm. They moved to a small, rundown apartment in the city while Claire finished school. When Claire turned eighteen, she tried to join the army, but due to her scores on the entrance evaluations, she was approached by the CIA about becoming an agent. She joined the CIA and proved to be an exemplary agent, quickly rising through the ranks. After the previous head of operations at the North Dakota Black Site had a psychotic break and committed suicide, Claire was transferred to the North Dakota to take over the position.

Personality
Claire is known for her pragmatism and her ability to think on her feet to adjust to changing circumstances. Her subordinates admire her intelligence and ability to get the job done. As she receives more and more Omphalos visions over the course of the series, however, her behavior gradually becomes more erratic. By the end of the series, she has abandoned all regard for correct operating procedure or loyalty to ideals, and is instead purely motivated by fear and a desire to protect herself at all costs. When CIA Agent Johnny Cameron confronts her about her change in personality and accuses her of abandoning her values, Claire responds that she has always done what needs to be done given the circumstances and that when the world stops making sense you either react accordingly or die. At the end of season 4, this attitude culminates in Claire abandoning her post in the middle of the Flashbulb Initiative and attempting to flee Devils Lake, which leads to her entrapment in the Orange Light Road.