Chase Edmunds

Chase Edmunds is a fictional character (portrayed by James Badge Dale) on Fox's 24.^[1] He first appeared in Day 3 as Jack Bauer's partner, and was romantically involved with Kim Bauer. He later appeared as a playable character in 24: The Game, the story of which took place prior to the events of Day 3.

Concept and creation

James Badge Dale, the actor who was cast for the role of Chase, said that he didn't think he "was right for [the role]".^[2] He continued to say of the character, that "He's not afraid to do what he wants, he idolizes Jack and he is trying to prove himself. He has a fear of not being good enough."^[3]

Characterization

Edmunds was a police officer with the Metro Police Department's Emergency Response Team before joining the CTU Washington/Baltimore Domestic Unit. He has won honors in the MPDC SWAT Competition Tactical Shooting events and commendations in weapons knowledge and field reconnaissance. He is also a graduate of the Special Forces Operations Training Course.^[1] After working at CTU Washington/Baltimore for a time, Chase worked undercover for D.C. Chase prior to being assigned to the CTU Los Angeles Domestic Unit worked as a Field Operations agent under CTU Field Ops Director Jack Bauer.^[1]

Appearances

24: The Game

Chase Edmunds is a playable character in 24: The Game. Chase Edmunds is an undercover agent who works with Jack Bauer against Joseph Sin-Chung and Peter Madsen. The CTU agents work together to retrieve data about undercover CTU agents and rescue hostage Kim Bauer.^[4]

Chase becomes seriously injured after Sin-Chung chases him. Michelle Dessler tells him to go to an old saw mill for first aid. He shortly assumes another undercover role as a truck driver. At another location, Chase activates the alarm while trying to retrieve information and he and Jack must escape. Finding their way out of Fort Lesker, they evacuate on a helicopter to a shipyard in LA. With support from CTU SWAT teams, Jack and Chase sweep the docks to find the cargo shipments and Madsen. Jack says that he will chase Madsen on his own. While a wounded Jack chases Madsen, Chase finishes the task and goes on Tony Almeida's chopper. Tony debriefs Chase on the recent information about Max.^[4]

After Jack kills Madsen, the remaining henchmen attempt to kill Jack. A CTU chopper comes by with Chase shooting the gunmen. The three CTU agents head to Max's Yacht with Tony and Chase debriefing Jack about Max. After Chase helps him kill the guards on the ship, Jack shoots Max three times at the expense of taking a second gunshot. Chase helps Jack to the helicopter and flies him to a nearby hospital.^[4]

Between The Game & Day 3

Before meeting Kim, Chase was involved with another woman who became pregnant with his child, but didn't tell him. Approximately a month before the events of Day 2-3, Chase learned about his daughter, Angela. After their daughter was born, Chase's girlfriend left Angela in his custody to raise. Due to his fieldwork, Chase recruited fellow CTU agent and friend Chloe O'Brian to help him take care of his daughter.^[5]

24: Season 3

Chase Edmunds appears in all 24 episodes of the third season of 24. During Day 3, both Kim and Chase revealed to Jack Bauer that they were in a serious relationship.^[6] Although initially displeased, Bauer ultimately approved of the relationship between the two. However, he cautioned Edmunds that the requirements of his job as a field agent would always interfere with any relationship he would have.^[6] The relationship came into stormy waters when Kim discovered Angela, as well as Chloe's involvement. Kim was shocked and assumed the worst about Chloe and Chase, but Chloe assured Kim that she had zero romantic interest in Chase and was simply helping her friend deal with single-fatherhood by taking care of the child.^[5]

In the season finale, Chase apprehends the final remaining terrorist threatening to release the toxic virus, which is attached to an titanium cuff with a timer. Chase secures it around his own wrist to get it away from the terrorist. Jack Bauer is forced to use a fire axe to chop off Chase's hand to get the virus away to an airtight container before it is released into the air. In his last appearance on the show, Chase was being wheeled into surgery with hopes to have his hand surgically re-attached.^[7]

Post-CTU

In the fourth season premiere, Jack Bauer mentions that Chase left CTU and joined a private security firm in Valencia, California.^[8] Kim and Chase lived together and were raising Chase's daughter, until Jack Bauer faked his own death. Chase was unable to deal with Kim's grief and left her, leaving his whereabouts unknown.^[9]

It is revealed in the Day 6 DVD bonuses that Chase was still living in Valencia when the nuclear bomb exploded, suggesting that he and his daughter were part of the victims of Abu Fayed's machinations.

Chase surfaces again, alive in the book 24: Deadline written by James Swallow. He reveals that Angela is alive and well due to his sending her to live with his sister. Chase was on the other side of LA when the bomb went off "drowning his sorrows". Later on in the book, Chase is shot & killed by a biker gang, and is later avenged by Jack.

References