Director Langston Graham: Difference between revisions
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==Brigadier General Diane Beckman== |
==Brigadier General Diane Beckman== |
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{{Main|Alexei Volkoff}} |
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{{Infobox character |
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| name = M. Diane Beckman<ref>Although consistently identified in dialogue as ''Diane'' Beckman, her identification card reads "M. Beckman", as shown on [http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/exclusives/chucks-chart/ ''Chuck's Chart''], which clearly refers to Friedericy's character by its acknowledgement of her relationship with Roan Montgomery.</ref> |
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| series = Chuck |
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| image = [[Image:Chuck Helicopter 2.jpg|250px]] |
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| caption = Bonita Friedericy as General Diane Beckman |
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| first = "[[Chuck Versus the Helicopter]]" |
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| last = |
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| creator = |
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| portrayer = [[Bonita Friedericy]] |
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| nickname = |
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| alias = |
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| gender = Female |
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| occupation = Director of the [[NSA]]<br />[[United States Air Force]]<br />[[Buy More]] manager |
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| title = [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] |
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| significantother = [[List of minor Chuck characters#Roan Montgomery|Roan Montgomery]] (longtime lover)<ref name=chart>''NBC.com'': [http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/exclusives/chucks-chart/ ''Chuck's Chart'']</ref><ref name=impossible>"[[Chuck Versus the Seduction Impossible]]"</ref> |
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}} |
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'''[[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] M. Diane Beckman'''<ref>Although consistently identified in dialogue as ''Diane'' Beckman, her identification card reads "M. Beckman", as shown on [http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/exclusives/chucks-chart/ ''Chuck's Chart''] originally seen in the second season of the series, and which notes Beckman's relationship with Roan Montgomery.</ref> is the director of the [[National Security Agency]] (although her videoconference screen displays a large seal around which are the words "Office of the Director of National Intelligence"). She holds her rank of brigadier general in the [[United States Air Force]] although, in the real world, the NSA director is a three-star ([[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] or [[Vice admiral (United States)|vice admiral]]) billet - or a four-star ([[General (United States)|general]] or [[Admiral (United States)|admiral]]) billet if dual-hatted as commander of [[United States Cyber Command]]. |
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===Biography=== |
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'''[[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] M. Diane Beckman'''<ref>Although consistently identified in dialogue as ''Diane'' Beckman, her identification card reads "M. Beckman", as shown on [http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/exclusives/chucks-chart/ ''Chuck's Chart''] originally seen in the second season of the series, and which notes Beckman's relationship with Roan Montgomery.</ref> is the director of the [[National Security Agency]] (although her videoconference screen displays a large seal around which are the words "Office of the Director of National Intelligence"). She holds her rank of brigadier general in the [[United States Air Force]] although, in the real world, the NSA director is a three-star ([[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] or [[Vice admiral (United States)|vice admiral]]) billet - or a four-star ([[General (United States)|general]] or [[Admiral (United States)|admiral]]) billet if dual-hatted as commander of [[United States Cyber Command]]. She revealed that she spent a significant amount of time and resources hunting [[Stephen J. Bartowski|Orion]], the Intersect's chief designer,<ref name=predator>"[[Chuck Versus the Predator]]"</ref><ref name=dossiers>Spy Dossiers, nbc.com/chuck</ref> before he re-appeared and made a deal with the government.<ref name="ring">"[[Chuck Versus the Ring]]"</ref> Little information about her personal life and past service has been revealed. She first entered the military prior to August 14, 1974,<ref>Her National Defense Service Medal bears two service stars, denoting three periods of eligible service. The three most recent periods of eligible service are the War on Terrorism (Sep. 11, 2001 - ), Gulf War (Aug. 2, 1990 - Nov. 30, 1995), and Vietnam (Jan. 1, 1961 to Aug. 14, 1974).</ref> and fought in two battles during the [[Gulf War]].<ref>Two campaign stars are on her Southwest Asia Service Medal.</ref> She has had a non-exclusive romantic relationship with [[List of minor Chuck characters#Roan Montgomery|Roan Montgomery]] for more than 20 years. [''See'' "[[#Personality|Personality]]", below]. Beckman also maintains a close friendship with Dr. [[Condoleezza Rice]].<ref name=friend>"[[Chuck Versus the Best Friend]]"</ref> |
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===Series=== |
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General Beckman first appeared in "[[Chuck Versus the Helicopter]]," 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.<ref name=helicopter>"[[Chuck Versus the Helicopter]]"</ref><ref name=vic>"[[Chuck Versus the Crown Vic]]"</ref><ref name=date>"[[Chuck Versus the First Date]]"</ref> 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 (Chuck)|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.<ref name=marlin>"[[Chuck Versus the Marlin]]"</ref> |
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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.<ref name=sensei>"[[Chuck Versus the Sensei]]"</ref> Beckman personally involved herself when Chuck was contacted by Orion after a rogue search and flew to Burbank to debrief the team.<ref name=predator /> This was the first time since the [[Chuck Versus the Intersect|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. |
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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.<ref name=heart>"[[Chuck Versus the Broken Heart]]"</ref> 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. |
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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]]. |
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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. |
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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 (Chuck)|the Ring]], she had no knowledge that Sarah had killed Shaw's wife. |
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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 [[The Ring (Chuck)#Justin Sullivan|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. |
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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.<ref name="Chuck Versus the Anniversary">"[[Chuck Versus the Anniversary]]"</ref> After rehiring Morgan Grimes as a "green shirter" salesman upstairs and an operative downstairs,<ref name="Chuck Versus the Anniversary"/> 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.<ref name="Chuck Versus the Suitcase">"[[Chuck Versus the Suitcase]]"</ref> |
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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 George G. Meade|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,<ref>"[[Chuck Versus the Push Mix]]"</ref> and subsequently participating in the capture of [[List of minor Chuck characters#Fatima_Tazi|Fatima Tazi]] and rescue of [[List of minor Chuck characters#Roan Montgomery|Roan Montgomery]] in [[Marrakesh]], [[Morocco]].<ref>"[[Chuck Versus the Seduction Impossible]]"</ref> 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.<ref>''Id.''</ref> Noticably, the general dresses in her usual service uniform even in the field while her subordinate military personnel are in fatigue uniform. She also ocassionally visits Team Bartowski in Burbank, particularly in season 4.<ref>"[[Chuck Versus the Predator]]", "[[Chuck Versus Phase Three]]", "[[Chuck Versus the Balcony]]"</ref> |
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===Personality=== |
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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.<ref name=predator /> Beckman's wryness has led actress Bonita Friedericy to name her "Chuckles" Beckman.<ref name=hobo /> |
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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. |
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Little is shown of the General's personal life. She is known to be friends with Dr. [[Condoleezza Rice]].<ref name=friend /> Beckman is one of two current NBC fictional characters - the other being [[Jack Donaghy]] of ''[[30 Rock]]''<ref>''[[30 Rock]]'' episodes "[[The Break-Up (30 Rock)|The Break-Up]]" and "[[The Source Awards (30 Rock episode)|The Source Awards]]"</ref> - to be friends of the former [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]]. |
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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 [[List of minor Chuck characters#Roan Montgomery|Roan Montgomery]] ([[John Laroquette]]) have maintained an ongoing romantic relationship of sorts for for more than twenty years, enjoying periodic rendezvous.<ref>"[[Chuck Versus the Seduction Impossible]]"</ref> 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.<ref>''Id.''</ref> 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.<ref>''Id.''</ref> 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."<ref>''Id.''</ref> |
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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 [[List of Chuck gadgets#The Cipher|Cipher]].<ref name=seduction>"[[Chuck Versus the Seduction]]"</ref> 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,<ref name=friend /> 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,<ref name=dossiers /> 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 armour," and that the outcome was going to "rest squarely on [Chuck's] shoulders".<ref name=predator /> |
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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. |
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Beckman is known to be a reader of [[Ayn Rand]].<ref name=guy>"[[Chuck Versus the Other Guy]]"</ref> |
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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."<ref name=honeymooners>"[[Chuck Versus the Honeymooners]]"</ref> 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. |
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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,<ref name="guy"/> she demanded his involuntary reinstatement after his resignation only months later,<ref name="Chuck Versus the Anniversary"/> 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.<ref name="Chuck Versus the Suitcase"/> Morgan is the only regular character shown to address her by her forename, Diane,<ref>"Chuck Versus the Suitcase"</ref> or "my ''captain''",<ref>"Chuck Versus the Other Guy"</ref> although he corrected himself each time in response to her displeasure. |
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===Awards=== |
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<center> |
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{| |
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|colspan="3" align="center" |[[File:AF Master Intel.jpg|90px]] |
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|- |
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| |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|- |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|other_device=v|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|- |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Defense_Meritorious_Service_ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Service ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Outstanding_Unit_ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|- |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Air Force Recognition Ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=AFEMRib.svg|width=80}} |
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|- |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Humanitarian Service ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Us sa-kwlib rib.png|width=80}} |
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|- |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Us kw-kwlib rib.png|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg|width=80}} |
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|- |
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|} |
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</center> |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|- |
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|colspan="3" align="center" |[[Badges_of_the_United_States_Air_Force#Operations_Career_Group|Air Force Master Intelligence Badge]] (erroneously worn inverted) |
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|- |
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| |
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|[[Air Force Distinguished Service Medal]] |
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|[[Defense Superior Service Medal]] |
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|- |
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||[[Legion of Merit]] |
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|[[Distinguished Flying Cross]] |
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|[[Bronze Star]] with [[Valor device]] |
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|- |
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|[[Defense Meritorious Service Medal]] |
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|[[Meritorious Service Medal]] |
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|[[Outstanding Unit Award]] |
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|- |
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|[[Air Force Recognition Ribbon]] |
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|[[National Defense Service Medal]] with two [[Service star|service stars]] indicating 3 awards |
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|[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] |
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|- |
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|[[Southwest Asia Service Medal]] with two [[Service star|campaign stars]] |
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|[[Humanitarian Service Medal]] |
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|[[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)]] |
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|- |
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|[[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)]] |
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|[[Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal]] |
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|[[Global War on Terrorism Service Medal]] |
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|- |
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|} |
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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] and [http://www.movieplayer.it/gallery/166647/bonita-friedericy-in-un-immagine-promo-per-l-episodio-chuck-versus-the-subway/?personaggio=59512]. 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 preceed the GWOTEM and GWOTSM. |
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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 - ). |
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===National Intelligence Director=== |
===National Intelligence Director=== |
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Revision as of 06:54, 5 March 2011
Operation Bartowski is a fictional top-secret project to guard Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) and the Intersect in the television series Chuck. In the field the mission is overseen by CIA agent Sarah Walker, and Colonel John Casey. Civilian Morgan Grimes joined the operation in "Chuck Versus the Other Guy". CIA Agent Daniel Shaw led the operation until he was corrupted by the Ring. The project is overseen throughout the series by Brigadier General Diane Beckman (Bonita Friedericy) of the NSA. CIA Director Langston Graham (Tony Todd) worked directly with Beckman until his death in "Chuck Versus the First Date."
Brigadier General Diane Beckman
Brigadier General M. Diane Beckman[1] is the director of the National Security Agency (although her videoconference screen displays a large seal around which are the words "Office of the Director of National Intelligence"). She holds her rank of brigadier general in the United States Air Force although, in the real world, the NSA director is a three-star (lieutenant general or vice admiral) billet - or a four-star (general or admiral) billet if dual-hatted as commander of United States Cyber Command.
National Intelligence Director
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."[2] 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 Friedericy has suggested the two characters are the same,[3] although no official stance by the Schwartz or Fedak exists to confirm this, aside from General Beckman's ID card reading "Gen. M. Beckman". as shown on Chuck's Chart (first seen in the second season episode, "Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon", and clearly referring to Friedericy's character by its reference to her relationship with Roan Montgomery).
Note also that the video conference screen shown immediately before and after conferences with Friedericy's General 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".
Director Langston Graham
| Langston Graham | |
|---|---|
| Chuck character | |
 Tony Todd as CIA Director Langston Graham | |
| First appearance | "Chuck Versus the Intersect" |
| Last appearance | "Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler" (voice only) |
| Portrayed by | Tony Todd |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Title | Director |
| Occupation | CIA |
Biography
Director Langston Graham was the direct superior of agent Sarah Walker, and assigned her to follow-up on Bryce's theft of the Intersect by sending her to Burbank to track down where he sent the data. Little personal information about Graham has been established, other than that he arrested Sarah's father when he conned the wrong people. The details of the arrest and later release of Sarah's father have not yet been revealed. During this event, Graham cornered and confronted Sarah while attempting to recover money her father left in the event something happened to him, where he was impressed by her skill with knives and took her under his wing. Graham is one of a few people who knew Sarah's real name, (from her birth certificate) as well as the series of aliases she used growing up as part of her father's con jobs. It was Graham who first gave her the name "Sarah Walker."[4]
Series
CIA Director Graham first appeared in "Chuck Versus the Intersect" alongside the National Intelligence Director, when Casey was dispatched to Burbank to follow up on Bryce's theft of the Intersect. Sarah was already in the city and made the first contact with Chuck, quickly identifying him as a non-threat. After Sarah's failed attempt to recover Chuck's computer, he warned her that Casey was being sent in and he recommended she pull out. When she objected and insisted on "fixing" the situation herself he relented, and ordered her to kill Chuck if he attempted to run.
Graham served as the CIA liaison to General Beckman and the US Department of Defense,[5] and in several episodes assisted her in briefing the team on their upcoming missions and providing additional intelligence. However this was primarily handled by Beckman, and Graham only appeared sporadically in the first season. Prior to "Chuck Versus the First Date," all mention of Casey's orders to terminate Chuck once the second Intersect was brought on line was made by Beckman. It wasn't until that episode where it was revealed that Graham was fully aware of the termination order, and was unsympathetic to Casey's objections that Chuck's skills made him a promising analyst. Graham also confirmed the order to have Chuck brought into protective custody when a Fulcrum agent infiltrated the Buy More.[6]
Graham's final appearance as a recurring character was in "Chuck Versus the First Date." He was in the process of activating the rebuilt Intersect and exposing several field agents to the data when it exploded due to Fulcrum sabotage. The computer and facilities were destroyed and Graham was killed. Shortly before this event he and Beckman activated Casey's termination orders, however once he overheard Sarah informing Chuck of Graham's death the order was rescinded.
Actor Tony Todd has reprised his role once more in the series, appearing in a flashback at the end of "Chuck Versus the Cougars," where it is revealed that Graham mentored Sarah Walker after arresting her father to protect him from a scam gone wrong.
Graham is only sporadically mentioned after "Chuck Versus the Cougars," however in "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" Beckman tells the team that Graham took the name of whoever ordered Sarah's red test—a first kill order to test whether an agent can indeed kill when ordered to do so—with him to the grave. The Director later revealed that Graham himself arranged the hit on Eve Shaw after the CIA uncovered evidence that she had been turned by the Ring. This information had been withheld from Daniel Shaw, and contributed to his decision to join the Ring.
Personality
Few details on Graham's personal life have been revealed. Like Beckman, Graham is portrayed as a stern, no-nonsense individual. He mentored Sarah in the CIA, and placed a significant amount of trust in her by allowing her to proceed with her operation to find the Intersect despite Casey being sent in by the NSA to clean things up.[7] Like Beckman, Graham has displayed little regard for Chuck's family and personal life, and generally overrules Sarah's objections to orders that put Chuck in danger or interfere with his personal life.
Development
Because of Friedericy's height compared to Tony Todd (5'3" vs. 6'5") Beckman is almost always seated, with Graham leaning over her desk to fit them in the frame.[3] Beckman's diminutive stature was later mentioned in the show by Chuck in "Chuck Versus the Predator."
Although featured with lines in nearly every episode, Bonita Friedericy was not promoted to series regular until season 4.
References
- ^ Although consistently identified in dialogue as Diane Beckman, her identification card reads "M. Beckman", as shown on Chuck's Chart originally seen in the second season of the series, and which notes Beckman's relationship with Roan Montgomery.
- ^ Actor Credits Wendy Makkena on tvguide.com
- ^ a b Cast Interview, Bonita Friedericy: Hobo Trashcan
- ^ "Chuck Versus the Cougars"
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
chartwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
marlinwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Chuck Versus the Intersect"