Daniel Shaw

Daniel Shaw
Chuck character
Brandon Routh as Daniel Shaw
First appearance	"Chuck Versus the Three Words"
Last appearance	"Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II"
Portrayed by	Brandon Routh
Information
Aliases	Blackbriar (codename)
Gender	Male
Occupation	Rogue CIA agent
Family	John Shaw (father) Mary Shaw (mother) Evelyn "Eve" Shaw (wife; deceased)
Affiliation	Government of the United States Operation Bartowski The Ring (turned)
Expertise	High-ranking CIA operative with extensive espionage training; Expert on the Ring; The Intersect provides instant access to highly-classified intelligence and advanced skills via "flashes"

Daniel Shaw is a fictional government agent on the television series Chuck. Shaw is introduced in the third season episode "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome" as a government agent specializing in the terrorist organization known as the Ring, and who becomes a mentor to Chuck Bartowski and ultimately a tragic villain and host for the Intersect. He is portrayed by actor Brandon Routh.

Series

Shaw briefly appeared, largely off-camera, talking with General Beckman in the third season episode, "Chuck Versus the Three Words." After the completion of the team's mission with Carina, Beckman begged Shaw to allow her to disclose the full details of the assignment, but Shaw left her office without a word.

Shaw reappears in "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome," the first of eight episodes in which he was scheduled to have a speaking part in Season 3.^[1] Devon Woodcomb's actions prior to this episode led Ring agents to believe that he is a "world-class spy," and Devon is coerced into a mission to kill an unknown person in a CIA facility so that he can prove he is "turned" to the Ring. When Chuck helps Devon reach the office of the target, the target is revealed to be Shaw, who is ready for Chuck's arrival. Shaw's first act in the episode is to fake his death and make it appear that Devon is responsible.

Later, General Beckman introduces Shaw as an expert on the Ring, and places Shaw in command of Operation Bartowski, having been briefed on the team and Chuck's position as the Intersect. When Chuck lures Sydney, the Ring operative after Devon, to the Buy More, Shaw insists on Chuck dealing with his own problems but is ultimately forced down by Casey. He returns to kill Sydney and save Chuck. He is later seen observing the dinner of most of the main characters and pulls out a ring, hinting him to be, or have been, married. In "Chuck Versus First Class," Shaw tells Sarah that he was once married to a fellow spy, Evelyn (later played by Kelly Thiebaud), but that she was killed by a Ring agent five years ago.

In "Chuck Versus the Mask," Shaw began expressing a romantic interest in Sarah, which she initially and strongly rejected. Shaw attempted to deny that he was making advances until, when exposed to cyclosarin gas, he acknowledged that he had actually been approaching her. Sarah admitted that she overreacted, and somewhat enjoyed his advances. By the end of "Chuck Versus the Fake Name" Sarah began to return his affection and they began a relationship.

Shaw's service in the series had mostly been relegated to background work from Castle due to the threat against him from the Ring. However, despite initial attempts to kill Shaw, the Ring opts not to target him when they lure him out of Castle and have him "dead to rights" in a setup. This is explained in the episode "Chuck Versus the American Hero," where it is revealed that the Ring intended to bring Shaw in alive so that the Director can meet with him face to face. Shaw used this opportunity to offer himself up as bait in order to target the Ring's leadership to avenge his wife's death. While in the Ring's custody, Shaw was played a surveillance video of his wife's death, revealing that Evelyn was killed by Sarah during her "red test." After being incapacitated by a Ring operative and rescued from an air strike on the Ring's compound by Chuck, Shaw escaped from the hospital to track down Sarah. As the episode ended, he was driving her to an undisclosed location "to settle an old score."

After the revelation of his wife's death, Shaw turned to the Ring when told by the Director that the CIA believed Evelyn Shaw turned as well and therefore had her killed, although the Director never actually confirms Eve had indeed joined them. Shaw gave the Ring technical data to allow them to complete their Intersect project. He also attempted to murder Sarah in revenge for killing Evelyn and as payback against the CIA for betraying him and his wife, but is interrupted by Chuck, who tracked Shaw down after going through his files and papers that he had written while at West Point (suggesting that Shaw had served in some capacity as an officer in the US Army. However in "Chuck Versus First Class" Shaw can also be seen wearing an Annapolis T-shirt, suggesting he had undergone officer training for the United States Navy). Shaw subdued Chuck and told him that he was not at fault and that he would not identify him as the Intersect as long as he did not interfere. Shaw was nonetheless confronted by Chuck again who refused to let him hurt Sarah and attempted to defuse the situation peacefully. Knowing Chuck's reluctance to kill and driven by his desire for revenge, Shaw could not be talked down and drew his gun, forcing Chuck to shoot Shaw first, presumably killing him.

In "Chuck Versus the Tooth" Shaw appears in Chuck's dream sequences throughout the episode, giving him hints to a Ring operation that was underway. The episode ends with the apparition of Shaw from his nightmares telling Chuck he is still alive, before proceeding to strangle him. This brings up the question of whether or not Shaw is actually dead.

In "Chuck Versus the Living Dead," Shaw is revealed to be alive, and downloads the Ring's Intersect prior to the end of the episode. In the next episode "Chuck Versus the Subway," Shaw discredits the team by fooling them into storming a hearing between Beckman and a military panel over the fate of the Intersect project. Shaw claimed to have been acting as a double agent to infiltrate the Ring and compliments Chuck as a hero before exposing Dr. Dreyfus's analysis of Chuck's condition. Beckman attempted to defend Chuck by describing his successes. Shaw's flash on her mention of Alexis White was observed by Chuck, who threw a knife at Shaw in an effort to force him to reveal he had downloaded the Intersect, but Shaw resisted the flash. This discredits Operation Bartowski and Beckman before the military. After Chuck's escape from custody with his father's help, Shaw took Sarah and Casey into custody as bait in a trap to bring him in. However, Chuck and Stephen Bartowski instead located the Ring base where Shaw downloaded his Intersect. There it is revealed that Dr. Kowambe's research was used to save his life. Shaw intercepts them and steals Chuck's Governor, a device designed to protect the human Intersect from falling into insanity, and fatally shoots Stephen. Shaw later attempted to execute the team, but is ambushed by Devon and Morgan, who rescue them with Casey's Crown Vic.

The extent of Shaw's plans are revealed in "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II." With Beckman discredited, Shaw is to take her place at a gathering of senior members of the intelligence community. At the conference, the Ring's leaders, known as the Elders, would then stage a takeover of the NSA and CIA. Chuck is able to trick Shaw into both identifying the Elders and confessing that he is now a member of the Ring, which is broadcast to the entire convention. His unwitting confession clears Beckman and the team, while Casey and Morgan capture the Elders. Shaw manages to escape before turning up at the Buy More, planting explosives and demanding that Chuck face him. After capturing Sarah and Morgan, who were attempting to interfere, he faces Chuck in hand-to-hand combat. Shaw initially gains the upper hand due to Chuck's malfunctioning Intersect, but is finally defeated as Chuck regains control of himself, and soon has him in a choke hold. Shaw urges Chuck to finish the job, but instead, Chuck releases him before Sarah knocks Shaw out with a metal beam. Shaw is then taken into custody and the Governor is returned to Chuck. Without the Governor, it is unknown how long Shaw will live, although it is unlikely that he will have a continued use of the Intersect while in custody, allowing him to remain unaffected by the negative effects it would have on his mental state.

Development

Brandon Routh's casting as CIA officer Daniel Shaw was announced on August 27, 2009.^[2] Shaw will be presenting a romantic obstacle between Chuck and Sarah,^[3] and reports by Kristin Dos Santos of E! Online have indicated that Shaw and Sarah would be sharing an intimate moment.^[4] Shaw will also serve as a mentor for Chuck as he learns to control the Intersect.^[5]

In addition to the conflict between Chuck and Sarah, Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak have indicated that Shaw's presence will also have an impact on Casey, due to his orders to assume command of the team.^[6]

Routh describes Shaw as the government's foremost expert on the Ring, and that this was among the reasons of his assignment to Team Bartowski. In addition, Zachary Levi indicates the character is everything that Chuck is trying to be but hasn't reached that level. Although Shaw will be garnering Sarah's romantic attention, putting him at odds with Chuck, Routh hints that the relationship between Chuck and Shaw will not be entirely antagonistic, with Shaw serving the role of a "big brother" as he helps Chuck learn to live up to his potential as a spy. Routh also states that Shaw and Chuck both come from similar backgrounds.^[7]

Personality

Shaw has a habit of repeatedly flipping open and closing his lighter.^[8][9] Like Chuck, he has an aversion to guns and killing but is prepared to use deadly force if necessary.^[9] While professional, he recognizes Chuck's potential as a spy and aims to push him when necessary, though he is always ready to pull him out if things go badly. However, when Shaw turned to the Ring, he underestimated Chuck in both his fights with him. First in Paris, where he didn't expect Chuck to shoot him. Second, when he and the Ring Elders tried to take over the CIA and NSA, he fell for Chuck's trap of exposing both himself and the elders to everyone at the conference. Finally, Shaw did not expect Chuck to be able to beat him without the Governor, and did not expect Chuck to "reboot" and defeat him at the Buy More fight.

Although generally portrayed as cold and emotionless, Shaw is still highly sensitive where his wife is concerned and reacted angrily when shown footage by the Director revealing that Sarah killed Eve. Ultimately, these lingering feelings for his wife led to his downfall, as the Director used his anger and grief to turn him to the Ring by playing on his single-minded desire for revenge. This desire was initially directed against Sarah, but following the events in Paris Shaw has shifted the focus of his hatred onto Chuck instead. He nonetheless warned Sarah that he would still greatly enjoy the opportunity to kill her, but saw her demise as more of a bonus than a necessity.

Throughout his presence on the team and later as an antagonist Shaw is often disparaging of Chuck's strong feelings for Sarah, his friends, and his family, and expresses a belief that emotional connections are a liability and get in the way of being a good spy. In "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" he does not believe Chuck is capable of killing and did not anticipate Chuck shooting him to protect Sarah. In "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II" he considered Chuck weak for not killing him after being defeated in their fight in the Buy More, which Sarah defended as actually being a strength.

Notes

• According to Morgan Grimes, Shaw is 6' 2" tall, weighs 220 lbs., and has raven black hair.^[10]
• In Chuck Versus the American Hero Shaw is seen driving a black Tesla Roadster.

References

1. ^ "Chuck exclusive: Brandon Routh knows you might not like him". Zap2It. January 5, 2010. http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/01/chuck-exclusive-brandon-routh-knows-you-might-not-like-him.html. 
2. ^ "'Chuck' lands Superman (AKA Brandon Routh!)". The Ausiello Files. August 27, 2009. http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/08/27/chuck-lands-superman-brandon-routh/. 
3. ^ "HitFix Interview: Josh Schwartz discusses 'Chuck' Season Three - Part II". HitFix. January 9, 2010. http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-the-fien-print/posts/hitfix-interview-josh-schwartz-discusses-chuck-season-three-part-ii. 
4. ^ "Spoiler Chat: Lady Gaga Gets in on Gossip Girl Threesome!". E! Online. November 9, 2009. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b152922_spoiler_chat_gossip_girl_threesome_gets.html?sid=twitterfeed_kristin&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=twitterfeed&utm_campaign=twitterfeed_kristin. 
5. ^ "Brandon Routh Joins Chuck". TV Guide. August 27, 2009. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Brandon-Routh-Chuck-1009229.aspx. 
6. ^ "Brandon Routh Joins Chuck". E! Online. December 16, 2009. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b158332_chuck_masterminds_dish_on_spytastic_new.html. 
7. ^ "Watch Out, Chuck: Superman Is Here - Brandon Routh talks about bringing a new kind of spy to Chuck.". IGN.com. January 15, 2010. http://ie.tv.ign.com/articles/106/1061442p1.html. 
8. ^ "Chuck Versus the Three Words"
9. ^ ^{a b} "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome"
10. ^ "Chuck Versus the American Hero"