Clear Rivers

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Clear Rivers' story begins on May 13, 1999, when she boards Volée Airlines Flight 180 heading to Paris. On board, Alex Browning warns passengers about his vision of the airliner exploding in mid-air, gaining no support except from Clear. Having witnessed Alex and their classmates being removed from the plane, she willingly gets off before it explodes minutes after take-off, killing the other 287 passengers and crew. Thirty-nine days later, at the memorial, she presents Alex a white rose as gratitude for saving her life. After Tod dies in a freak accident, they visit the morgue and find mortician William Bludworth, who explains Death's design and warns them they are still in danger. Following Terry's and Ms. Lewton's deaths, they save Carter's life, but Billy dies moments later, teaching them that intervening in someone's death can save that person. Clear returns in *Final Destination 2* set a year later, now inside Stonybrook Mental Institution, too distraught over Alex's death. She initially tells Kimberly Corman to let the other survivors perish and save only herself, but after Tim dies, she changes her mind and accompanies Kimberly and Burke to Bludworth, who informs them of the equilibrium of Death and "new life"—implying their salvation upon the unborn son of survivor Isabella Hudson.

In Their Own Story

In *Final Destination*, after Alex realizes Clear is next to die, he goes to her house to save her. Due to her house experiencing short circuits, she attempts to escape with her car. Despite the car being trapped by livewires, Alex manages to save her, and they both survive. Months later in Paris, Alex has doubts about their triumph over Death. Noticing signs of impending doom, Clear saves Alex from a speeding bus, but they both witness Carter's demise by a falling sign. In the alternate ending, Alex and Clear have sex while lurking at a beach, resulting in her pregnancy. Later, Alex dies after a livewire sets him on fire while saving her. Nine months later, she gives birth to their son, naming him Alexander Chance, and reunites with Carter, safe in the knowledge that they defeated Death. In *Final Destination 2*, after gathering the remaining survivors to Burke's apartment, Nora gets decapitated by an elevator despite Clear's and Kat's attempts to save her. En route to Isabella, they realize all of them are still alive due to the Flight 180 survivors having gotten off the plane. Following the deaths of Kat and Rory, Clear, Kimberly, and Burke go to the hospital to save Isabella. They succeed in finding her and ensuring her infant survives, but Kimberly has another premonition revealing Isabella was never meant to die in the pile-up. Understanding the situation, Clear tries to find Eugene's room. Finding him contained by an oxygenated room, she opens the door, subsequently loosening the plug of Eugene's defibrillator, creating a spark that incinerates Eugene's room, killing them both. In her alternate death scene, Clear smiles in contentment as flames engulf her body.

Reader's Guide

Clear Rivers is portrayed by Ali Larter, who was cast after Kirsten Dunst and Jessica Biel were originally considered. Larter stated she was thrilled to "be playing a more introverted, darker character than [she] was accustomed to at the time." She thought the script for *Final Destination* was special and turned down all other scripts where she would have been cast in roles such as a cheerleader or a victim. For the sequel, Larter was chosen by New Line Cinema over her co-star Devon Sawa, who played Alex Browning. Producer Craig Perry conveyed that bringing back Clear over Alex was due to narrative reasons, stating there were no financial problems that prevented Sawa from returning. Perry observed that Clear is more knowledgeable in terms of mentoring the new protagonist and that she was used as the main link to the original film. Larter defined Clear as a girl who has suffered numerous losses in her life, has fallen into herself, and has made a life within that. In the original screenplay of James Wong and Glen Morgan, she is described as the loner in the group who wears dark colors to hide her sex appeal, something she is insecure about. Larter dyed her hair brunette for the majority of the film to suit Clear's gothic outlook, but reverted to her original blonde hair color for the film's ending. In the sequel, Clear changed drastically; Larter indicated the character has gotten to a hardened place and has tucked herself inside because of the pain she experienced in her life. By having herself committed to a mental hospital, she has created a safehouse to avoid Death.

Did You Know?

• Clear Rivers was created by Jeffrey Reddick and further developed by James Wong and Glen Morgan to be 'the loner of the group' and insecure about her sex appeal, hiding it with a gothic appearance.
• Ali Larter dyed her hair brunette for most of *Final Destination* to suit Clear's gothic outlook, but reverted to her original blonde hair color for the film's ending.
• Clear's death in *Final Destination 2* occurs when she opens the door to Eugene's oxygenated room, loosening the plug of his defibrillator and creating a spark that incinerates the room, killing them both.
• Along with Tony Todd, Ali Larter is the only actor to reprise their role in the *Final Destination* series.
• In the alternate ending of *Final Destination*, Clear gives birth to Alex's son, naming him Alexander Chance, and reunites with Carter, safe in the knowledge they defeated Death.