“ | Dear George: - Remember, no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings! |
„ |
~ Clarence's final message to George Bailey, written in his copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. |
Clarence Odbody is one of the two deuteragonists (alongside Mary) of It's a Wonderful Life.
He is George Bailey's guardian angel, who helps the currently suicidal man by showing him all the good he has done in his life, and showing what the world would look like without him, and what a dark place it would be. By succeeding in saving George, Clarence finally earns his wings, which results in him moving from a second class angel to a first class angel.
What Makes Him Pure Good?[]
- After his death, Clarence waits over 200 years, doing good deeds and helping others, patiently waiting for his time to receive his wings.
- In that time, Clarence never gets impatient or upset.
- In fact, throughout the entire movie, Clarence never gets upset about not having his wings.
- In that time, Clarence never gets impatient or upset.
- He eagerly accepts Franklin and Joseph's mission to save George Bailey at the start of the film, only asking after he accepts the mission if he may earn his wings should he succeed, proving he would have helped regardless of the answer.
- He saves George's life by jumping into the freezing water to stop the man from committing suicide.
- He never lies to George about who he is, immediately telling George that he is an angel wanting to help him.
- Despite George's rudeness to him, Clarence never stops trying to help the man.
- After George wishes he were never born, Clarence decides to show George what the world would look like if George really were never born, though he makes sure nothing bad truly happens to his friend.
- After hearing the sound of Nick's cash register ringing, he congratulates an angel in heaven, as Clarence informs George that every time a bell rings on Earth, it signifies that an angel has gotten their wings.
- After the alternate reality version of Bert, the cop tries to strike George, Clarence pushes himself in the way and bites Bert's hand, telling George to run away. Even as Clarence gets thrown to the ground as Bert tries to restrain him, Clarence selflessly makes sure George gets away.
- Clarence never fights back against Bert once he himself is being threatened, only begging Joseph to help him, which he does by teleporting him away.
- As George and Clarence meet up again in the graveyard that is the Bailey Park in the world where he was never born, and George demands that Clarence tell him where Mary is in this world, Clarence tells him where instead of fighting back against George.
- After George realizes what a mistake it would be to kill himself, and how terrible Bedford Falls would be if he were never born, he prays and begs Clarence to take him back, shouting that he wants to live again. Clarence grants him his wish.
- Throughout the movie, Clarence' most prized possession is his copy of 'Tom Sawyer'. At the end of the movie, George finds it on the pile of money collected by his friends to help pay back the bank, and written in it is a personal message from Clarence to George, wishing him all the best, and thanking him for the wings, implying that Clarence finally obtains his wings.
Trivia[]
- He and Mary Hatch-Bailey are the two Pure Goods of It's a Wonderful Life.
External Links[]
- Clarence Odbody on the Heroes Wiki