24: Jack Bauer's 10 Most Badass Moments So Far

The philosopher Edmund Burke, once said “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” He obviously had never heard of Jack Bauer.

By Thomas Blakey /

24 fans are gearing themselves up for the long awaited return of their superhero Jack Bauer. After a hiatus of over four years, it is now less than a week until this iconic series returns to our screens. For those not in the know (seriously, anybody?), Jack Bauer is a federal agent you would only want on your side. Jack, played to perfection by award winning actor Kiefer Sutherland has lived one long day after another and 'Live Another Day' will no doubt join the trend. A complex man, defined by his deeply integrated sense of morality, he has a strong idea of what is good and innocent, and it has always been his sworn duty to protect that idea at whatever cost. He is never afraid to get his hands dirty. Jack has done it all; he has tortured, killed and at some points even bitten terrorists for the good of his country. It€™ll be interesting to see how much, if any, he has changed since his exile €“ remember he€™s been on the run from friend and foe for the entire time he€™s been off air! Recently, WhatCulture looked at the Most Heartbreaking Deaths of 24, now we look at the lighter, more fun side. We take a look at why Jack Bauer is one of the most badass characters to grace our screens. Here are 10 reasons why Superman wears Jack Bauer pyjamas. Warning: SPOILERS of an awesome nature.

Honourable Mentions - Do What You Have To (Day 7), Russian Diplomat's Room (Day 8)

Sometimes it is the fear of what Jack might do to you which is worse than the act itself. Chasing up a lead on Tony Almeida, Jack and Renee go to see Gabriel Schector, an old informant of CTU. He refuses to talk and Renee reluctantly tells Jack to €˜Do whatever it takes. Torture him if you have to€™. Uh-oh, time for the feint-hearted to look away as Jack picks up a pen and threatens to stab Schector in the eye, who caves immediately. It was a €˜fun€™ moment, showing just how intense Jack€™s reputation is and how his mere presence in the room can make any criminal shake at the knees. Regarding the Russian Diplomat's Room, it has to be one of the best moments we never saw. After the murder of Renee Walker, Jack spent the later portion of Day 8 on a murderous rampage, playing judge, jury and executioner. After interrogating Charles Logan, Jack learns that the Russians were behind Renee€™s death and takes matters into his own hands. As Logan is recovering from the ordeal, he tells his aide to warn the Russian embassy, but Jack has already been and gone. It is the lasting image of Novakovich lying in a pool of his own blood stabbed with a fire iron that fans are left with. To say the least, it was utter carnage and it is a real disappointment we could not witness this act, though, of course, it could well diminish the impact the image had on audiences if we had.