Michelle Dessler

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Image:Reiko Aylesworth.jpg Michelle Dessler is a fictional character played by Reiko Aylesworth on the television series, 24.

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Bio

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Dessler obtained her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at the University of California, Davis, and began her career at the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Computer Security Division, and DARPA's High Confidence Systems Working Group, before being hired by the Counter Terrorist Unit, Los Angeles branch as an Internet Protocol Manager.

She first appeared in the first episode of the second season where, from her position as internet protocol manager, she assisted colleagues Tony Almeida and Jack Bauer in preventing a nuclear bomb threat to the country. During the day, her casual flirting with Almeida became more serious as they helped each other through the trauma that they faced. After CTU's Special Agent in Charge George Mason sacrificed his life to fly the bomb to an isolated location before it detonated, Almeida became the new Special Agent in Charge. His thoughts on the case, however, were more closely aligned with those of Government officials who, unbeknownst to him, were involved in the conspiracy. Because of this, Dessler put her trust in Bauer and went against Almeida. As the threat was revealed, however, he realized that she had been correct and assisted them in stopping the conspiracy.

In the three years after this threat, Dessler and Almeida were married and - in the third season - she was an intelligence agent while he was the CTU Special Agent in Charge. After his near-fatal shooting, Dessler had to step up to lead CTU despite her evident stress. After Almeida recovered speedily - and when Division agent Ryan Chappelle was sent to CTU to overlook events - Dessler joined a field team with Gael Ortega to go to the Chandler Plaza Hotel where a terrorist was planning to release a fatal, and contagious, virus. Although no HAZMAT suits had arrived, Dessler - followed by the others in a show of loyalty - went inside to assist the hotel's security in containing the virus which was released. Most of the guests, staff and CTU personnel died over the following hours while Dessler was one of few who did survive. However the terrorist, Stephen Saunders, then kidnapped her in order to force Almeida to do his bidding which included helping Saunders escape while surrounded by CTU personnel. Dessler was stunned to learn what Almeida had done to save her.

In the time that followed, Almeida was released from prison - on the good testimony of Jack Bauer and outgoing President David Palmer - but his unemployment and situation saw his personality change, and a dependence on alcohol form. Dessler divorced him and was temporarily posted to Seattle's CTU branch where she met Bill Buchanan, a high-ranking official, and they began a relationship. She was then posted back to Los Angeles, to Division where she became an Associate Special Agent in Charge.

In the fourth season, Almeida's help was called upon by Bauer to try and capture terrorist Habib Marwan whose plan involved blowing up a train, kidnapping and assassinating the Secretary of Defense, melting down all of the nuclear power plants in the country, assassinating President John Keeler by shooting down Air Force One, and controlling America's nuclear arsenal via part of the nuclear football. Almeida was granted provisional status to work at CTU during this time - and, after Special Agent in Charge Erin Driscoll left for personal reasons - was briefly Acting Special Agent in Charge - but was more than a little surprised when Secretary of Defense James Heller called in Dessler to take the position of Acting CTU Special Agent in Charge.

In the closing episodes of Day Four, Dessler and Almeida admitted that their feelings for each other had never died away. They agreed to walk away from CTU and start life anew.

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Trivia

Aylesworth originally auditioned for the parts of Nina Myers and Kate Warner, but after losing to Sarah Clarke and Sarah Wynter respectively, the producers asked her to play Michelle.

Aylesworth gives DVD commentary on the season 3 episode "Day 3: 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM" with Robert Cochran and Carlos Bernard. On the commentary for season 2's "Day 2: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM", Bernard, Wynter and Michelle Forbes speak at length about their praise for Reiko's performance.