Clay Evans (One Tree Hill)

Clayton "Clay" Evans is a fictional character from the CW television series One Tree Hill, portrayed by Robert Buckley. Introduced in the seventh season as Nathan Scott's sports agent, he and his primary love interest, Quinn James, were brought in after the departures of Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer in the previous season. During the series' progression, Clay struggles between focusing on Nathan's career and his own personal issues in coming to terms with his wife's untimely death and the unexpected repercussions it would hold.

Character development

Background

Clay first met his future wife Sara during his time at college when, trying to experience all of college life, they both followed their classmates into a jump from a bridge. Both increasingly scared, they decided to jump together and after they hit the water, they shared a kiss. Their whirlwind romance developed from there and they eventually moved in together. When Clay started having doubts about him getting a job as an agent, Sara asked Clay to marry her and he said yes. Later Sara gave birth to a son, Logan. While at home with Clay one day listening to her favorite song, Sara went to get a glass of grape-flavored Kool-Aid but collapsed and died suddenly from an aneurysm. Her death severely affected Clay who took his wedding ring from his finger, placed it on hers, and promised never to love again and he blocked out Logan unintentionally, as he reminded Clay too much of Sara.

Character arc

Season 7

At the beginning of season 7 there was a time jump, a little over a year had passed since the end of season 6. Clay became Nathan's agent and close friend during this time jump. He's also close to Nathan's family, his wife Haley James Scott and their son James Lucas Scott. At first Clay is shown as a flirt and fond of one-night stands. Upon meeting Quinn James, Haley's sister, he's immediately drawn to her but backs off once he learns that she's going through a separation with her husband. Clay is a loyal friend and helps the Scotts through the Renee scandal but is fired once he fails to resign Nathan with the Bobcats. Quinn helps him get his job back and make peace with the loss of his wife so he can move on and the two fall in love. Clay meets Katie Ryan, a tennis player without an agent. However she bares a resemblance to his wife, Sara. Katie begins to stalk Clay and even dyes her hair blonde just to mess with Clay's head. In the season finale, when Quinn was entering her bedroom, Katie lurked out from the shadows and shot her, Clay hearing the gunshot, comes in and realises it is Katie and she shoots him down and leaves.

Season 8

Having been shot by Katie Ryan, Haley finds Clay and Quinn in their apartment. She then rushes the two to a hospital. Whilst in a coma, Clay and Quinn meet in a dream and discover whats happened to them after spending the day on the beach. Once they discover they've been shot they watch their body and loved ones in the hospital until Quinn gets well enough to come out of her coma. First she refuses to leave Clay and the two declare their love for each other. Quinn stays by Clay's bedside. Clay is later on a respirator until in his dream he met Will Bennett, who later dies and donated his organs to helping others and gives Clay his kidney, Clay's (who later dies) best friend Nathan had previously decided to donate his but wasn't a match. Clay then recovers, and leaves the hospital with Quinn. Nathan offers to help Clay with his agency until he is better. Clay and Nathan are both part of Fortitude and try to sign Ian Kellerman. They sign him but find out that he was the one who caused the crash on the bridge that could have killed Brooke and Jamie.

Season 9

After sleepwalking throughout the whole town and not remembering where and why he went there, Clay checks into a rehab where he meets Logan, a young boy. Clay's doctor tells him that he is blocking out a memory which is causing him to sleep walk. After hanging out with Logan, Clay has a breakthrough and remembers that Logan is his son. Clay learns that he has blocked out Logan for 6 years. After Clay asks Logan to be in his life, Logan says no and walks out of the room. However Logan soon becomes accepting of Clay and he goes to stay with Clay and Quinn for a sleepover. Logan wants to stay with Clay and Quinn and in the final episode Quinn and Clay get married and adopt Logan. Logan calls Clay and Quinn, mom and dad.