!! Spoilers!! The following page contains spoilers to the plot of Sem and Ally Adventures.
"Make your own history, Spark." ~ Ally
Allison "Ally" Claude (Al-lee) is one of two main protagonists of the Sem and Ally Adventure series and the main character of Sem: Adventures Across Time along side her fellow Guardian and love interest, Sem. Known for his charisma and knowledge of history, Ally was once a lost traveler like many people living in Asphodel until she was rescued by Sem and asked to become a Guardian after the loss of his first partner, Aria.[1] Ally is voiced by voice actress Abigail Wahl.
Early Life[]
Born and raised in Colorado to her mother, Sara Claude, and her father, Micheal Claude, Ally grew up with an endless curiosity for history and a passion for writing. As an only child and as much as her father always wished for a son, Ally's father took it upon himself to teach his daughter how to be well rounded in many ways, particularly in the area of mechanics. As Ally grew up, she and her father often spent time in their home garage, fixing and rebuilding old cars while quizzing each other on the latest history they had learned.
As Ally approached her teenage years, she fell in love with a young man named David Welch, admiring his driven and ambitious character. Dreaming of one day becoming a traveling journalist, Ally followed David to the University of Philadelphia to study journalism, as he chased after his own degree in pathology.[1]
Life in Philadelphia[]
Obtaining her degree in journalism, Ally quickly found herself a job working for a small publishing company called Stallbrook Publishing, where she worked as an assistant editor trying to pay back her student loans. Once her boyfriend David finally graduated from the University, the two became distant with David trying to dictate over Ally's life. As time went on, Ally soon uncovered the reason for David's paranoia, as he was seeing another co-worker named Sophia while Ally was at work.
Broken by his unfaithfulness, Ally left to live with her friend, Carley, for a brief time. Weeks later, Ally eventually asked David for her car back, only to learn that he had crashed it into a brick fence in a heated rage following one of their arguments on the doorstep of Carley's apartment, forcing her to use the city bus to get to work. As their break up became worse over time, Ally soon noticed David waiting for after work to once again try and convince her to take him back, leaving her paranoid to the point she began taking self defense classes after work and moved into her own apartment close to work, hoping David wouldn't know where she had gone.[1]
Ally's Disappearance[]
Ally fleeing from her stalker, only moments before falling victim to the traveler phenomenon.
With David now stalking her from time to time and her car now wrecked, Ally continued on with her daily routine in a mundane fashion. In a phone call from her mother at work, she soon learned that her father's health was slowly deteriorating, forcing her to make plans to visit him. On the same day of her mother phone call, Ally met with a usual client of hers named Walter Steel, only to notice a man wearing sunglasses and a ball cap watching her from the corner of the cafe. Thinking little of the man's creepy presents, she left to go meet a her friend Carley for drinks at their usual hangout, only to discover the mystery man had followed her knowing where she would be before she had even made plans.
Ally's fateful rescue by Sem dressed in his guardian armor.
Worried for her safety, Ally remained at her usual hangout until her stalker left, then parted ways with her friend to return home. On her way to the bus stop however, Ally's stalker reappeared, following her down the street at a distance. Fearing for her life, Ally ran from him, only to stumble into two unknown strangers arguing near the bus stop, forcing out into the street. As a speeding bus barreled down upon her and her own stalker trying his best to save her, Ally was suddenly saved by the traveler phenomenon, either by complete accident or sheer coincidence.
Left dazed and unconscious from her passage between worlds, Ally laid in the desert of a world not yet fully formed, making her the very first person in human existence for a brief time. Unable to move or speak, Ally was soon saved by the Lone Guardian, Sem, dressed in his protective armor meant for war torn worlds.[1]
Ally's Arrival in Asphodel[]
Having been saved from her near fate accident by the traveler phenomenon and rescued by Sem from an unknown world, Ally soon awoke to find herself in the Guardian Home with no clothes. Using the bed sheet as a cover-up, Ally followed the sound of Sem and Otto arguing in the lowest level of the home before the ARC, where she first witnessed the ARC's ability to open gateways between worlds as Sem ventured out on another rescue. Frightening by the sight, Ally attempted to run away, only to slip on the bed sheet she was using to cover herself and fall back down the stairs. After retrieving quick treatment from Ott
An early illustration of Ally struggling to cope with the loss of her old life.
o, Ally was escorted up to the homes living room where Otto explained to her the traveler phenomenon and Sem's role of as a Guardian which lead to her arrival in Asphodel.
While sitting down to breakfast with Sem and Otto, Ally soon met Sem and Otto's elected representative at the Capitol, Leo, accompanied by Asp
hodel's head of military operations, Raz. Gathering her own conclusion from Leo and Raz's brief conversation with Sem and Otto, Ally confronted Sem and Otto about her return home, only to learn of the Point of Reference Problem which now prevented her from leaving Asphodel.
Stricken with grief by the reality of maybe never being able to return home, Ally spent the next few days in mourning, until she was taken by Sem to be given her vary own new set of clothes by the Alpha Districts best tailor and friend to Sem and Otto, Vila. Following a relapse into her depression, Ally returned to the Guardian Home with Vila, only to learn Sem's life was suddenly in danger during a test on the ARC's latest upgrades lead by Merek. In a nail biting last minute rescue, Sem thankfully returned with only bite marks on his leg, having saved the young boy he set out to rescue from a mountain lion attack.
Sem having returned from his rescue only to be left injured.
Now injured and unable to journey out across worlds to save lost travelers on his own, Otto soon sworn Ally in as Sem's new partner in an act of desperation and peer pressure. With the Council now demanding progress on solving the Point of Reference Problem, Otto felt obligated to turn to Ally for help since she reflected the same qualities as Sem's former partner, Aria.[1]
Relationship with Sem[]
Having proven herself as Guardian material to both Sem and Otto on her adventures to both Ancient Babylon and Future New York City, Ally was granted the title by Otto as she dawned her new official role as Sem's partner. Following a dangerous rescue through plague stricken France during the Dark Age, the two soon discovered feelings for one another. Feelings which seemed mutual since the vary day of Ally's arrival in Asphodel. During an unexpected moment upon their return from escorting their latest traveler, Sem's own feelings for Ally were finally revealed with Ally unable to make sense of her own feelings for him. Fearing that Ally would suffer the same fate as Aria, Sem left Ally behind on a rescue to war torn London during World War II, forcing Ally to dawn Aria's old armor and chase after him to confess her love to him, and prove to him he would no longer have to carry the weight of being a Guardian on his own.[1]
The Alpha Island Riots[]
Sem and Ally's famous kiss following their confession for one another in London during the Blitz of WWII. Artwork By Mon Macairap
Having safely return from their dangerous rescue in London, Ally and Sem were suddenly confronted by a new crisis growing in the Alpha Islands Alpha District in the form of a riot held by the angry travelers awaiting Sem and Otto's solution to the Po
int of Reference Problem. In an unexpected act of treachery, Sem was soon forced to leave Ally behind while he sought out his old mentor and the Visage of the Cosmos, Erland, whom they had seen woven into the reality of each world the two had visited.
Upon Sem's return and a forced retreat the Guardian Home, Ally and Sem found themselves locked away in the basement of the home with the ARC, awaiting the angry crowd to break down the door. Left with no other choice but to prevent the angry mob from gaining control of the ARC and to save Ally from harm, Sem used the One Way Ticket equation gifted to him by Erland to send Ally home to her own world, sacrificing himself for her.[1]
Ally's Return[]
Sem and Ally standing on one of the many bridges which span across Asphodel. Artwork by Julia Zhuravleva
Having used the One Way Ticket equation to send Ally home to her own world, Ally suddenly awoke to the feeling of being revived by a paramedic using a defibrillator having been barley struck by the bus that was destined to hit her. Left to recover in the hospital, Ally was forced to question whether her adventures with Sem were all a dream or reality. Having recovered from her injuries, Ally attend a planned meeting with her client, Walter Steel, only to be confronted by Walter and Erland. Having become woven into Ally's world by means of his death and binding with the Soul of the Cosmos, Erland presented Ally with the opportunity to return to Asphodel to save Sem or remain in her own world and live out her life. Choosing to refuse Erland's offer at first, wishing not to let Sem's sacrifice go in vain, Ally parted ways with Walter and Erland feeling as though she had allowed herself to once more be taken over the the fear she had learned to overcome.
After speaking with her father about the matter of his health and expressing her longing to return to the world of Asphodel, Ally quickly changed her mind and used Erland's gift for her to return to Asphodel to rescue Sem.[1]
Sem's Rescue[]
Having used Erland's gift to return to the world between worlds, Ally learned from her new friends of Sem's trial and planned execution at the Alpha District square. With little time to plan, Ally called upon her newest friends from her recent adventures with Sem to aid her in a daring rescue. Having successfully rescued Sem from his fate, Ally was briefly reunited Sem on the stage of his execution before a panicking crowd, only to be pulled away by a need to stop their friend Otto from making a dangerous mistake. Having used the One Way Ticket on Ally, rendering the ARC now useless and broken, Otto confronted Sem and Ally in the basement of the Guardian Home, desperate to return to his wife and daughters. Unable to stop Otto from leaving, both Sem and Otto engaged in a struggle as Ally attempted to shut down the ARC at the computer terminal. Stumbling over one another in their struggle, both Sem and Otto fell into the gateway of the now broken ARC, leaving Ally alone the basement in darkness. Discovering that Sem and Otto are now caught in an endless chain loop across worlds, Ally refused to give up on them, leading her down the Path of the Guardian in book two of Sem and Ally Adventures, Ally: Guardian of Worlds.[1]
Appearance/Outfit[]
The very first illustration of Ally.
Known for her reddish brown hair, Ally's most commonly dressed in her usual white shirt, brown shorts, and burgundy colored tights. However, sticking with her favorite color, red, Ally often finds herself dressed in lavish dresses and Aria's old red guardian armor when the occasion calls for it.[1]
Fun Facts[]
- Ally's name is derived from Lewis Caroll's main character Alice from Alice in Wonderland, as the two characters both stumble into a world they never expected and on an adventure questioning whether they'll ever return home
- Ally's last name, Claude, is derived from famous impressionist painter, Claude Monet
- Among all of TS Wieland's many books and characters, Ally is the only one which shares his background and character qualities as the character was written as a method to over come his own fears and anxieties
- Ally's story is unknowingly modeled after the Hero's Journey story template