Martha Logan

As the wife of President Charles Logan, Martha Logan was the First Lady of the United States on Day 5.

Personal

 * Marital status: Divorced, dating Aaron Pierce.

History
She grew up in Weston, Massachusetts and received a B.A. degree in Art History from Stanford University; her professional experience includes serving as representative of Shine Walden Gallery, then as a fundraiser for Southern California Shelters, and later she later served on Santa Barbara Museum's Board of Trustees. She first met Charles Logan when he was serving in the California State Legislature. She was the most trusted advisor for the indecisive politician. However, at some point she suffered mental illness and was committed to a mental institution in Vermont.

Nightfall
Martha attended a fundraiser supporting Palmer's bid for the Presidency. It was considered by Palmer as going "above the call of duty," especially because she crossed party lines to do so.

Day 5


During Day 5, President Charles Logan was preparing to sign a Anti-terrorism treaty with Russian President Yuri Suvarov. The president asked Walt Cummings, his Chief of Staff, to bring Martha to the press conference. After getting to her room, Walt Cummings broke the news to Martha that President David Palmer was assassinated in Los Angeles.

Martha claimed that David Palmer called her the night before and wanted to discuss a matter of National Security with her. She planned on interrupting Charles' press conference about Palmer's death to tell him her conspiracy theories. After Mike Novick told her that millions of people were watching the conference and she would just make matters worse, Martha agreed to wait to tell Charles.

Charles told Martha he would look into her theory, and she was certain that he didn't believe her. After Charles played an audio recording that proved David didn't want to discuss a matter of National Security, she became certain that someone in the administration doctored it. Charles tries to convince her she is delusional and needs to get back on her medication. When a hostage crisis errupts at the Ontario Airport, Martha is convinced it was related to Palmer's assassination.

When Martha learns the president has all the phone conversations turned into transcripts, she has Evelyn Martin cover for her, while she tries to get access to the transcript. After threatening Mr. Burke, Martha is able to get access to one of the communications room. While digging through files, Agent Aaron Pierce arrives and tells her she has to come with him. Martha hides the transcript in her blouse and after Evelyn apologizes to her, she insists it isn't necessary as she got what she came for.

After the treaty was signed and the hostage situation was resolved, Martha went to speak to her husband about the transcript. However, she was knocked out unconscious and someone stole the transcript from her blouse. President Logan doesn't believe her and he tells her he is going to have her committed. After Martha sneaks out of the retreat, Aaron finds her and she tells him about her theory. Just as the car is about to leave for the sanitarium, Logan stops it. He apologizes to Martha and tells her she was right, as Walt Cummings was exposed as a mole.



Martha initially is furious with her husband for not believing her, but she puts these issues aside. When Walt Cummings commits suicide, Martha debates policy with Charles and Mike. Mike is convinced they should cover up Walt's involvement with the terrorists in order to protect the administration from receiving bad publicity. Martha is convinced that the administration will earn more respect if they reveal the truth.

Charles agrees to go along with Martha's plan if she is able to break the news about Walt's treason to Suzanne Cummings, Walt's wife. After Suzanne arrived, Martha went to speak to her. After realizing Suzanne didn't deserve to go through all of this, she decided to go along with Mike's plan to cover the scandal up. Martha told Suzanne that Walt committed suicide, due to the emotional events of the day.

Eventually Martha learned that terrorists gained control of 20 canisters of Sentox VX nerve gas. She learned that a man named Vladimir Bierko threatened to release the gas if the president doesn't give up the Suvarov's motorcade route. When Martha learns that Logan is given into Bierko's demands, she becomes furious. She claims that what he is doing is murder and he should stand up to the terrorists.



Martha decided to play her husband's hand by entering the Suvarov's limousine. When Aaron decided to run up in the front of the limo, Martha expressed her belief it wasn't necessary, while Aaron insisted on going for the ride. When President Logan learned about Martha entering the motorcade, he called her and demanded for her to create an excuse in order to get out of the limousine. Martha refused and decided to stay with Yuri and Anya.

Martha asked Aaron if any changes have been made to the motorcade route, and he told her no. She began to wonder why Charles didn't call it back and/or make any changes. President Suvarov soon took notice to Martha's unusual behavior, while Anya tried to make small talk. Towards the end of the route, Pierce was contacted by CTU Los Angeles and he ordered for the limousine to be turned around. When the Russian separtists learned the Secret Service knew about the attack, they started to attack the motorcade.

After the Russians took out all of the surrounding agents, they launched a missile at the Suvarov's limousine. As a result of the attack, Agent Pierce was knocked out unconscious and the terrorists began to try to destroy what was left of the limo. Eventually Agent Pierce woke up and he opened the car door, killing the remaining terrorists. Martha and the Suvarovs were shakened up from the terrible events, as back-up arrived on the scene.

While waiting to be brought back to the presidential retreat, Martha confronted Aaron and told him that the president knew about the attack and didn't stop it. After arriving back at the retreat, Martha refuses to speak to her husband. When the president tries to go to her home to talk, Evelyn tells Logan that she specifically told her she didn't want to see him. Martha asked for Evelyn to get Aaron Pierce for her.



Aaron arrived at her room and Martha thanked him for saving her life. Aaron told her it was his duty and the two had a tender moment together, but Mike walked in. Mike dismissed Aaron from the room and warned him to not let whatever happened happen again. Novick later confronts Martha and tells her that her husband was praying on his knees for her, and she began to have a new light for her husband.

Martha sees that Mike has some sort of agenda and he discusses Vice President Hal Gardner's decision to have Martial law evoked in Los Angeles with her. Martha confronts her husband about it and she expressed her belief that Hal is using Logan for his own personal agenda, and their will be a fall-out. Despite being against Gardner's proposal, Martha assures her husband she will stick by him no matter what.

When CTU gets a new lead on Bierko, Martha tries to convince Charles to not go forward with placing a curfew on the people in Los Angeles. Charles is convinced a curfew is what they need, as the terrorists won't be able to move around as freely. Logan plans to stick with the idea and Martha stands by her husband as he gives a press conference. Martha then says good-bye to Evelyn, who decided to leave the retreat and get home.



When Bierko is caught by CTU and the terrorist attacks are further stopped, Martha speaks to Charles and congratulates him on his successful job as the president, handling more crisis in one day than some presidents handle in a term. When Charles gets a call and asks for Martha to leave, she becomes a suspicious. She then learns that Secretary of Defense James Heller is on his way to the retreat and is demanding to speak to Logan. When Charles refuses to tell Martha what Heller wants, Martha decides to find out some answers.

Martha confronts Aaron and asks her why Secretary Heller is at the retreat, but Aaron insists that he can't tell her anything. Aaron tells Martha to meet him outside, so they can discuss matters. When Martha arrives, she calls Aaron and finds his cell phone on the ground. When she can't find Aaron anywhere, Martha creates a commotion over his disappearance. Martha is eventually looked in her room by Agent Justin Adams.



Charles confronts Martha and tells her that Aaron was transfered back to Washington. Logan makes the bold decision of telling Martha what has been going on. He confesses to being complicit in the assassination of David Palmer and the selling of Sentox nerve gas to terrorists. Martha is horrified at the fact her husband is a traitor to the country. She told him that she hated him, but would keep silent for the sake of the country.

When Martha demands for more medication, the Secret Service agents refuse to give it to her. Eventually Mike comes to her and asks what is wrong. Martha tells him she can't tell him what is going on and Mike agrees to try to get her medication. Eventually Novick confronts the president about Martha's actions and he tells him that he and Martha are having marital problems. Mike is able to get medication for Martha and he brings it to her.

When Charles confronts his wife, he tells her that she has been on the verge of a mental breakdown for three years and if she doesn't keep her act up, he will have her committed. The president later comes to apologize to his wife, but she refuses to hear his sympathy. She is furious and disgusted at the fact her husband is putting on a charade for her and the rest of the world.



Martha eventually goes for a walk and arrives at the stables, shocked to see Agent Adams preparing to kill Aaron. Martha starts to walk towards the agent, who points his gun at her. She asks if he is willing to shoot the first lady, and Aaron is able to knock Adams to the floor and knock his gun out of his hand. While Adams prepares to hit Aaron over the head, Martha picks up the gun and shoots Adams, ultimately killing him. Realizing their lives are in grave danger, Aaron tells Martha to go back to the retreat and keep quiet about what happened. He also asks her to inform Mike about what has been happening, as he may be the only one who can help.

Martha eventually finds Mike and he brings him to the stables. Mike is shocked to learn that Agent Adams has been killed and Martha and Aaron reveal to him about the president's recent acts of treason. Mike agrees to drive Aaron to somewhere safe. Aaron and Martha say a tender good-bye, as Aaron enters the back seat of the car. Aaron looks out the window and at Martha, as Mike begins to drive away.

Mike later confronts Martha and tells her that Jack Bauer, a former CTU agent, is at the retreat and needs to get on the helicopter, in order to force Logan to give a confession. Martha agrees to try to stall her husband, in order to help Jack get on the helicopter. Martha seduces her husband and she apologizes to him for her recent actions. The two of them then have sex together, as Aaron and agents at CTU help Jack get his clearance. When Mike informs Martha that Jack is on the helicopter, she creates an excuse to go on another flight to David Palmer's funeral.



When Mike informs Martha that Jack wasn't able to get a confession and Jack has been arrested, she starts to lose control and Charles takes her into a warehouse. After learning the area is secure, Charles searches for any recording devices on Martha. Charles threatens to have her committed if she doesn't keep her act up, and Martha shouts Logan's crimes, with Logan openly confessing to them.

While Logan is giving the eulogy for David Palmer, agents walk up to and wait for Logan to finish his speech. After Logan finishes, he is learns that the Attorney General is having him placed under arrest. After one of the agent takes a transmitter device off his pen, Logan realizes he has been sit up and Martha was complicit in it.

After Day 5
After the events of Day 5, Martha filed for divorce. When Logan was placed under house arrest without the public ever becoming aware of his involvement in Day 5's events, Martha became emotionally unstable. She checked herself into Meadowcreek, a mental-health facility, and at some point she began a romantic relationship with Aaron Pierce.

Day 6


At around 6:15pm, Martha stopped reading her book when Aaron Pierce arrived at the bungalow with fruit from Mel. Martha began to cut the fruit in the kitchen, when she began to get an emotional. When someone called the house, Aaron picked up and was shocked to learn it was Charles Logan on the phone. Logan asked to speak with Martha, and Aaron told him that she hasn't taken his calls in two years and won't start now. When Martha learned the call was about the Suvarovs, she decided to take the call.

Charles told Martha that she could help with an international situation, and stop any further incidents like the nuclear explosion that occurred in Valencia from happening. Martha was convinced her ex-husband was trying to manipulate her and she tossed the phone on the coach. Aaron picked it up and Charles told him that he would have a CTU chopper bring him to the bungalow. Aaron agreed to try to convince Martha to see Charles.

When Charles arrived at the bungalow, Martha stormed and locked herself in her bedroom. Aaron convinced Martha to speak with Charles and she went into the living room. Charles asked Martha to make a call to Anya Suvarov, as she could convince President Yuri Suvarov to have Consul Anatoly Markov surrender to CTU Los Angeles. Martha agreed to speak with Anya, but she was giving a speech in Russia.

While waiting for Anya's speech to finish, Martha got into an argument with her ex-husband and she put some of Mel's food out on the table. When she was bringing a knife back into the kitchen, she turned around and stabbed Charles into the shoulder. Aaron was convinced Logan's artery was hit and he called for a paramedic to arrive immediately. Agent Shavers placed Martha into custody, and Martha became confused. Martha told Aaron that she deserved a medal, as Logan never received a proper punishment for everything that he has caused.

When CTU was able to get in touch with Anya, Aaron asked Martha if she was capable enough to handle a conversation with First Lady Suvarov. Martha told Aaron that she and Anya were close friends and insisted she could handle it. Martha told Anya that she would love to catch up, but she had to get straight to business. When Martha told Anya about Gredenko being involved with terrorists, Anya went to her husband. President Suvarov demanded for Markov to surrender to the Americans, but he refused. Suvarov told Bill Buchanan that he would authorize the raiding of the consul and Russia would support them.

Memorable Quotes

 * Martha Logan: Get your hands off of me or I will have your family eating dog food out of a can!


 * Martha Logan: I look like a wedding cake. (Dunks head in water) Let's start over.


 * Martha Logan: Dammit, I am the First Lady. You tell your storm troopers to stay away from me!


 * Martha Logan: Mr. Burke, we can continue this little dance if you really want to, but you and I both know that I am going to get into that room. So you can save us both the trouble and just give me your entry card.
 * Burke: Mrs. Logan, you wouldn't....
 * Martha Logan: In three seconds, Mr. Burke, I am going to scream louder than any woman you've ever heard in your life. One.. two -
 * Burke: Here's the card right here!


 * Charles Logan: He wants to assassinate Suvarov.
 * Martha Logan: Don’t negotiate with them! Isn’t that the point of the treaty you just signed?


 * Aaron Pierce: Mrs Logan.
 * Martha Logan: Aaron. I’ve decided to drive to the airport with the Suvarovs.
 * Aaron Pierce: I’ll ride upfront.
 * Martha Logan: No, Aaron, no, that’s not necessary.
 * Aaron Pierce: Yes it is.


 * Charles Logan: I didn't lose you, did I?
 * Martha Logan: No, you didn't lose me.


 * Martha Logan: I've forgiven you many things, Charles. But not this. You've broken my heart. I'm looking at you... I hate you. But I will keep my mouth shut, because the people of this country don't deserve to suffer. But you do, Charles. You do.


 * Martha Logan [after she says she had no idea Logan was "such a good liar"]: If I wasn’t so horrified by the fact that I’m married to you, I might actually be impressed.


 * Martha Logan: Oh, now you're just trying to irritate me, aren't you?

Trivia

 * Martha Logan is based on Martha Mitchell, the wife of Richard Nixon's Attorney General, John Mitchell. Martha Mitchell contacted reporters with wild tales of corruption in the administration, many of which turned out to be true. The administration countered with stories of a drinking problem to keep her quiet. She was vindicated when the Watergate scandal broke, but her marriage did not survive it.


 * Though 24 has featured numerous presidents, Martha's introduction marks the first time a First Lady has been seen on the show. David Palmer was a divorcé and John Keeler was a widower.