SEAL Team fans were left stunned after the death of Clay Spenser to a brain hemorrhage in Season 6, and as the series gears up for its final season, star and executive producer David Boreanaz is opening up about the decisions behind this pivotal moment.
This military drama has never pulled any punches when it comes to tough storylines. But Clay’s death resonated with fans, especially due to the effect it still has on Boreanaz’s character Jason Hayes going forward. In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant’s Rachel Foertsch, Boreanaz spoke about the shocking twist, explained why it happened, and what that means for the characters heading into Season 7. It was not an easy call, but Boreanaz said killing Clay was necessary to keep the show real.
“We’ve always said that these men and women, specifically, operators, can or can’t make it. We don’t sugarcoat it,” said Boreanaz. “We don’t play into it like a big soap opera moment in an episode in a series like this.”
Clay’s Death Was A Reaction To Off-Screen Changes (But It Worked In The Show’s Favor)
Max Thieriot’s decision to leave SEAL Team was due to off-screen factors. Thieriot departed from the series to concentrate on his other project, Fire Country, starring and co-created by him in this CBS drama.
Instead, the showrunners chose another route — one that would not write Clay off with a happy ending to justify bringing him back in later episodes. He dies heroically, saving another veteran, which served the story and made a big impact on the remaining characters, most particularly Jason.
Boreanaz says that this right there ties into the bigger story of the series. “The authenticity is always there for a character to be removed — a nicer way of saying being shot or killed, or not making it. I think it’s something that is on the plate for Jason Hayes for the end of the series,” he said. That is what underscores just how much danger these operators are always facing. An incessant string of guilt regarding Clay’s death further confuses Jason’s character.
This decision also gave the series scope to examine the emotional and psychological fallout from such a loss: Jason, working through his mortality and responsibilities as a single father, is now saddled with the guilt of having lost a close friend and teammate at his command. One of the truly central themes of this final season’s narrative is one of unpredictability — the threat of death.
SEAL Team Season 7: Clay’s Legacy Lives On
As SEAL Team gears up to wind down with its seventh season, Clay Spenser will more than likely keep a stronghold in the legacy department. Even though Thieriot will no longer be a part of the show, the stamp of his character will be left.
Raffi Barsoumian is coming on board as Omar Hamza, the newest member of the Bravo Team, but even he cannot replace Clay, as the sting of his death will stay with the team through new perils and dangers.
This has been clear from statements by Boreanaz and the show’s creators, who have said that SEAL Team won’t back away from the brutal truth of life in the military, even as it concludes the series. For fans, Clay’s death raises the stakes for the lives of these characters and paves the way for a gripping, heartfelt final chapter.
