Buffy the Vampire Slayer: People: Xander

Alexander Harris

Xander was Willow’s best friend since they were five and fancied Buffy ever since he first saw her. I’m not sure if he is completely over her even now. He never excelled at school and his home life was rather dreadful (on Christmas eve he always slept outside the house to avoid his family’s drunken Christmas fights). Becoming a part of evil-fighting gang was the best thing that ever happened to him. They were his real family, and he always looked at Giles as being his father figure, although Giles just found him extremely annoying!

He might not be a computer genius, a wizard or a superhuman; he’s no good at combat (he could not even beat up Harmony, the most useless vampire in history!), but he is always there for the gang, cheering them up with box of doughnuts and selection of dumb jokes. He is never afraid of leaping into the fray, even if Buffy later has to drag him out of the fray unconscious.

Life was not easy for him after the high school. He did not get the coveted title of the Class Clown, did not go to the university and had to live in his parents’ basement and pay them rent (I truly admire their approach to parenting). After a string of crap jobs ranging from stripping to peddling nutrition bars, he got his act together and made a career in construction and got himself a really posh apartment. Whereas Buffy, who aced at her exams, is working in a fast food joint – see, education is totally useless! I knew it!

Xander prefers women with a bit of mystery in them. Among his love interests was a giant praying mantis, Aztec mummy and Cordelia Chase (well all right, she was not a demon at the time, but she was spectacularly evil!). Xander lost his virginity to a Slayer (Faith) and finally settled with an ex-Vengeance Demon Anya. After dating her for two years he proposed to her and on a wedding day left her at the altar because he realised that he is not ready be married and if they go through with it he would end up ruining both their lives. Also, there was a demon.

After that disaster he tried to carry on dating Anya, which was unbelievably stupid. Guys, if you leave a girl at the altar, you have about 24 hours to leave the country! By sheer dumb luck Xander narrowly escaped Anya’s just wrath, and then she had sex with Spike and she is not that angry any more. Sex with Spike is very soothing that way.

Last year Xander saved the world all by himself. Good for him!

Xander’s friendship with Buffy and Willow was tested time and again, but he remains loyal to them, albeit sometimes a pain in the ass. He is the heart of the group.

If you would meet Xander at the pub, he would be dancing like a complete dork. Although he cannot dance and looks like an idiot doing that, he still does it at lot! Same goes for fighting demons, dating and giving relationship advise.

Xander is played by Nicholas Brendon

Xander: I laugh in the face of danger. And then I hide until it goes away.
(The Witch)

Xander: Since when do they have orgies, and why aren’t I on the mailing list?
(Reptile Boy)

Xander: My whole life just flashed before my eyes! I gotta get me a life!

Xander: When it’s dark, and I’m all alone, and I’m scared, or freaked out or whatever, I always think, ‘What would Buffy do?’ You’re my hero. Ok, sometimes when it’s dark and I’m all alone, I think, ‘What is Buffy wearing?’
(The Freshman)

Discuss this character in the Buffy forum

Buffy reviews are © 2002 – 2019 Newkate.
Not for reproduction without the authors express permission

BUFFY names, characters graphical material and everything else associated with the series are the property of Mutant Enemy, Inc. and UPN.