* Xander Harris — The most consistent and reliable member of the Scoobies, the wise-cracking Xander is notable for being one of the few characters in the show with no " superpowers ".

The series begins as Buffy, Willow, and their friend Xander are in 10th grade and Willow is a shy and nerdy girl with little confidence.

She grows faint at the sight of monsters, but quickly forms a friendship with Buffy Summers ( Sarah Michelle Gellar ) and is revealed to have grown up as friends with Xander ( Nicholas Brendon ).

In the second season when the characters are in 11th grade, Willow becomes more sure of herself, standing up to the conceited Cordelia Chase ( Charisma Carpenter ), and approaching Xander, on whom she has had a crush for years, although it is unrequited as Xander is in love with Buffy.

Willow is able to escape with Buffy, Xander, Giles, and Kennedy as Sunnydale is destroyed.

She does not acknowledge her grief, and only Xander can force her to face it when he tells her that he loves her no matter what or who she is, and if she is determined to end the world she must start by killing him.

Willow is part of a powerful quartet: she represents the spirit, Giles intelligence, Xander heart, and Buffy strength of the Scoobies.

She is resuscitated by Xander and rises to defeat the vampire.

( Though he still spars with Buffy, provided he has no real intent on harming her ) His inability to bite is comically compared to impotence, much to Spike's constant humiliation ; in " Doomed ", he attempts to commit suicide by staking himself at Xander's house, but is stopped by Willow and Xander.

He is a father figure to Buffy and an advisor to her friends Xander Harris and Willow Rosenberg, together forming the " core four " of the Scooby Gang.

They are relieved when Anya, Dawn, Xander and Andrew tackle him to the ground, proving he is corporeal and therefore not the First.

Giles is head of the Slayer operations in England, parallel with Andrew's operations in Italy and Buffy and Xander's in Scotland, and he keeps in close contact with Xander and Andrew, discussing issues.

She's come to Sunnydale in response to the distress of Cordelia, who is upset after catching her boyfriend, Xander Harris, kissing their friend Willow.

Now with human feelings, she yearns to attend the school prom in spite of her abhorrence of all men ; ironically, her only hope for a date is the last man she was sent to punish, Xander.

Xander's doubts grow, however, and it is not difficult for Stewart Burns-escaped from Hell and impersonating Xander's future self-to persuade him to leave Anya at the wedding by showing him an illusionary life where Anya apparently cheats on Xander and is later killed in an argument between the two (" Hell's Bells ").

She is shown to look up greatly to Willow and Tara and have a crush on Xander.

In the final season, Dawn becomes more grown-up and a full-fledged member of the " Scooby Gang " as witnessed in the first few episodes as she aids Buffy and Xander during Willow's absence and is trained by Buffy in combat.

He kidnaps Willow and Xander, and forces Willow to conduct a love spell for him to make Drusilla love him again, even coercing Buffy and Angel to help him in exchange for the safe return of their friends.

In his dream, Xander goes to use the bathroom, and is emasculated and infantilized by Buffy asking him if he needs any help: this scene shows Xander's " sense of insecurity and powerlessness ".

At Witch Mountain, the two escape with help from Zoe, Bruno, Bolt's chauffeur Luthor ( Brad Dourif ), and Xander.

Zombie Walsh attacks Buffy when she comes to Riley's rescue, but Buffy knocks her down and defeats her, and with some help from the Scooby-Gang of Willow, Xander, and Giles, she defeats Adam as well.

In the final showdown with Mayor Wilkins during his Ascension in the episode " Graduation Day ," Harmony ( after being recruited by Xander, under orders from Buffy, to help organize a student resistance ) is killed / sired by a vampire.

* The Avengers – Xander further makes references to the Avengers when saying " Avengers Assemble " referring to getting the gang together to help Buffy.

Anya and Xander have sex because she's convinced it will help her to get over him, and Buffy makes the decision that she wants to sleep with Parker.

Giles and Xander discover the commando guys are human and that their help will not be needed, again.

At the party, Willow tries to help Riley flirt with Buffy, but his attempts are thwarted when Xander arrives to inform Buffy that Spike has returned.

Since she is forced to stay at the hospital, she plans to find out what the doctor is up to and Xander volunteers everyone's help.

Xander works to repair the living room window while Dawn, Willow and Anya help clean up and discuss the potential danger that is Spike.

Buffy leaves Spike momentarily to investigate Andrew's cries for help, but leaves as soon as Anya and Xander assure her they have things under control.

Buffy starts to attack the demon and Xander arrives to help save Anya.

Immediately after the First leaves, Willow receives a text message with a help code from Xander.

Buffy and Xander look where they think Willow is while Anya runs for help, and slowly the spell making them invisible to each other wears off.

After Xander comes to, Buffy sends him to find some rope to help them get out.

Buffy tries to convince a reluctant Xander that Spike needs their help and a place better than the basement to live.

* When he goes to Willow for help, Xander is distressed about his double taking over his life.

Meanwhile Willow and Xander kiss and feeling guilty help Cordelia's run for homecoming instead of Buffy.

Xander and Willow, trying on their Homecoming clothes in her room, cannot help admiring each other's elegance.

Xander and Willow cannot help feeling guilty about what they feel ; they are helping Cordelia out of guilt.

When Buffy, minus her strength, can't open the peanut butter jar, Xander offers to help, but he can't do it either.

" While the dead boys are getting the supplies by breaking into a hardware store, Xander spots Willow leaving the magic shop and tries to talk to her, but she hurries off to go help Buffy.

Giles goes to Xander's basement and tries to get him to help, but when Xander wakes up, he doesn't recognize and cannot understand Giles, who is speaking in a demonic language.