There is plenty of competition for the best character in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but when it comes to the worst… Xander Harris is usually top of the list. (Although Dawn needs a mention, of course!). He might be the everyman of the Scoobies, and the guy who is always there to try and ground Buffy and provide emotional support… but let’s face it, he’s also incredibly annoying!
From his constant sarcasm to the fact that he just won’t grow up, Xander is a character whose behavior is constantly causing fans to roll their eyes. Admittedly, he does finally start to grow up by the end of the series, but especially at the start, Mr Harris is just plain ol’ annoying - and if you don’t believe it, here’s the proof!
Was Obsessed With The Friend-Zone
The friend-zone as a concept is outdated and sexist, but even in the ’90s, Xander’s obsession with it was flat out annoying. From the first day he met Buffy, he pined after her constantly, even after she gently turned him down. More than once. When he was possessed by Hyena-spirit, he even tried to assault her, and although he claimed not to remember it, it was clearly a manifestation of his obsession. At the same time that he convinced himself he was ‘in the friend zone’ instead of just dealing with it and being a friend, he continually ignored the fact that Willow had feelings for him.
Refused To Admit He Summoned The Singing Demon
The beloved Buffy musical episode, Once More With Feeling, wouldn’t have happened with Xander, so we have to appreciate him for that… but the way he behaved in it was just plain annoying. For one thing, he actively, knowingly, summoned a demon (had he learned nothing!?), but then he refused to own up to it. People were literally dying, but he acted like a child and refused to admit what he had done so they could deal with it. He even went so far as almost allowing Dawn to take the fall for him and be stolen as a demon child bride.
Sulked About Not Having SuperPowers
In general, Xander has an annoying habit of sulking - when Buffy doesn’t want to date him, when he doesn’t get his way, when Anya won’t take him back after he left her at the altar… but more than anything, he sulks constantly about the fact that he is the only member of the Scoobies who has essentially no superpowers.
Buffy is the Slayer, Willow and Tara are witches, Giles is a Watcher, Oz is a werewolf, Anya is an ex-demon, Dawn is a magical key… and Xander is just Xander. Throughout the show, Xander constantly sulks, makes little ‘jokes’, and generally acts like a child about it, despite seeing the challenges his friends face, and being able to offer help nonetheless.
The Constant-Eye Rolling
Somehow, Xander manages to be both constantly self-deprecating and constantly acting superior to the people around him - which is almost impressive! He’s the kind of guy who loves to make ‘jokes’ at everyone else’s expense, and point out every time they make a mistake. This is particularly egregious with Anya and Cordelia - the two women in the series that he is supposed to love are the two that he most consistently puts down. In a ’teasing’ way, of course.
Slut-Shaming Cordelia
Speaking of Cordelia and Xander, as well as constantly putting Cordelia down and making fun of her, Xander also has an extremely annoying habit of slut-shaming her for how she dresses. Of course, this happens primarily in the first seasons, but it’s especially notable because Buffy, who also enjoys wearing miniskirts and adorable outfits that are attention-grabbing, is the object of his affections. Double standards and slut-shaming? Good job, Xander.
Talks Down To Buffy (And Lies To Her About Angel’s Soul)
Throughout the show, Xander has a bad habit of talking down to Buffy - from when she initially comes to Sunnydale to her relationship with Angel to her return after running away, and so much more. For a character who is meant to be the emotional support of the gang, it’s impressive that he can be so consistently patronizing to a woman who is literally the Chosen One.
From one of his most heinous moments (not telling Buffy that Willow was working to restore Angel’s soul when she went to fight him) to his snarky comments when she returned to Sunnydale, to his patronizing tone when she was looking for a job on his construction site, it’s surprising that a woman like Buffy put up with this attitude.
Constantly Focuses On Being ‘Emasculated’
When Buffy was first in Sunnydale, she stopped a jock who was bullying Xander. Presumably, she though that he would be pleased that a friend helped to stand up for him, but he was furious, and told her off for ’emasculating’ him. Just like his constant sulks about his lack of powers or ‘friend-zone’ status, Xander is often referencing his supposed ’emasculation’ with little jokes and digs at himself. No one else makes these jokes, and presumably, no one else cares.
Snarky Comments That Take All The Attention
Speaking of his digs and jokes, while sometimes these can help to lighten the mood, a lot of the time it just seems to be a way to drag the attention back to himself at a point in time when it just isn’t appropriate. And while some of his jokes may be funny, most are putting someone down - it might be himself (and often is) but as often as not, his jokes are ’teasing’ someone else. He’s clearly insecure and desperate for attention, and it just gets old.
Constantly Put Down Spike
Admittedly, Spike is a polarizing character in the series. Some fans adore Spike and see him as having the ultimate redemption arc, while others think that he was utterly unforgivable… but either way, Xander’s treatment of him was pretty appalling. While everyone else in the gang accepted Buffy’s feelings and treated Spike, at the very least, as an ally, Xander spent most of his time snarking at him and putting him down. Given that Xander himself nearly married a woman who was an ex-demon that nearly destroyed the world, you would think that he would be a little less hypocritical about another demon reforming…
Won’t Just Step UP
Possibly the most annoying thing about Xander is that he is the way he is purely becuase he gets in his own way. For most of the show, he is insecure, refuses to grow up, and generally acts like a child… and this only changes when a spell splits him in two, and he is able to see his potential. If Xander just spent a little time on himself, he would have been able to see his potential long before that - and even after, he didn’t use it as a reason to start really working on himself, he just accepted what he saw and continued to be otherwise annoying. Come on, Xander. Do better.
