Characters / One Tree Hill Recurring Characters Later Seasons

Lindsey Strauss

Lindsey Strauss (Portrayed by Michaela McManus)

• Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Peyton's Veronica for Lucas' Archie.
• Brainy Brunette: She's a book-editor and owns a publishing company. In one episode Haley says Lindsey is one of the smartest people she knows.
• Ivy League for Everyone: Lindsey attended an Ivy League school.
• Nice Girl: Surprisingly sympathetic for a Romantic False Lead. In fact, outside of Peyton, she was liked by most characters, even the ones who were still rooting for the couple Lucas and Peyton (like Skills, one of their major Shipper on Deck in season 5).
• Put on a Bus: Episode 6x05, "You've Dug Your Own Grave, Now Lie In It".
• Romantic False Lead: Word of God states on the Season 5 DVD that the intention behind Lindsey was (whilst still working towards Lucas & Peyton getting back together) to introduce a new love interest for Lucas, who wasn't blatantly there just to serve as an obvious false lead & could very easily be the right girl for Lucas in a different way to Peyton, but in the end it didn’t work at all as she turned out to be just a rebound while everyone took the Lucas/Peyton reunion as a Foregone Conclusion, turning out to be in fact what ultimately happened.
• Romantic Runner-Up: Along with Brooke in the season 6 premiere.
• Runaway Bride: Lindsey abandons Lucas at the altar when she realizes that Lucas' book isn't actually about a comet at all... because Peyton's car is the Comet, and Lucas unconsciously wrote the book with her in mind.
• Sexy Mentor: To Lucas - she’s the editor on his first two books & winds up in a relationship with him at some point after Ravens was published.
• Third-Option Love Interest: Played with in the seasons 5 and 6's finale and premiere. Lindsey is Lucas' current/recent girlfriend and the Love Triangle was between Lucas, her and Peyton. However, Lucas also "called" Brooke to propose.

Nanny Carrie

Carrie (Portayed by Torrey DeVitto)

• Abhorrent Admirer: To Nathan, who despite finding her attractive, is still in love with Haley.
• Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: Initially. This gradually falls away over the first half of the fifth season.
• Arch-Enemy: To the Scott family in general, particularly Haley.
• Ax-Crazy: A literal example. The girl attempted to attack Deb and Haley with an axe!
• Back for the Dead: In season 6, she kidnaps Dan in an elaborate plot to kidnap Jamie again, but ends up killed by Dan.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She seemed perfectly nice in the beginning.
• Dark Action Girl: Especially in season 6, when she becomes even more psychotic, manipulative and...violent.
• Frame-Up: She invades Nathan's shower trying to seduce, but even when he rejects her Haley catches them and assumes the worst and Carrie eagerly confirms her suspicions.
• Freudian Excuse: It's revealed in the sixth season that her obsession with replacing Haley as Jamie's mother is down to her own son dying.
• I Just Want to Be You: Towards Haley, wanting to steal both her husband and her child.
• Ms. Fanservice: She's very attractive, which made Haley uncomfortable even before Carrie revealed her true colors, in one episode she's asked by Haley not to wear her bikini at the pool. So the next time she goes for a swim, she wears nothing at all.
• Only One Name: Her last name is not revealed.
• Outliving One's Offspring: She had a son that was taken from her and murdered. She never fully recovered from it and took a job as a nanny because she was desperate to develop an attachment to a child that would replace her son... which she did with Jamie.
• Sanity Slippage: Carrie’s introduction shows her returning Jamie to his parents’ back yard after he walks out with supervision - a far cry from the woman who tries to kill Haley & Dan before abducting Jamie.
• Stalker with a Crush: To Nathan. How much of it was genuine attraction & how much is down to her desire to replace Haley as Jamie’s mother is up for debate.
• The Tease: When she tries to flirt with Nathan. She even makes sure to have him catch her Skinny Dipping at the pool.
• Traitor Shot: At first, Nathan catching her Skinny Dipping just as she's surfacing from the pool looks like an Accidental Pervert moment, until the camera moves to her face and we see her smiling knowingly deviously, meaning she set the whole thing up. This is the first hint the viewer gets about her true character.
• White Shirt of Death: Killed by Dan whilst in a Naughty Nurse Outfit.
• Woman Scorned: Every time her attempt to replace Haley as Jamie’s mother failed, she wound up resorting to a more insane plan.

Victoria Davis

Victoria Davis (Portrayed by Daphne Zuniga)

• Abusive Parents: Emotionally abusive to Brooke, initially.
• Defrosting Ice Queen: Her primary character arc during Seasons 5 & 6.
• Evil Is Petty: Didn’t want kids, and wanted to focus on chasing a career. After Ted repeatedly cheated on her whilst she was pregnant with Brooke, she had her tubes tied to rob him of the opportunity to have the son he wanted.
• For the Evulz: Most of her actions in season 5.
• In-Series Nickname: "Bitchtoria".
• Jerkass: A particularly cruel and nasty one, before she finally turns into a Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
• Jerkass Has a Point: When warning Brooke about her father, it plays as if Victoria is jealous that Brooke is creating her new company with her father & not her. Ted goes onto validate her claims.
• Heel–Face Turn: At the end of season 6 when she reconciles with Brooke.
• Hypocrite: She accuses Haley, Peyton, Rachel, and Sam all of leeching money off of Brooke, despite only being in Brooke's life because the girl finally made something of herself and is making Victoria money.
• My Beloved Smother: Trying to control all aspects of Brooke's life and career.
• Parental Neglect: She wasn't particularly interested in Brooke's life until she'd proven her worth as a clothing designer.
• Recurring Character: In later seasons.

• Unseen No More: She's mentioned through the show, but only makes her first appearance in Season 5.

Owen Morello

Owen Morello (Portrayed by Joe Manganiello)

• The Alcoholic: A recovered one, before suffering a relapse.
• The Bartender: A bartending alcoholic. It ends well.
• Beard of Sorrow: Post-Relapse.
• The Big Guy: Plays alongside Nathan in the "Slashers" Slamball team, and basically spends his time making sure no-one lays a finger on Nathan, due to his back issues.
• The Bus Came Back: Season 7 episode "At the Bottom of Everything".
• Cleaning Up Romantic Loose Ends: The Owen/Brooke ship doesn't really have any resolution during Season 5, largely due to the Writers Strike costing the last planned four episodes & Manganiello not being available for the last actual six episodes, which were produced after the strike. He returns midway through Season 6 as a member of Nathan's Slamball team, before suffering a relapse & sleeping with Millie in the very same episode which started the Brooke/Julian ship. He was Put on a Bus the following episode.
• Commitment Issues: Once Brooke wanted their relationship to become more serious, he got scared and fled the town.

• Sex for Solace: Ended up sleeping with Millie (and taking her virginity) in season 6 while they're both Drowning My Sorrows.
• Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Joe Manganiello is 6' 5"
• Troubled, but Cute: A former alcoholic and drug addict. Obviously, Brooke was attracted to him.

Quentin "Q" Fields

Quentin "Q" Fields (Portrayed by Robbie Jones)

• Bald of Authority: In virtue of being the Raven's ace player.
• Empty Chair Memorial: In Haley's classroom after his death.
• Four Is Death: His jersey number is 44.
• Jerk Jock: When first introduced in Season 5.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Haley, Lucas, Skills & Nathan eventually force him to grow out of the Jerk Jock personality. Even before that, he's never anything but friendly to Jamie.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: Most people just call him Q. Lucas, Skills & Nathan calling him that instead of "Mr. Fields" or Quentin is a subtle indicator of their relationships with him improving.
• Pet the Dog: Before growing out of being a Jerk Jock, Q's most likable moments involved Jamie.
• Token Minority: One of the few black characters.

Mia Catalano

Mia Catalano (Portrayed by Kate Voegele)

• Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Alex's Veronica for Chase's Archie.
• Extreme Doormat: When she was first introduced, she was so shy she would let her bastard boyfriend Jason steal her songs and claim them as their own. Haley and Peyton snapped her out of it.
• Girliness Upgrade: In the same manner as Brooke, Peyton & Haley - rather than making her more feminine, it was done to show Mia maturing.
• Idol Singer: A successful singer and songwriter, thanks to Record Producer Peyton and Haley.

• Put on a Bus: At the end of Season 8.

• Recurring Character: For season 5 through 8.

Samantha "Sam" Walker

Samantha "Sam" Walker (Portrayed by Ashley Rickards)

• Bound and Gagged: In Things A Mama Don't Know.
• Deadpan Snarker: Or Little Miss Snarker since she's a young girl.
• Happily Adopted: By Brooke in season 6, despite their complicated relationship. She eventually left Brooke to live with her biological mother.
• It's All My Fault: Blames herself for Brooke being assaulted by Xavier, after she complained about Brooke to her friend Jack, Xavier's younger brother. To be fair, she only learns about this after Brooke takes her into her home.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: Only Victoria calls her Samantha.
• Put on a Bus: After season 6.
• Shipper on Deck: For Brooke & Julian.
• Street Urchin: When first introduced.
• Tomboyish Name: Sam is short for Samantha.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: Has seen more than a 15-year-old should have seen.

Mick Wolf

Mick Wolf (Portrayed by John Doe)

• The Alcoholic: His AA token commemorating a year's sobriety is actually Ellie's from the year she was pregnant with Peyton.
• Broken Pedestal: Peyton is initially thrilled to meet him, due to his status as a notable studio musician. Upon realizing that he's her biological father, this happens as Mick had been intentionally avoiding admitting this to her & he skipped dinner to get drunk in a bar.
• Disappeared Dad: To Derek, abandoning him & his mother to start a relationship with Ellie Harp. He's also absent from his daughter's life until she's 22.
• Luke, I Am Your Father: Peyton's biological father. He turns up at the start of season 6, looking to get to know her without actually admitting who he is.

Charles "Chuck" Scolnik

Charles "Chuck" Scolnik (Portrayed by Michael May)

• Abusive Parents: His father hits him & his mother's a drunk.
• Big Brother Mentor: Gains one in Chase during Season 8.
• Disappeared Dad: Until Season 9.
• Intergenerational Friendship: With Chase and Chris Keller.
• Kids Are Cruel: Initially introduced bullying Jamie. They quickly become friends after that.
• The Lancer: To Jamie.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: Chase calls him Charles once. He's immediately told to call him Chuck instead.
• Sincerest Form of Flattery: Starts impersonating Chris Keller, right down to referring to himself in the third person, during Season 9.
• Tag Along Kid: To the adult main cast, along with Jamie.
• Took a Level in Kindness: After befriending Jamie.

Miss Lauren

Miss Lauren (Portrayed by Allison Munn)

• Cool Teacher: Especially to Jamie.
• Hot Teacher: She dates both Skills and Mouth, and even Jamie initially has a Precocious Crush on her.
• Only One Name: Her last name was never revealed. Her married surname is Fletcher, however.
• Recurring Character: Starting in season 6.

Xavier Daniels

Xavier Daniels (Portrayed by Devin McGee)

• Arch-Enemy: To Brooke.
• Ax-Crazy: Out of the many disturbing, twisted villains throughout this show, Xavier is possibly the worst of them all.
• Bad Liar: See Reformed, but Rejected below.
• Bald of Evil: Not entirely bald, but definitely evil.
• Beard of Evil: To make him look even more sinister.
• Big Brother Bully: He was violently abusive to his younger brother Jack.
• The Bus Came Back: Much to Brooke's dismay.
• Devil in Plain Sight: In season 9, when he's released from jail.
• Diabolus ex Machina: He is this trope personified. Especially if you ask Brooke.
• For the Evulz: Whilst every other villain on the show has some sort of motivation behind their villainy, the same can not be said of Xavier.
• Hero Killer: Killed Q. He nearly killed Brooke on at least three occasions.
• Jerkass: A violent criminal.
• Karma Houdini: Is finally arrested in the thirteenth episode of season 6, after assaulting Brooke, kidnapping Sam & killing Q... Except there's no concrete evidence tying him to the last crime, so he's out of jail by season 9.
• Knight of Cerebus: Dan, "Psycho Derek", Daunte Jones, "Nanny Carrie", and Katie were all horrible, but Xavier was the most sadistic of them all, and just a psycho killer who acts For the Evulz.
• Obviously Evil: Unlike other villains like Derek and Carrie, who appear to be nice at first.
• Promotion to Parent: His parents were absent throughout his life, so he was forced taking care of his younger brother Jack.
• Reformed, but Rejected: Claims to be this in the last season. Of course he's not.
• Would Hit a Girl: Just ask Brooke. And Sam.
• Would Hurt a Child: His brother or even Sam are examples.
• "X" Makes Anything Cool: Xavier "X" Daniels.

Adam Reese

Adam Reese (Portrayed by James Van Der Beek)

• The Alcoholic: His introduction features him snorting cocaine.
• Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Is considered to be a good director, but is a bit of-of a goof.
• Benevolent Boss: See below.
• Hidden Depths: After the film adaptation of Lucas' book is shut down, Julian accuses Reese of only looking at it as a job whilst the film was a passion project for Lucas & himself. Resse proceeds to not only show his understanding of their feelings of the film being canceled, but point out that they should still be proud of the attempt.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: After the film adaptation of Lucas' book is shut down, Reese goes out & shoots a sunset on the pretense of using as stock footage for the film specifically because it meant that the studio still had to pay out on the various contracts.

Principal Charlene Rimkus

Principal Charlene Rimkus (Portrayed by Susan Walters)

• Bad Boss: To Haley.

• Moral Guardian: She demands that Haley make a live apology for the "crime" of printing Sam's essay in the school newspaper, just because it mentions sex, drugs, and violence.
• Put on a Bus: In late season 6.
• Sucksessor: Everyone thinks she is this to Principal Turner.
• Tyrant Takes the Helm: Once she took over the school she enforced a stricter policy on both the students and staff.

Sawyer Scott

Sawyer Brooke Scott (Portrayed by Various)

• Alliterative Name: Sawyer Scott.
• Genki Girl: According to Lucas when he briefly returns in Season 9.
• Last Episode, New Character: In season six.
• Meaningful Name: Her mother's maiden name is her first name, so that the Sawyer would live beyond her mother & grandfather. Her middle name comes from her godmother, Brooke Davis.
• Motor Mouth: Whilst the viewer only sees the Tree Hill side of the conversation, Haley is shown talking to Sawyer on the phone in Season 9, with the little girl hanging up on her aunt when Haley tries to get her to put Peyton on the phone; Lucas just laughs and comments that Sawyer needs to work on the “listening” part of conversations.
• Time-Shifted Actor: First seen as a newborn, before being aged up several months within the same episode.
• Tomboyish Name: Sawyer, which was also her mother's last name. Appropriately, when Lucas and Peyton were discussing potential names, Sawyer was discussed as a potential name for a boy.
• Walking the Earth: With her parents as of season 7.
• We Hardly Knew Ye: Introduced in the Season 6 finale, never seen again afterwards.

Sara Evans

Sara Evans (Portrayed by Amanda Schull)

• Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: She was kind, young and beautiful.
• Happily Married: To Clay, while she was alive.
• Identical Stranger: To Katie (Both characters are played by the same actress).
• I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Encourages Clay to love again during her Spirit Advisor meetings with him.
• Posthumous Character: When Clay is introduced on the show, Sara was already dead via an aneurysm.
• Spirit Advisor: She frequently appears to Clay in season 7 as a spirt/hallucination. He stops seeing her after he moves on with Quinn.

Katie Ryan

Katie Ryan (Portrayed by Amanda Schull)

• Arch-Enemy: To Quinn, wanting to get rid of her since she wants Clay for herself.

• Big Bad: For Season 7 and the first half of Season 8.
• Criminal Doppelgänger: To Sara after the season 7 finale.
• Dark Action Girl: She shoots both Clay and Quinn, and later she comes back to Tree Hill...to find Quinn and kill her.
• Distaff Counterpart: Of Psycho!Derek.
• Evil Counterpart: To Sara in every aspect. From their affections for Clay, their respective place in his heart and right down to being portrayed by the same actress.
• I Just Want to Be You: Subverted; despite never meeting Sara, Katie starts trying to become her after Clay rejects her advances, each time convinced it's because she's not more like Sara.
• Identical Stranger: To Sara, obviously.
• If I Can't Have You…: In the season 7 finale. It failed.
• Love Makes You Crazy: Her obsession with Clay made her insane and...
• Love Makes You Evil: ...A psycho stalker, much like Psycho!Derek before her.
• Murder the Hypotenuse: Also in the season 7 finale. It also failed.
• Replacement Goldfish: Tries desperately to become this for Clay.
• Stalker with a Crush: To Clay.
• Two First Names: Katie and Ryan.
• Woman Scorned: Her actions are motivated by Clay's repeated rejections of her.
• Yandere: And like any good yandere she opts for Murder the Hypotenuse.

Lydia Scott

Lydia Scott (Portrayed by Various)

• Dead Guy Junior: Named after her paternal grandmother, following her death.
• Embarrassing Middle Name: Bob, like her mom.
• Time-Shifted Actor: Due to the Time Skips in the Season 8 & 9 finales.
• Two First Names: Lydia and Scott. Plus, the middle name Bob.