History Characters / OneTreeHill

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Series regulars from the first season are listed in their credited order, and subsquent additions are listed in the order that they were added to the opening credits. Other characters are listed in the order of their initial appearances on the show.

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Lucas Scott]]

!!'''Lucas Scott''' (Portrayed by Creator/ChadMichaelMurray)
[[quoteright:255:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OTH-Lucas_8949.jpg]]
->[[caption-width-right:255:You know, I shoot the ball, and it goes in. I don't ask questions. I don't think about it. That's just the way it is.]]

Lucas Scott is the son of Karen Roe and Dan Scott. [[ParentalAbandonment He was abandoned by his father for his other son]], [[CainAndAbel Nathan Scott]] and raised by his paternal uncle Keith Scott. Lucas had a passion for basketball and played at the River Court with friends such as Marvin "Mouth" [=McFadden=] and Antwon "Skills" Taylor. It was this passion for basketball that saw Lucas be recruited to the Tree Hill Ravens, and be forced to interact with Nathan on a daily basis.

* {{Adorkable}}: Lucas is a bit of a nerd and has his dorky moments.
* AesopAmnesia: In the first season, he starts dating Brooke after Peyton's initial rejection to him; he ultimately admits to Peyton that he's been hiding his feelings for since the rejection because he doesn't want to be hurt again. Five years later, he winds up doing the exact same thing with Lindsay after Peyton asked him to hold off on his marriage proposal for a year; this time with the added bonus of repeatedly denying that he's doing it.
* AllGuysWantCheerleaders: Peyton and Brooke.
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Lucas felt this way about Nathan, especially very early on in the series.
* AmicableExes: With [[RealitySubtext Brooke]].
* BadassBookworm: Lucas is very smart, a good student and he loves literature and writing.
* BashBrothers: With Nathan. Before, the two of them were rivals and enemies, but as the series progressed, Lucas became very close with Nathan and now they always have each other's backs.
* BelligerentSexualTension: With Peyton, practically to FoeYay levels, but it evolves into UnresolvedSexualTension fairly quickly
* BettyAndVeronica: The Archie to Peyton's Betty and Brooke's Veronica; later the Archie to Lindsey's Betty and Peyton's Veronica.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Lucas is a nice guy but don't mess with him anyone he cares about.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Towards Nathan.
* BirdsOfAFeather: With Peyton. Both are brooding, deep, talented, artistic, introverted observers with a DarkAndTroubledPast and ParentalIssues. They are so similar that their haters feel they are LikeBrotherAndSister. It doesn't help that they are both blonde.
* TheBusCameBack: In Episode 9x07, "Last Known Surroundings".
* CainAndAbel: Lucas is the Abel to Nathan's Cain, originally. However, the two eventually grow out of their rivalry by the end of the first season, and in a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming, Nathan defends Lucas from their father Dan. The season ends with them acknowledging each other as brothers and best friends.
* ChickMagnet: Lucas gets a lot of female attention and he has attracted almost every single female character on the show, including Peyton, Brooke, Nicki, Anna, Rachel and Lindsey.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome:
** Chances are if someone in Tree Hill is going to do something stupid to save someone else, it's going to be Lucas.
** Especially notable with Peyton, as he's outright run straight into life threatening situations because she was in danger. When Luke tries to pass it off as him just being there, Skills points out that Lucas repeatedly chooses to be that guy for Peyton - [[spoiler:it's part of what finally gets Lucas to realise that he's in love with her.]]
** Deconstructed after [[spoiler:Keith's death]], as Karen finds out that he was the one to pull Dan out of the dealership fire months earlier - She outright asks if he ever thinks about what losing him to do to her when he's off running into burning buildings & [[spoiler:schools with gunmen inside]].
* CoolTeacher: As of season 5.
* CoolLoser: Originally, Lucas is a bit of a loner and a social outcast. He doesn't fit in with the popular crowd as opposed to his half brother Nathan, who is a star athlete. He gets popularity soon enough, however, after he joins the basketball team.
* CoolUncle: To Jamie as of season 5.
* CulturedBadass: Luke starts off and finishes virtually every episode of his run on the show with a literary reference.
* TheDeterminator: Lucas is very persistent and he's not the type to give up.
* EmbarrassingMiddleName: Eugene. His middle name is rather old-fashioned. Although there is nothing really wacky or unusual about his middle name, it doesn't really fit in with the rest of his name. Or even with a cool name like Lucas.
* ExpositoryHairstyleChange:
** Shaves his head at the start of the second season, to go along with his fresh start in Charleston.
** Spends the first four seasons clean shaven; after the 4 year time skip, he's got PermaStubble similar to Keith's.
** After finding out that [[spoiler:Lindsey]] has started seeing someone else in season 5, Lucas winds up getting a mohawk after several nights of heavy drinking. Haley promptly shaves it off after Jamie starts asking for one.
* FirstGirlWins: [[spoiler:Peyton. Lucas chooses her over Brooke and Lindsey in season 6.]]
* GenerationXerox: Lucas is pretty much like Keith in terms of personality, temperament, outlook, etc. Like Keith, Lucas is the older but unfavorite son of his father and had a CainAndAbel dynamic with Nathan. Fortunately, he and Nathan worked things out unlike Dan and Keith. Post-TimeSkip, he becomes a CoolUncle towards Jamie much like Keith was to him.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: [[spoiler:He's already ''on bad terms'' with his father. So [[FromBadToWorse upon learning]] the truth that his father killed his beloved uncle...]]
* GuiltComplex: Lucas feels easily guilty for things and will end up blaming himself or feeling responsible for things that are his fault and things that aren't his fault.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: He's genuinely kind, heroic, and protective of the ones he cares about.
* HandicappedBadass: [[spoiler: Continued playing basketball and being one of the Raven's key players despite having a fatal heart condition.]]
* HeartbrokenBadass: Lucas' love life has been a gigantic mess and confusion.
* TheHero: Originally, the story is centred on Lucas and his relationship with Nathan. While Lucas is the hero, Nathan is the AntiHero.
* HeroicBastard: He's the hero of the series but his parents, Dan and Karen, never married.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Nathan, even though they are half brothers.
* HonorBeforeReason: Lucas is all about doing the right thing as much as possible.
* IllBoy: He inherited the hereditary HollywoodHeartAttack of the Scott family.
* InSeriesNickname:
** Broody, used exclusively by Brooke.
** Boyfriend, used by Brooke when they're dating
* InnocentBlueEyes: To match his HairOfGold.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Solidified with Haley when they became in-laws.
* LovableJock: He's a cool jock, but he's very likeable and isn't a jerk.
* MommasBoy; Especially in early seasons, Lucas is very close to Karen.
%%* MostWritersAreMale
* MostWritersAreWriters: Lucas, the main character, is an aspiring writer.
* MrFanservice: Surpisingly, downplayed. Whilst he has one notable moment where he's stark naked aside from the pair of basketballs that he's using to cover himself, he only has a handful of shirtless scenes throughout the show.
* MrFixIt: A skilled mechanic, thanks to Keith.
* NiceGuy: Not flawless (he has many questionable moments, especially when it comes to his girlfriends and love life), but he's a genuinely good, benevolent person.
* ParentalAbandonment: Dan abandoned Lucas when Karen was pregnant with Lucas. Instead, Dan married Deb and became a father to Nathan.
* PlatonicLifePartners: With Haley. They have been best friends since childhood.
* TheProtagonist: Lucas is the main or central character of One Tree Hill.
* PutOnABus: Episode 6x24, "Remember Me as a Time of Day".
* RedOniBlueOni: Lucas is the Blue to Nathan's Red. Lucas is more calm, composed, logical and practical, while Nathan is more hot-headed, overconfident, passionate and impulsive.
* SavvyGuyEnergeticGirl: With Brooke when they were a couple.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Lucas is the Sensitive Guy to Nathan's Manly Man.
* SerialRomeo:
-->'''Lucas:''' I'm the guy for you, Brooke Davis.
-->'''Lucas:''' I was now and would always be in love with Peyton Sawyer.
-->'''Lucas:''' Lindsey Evelyn Strauss... will you marry me?
* StalkerWithACrush: By his own admission, he used to be this to Peyton before their Junior year.
--> '''Lucas:''' Y'know, I used to watch you.\\
'''Peyton:''' When?\\
'''Lucas:''' Oh, Freshman year... Sophomore year... Both summers, actually.\\
'''Peyton:''' Stop it... ''[Beat]'' What did you watch?\\
'''Lucas:''' [[ShesGotLegs Your legs, mostly]].\\
'''Peyton:''' What?!\\
'''Lucas:''' Ahhh, I'm serious. Y'know, from up close, they're a little chickeny--\\
'''Peyton:''' Shut up!\\
'''Lucas:''' But from where I was hiding they were pretty awesome, hehehe.\\
''[Beat]''\\
'''Peyton:''' I'm not sure that's a compliment.\\
'''Lucas:''' Oh it is, trust me.
* SternTeacher: Particularly to Q.
* TangledFamilyTree: His little sister is also his cousin.
* TheyDo: With [[spoiler:Peyton]] in season 6.
* TookALevelInJerkass: During Season 1. He gets better after several WhatTheHellHero speeches from Keith, Nathan, Peyton, Haley & Karen.
* TwoFirstNames: "Lucas" and "Scott"
* TheUnfavourite: Even though Dan was a pretty awful father to both of them, Nathan was definitely Dan's favourite son.
* UnresolvedSexualTension: With Peyton.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Whilst it's never brought up on the show, [[spoiler:Lucas' attempt to ruin Dan in Season 2 leads to him uncovering the ledger of Dan's fradulent activities at Dan Scott Motors, which leads to Deb attempting kill Dan after she finds out that she'd be implicated as it's ''her'' name listed as the owner on all of the dealership's records, which ultimately ends up with Dan murdering Keith]].
* WackyMarriageProposal: In an airport no-less. Lampshaded by [[spoiler:Peyton]].
-->'''Lucas:''' It's me. I'm at the airport and I got two (plane) tickets to Las Vegas. Do you wanna get married tonight?
-->'''[[spoiler:Peyton]]:''' You're a mess! You can't just call a girl at the airport like that! You're a mess, Lucas Scott! [[TheyDo But you're my mess!]]
* WalkingTheEarth: The explanation for him being PutOnABus is this.
* YourCheatingHeart
** With Peyton when he was with Brooke in Season 1.
** With Peyton (Again) when he was with Brooke (Again) in Season 3, [[spoiler:after Peyton was shot & loosing blood during the school shooting]], and whilst Peyton realises she's still in love with Lucas soon after this, nothing else happens between them until Brooke admits she's not in love with Lucas anymore. Not that it stops Brooke from being convinced that they ''were'' sneaking around.
** With Peyton ([[RuleOfThree Yes, again]]) when he was with Lindsey in Season 5. They kiss once, before Lucas proposes to Lindsey ([[WhatTheHellHero That very night]]) [[spoiler:but then nothing happens until after Lindsey leaves him at the altar after realising he was still in love with Peyton]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Nathan Scott]]
!!'''Nathan Scott''' (Portrayed by Creator/JamesLafferty)
[[quoteright:255:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OTH-Nathan_3060.jpg]]
->[[caption-width-right:255:Sometimes what you call "everything," I call "nothing."]]

Nathan Scott is the son of Deb Lee & Dan Scott. Under the watchful eye of his father, Nathan was raised with a basketball in his hands from the moment he could walk & eventually became the star player of the Tree Hill Ravens. However, Nathan is threatened when his half-brother Lucas joins the team & with an eye for Nathan's girlfriend Peyton Sawyer.

* TheAce: Nathan is very skilled and good basketball player. He is known for his great athleticism and skills on the basketball court.
* AllGuysWantCheerleaders: With Peyton. Subverted with Haley, as they were already married by the time she became a cheerleader.
* AmicableExes: With Peyton [[spoiler: and arguably Brooke]].
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: To Lucas, to {{Jerkass}} levels. [[CharacterDevelopment At first]] [[TookALevelInKindness anyway]].
* AntiHero: Nathan started out as this to Lucas' TheHero. However, this later on changes when Nathan starts to [[CharacterDevelopment change into a much kinder and nicer person]] as the series goes on.
* BadassInDistress: Spends the majority of the last season as this.
* BashBrothers: With Lucas.
* BeardOfSorrow: In season 5.
* BecomingTheMask: He falls in love with Haley in season one.
* TheBigGuy: Nathan is one of the bigger and taller guys as he stands at 6'2".
* BigManOnCampus: Nathan is popular, athletic and well-liked by the girls at school.
* BookDumb: In early seasons. This is how he meets his future wife Haley, when she starts tutoring him in math.
* BoundAndGagged: He spends a large chunk of the final season in this position during his kidnapping, but ''Catastrophe and the Cure'' is the only episode where he is gagged.
* BrokenAce:
** He has a complicated and antagonistic relationship with his father, who moreso parades him (and to a lesser extent his mother) around as a trophy than having an actual healthy father-son relationship, his mother ignores him due to working all the time and she eventually backslides into drug addiction (though she gets better) and he was a big, arrogant manwhore with unstable relationships with women due to his troubled upbringing.
** After the 4 time skip, in Season 5 - it turns out that whilst he *did* make it to the NBA Draft, his anger issues ultimately led to him being paralysed after being thrown through a plate glass window, and subsequently missing out on his lifelong dream had led Nathan into an alcohol fueld depression.
* BrokenPedestal: In the first four seasons, Nathan frequently butts heads with Dan, but they ultimately do care about each other. Then [[spoiler:Nathan finds out that Dan killed Keith]].
* CainAndAbel: He and Lucas start out this way. They grow out of it by the end of the first season, and in a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming, Nathan defends Lucas from Dan. The season ends with them acknowledging each other as brothers and friends.
* TheCasanova: Pre-Haley.
--> '''Nathan:''' You want me to write a list of every single girl I've ever...
--> '''Haley:''' No, no, I guess not every single girl. You can cross Peyton, [[spoiler: Brooke]], and my sister off of that list.
--> '''Nathan:''' You really think that's a good idea?
--> '''Haley:''' Yes! And here. I'll make it easy for you. Take the phone book and just cross off the name of every girl you haven't been with.
* CharacterDevelopment: Over the entire course of the series, Nathan goes from a selfish, cocky, arrogant individual to a much nicer, kinder, selfless and understanding person.
* ChekhovsBoomerang: [[spoiler:Nathan's GameBreakingInjury in the season 5 premiere will be the reason for his early retirement from the NBA in season 8.]]
* ChickMagnet: Nathan is the most popular guy in the school, and attracts plenty of girls.
* ClothesMakeTheLegend: Between season's four and five. #23 - All-Time Leading Scorer, co-captain of the first Ravens team to win the State Championship.
* DeadpanSnarker: Nathan has his sarcastic, humourous and witty moments.
* DefrostingIceQueen: In season one, he starts off being very icy, arrogant and selfish indeed. Thankfully, Haley and Lucas activate the metaphorical radiators and Nathan gradually realizes that he wants to be a better person than he's been.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: In the first six seasons. Following Lucas' departure, he became TheHero.
* DisabledHottie: In season 5. He gets better.
* DrivenToSuicide: In season 5. He gets better.
* DrowningMySorrows: In season five. He gets better.
* EvenTheGuysWantHim: Specifically Tim, his best friend in season one. There were signs, also lampshaded by Brooke, that he had more than just admiration for Nathan.
* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: At the start of season 5, Nathan has grown his hair out & has stopped shaving. He starts shaving again & cuts his hair as he starts trying to recover from his GameBreakingInury.
* FreudianExcuse: His JerkJock behaviour in season 1 is quite understandable with a father like Dan. As seen in the episode "Lifetime Piling Up" when Nathan dreams of what life would have been like if Dan had stayed with Karen and Lucas instead of marrying Deb: ''Lucas'', not him, would have been the popular JerkJock.
* GameBreakingInjury: Nathan is thrown through a plate glass window during the 4 year TimeSkip after season four, and was paralysed from the waist down. He eventually recovers after months of rehab, and eventually makes it to the NBA. However, the injury comes back to haunt him in season eight, and he's forced to retire.
* GenerationXerox: Much like Lucas takes after Keith, Nathan takes after Dan... [[ShadowArchetype Sort of]]. Whilst he starts out similar to Dan, he becomes a better person than Dan ever was during his Junior year, and whilst his life follows a similar path to Dan's, Nathan frequently does the opposite of what Dan would have done (Or actually did) in that spot.
* HappilyMarried: With Haley. Their ship has been the most enduring ship on the show.
* HeelFaceTurn: During season 1, thanks to Haley.
* TheHero: Nathan becomes this in the seventh season onwards after Lucas leaves at the end of season six.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: With Haley. Nathan is 6'2" and Haley is 5'3", meaning Nathan is almost a whole foot taller than Haley.
* JerkJock: Nathan's initial personality. Gradually, he sheds the "Jerk" part with help from Haley and Lucas.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: It's hard to believe he starts off as a total jerk in the first season, since he is a NiceGuy for most of the series.
* LadyKillerInLove: He was a womanizer, before falling in love with Haley.
* LikeFatherLikeSon: Subverted. Although Nathan is much like Dan at the start of the series, he progressively starts to change and become a much nicer, humbler and kinder person. His relationships with both Lucas and Haley have a strong effect on Nathan's change in personality and outlook.
* LoveRedeems: The whole point of his CharacterDevelopment.
* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Though Nathan was only mean during the first season, by the end of which he TookALevelInKindness. Actor James Lafferty, by all accounts, seems to have been a very nice person right from the start.
* MrFanservice: The series' go-to guy for shirtless scenes. Being that Nathan becomes a professional basketball player, he also has plenty of scenes where he's working out.
* TheNicknamer: It's revealed in Season 8 that Nathan is the one who coined Mouth's nickname, [[spoiler:after getting fed-up of Mouth's wannabe sports anouncer tendancies at the River Court, declaring "You have a big mouth" & promptly punching him in it]]. When it's brought up, Nathan admits he doesn't remember doing that, but apologises for it.
* OppositesAttract: With Haley, of course.
* PapaWolf: Especially over Haley and his children.
* ParentalFavoritism: Dan strongly favoured Nathan over Lucas.
* PermaStubble: In the last seasons.
* ReallyGetsAround: Prior to meeting Haley. It's actually quite gross once you realize that he's slept with Peyton, Haley, Brooke in the sex tape, and lost his virginity to Haley's older sister...Taylor.
* RedOniBlueOni: Nathan is the Red Oni to Lucas' Blue Oni. Nathan is more hot-headed, overconfident, passionate and impulsive, while Lucas is more calm, composed, logical and practical.
* RousseauWasRight: His entire season 1 plot.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Nathan is the Manly Man to Lucas' Sensitive Guy.
* ShirtlessScene: He gets quite a few of these.
* TakeAThirdOption: Towards the end of Season 1, Dan and Deb demand that he live with one of them, as they separate. Nathan eventually decides to live with ''neither'', and emancipates himself.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: He stands 6'2".
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Before his CharacterDevelopment. And even after that, he still has his snarky, sarcastic moments.
* TragicDream: In season 5. He got better.[[note]]Although his injury that prevented him from being drafted in the NBA the first time will lead to his early retirement.[[/note]]
* TookALevelInKindness: During season one.
* TwoFirstNames: "Nathan" and "Scott".
* WhatTheHellHero: In Season 5, Peyton calls Nathan out on his self-pity by pointing out that his paralysis isn't permanent & there are plenty of people in worse spots than him who would kill to have the second chance that he's giving up on.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Peyton Sawyer]]
!!'''Peyton Sawyer [[spoiler:Scott]]''' (Portrayed by Creator/HilarieBurton)
[[quoteright:255:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OTH-Peyton_4209.jpg]]
->[[caption-width-right:255:I guess I'm just a riddle wrapped inside a mystery inside a bitch.]]

Peyton Sawyer is a rebellious cheerleader who shows her emotions through her art and love for music. With a deceased mother & father away for work most of the time, Peyton spends most of her time alone, or with her best friend Brooke Davis.

* ActionGirl: Has her big "ActionGirl" moment in Episode 4x16, "You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love".
* AmicableExes: With Nathan, Jake and Julian.
* BelligerentSexualTension: With Lucas at the start of season 1, practically to FoeYay levels, but it evolves into UnresolvedSexualTension fairly quickly.
* BettyAndVeronica:
** The Betty to Brooke's Veronica for Lucas' Archie.
** Interestingly, in season 5 she was also the Veronica to Lindsey's Betty, always for Lucas' Archie.
* BigEater: To the point that Lucas had to ask if she was pregnant.
--> '''Peyton:''' Trust me; when I'm pregnant, this will only be the tip of the iceberg.
* BirdsOfAFeather: With Lucas. Both are brooding, deep, talented, artistic, introverted observers with a DarkAndTroubledPast and ParentalIssues. They are so similar that their haters feel they are LikeBrotherAndSister. It doesn't help that they are both blonde.
* BoundAndGagged: Along with Brooke in ''You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love''.
* BrokenBird: Is she ''ever''. The trope description seems Peyton's character biography. She was one in the beginning, and becomes a even bigger one over the years.
* TheCheerleader: Though she only does it because her mother was one. Every other aspect of Peyton's personality runs opposite to this trope, Lucas & Ellie both commented that it seemed odd that Peyton was a cheerleader.
* CoolCar: The Comet.
* DamselInDistress:
--> '''Peyton:''' You're always saving me.
--> '''Lucas:''' Somebody's got to.
* DamselOutOfDistress: When she & Brooke fight off Psycho!Derek in season 4.
* DeadpanSnarker: She's sassy, cynical and has a snarky humor: this makes her the bigger DeadpanSnarker of the main five.
* DefrostingIceQueen: She was kind of bitchy in the beginning of season 1.
* DeusAngstMachina: To a ridiculous extent.
* DisappearedDad: Peyton's father is often away for his work.
* DoomMagnet
--> '''Peyton:''' I lose everyone I care about. Any time I open up to someone, they walk out of my life or they die or they move away or they get shipped off to Iraq or they turn into freaking Norman Bates or...
* DrivesLikeCrazy: Almost runs over [[spoiler:her eventual husband]] Lucas Scott in the opening scenes of the show because she was searching the floor of her car for a dropped CD while driving.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: Considering [[TraumaCongaLine all she goes through during the series (And before it)]], it's safe to say that Peyton definately earnt [[spoiler:driving into the sunset married to Lucas & with a healthy baby girl]].
* EmoTeen: Borderline example. She's prone to {{Wangst}} at times, but then again she has [[DarkAndTroubledPast her]] [[TraumaCongaLine reasons...]]
* EvenTheGirlsWantHer: Bisexual character Anna Tagarro.
* ExpositoryHairStyleChange: In the third season, Peyton goes from curly hair to short & straight hair. She claims that it's because "long, blonde hair" was Ellie's thing, and she doesn't want to look anything like her. Ironically, the change in hairstyles actually makes her look ''more'' like her.
* FanservicePack: While Peyton has always been attractive, she becomes increasingly HotterAndSexier during the duration of her six season stint.
* FirstGirlWins: Peyton gets chosen over both Brooke and Lindsey by Lucas in season six.
* GenderBlenderName: Her name, Peyton, is unisex and could be a name used for both boys and girls.
* GirlinessUpgrade: Peyton in Seasons 1 to 4 - usually wearing jeans, band t-shirts & a leather jacket. Peyton in Seasons 5 & 6 - frequently wearing dresses & just dressing in a more feminine manner.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Brooke.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: With Lucas, repeatedly.
** Played with in Season 1, as she ends her relationship with Lucas to spare Brooke's feelings rather than because Lucas wants Brooke more than her.
** Played striaght in Season 4. Despite realising she's in love with him, Peyton tries to convince Brooke to take Lucas back on multiple occaisions.
** Played straight again in Season 5, after her attempts to convince Lucas not to marry Lindsey fall on deaf ears.
* InSeriesNickname:
** P. Sawyer, used by Brooke & Skills.
** Skinny Girl, used by Skills.
* {{Irony}}: Considers "Celebration" by Cool & the Gang to be her saddest song, as it was playing in the hospital when her mother died.
* KickingAssInAllHerFinery: Puts her self-defence training to use against Psycho!Derek after he returns & tries to abduct her on prom.
* TheLancer: To the Tree Hill cheerleaders and to the core five.
* MissingMom: Both her adoptive and biological mothers.
* MsFanservice: She had her moments during the high school years. Her GirlinessUpgrade in her last two seasons didn't do her any harm either.
* NeverBeHurtAgain: In season 4, after Lucas' heart attack, Peyton is nervous about their romance because she fears that she will lose him, just like she lost everyone she loved.
* ObliviousAdoption: Although she becomes HappilyAdopted afterwards.
* QuirkyCurls: Peyton's curly hair is one of her defining physical features.
* RecordProducer: As of Season 5.
* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship: With Brooke.
* SecretIdentity: Her subconscious as "Angel of Death" in episode 3x09.
* SelectiveObliviousness: For her own feelings towards Lucas, in season 1.
* ShesGotLegs: As noted by Lucas in the second episode. [[note]]When Lucas failed to catch the ball passed to him during a ballgame, Peyton mocked him, specifically his hands. Lucas then retorted with this trope.[[/note]]
-->'''Peyton:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Nice hands]]!
-->'''Lucas:''' [[FoeYay Nice legs]]!
* StepfordSnarker: She snarks to hide her angst and emotional pain.
* SugarAndIcePersonality: She is a brooding BrokenBird, but shows her warmer side towards her closest friends.
* TraumaCongaLine: It's no understatment to say that Peyton has possibly the worst life out of all the main characters.
* TomboyishName: Her name, Peyton is unisex.
* {{Tsundere}}: To Lucas, mainly in her interactions in the first season. Initially she was a ''tsuntsun'' type A.
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: Spends the first episodes of the series being the unrequitted love interest of Lucas Scott, before they wind-up switching places.
* UnresolvedSexualTension: After a brief stint of BelligerentSexualTension at the start of season 1, the second half of the season through to the mid-point of the fourth season has them move into full-on UST. After the four year time skip between seasons 4 & 5, they've fallen back into this.
* WalkingTheEarth: The explanation for her being PutOnABus is this.
* WhenSheSmiles: As Lucas notes, happy looks good on her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Haley James-Scott]]
!!'''Haley James-Scott''' (Portrayed by Bethany Joy Lenz[=/=]Galeotti)
[[quoteright:255:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OTH-Hayley_7030.jpg]]
->[[caption-width-right:255:The point is, at the end of the day all your bluster and BS don't mean anything to math, because math don't care, and neither do I.]]

* ActionGirl: Haley, interestingly, started out as the gentlest character of the three main female characters but she most probably embodies this trope the best over the course of 9 years. Haley’s toughness and her tendency to fight has been referenced in the show by various characters. Also, Haley has been mentioned as being the character who’s been in jail the most as evidenced by her nickname “Jailey.”
--> '''Jamie''': You don't wanna mess with [[ActionMom Mom]].
* {{Adorkable}}: Shows from time to time, especially in the first few seasons.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Nathan was definitely a bad boy when she started liking him in season 1.
* BadassBookworm: Definitely the bookworm part (she's very bookish and TheSmartGirl of the FiveManBand), and, as seen in ActionGirl, she can be tough when she wants to be. Among her highlights, she beat down a woman who alleged that she was pregnant with Nathan’s child (and she went to jail for it). got into a fight with the mom of the boy who was bullying Jamie, she attacked her sister Taylor in two separate seasons, and she bitch-slapped Rachel in her {{Crowning Moment Of Awesome}}.
* BadassTeacher: Becomes one after the four-year jump. She gets an undeniably BadassTeacher moment when [[{{TyrantTakesTheHelm}} the new]] MoralGuardian Principal demands that she make a live apology for the "crime" of printing Sam's essay in the school newspaper, just because it mentions sex, drugs, and violence. Haley instead tells her class that she told them to write about the truth and that she's proud of them for doing so, says that she'd be a hypocrite if she made a fake apology, and leaves the room, urging her students to always stand up for the truth.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: The nicest of the main five, but do not underestimate her.
* TheCheerleader: Subverted. She's nothing like the stereotypical cheerleader.
* CoolTeacher: "Tutor Girl becomes Teacher Girl"
* DeadpanSnarker: Most prominent in the first season, but dies off a bit in the later episodes.
* DeadGuyJunior: [[spoiler:She named her daughter after her recently deceased mother.]]
* {{Deuteragonist}}: She jumps between being this and the {{Tritagonist}} in the first six seasons. Upon her husband's promotion to TheHero in season 7, she clearly becomes the secondary focus.
* DrivenToSuicide: As a result of her depression in Season 7.
* EmbarrassingMiddleName: Haley ''Bob'' James.
* ExpositoryHairStyleChange: She donned all [[FieryRedhead three]] [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold hair]] [[BrainyBrunette colors]] in the entire duration of the show.
* GenderBlenderName: Her EmbarrassingMiddleName.
* GiveGeeksAChance: Married the star of the basketball team, and was recruited as a cheerleader.
* GirlNextDoor: In season 1 Haley was the approachable "good girl", and Lucas' childhood friend, in contrast to popular cheerleaders Peyton and Brooke. Later she becomes a popular cheerleader too, but still remains the most down to earth of the three girls.
* GoGetterGirl: An incredibly smart and driven straight A student, working as a waitress at Karen's Café and as a tutor at Tree Hill High. She is still this trope even as an adult.
* HighSchoolSweethearts: With Nathan. They're generally regarded as one of the bedrock relationships of the series.
* HollywoodNerd: Haley was considered a brainy, barely pretty girl in the first season. Now she's a full-on example of NerdsAreSexy and she's just as stunning as Peyton and Brooke.
* HotTeacher: After the four-year jump.
* InSeriesNickname: A couple.
** Hales - Originally used by Lucas, but everyone else eventually starts using it.
** Tutor Girl - Used by Brooke.
** Jailey - Used whenever someone teases her about her numerous arrests.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Solidified with Lucas when they became in-laws.
* LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine: The Light to Brooke's Dark.
* MamaBear: Haley has firmly established herself as one. See: Nanny Carrie, Chuck's mom, Dan Scott, Rachel Gatina, Renee, Deb Scott, Taylor James, just season 9 where she helps in the kidnapping of a drug dealer in order to get her kidnapped by the mafia husband back.
* MassiveNumberedSiblings: She has three sisters and three brothers.
* NiceGirl: She made her mistakes too, but out of the main 5, she's the one with the least Jerkass moments. She's always gentle and down to earth, and almost never bitchy like Peyton and Brooke can be, unless you push her {{Berserk Button}}s.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Compared to the already [[RidiculouslySuccessfulFutureSelf Ridiculously Successful Future Selves]] of the other main characters, Haley stands out. She is a teacher, an IdolSinger, a songwriter, a RecordProducer, a business partner for two of her friends (Peyton and Brooke), a government volunteer of sorts, in addition to being a mother of two children.
* ParentalAbandonment: Her father died between the seasons 4 and 5 TimeSkip while her mother died in season 7.
* PlatonicLifePartners: With Lucas.
* PluckyGirl: She's usually the most optimistic in the group. Usually...
* PregnantBadass
---> '''Rachel''': You're lucky you're pregnant...
---> '''Haley''': No, honey, ''you're'' lucky I'm pregnant.
* SexyMentor: When she's tutoring Nathan in season 1.
* ShorterMeansSmarter: The shortest but the smartest of the core five.
* SingleTargetSexuality: She has never been in love with anyone but Nathan, and never dated anyone else (the kiss with Chris Keller is the only exception) for ''all the nine seasons''.
* TheSmartGirl: In terms of book-smarts, she's definitely the most intelligent of the core five.
* SupportingProtagonist: In the final season, as Nathan [[spoiler: spent majority of the show kidnapped, putting the focus on Haley finding ways to to locate him.]]
* TeenPregnancy: With Jamie.
* TomboyishName: Haley is definitely a feminine name. The rest of her name consists entirely of masculine names - Bob, James & Scott.
* TwoFirstNames: Technically, four after marrying Nathan.
* WeNamedTheDogIndiana: Haley's middle name, Bob, comes from the James family's old house cat who despised being held, with her mother noting the similarity between the two as the newborn Haley kept squirming whenever someone held her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Dan Scott]]
!!'''Dan Scott''' (Portrayed by Creator/PaulJohansson)
[[quoteright:255:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OTH-Dan_8341.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:255:Happiness doesn't come cheap. Hell, if it did, we would all be smiling.]]

* AbusiveParents: Throughout the entire first season, it's made very clear that Dan is more concerned about his legacy as basketball player than Nathan's well being, with him practically bullying Nathan to play basketball "his" way. In episode 1x21, "The Leaving Song," Dan takes over as coach of the Ravens due to Whitey needing surgery, and the viewer sees how bad Nathan had it growing up. Dan's father, Royal Scott, is stated to have been just as bad as Dan was, treating Dan the same way he was treating Nathan.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Karen, Deb, [[spoiler: Rachel]] sure do. The last one subverts this as [[spoiler: she only wants his money.]]
* AndStarring: In Seasons 7 and 9.
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: To Keith.
* ArchnemesisDad: ''This.'' Dan is this trope personified a thousand times over, both to Lucas (Dan initially alternates between pretending Lucas doesn't exist one minute, and then treating him like a smelly pile of dog poop the next minute) and Nathan (who he uses as a mere vessel for his own self-loathing). In one early episode, Nathan is about to score the winning shot at the annual Father-Son Basketball Game at the high school, when Dan ''aggressively'' moves in to stop him, despite the game being for laughs, growling "I couldn't let you beat me, son!". Yeah, that pretty much says it all. Honestly, along with Lionel Luthor from ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', Dan is probably the best example of this trope on TV (appropriately enough, Dan and Nathan's relationship in the first few seasons is A LOT like Lionel's and Lex's in the first few seasons of ''Smallville'').
* TheAtoner: Complete with his own talk show and book deal. Yeah, he's one of ''those'' "atoners." That being said, he genuinely does regret [[spoiler:killing Keith]], and he does try to be a good grandfather to Jamie.
* BackForTheDead: [[spoiler: When he returns in season 9.]]
* BadassBoast: Although it usually bordered (or resulted) on TemptingFate.
* BadassGrandpa: To Jamie, when he saves him from the AxCrazy Nanny Carrie.
* BadassInDistress: [[spoiler:In season 6 courtesy of Carrie. He made her pay for this soon after.]]
* BigBad: In the first 4 seasons.
* BigBadEnsemble: In Season 3 with Rachel.
* BigDamnHeroes: Several times in later seasons, which is also lampshaded.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: His RedemptionEqualsDeath could have been much better if Lucas and Karen forgave him. Or at least heard how he genuinely regretted his actions.]]
* BlondBrunetteRedhead: Interestingly, the three notable women of his life all fit this with Deb being blond, Karen being brunette and [[spoiler:Rachel]] being redhead.
* BoundAndGagged: Spends the first few episodes of season 6 like this during his kidnapping, but ''You've Dug Your Own Grave, Now Lie In It'' is the only episode where he is gagged.
* BrokenPedestal: Lucas already looks at him like this. After the truth about [[spoiler:Keith's murder]] comes out, Nathan loses whatever respect he still had for Dan, and he ultimately loses his power & influence in Tree Hill.
* CainAndAbel: With Keith. It doesn't end well.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: To an extent, whilst running Dan Scott Motors. He (For the most part) made an honest run at being mayor, aside from a few instances of blackmail.
* CreepyGood: During the last two seasons, at least, where he's firmly one of the good guys, if an AntiHero, and still retains all the same mannerisms he had when he was a villain. Of note is the time when Quinn asked him for advice on how to kill someone, and he told her all the horrifying details of killing and then hiding a body, which involves dismemberment, in an attempt to get her to give up on it.
* DeadpanSnarker: Oh boy, Dan ''always'' has a sarcastic or witty comment to say or throw at someone. In fact, Dan is the source for much of the humour on the show.
* DestructiveRomance: With Deb.
* DrillSergeantNasty: In his tenure as the Ravens' coach.
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: [[spoiler: Before getting shot, he killed ''all'' but three of Nathan's kidnappers (Nathan himself took out TheDragon, Chris Keller [[RammingAlwaysWorks took out]] TheBrute and Julian non-fatally took out the DirtyCop SixthRanger of the goons).]]
* {{Foil}}: He is this to so many characters, really.
* HandicappedBadass: He was able to hold his own against his sons when they ''simultaneously'' jumped him in season 5. Keep in mind that he has a worsening heart condition at the time.
* HeelRealization: He made a ''very gradual'' HeelFaceTurn.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: By TakingTheBullet that was meant for Nathan.]]
* HeroKiller: [[spoiler: Killed Keith and attempted to kill Lucas at one point.]]
* IllBoy: He suffers from a HollywoodHeartAttack, due to a disorder which is hereditary to the Scott family but only affects one-in-two potential sufferers.
* JerkJock: Was one, and still acts like one years later.
* KarmaHoudini: At least, until season 4...
* MadeOfIron: To the point that the show once featured a montage of all the times people had tried to kill Dan.
* ManipulativeBastard: Dan is always trying to manipulate people, especially his family, and their lives.
* MayDecemberRomance: With [[spoiler:Rachel in season 7. Very odd, since back in high school she tried to seduce both his sons.]]
* MayorPain: Becomes a Type A during Season 3 & 4.
* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Dan is mostly a {{Jerkass}}. Based on gag reels, Paul Johansson is a WackyGuy who acts as the cast's resident PluckyComicRelief who is also a [[TeamDad father figure]] to his younger cast mates.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Dan's reaction after Deb tells him it was her, not Keith, who had tried to kill him in a fire; the revelation coming 7 episodes after Dan had killed Keith in retaliation]].
* NeverMyFault: Will always find a way to refuse to acccept blame for his shortcomings & misdeeds.
* PapaWolf: Whilst he may be a bad father, Dan is very protective of his sons and grandchildren.
* ParentalAbandonment: He abandoned Karen and their son, Lucas.
* PetTheDog: Again, with Jamie. Dan's most unambiguously likeable moments are usually when he's with Jamie.
%%* RatedMForManly
* ReallyDeadMontage: [[spoiler: His dying episode in fact showed ''[[MadeOfIron all]]'' his {{Near Death Experience}}s throughout the show.]]
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler: His unforgivable deed was killing Keith; he made reparations with his time in prison, his efforts to be a good grandfather, and his rescuing of Jamie and, ultimately, Nathan. He is shot in the back with a bullet meant for Nathan and is led into Heaven by Keith, who forgives him.]]
* RedOniBlueOni: Dan is the Red to Keith's Blue.
* ReformedButRejected: Arguably in the last four seasons.
* RevengeBeforeReason: When he believes that [[spoiler: his brother Keith tried to kill him. Deb actually did, but when Dan learned the truth, it was too late...]]
%%* RousseauWasRight
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Oh, yeah. He also has [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections connections]] and as mayor, [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem he made the rules.]] Many times throughout the show, the whole town appeared to be at his mercy. Plus, even with a ''heart condition'', [[MightMakesRight he still easily defended himself against his two adult sons.]]
* SharpDressedMan: As a mayor. [[spoiler:He was even [[BadassInANiceSuit Dressed To Kill]] Keith.]]
* SmugSuper: Dan's attitude and all his BadassBoast.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: All three are checked.
* TemptingFate: This line from season 3 comes to mind.
--->'''Dan:''' You can't kill Dan Scot!
* TestosteronePoisoning: Invoked in the first seasons. Interestingly, Dan starts showing his badassery when he stopped trying to be one.
* TokenEvilTeammate: The Scotts are a BigScrewedUpFamily...mostly because of him. Later he tries to redeem himself, but still.
%%* TonightSomeoneDies
* TortureTechnician: [[spoiler:He tortured one of Nathan's kidnappers in the last season.]]
* TwoFirstNames: "Dan" and "Scott".
* VillainousBreakdown: A few.
* WouldHitAGirl: [[spoiler: Then again, Carrie had it coming.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Brooke Davis]]
!!'''Brooke Davis [[spoiler:Baker]]''' (Portrayed by Creator/SophiaBush)
[[quoteright:256:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OTH-Brooke_5038.jpg]]
->[[caption-width-right:256:Relationships are just too hard. Hooking up with boys is so much easier.]]

* AbusiveParents: Her mom is definitely emotionally abusive, given the amount of insecurities Brooke has from interacting with her after they start working together.
* ActionGirl: Has her moments, namely taking out Psycho!Derek with Peyton in Episode 4x16; and attacking [[spoiler:Xavier "X" Daniels]] in Episode 6x13.
* AlliterativeName: [[spoiler: Brooke Baker, after her marriage]].
* AllGuysWantCheerleaders: A beautiful cheerleader and the most desired girl in the school.
* AloofDarkHairedGirl: Very much in the first half of season 1. She drops the aloof part and became more likable and approachable soon after.
* AmicableExes: With [[RealitySubtext Lucas]] and Chase. [[ReallyGetsAround And some others]].
* BadassAdorable: Brooke can be very tough, while still being her lovable self.
* BeautyMark: She has a tiny mole on her right cheek.
* BetterAsFriends: Eventually realises that this applies to Lucas & herself.
* BettyAndVeronica: The Veronica to Peyton's Betty for Lucas' Archie.
* BoundAndGagged: Along with Peyton in ''You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love''.
* BreakTheHaughty: Her Season 2 arc - After being a massive bitch in Season 1, she learns in episode 2x03 that her parents are struggling financially & proceeds to undergo a large amount of Character Development over the course of the season as she struggles to adapt to life now that she's no-longer the rich girl.
* BreakoutCharacter: Brooke was brought on as comic relief character to stir the pot and later grew to being billed third[[note]]Due to Chad Michael Murray, Hilarie Burton & Paul Johannson no longer series regulars at that point[[/note]] in the credits by Season Seven. She's also the character that everyone remembers first from the series above any of the Scotts.
* CharacterDevelopment: One of the most obvious and effective examples in the series.
* TheCheerleader: A quintessential example at first sight. She fits the bitchy/slutty stereotype quite well early on (mainly in season 1), however she has more HiddenDepths than you can think, and she's a genuinely good person.
* TheChick: Brooke is more or less TheHeart of the group, especially in later seasons.
* ADateWithRosiePalms: After Rachel catches Brooke treating herself to one of these, she coins the phrase "Brooke-ing yourself." It subsequently became a [[{{UnusualEuphemism}} euphemism]] both in-universe and among the fans.
* DeadpanSnarker: Brooke can be very snide when she gets angry, and a lot of times she's playfully snarky towards her friends.
* EasilyForgiven: The longest someone holds a grudge against her is Peyton over [[spoiler:the sex tape Brooke made with Nathan]], and that only lasts two episodes - and even that only accounts for a day in-universe.
* TheFashionista: Starts her own fashion company. Unlike most TV characters that fit this trope, Brooke runs her company in a very conscientious way, refusing to use real fur and demanding that one of her models ''gain'' ten pounds before she is allowed on her magazine's cover, stating "[[{{SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped}} Anorexia is a disease, not a fashion statement.]]" Doubles as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome for Brooke.
* FullNameBasis: More often than the other main characters.
* GenkiGirl: Especially in her high school days, Brooke was a wild and energetic party girl. She's much more mature in later years.
* GoodBadGirl: She makes a big deal out of being able to "sleep around like a guy."
* HandsOffParenting: Her parents relocate to Los Angeles towards the end of her Junior year, and Brooke moves in with Karen until the summer, before moving around Tree Hill every so often in her Senior year. It's rather telling that Brooke's reaction to Karen laying down ground rules for her is to happily hug her.
* HelloNurse: All the guys find Brooke attractive.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Peyton. Later she also becomes this with Haley.
* HonoraryAunt: To her godson, Jamie.
* HotBlooded: Very determined, impulsive and passionate.
* {{Hypocrite}}: Her treatment of Peyton in season 4, following Peyton confessing that she had feelings for Lucas, considering that Brooke [[spoiler:made a sex tape with Nathan on one of his many single night break-ups with Peyton]].
* InSeriesNickname:
** "B. Davis" by Peyton.
** "Cheery" by Lucas.
** "Pretty Girl" by Lucas, whilst they're dating.
* LawOfInverseFertility: Following the 4 year TimeSkip, Brooke desperately wants to start a family. In Season 7, [[spoiler:Brooke's told that she can't have children ''ever'']], but then in Season 8, [[spoiler:Brooke finds out she's pregnant in the final episodes of the season & has twin boys in the season finale after a TimeSkip]].
* LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine: The Dark to Haley's Light.
* LovableAlphaBitch: Early on she's closer to the AlphaBitch side of things, but she's also very protective of people she considers friends, even if they aren't the typical popular people (note her friendship with Mouth).
* MamaBear: Towards her adopted daughter Sam.
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: To Lucas.
* MsFanservice: Peyton and Haley too obviously (as well as most female characters), but guess who is involved in the most "hot" scenes?
* TheNicknamer: Comes up with nicknames for Lucas, Peyton & Haley.
* OddFriendship: Her friendship with geeky Mouth in high school.
* ParentalNeglect: Her parents weren't particularly interested in Brooke's life until she'd proven her worth as a clothing designer.
* PluckyGirl: As Lucas said "Brilliant, and beautiful, and brave. In 2 years she had grown more than anyone I had ever known. Brooke Davis is going to change the world someday".
* ReallyGetsAround: At least, in high school.
* RomanticRunnerUp: [[spoiler: Along with Lindsay in the season 6 premiere. Lucas chose Peyton as his final choice.]]
* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship: With Peyton.
* RunningGag: Her AutoErotica attempt to Lucas has been mocked, toyed and lampshaded by other characters throughout the series, including [[TakeThatMe Brooke herself]].
* SecondEpisodeIntroduction: And appears in every episode following.
* SecondLove: To Lucas.
* SelfServingMemory: In regards to both of her break-ups with Lucas & falling outs with Peyton in Seasons 1 & 4.
** In Season 1, whilst Peyton & Lucas were in the wrong to start a relationship behind Brooke's back, Brooke ignores her own earlier attempted sabotage of Lucas & Peyton's developing relationship (And by proxy, Nathan & Haley's relationship) because she wanted to sleep with him.
** In Season 4, Brooke repeatedly ignores the circumstances behind their kiss in Season 3[[note]]Peyton was bleeding out during the school shooting, and kissed Lucas as she thought she was going to die[[/note]] and that Peyton was willing to hide her feelings for Lucas if Brooke admitted she loved him.
* ShipperOnDeck: Surprisingly, she became one for Lucas and Peyton, after season 4.
--> '''Brooke:''' [[EveryoneCanSeeit The rest of the world's been waiting on you two idiots since high school.]]
* StepfordSmiler: As the show progresses it becomes more and more clear that her party girl behavior, upbeat (if sometimes angry) attitude, and her tendency to snark at people when they bring up sensitive topics is all to hide just how damaged her parents and her life experiences have made her. The more the others get to know her, the more she both opens up and the more easily they can tell when she's just pretending to be okay.
* TeacherStudentRomance: With Nick Chavez in season 4.
* TheTease: As stated above, she was the embodiment of this trope early on. Brooke certainly loves to flirt with boys.
* ThirdOptionLoveInterest: Played with in the seasons 5 and 6's finale and premiere. Brooke was Lucas' girlfriend before Lindsey, who is his third serious (and at the time, current) girlfriend. However, the main LoveTriangle at the time was Lucas, Peyton and Lindsey.
* TookALevelInKindness: Brooke was an absolute bitch during the first half of Season 1. She gets better after that.
* {{Tritagonist}}: It wasn't until season 7 when Sophia Bush starts being billed third[[note]]In two occasions however, Sophia Bush was actually billed ''second'' right before Joy Lenz[[/note]] after James Lafferty (Nathan) and Joy Lenz (Haley).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Coach Brian "Whitey" Durham]]
!!'''Coach Brian "Whitey" Durham''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/BarryCorbin)''

* AFatherToHisMen: To the Ravens, but especially Lucas & Nathan - [[spoiler:Whitey specifically delays his retirement so that he can take a job at a local college, and offer Nathan a basketball scholarship so he can continue to pursue his dream of playing basketball, and he finds a way for Lucas to remain part of the Ravens after his HCM forces him to leave the team.]]
* AndStarring: "Barry Corbin as Whitey".
* BaldOfAwesome: Bald? Yes. Awesome? Yes.
* TheBusCameBack: In the season 6 finale.
* CoolTeacher Most definitely.
* CoolOldGuy: Just look at the way he interacts with the younger cast.
* DeadpanSnarker: Mainly around Dan.
* GoneHorriblyRight: [[spoiler:He told Dan in the season 6 finale that maybe the reason the latter's still alive is because he can still achieve ''redemption''. [[RedemptionEqualsDeath Three seasons later]]...]]
* LikeASonToMe: Never had children with his wife Camilla, but sees the boys he coached as his boys, especially Lucas & Nathan.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Brian Durham is his full name. In season 3 he tells the Ravens how he received the nickname "Whitey".
* PutOnABus: After Season 4.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Lets Jake show up to basketball practice late, leave early, and outright skip sessions without so much as a stern word, purely because of Jake & his parents struggling to find someone to watch Jenny.
* TeamDad: A father figure especially to Lucas and Nathan, but also to the other Ravens and sometimes to the main girls too.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Keith Scott]]
!!'''Keith Scott''' (Portrayed by Creator/CraigSheffer)
[[quoteright:256:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OTH-Keith_7102.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:256:It's funny, but I feel like I'm about to start the life that I always wanted.]]

* AndStarring: "With Craig Sheffer".
* BackForTheDead: [[spoiler:When he comes back to Tree Hill in season 3.]]
* BeingGoodSucks: The shining example in the show, moreso than Lucas [[spoiler:[[FatalFlaw considering what happened to him...]]]]
* BigBrotherInstinct: Towards Dan when they were young, as seen in the flashbacks.
* CainAndAbel: With Dan.
* CoolTeacher: Becomes one at the end of Season 1. Of course, he [[spoiler:takes over the running of Dan Scott Motors after Dan's heart attack before he can actually ''teach'' his first class]].
* CoolUncle: To Lucas, obviously.
* DeadpanSnarker
* DidNotGetTheGirl: Subverted, he '''did''' get the girl. [[spoiler:But he's killed a few episodes later.]]
* DoggedNiceGuy: Towards Karen.
* GreaseMonkey: He's a mechanic.
* MagneticHero: Has a trait which can get people drawn to him, something Dan actually admitted being jealous of.
* MistakenForMurderer: By Dan, who believed Keith had attempted to murder him in the dealership fire.
* MrFixIt: Works as a mechanic, and taught Lucas everything he knows about cars.
* NiceGuy: In contrast to his Jerkass brother.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: [[spoiler: When Keith appeared as a SpiritAdvisor to Lucas, his ghost appeared as an adult (the age when he died). Ditto to Karen. However, when Dan had visions of his ghost, Keith always appeared as a child (around 11-12 years old). The only times Keith appeared as an adult ghost to Dan is when he was in prison for the murder of Daunte & during Dan's death.]]
* ParentalSubstitute: For Lucas.
* RedOniBlueOni: Keith is the Blue to Dan's Red.
* SecondLove: For Karen. [[spoiler:Cue {{Retirony}}.]]
* SpiritAdvisor: [[spoiler:To Lucas, in season 4.]]
* TwoFirstNames: "Keith" and "Scott".
* TheUnfavourite: "Thanks, Dad. You finally pay me a compliment, and it's a dig at Dan."
* UnresolvedSexualTension: With Karen. It was resolved. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, Keith was killed before they got married.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Karen Roe]]
!!'''Karen Roe''' (Portrayed by Creator/MoiraKelly)
[[quoteright:259:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imagesCA213SLP_4565.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:259:There's only [[TitleDrop one Tree Hill]], Lucas Scott. And it is your home.]]

* AndStarring: "And Moira Kelly".
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Karen is a genuinely nice person, as long as you don't make her mad. She certainly knows how to treat people like Dan.
* BrainyBrunette: She's very intelligent and practical, and has more common sense than most of the other adults.
* TheBusCameBack: Episodes 5x12 & 6x24.
* TheCheerleader: She was one in high school.
* {{Determinator}}: Started up her own business shortly after graduating from high school whilst simultaneously raising a new born Lucas, with no support from anyone other than Keith.
* GoodParents: To Lucas, and later to Lily.
* HerHeartWillGoOn: [[spoiler: After Keith's death. Complete with a baby.]]
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Karen is the Tiny Girl to Dan's Huge Guy.
* MamaBear: She's very protective of Lucas.
* OddFriendship: With Deb.
* ParentalSubstitute: To Haley and, eventually, Brooke; and she's willing to look after Jenny whilst Jake works at the cafe.
* PutOnABus: After Season 4.
%%* RavenHairIvorySkin
* TeamMom: It's easy to be one when half of your son's friends have [[MissingMom absent mothers]], via death or [[ParentalAbandonment other]] [[ParentalNeglect reasons]].
* TeenPregnancy: Dan got Karen pregnant with Lucas right after they graduated high school.
* UnresolvedSexualTension: With Keith. It was resolved. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, Keith was killed before they got married.]]
* WalkingTheEarth: As of Season 5.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Deb Scott]]
!!'''Deb Scott''' (Portrayed by Creator/BarbaraAlynWoods)
[[quoteright:255:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OTH-Deb_1938.jpg]]

* TheAlcoholic: She gets better.
* BrokenBird: Due to her tragedies, emotional pains, and countless DespairEventHorizon. You can thank Dan for this.
* TheBusCameBack: In episodes 9x08 and 9x11.
* DestructiveRomance: With Dan.
* DrivenToSuicide: During her pill addiction.
* DrugsAreBad: Again, she gets better at the end of season 4.
* FaceHeelTurn: Spends the first half of season 2 plotting with Dan to break-up Nathan & Haley's marriage.
* HeelRealisation: Upon realising how depressed Nathan is without Haley, Deb realises her actions in the first half of the season weren't in her son's best interests.
* MarriedToTheJob: Prior to the first season, she often spends time away from her family due to her work.
* MayDecemberRomance: With Skills in season 5.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: See NiceJobBreakingItHero below.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler:If she didn't try to kill Dan, Keith would be still alive.]]
* OddFriendship: With Karen, if you know all their story. What make them friends is their common hatred for Dan who ruined the lives of both of them.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In season 2.
* PutOnABus: After season 6, though she's arguably CommutingOnABus since season 5.
* TeamMom: Whilst not as much as Karen, Deb has her moments - most notably [[spoiler:when Karen is in the hospital after giving birth]] in Season 4, and when [[spoiler:Brooke is attacked in her store in Season 6]].
* TeenPregnancy: After Dan got Karen pregnant (with Lucas), he left her and went to college, and then got his girlfriend Deb pregnant with Nathan. Way to go, Dan.
* TookALevelInJerkass: In her early appearances Deb was a stable, levelheaded woman. She later becomes neurotic and desperate.
* TwoFirstNames: Three after marrying Dan.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: As seen in NiceJobBreakingItHero, trying to kill Dan wasn't a good idea, considering what happened later.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Marvin "Mouth" [=McFadden=]]]
!!'''Marvin "Mouth" [=McFadden=]''' (Portrayed by Creator/LeeNorris)
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MouthMcFadden_9321.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Good evening ladies & gentlemen, and welcome to a historic night.]]

* {{Adorkable}}: A geeky lovable NiceGuy. He attracts quite a few hot girls during the show.
* AllGuysWantCheerleaders: Brooke and Rachel.
* AlliterativeName: '''M'''arvin '''M'''cfadden nicknamed '''M'''outh.
* TheArtifact: In later seasons.
* AscendedExtra: He was initially introduced as one of Lucas's friends from the River Court, and to serve as anouncer for the Ravens games. With the Ravens not playing in Season 2 (Having lost their first playoff game at the end of Season 1), Mouth was given some character development beyond "The sports anouncer kid" & was Promoted to Opening Titles in Season 3.
* DoggedNiceGuy: Mouth ''is'' this trope around the girls he likes, like Brooke and Rachel.
* GiveGeeksAChance: He's friends with Brooke, Lucas and the other popular kids and dates several hot girls during the show.
* TheHeart: Even more than Brooke. Mouth is pretty much everyone's best friend.
* HeroesWantRedheads: His crush on Rachel.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Skills.
* HiddenDepths: Is a ''fantastic'' dancer, and once perfectly replicated a rival cheerleading squads dance routine by memory, much to the surprise of Brooke & the rest of the cheerleaders. After that, whenever the Ravens cheerleaders need to come up with a new dance routine, they go to Mouth.
* HollywoodDateless: His whininess over a lacking lovelife, and complaining that all the girls see him just as a "good friend". However his love interests include Erica, Gigi, Shelley, Millie, along with a fling with Rachel (though she wasn't serious about it) and quite a few other very attractive girls.
* HollywoodNerd: Though he kind of averts part of the stereotype due to the fact that he loves sports, unlike the typical HollywoodNerd.
* HopelessSuitor: To Brooke in Season 2; To Rachel in Seasons 3 & 4.
* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Repeatedly trusts Rachel & gives her the benefit of the doubt, in spite of everything she does over the course of seasons 3 & 4. He finally wises up after [[spoiler:she steals thousands from Brooke in season 5]].
* InWithTheInCrowd: Initially one of Lucas's friends from the River Court. Soon enough he, along with Lucas and Skills, becomes part of the popular crowd. So much that his old forgotten friend Jimmy felt ignored and mistreated by him, and it becomes a plot point in season 3. [[TearJerker You know the story...]]
* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler:The death of Jimmy Edwards. Whilst he gets better over time, it's clear that he's still affected by this at the end of the series, nearly a decade later.]]
* NiceGuy: It's not hard to see why Mouth is able to befriend anyone so easily, despite not being the stereotypically cool guy. He's incredibly friendly, good-natured and loyal, almost to a fault.
* OddFriendship: With all the main characters, particularly cheerleader and LovableAlphaBitch Brooke.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Only his girlfriend Millicent calls him "Marvin".
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In season 3.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Sensitive Guy to Skills' Manly Man.
* SmallNameBigEgo: In Seasons 2 through 4, thinks he's a lot cooler than he actually is - Such as his being offended when Shelley labels him a Geek in Season 4's "Pictures Of You" when asked to label him either a Geek, Jock, Prom Queen, Loner or [[ReallyGetAround "Friendly".]]
* UnluckyEverydude: His perception, and he's probably this compared to the main five.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Antwon "Skills" Taylor]]
!!'''Antwon "Skills" Taylor''' (Portrayed by Creator/AntwonTanner)
[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Skills-OTH_9517.jpg]]

* AdamWesting: According to Antwon Tanner, he pretty much ''is'' Skills in real life.
* TheArtifact: Just like Mouth, his character became more pointless in later seasons.
* AscendedExtra: Like Mouth, was initially introduced as one of Lucas's friends from the River Court, but unlike Mouth, rarely appeared without the other River Court guys. In Season 3, he received the character development that Mouth did in Season 2, and was Promoted to Opening Titles the following season.
%%* BaldOfAwesome
* BetaCouple: With Bevin.
* BlackBestFriend: To both Lucas and Mouth.
* CommutingOnABus: After Season 7.
* DemotedToExtra: During the second half of Season 8, to the point that his only appearance in the Season Finale (Which was written as the ''GrandFinale'') is wearing a chicken suit in an audition for Millie's old field reporter job.
* GenreSavvy: Spends the entirity of Brooke's wedding ensuring that everything that could go wrong (And in fact, ''has'' gone wrong at previous Tree Hill weddings) doesn't.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Mouth.
* TheLancer: To Lucas.
* LastMinuteHookup: [[spoiler:The final TimeSkip implies that he and Bevin got back together.]]
* LovableJock: When he joins the basketball team.
* MayDecemberRomance: With Deb Scott in season 5.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Only his parents & Lauren refer to him as Antwon with any frequency.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In season 4.
* SatelliteCharacter:: He rarely gets ADayInTheLimelight, he's pretty much just there to be the BlackBestFriend to Lucas and Mouth.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Manly Man to Mouth's Sensitive Guy.
* ShipperOnDeck: For Lucas and Peyton.
* TokenMinority: The only black recurring character until Season 5.
* TwoFirstNames: "Antwon" and "Taylor"
* WhereDaWhiteWomenAt: All his most important girlfriends (Bevin, Deb, Lauren) are white.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rachel Gatina]]
!!'''Rachel Gatina''' (Portrayed by Creator/DanneelHarris)
[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Rachel-OTH_2405.jpg]]

* AlphaBitch: In contrast to Brooke's LovableAlphaBitch.
* TheBabyTrap: [[spoiler:Used this on Cooper. It doesn't end well.]]
* BigBad: Season 3 and the first half of Season 7. Rachel is the cause of many of the bad happenings in Season 3 such as turning the cheerleading squad wild and releasing the school's time capsule which leads to [[spoiler: Jimmy bringing a gun to school]].
* BigBadEnsemble: Season 3 with Dan.
* TheBusCameBack: In season 5 for a few episodes; later in season 7.
* TheCheerleader: An extreme version of the bitchy/slutty type of cheerleader. She immediately joins the cheerleading squad, much to Brooke's dismay.
* DeadpanSnarker: Rachel is quite adept. She often gets the last word in her SnarkToSnarkCombat with Brooke.
* EvilCounterpart: She has a lot in common with Brooke. While Rachel has her PetTheDog moments, she's pretty much Brooke without her redeeming qualities.
* EvilFormerFriend: [[spoiler:To Brooke & Mouth - In Episode 5x11, Rachel destroyed her friendship with Brooke by stealing Brooke's money and leaving. When she came back in Season 7 as Dan's wife, Mouth told her he wouldn't speak with her until she mended bridges with Brooke & paid her back, whilst Brooke threw Rachel's money back in her face & asserted that they weren't friends anymore, nor would they ever be again.]]
* EvilRedhead: Has red hair and is a promiscuous, manipulative "bad girl".
* FemmeFatale: Rachel is insanely hot and she knows it. She uses this to seduce and manipulate guys, in contrast to Brooke who is a more sympathetic GoodBadGirl.
* FieryRedhead: Just as fiery and outspoken as Brooke.
* FormerlyFat: She was originally obese before undergoing plastic surgery treatments to alter her appearance.
* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Initially averted. When she arrives and joins the cheerleading squad, she's hated only by Brooke, but adored by the other cheerleaders. Later towards the end of season 3 she befriends Brooke; however in season 4 she plays this trope straight, she's not that popular anymore at school and no one in the core group seems to like her except Brooke and Mouth.
* FreudianExcuse: She seems to have absentee parents. She used to be very fat and implied to be bullied because of this.
* JerkassHasAPoint: During Season 4, Rachel frequently has to point out how unreasonable Brooke is being in her treatment of Peyton. Brooke doesn't really have an argument when this happens.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: CharacterDevelopment make her a better person in season 4, and while still being a ManipulativeBitch, she shares a few genuine friendship moments with Brooke and Mouth. However her appearances in season 5 and 7 show her again as an unsympathetic JerkWithAHeartOfJerk.
* KarmaHoudini: Suffers absolutely no punishment for [[spoiler:releasing the contents on the time capsule & subsequently driving Jimmy Edwards to bring a gun to Tree Hill High]].
* LadyMacbeth: [[spoiler: To Dan in season 7.]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:After revealing to Dan that the only reason she's with him is his money, Dan gives ''everything'' away to charities & various people who need it more than he does, and hands Rachel divorce papers. When she says she'll sue him for half of everything he's worth, her lawyer points out that half of nothing is still nothing]].
* ManipulativeBitch: All the time, but how much she's actually good at this it varies. In one episode she gets Peyton drunk and puts her in Lucas's room, not because she wants Lucas and Peyton together, but just to mess with Brooke, who was dating Lucas at that time.
* MayDecemberRomance: With Nathan's uncle Cooper in season 3 and [[spoiler:Dan Scott]] in season 7.
* MsFanservice: Even more than Brooke!
* PetTheDog: She has her good moments with Mouth and Brooke.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In season 4.
* ReallyGetsAround: Described in-universe as "friendly" in the episode "Pictures Of You".
* TheRival: To Brooke, initially. Later they become friends. [[spoiler:Until season 5.]]
* TheTease: She wouldn't be Rachel without this trope.
* TokenEvilTeammate: To the Tree Hill cheerleaders.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Releases the time capsule because she wanted to cause drama, which ultimately leads to [[spoiler:Jimmy Edwards taking a gun into school]].
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Brooke.
* WithFriendsLikeThese: Mostly towards Brooke, if only because no-one else in the group (With the exception of Mouth) likes her enough for this to qualify.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:James "Jamie" Scott]]
!!'''James "Jamie" Scott''' (Portrayed by Creator/JacksonBrundage)
[[quoteright:183:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imagesCAL2MA4U_1549.jpg]]

* AdorablyPrecociousChild: A very mature kid, and all the adults find him adorable.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Adores & is very protective of his little sister Lydia.
* BunniesForCuteness: "I have a fluffy eared bunny named Chester."
* CheerfulChild: Mostly because ChildrenAreInnocent.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: The Scotts didn't tell Jamie about Dan's crimes, leaving him confused as to why everyone else doesn't want Dan around. Even after he learns the truth, Jamie still tries to maintain his relationship with his grandfather.
* TheCutie: Noted {{In-Universe}}, but he grows out of it as he gets older.
* DeadpanSnarker: Has his moments when he gets older.
* FullNameBasis: Always introduces himself as James Lucas Scott when he's really little.
* FutureBadass: The final TimeSkip reveals that Jamie would go on to break Nathan's record as the Ravens' all-time lead scorer & have his number retired. ''Whilst still playing on the team''.
* GenerationXerox: Gradually displays more of Lucas & Nathan's traits as he gets older.
* IntergenerationalFriendship: With Skills, Brooke, Sam, Quentin, Julian & Clay.
* MeaningfulName: His first name could either be from the typical maiden name ThemeNaming of the female leads or his maternal Grandfather's first name. On the other hand, his second given name clearly came from his paternal uncle and godfather.
* MoralityPet: Most of Quentin (Pre-shedding of his JerkJock persona) & Dan's likable moments involve Jamie.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Never referred to as James unless he's in big trouble, or when he's introducing himself when he's still a young boy.
* PrettyFlyForAWhiteGuy: Displays a love of hip-hop & rap music when he's little, with Nathan actually playing old school hip-hop to quiet him down as a baby.
* PuppyLove: With Madison.
* TagalongKid: To the adult main cast. Other kids are added with Season 6 though.
* TimeShiftedActor: He had different actors portraying him as a baby [[spoiler:and as a teenager in the final TimeSkip.]]
* TwoFirstNames: Three if you apply the FullNameBasis.
* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Jamie is very smart for his age.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Millicent "Millie" Huxtable]]
!!'''Millicent "Millie" Huxtable''' (Portrayed by Creator/LisaGoldstein)
[[quoteright:168:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imagesCAK9GBZ8_594.jpg]]

* AscendedExtra: Was only supposed to be in one scene during the first episode of Season 5.
* ClingyJealousGirl: Sometimes, concerning Mouth.
* TheConsigliere: To Brooke initially.
* FanservicePack: She started as a HollywoodHomely {{Meganekko}}. She later becomes a model.
* HollywoodNerd: A particularly attractive one.
* LastGirlWins: For Mouth.
* {{Meganekko}}: She wears glasses initially.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In season 6.
* TookALevelInJerkass: After becoming a model during Season 7.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Alex.
* YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: Millie ''always'' calls Mouth by his real name, Marvin. [[TookALevelInJerkass Her using his nickname during Season 7 is one of the big clues to him that Millie isn't acting like herself]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Julian Baker]]
!!'''Julian Baker''' (Portrayed by Creator/AustinNichols)
[[quoteright:229:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imagesCABV7OB8_2324.jpg]]

* {{Adorkable}}: Not so much in his first appearances in season 6, where he's more stoic and confident. In later episodes he can be quite geeky and dorky though.
* AmicableExes: With Peyton.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Played baseball as a child, but admits he was more interested in the butterfly-catching side of things. He still is as an adult.
* CallingTheOldManOut: Calls Brooke's father out over his treatment of his daughter in Season 9.
* HollywoodNerd: He's kind of a movie geek, but still handsome.
* IntergenerationalFriendship: With Jamie, who even served as his best man.
* LovableRogue: Have you ''seen'' him grin? It's even described ''{{In-Universe}}'' as being rogueish.
* MommasBoy: Very close to his mother, in contrast having a distant relationship with his father.
* TheMovieBuff: Justified due to his job.
* NiceGuy: A very honest, caring guy.
* OddFriendship: Julian's a director[=/=]producer from Hollywood who has little interest in sports. Contrast this with pretty much every other male character in the show, several of whom ''make their living'' through sports.
* PermaStubble: In later seasons.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In season 7.
* RuleOfThree: Pointed out by Peyton as [[spoiler:the third guy to be shared by herself & Brooke.]]
* ShoutOut: Will frequently make reference to films in his dialogue.
--> "And ''just'' because I referenced ''DirtyDancing'' doesn't mean I'm not serious!"
* SixthRanger: Bonus points for being introduced in the ''sixth'' season. In addition, he's actually the final addition to the gang when the core five are still complete. [[spoiler:He even married the remaining single girl of the five, though two seasons after his introduction]].
* VitriolicBestBuds: Eventually becomes this with Lucas.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Has this relationship with his father.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Clayton "Clay" Evans]]
!!'''Clayton "Clay" Evans''' (Portrayed by Creator/RobertBuckley)
[[quoteright:235:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/clayevans_8706.png]]

* TheCasanova: [[spoiler:How he attempts to get past his wife's death]].
* TheConsigliere: To Nathan initially.
* {{Fanboy}}: Of comic books.
* HerHeartWillGoOn: [[spoiler:Complete with a child.]]
* LadyKillerInLove: With Quinn.
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler:Was so traumatised by Sara's death, that he blocked out all memories of the son they had together for several years]].
* TheLostLenore: The death of Sara severely affected Clay.
* LukeYouAreMyFather: [[spoiler:His son Logan. See LaserGuidedAmnesia above]].
* RememberTheNewGuy: Justified. Clay became Nathan's agent and close friend during the TimeSkip.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: To Lucas & Peyton - he takes Peyton's role as the best friend with the tortured backstory whilst taking Lucas' love of sports.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Quinn James]]
!!'''Quinn James [[spoiler:Evans]]''' (Portrayed by [[Creator/ShantelVanSanten Shantel VanSanten]])
[[quoteright:227:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imagesCAFXOPPR_8654.jpg]]

* ChekhovsGunman: She was first mentioned in season 2, five seasons before being a series regular.
* CoolAunt: To Jamie and Lydia.
* CoolBigSis: She's close to her younger sister Haley.
* ExpositoryHairStyleChange: Initially a brunette, but she goes blonde in the last few seasons.
* TheGhost: As seen in ChekhovsGunman, she never appears before season 7.
* HollywoodToneDeaf: Downplayed when she sings "Eye of the Tiger". She's more awkward rather than exaggeratedly bad.
* HotScoop: Well, she is a photographer, so...
* MassiveNumberedSiblings: She has three sisters and three brothers.
* MsFanservice: Is she ''ever''. You can make a DrinkingGame for every "Quinn in a bikini scene". You won't stay sober for long...
* ParentalAbandonment: [[spoiler: Her father died between the seasons 4 and 5 TimeSkip while her mother died in season 7.]]
* ParentalSubstitute: [[spoiler:To Logan.]]
* PlayingGertrude: Quinn is Haley's older sister but Shantel [=VanSanten=] is actually four years younger than Bethany Joy Galeotti.
* RavenHairIvorySkin: Initially.
* RunningGag: Quinn's hillariously bad dancing.
* SecondLove: [[spoiler: To Clay.]]
* ShesGotLegs: Hence why most of her wardrobe consists of tiny shorts.
* StatuesqueStunner: Shantel [=VanSanten=] is a real life model after all.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: To Peyton & Lucas - she takes Lucas' role as the older sibling & Peyton's love of art.
* TheTease: Appeared next to Clay wearing only her Black Bra and Panties.
* TwoFirstNames: "Quinn" and "James".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Alex Dupre]]
!!'''Alex Dupre''' (Portrayed by Creator/JanaKramer)
[[quoteright:259:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imagesCA639XIG_4996.jpg]]

* AloofDarkHairedGirl: A beautiful, bitchy girl with long dark hair.
* AttentionWhore: She gets better after a while, although she's always a bit self-centered.
* BathSuicide: [[spoiler:She survived.]]
* BettyAndVeronica: The Veronica to Mia's Betty for Chase's Archie.
%%* BrutalHonesty
* TheDitz: Initially she comes off as vapid due to her flighty nature.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler: Tries to kill herself in season 7 but she survives.]]
%%* EasilyForgiven
* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Lamphshaded by Alex herself at Brooke's bachelorette party. Though Quinn then replies that she still considers Alex her friend.
* HopelessSuitor: To Julian in Season 7.
* ItsAllAboutMe: She had her moments. Lampshaded by Brooke in "Some Roads Lead Nowhere"
* MsFanservice: Not as much as Quinn, but she fits this trope pretty well too.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: A model, actress and an IdolSinger.
* PutOnABus: At the start of Season 9.
* ReallyGetsAround: Her reputation.
* TomboyishName: Alex is usually a male name.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With everyone.
* WithFriendsLikeThese: Mostly due to her ItsAllAboutMe complex.
* YourCheatingHeart: After [[PutOnABus going on tour in the second episode of Season 9]], Alex promptly cheats on Chase.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Chase Adams]]
!!'''Chase Adams''' (Portrayed by Creator/StephenColletti)
[[quoteright:198:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imagesCAOCACC4_7114.jpg]]

* AcePilot: Tells Brooke that his dream is to become a pilot during Season 4. He ultimately gets his wings & joins the Air Force post-TimeSkip.
* AmicableExes: With Brooke.
* BettyAndVeronica: The Archie to Mia's Betty & Alex's Veronica.
* BigBrotherMentor: To Chuck in Season 8.
* CommutingOnABus: Seasons 5 through 7.
* TheGenericGuy: In a series where the main cast includes writers, athletes & musicians (Among others), Chase's most notable aspect is that he's the only major character (Post High School) who doesn't go on to great things.
* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: Whilst Chase's actual proficiency in the bedroom is joked about, he's considered to be a ''very'' good kisser by Brooke, Peyton & Mia.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Chris Keller in the last season.
* InsistentTerminology: Will correct everyone the moment they get his job title wrong.
* {{Irony}}:
** Moved to Tree Hill after his best friend & girlfriend began sleeping together behind his back; Chase eventually does this to Chris Keller in the final season, albeit unitentionally.
** Joins Clean Teens after the above incident, hoping it would save him from further heartbreak; quickly winds up falling for Brooke Davis.
* OnTheRebound: Serves as Brooke's rebound guy after she accepts that there's no future for her & Lucas.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: Midway through Season 8; the only character to be promoted during a season.
* RavenHairIvorySkin: Male version.
* RecurringCharacter: From Season 4 until Season 8.
* RunningGag:
** [[InsistentTerminology Chase immediately correcting people whenever they get his job title wrong]].
** Cannot mix a drink to save his life, and [[LethalChef Lord help you if you try one of his homemade cocktails]].
* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim: Noted {{In-Universe}} by Julian & Haley, that whilst they genuinely like Chase, they cannot understand why a famous actress & rockstar are ''literally'' fighting over a bar tender.
** [[RunningGag Bar]] ''[[InsistentTerminology Manager]]''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Chris Keller]]
!!'''Chris Keller''' (Portrayed by Creator/TylerHilton)
[[quoteright:225:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imagesCA829LM5_5467.jpg]]

* ActionSurvivor: In the last season.
* AllLoveIsUnrequited: For Haley.
* TheBusCameBack: For just one episode in season 4 and afterwards he's hardly mentioned again... until season 9, the ''last season'',where he comes back again, this time as a regular character.
* TheCasanova: He manages to be both this ''and'' a CasanovaWannabe at the same time.
%%* CoolShades
* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Though he doesn't seem to have a problem with it. The rest of the group eventually comes to accept him as part of the gang.
* FullNameBasis: Very often, both in-universe (by himself and other characters) and in fanon.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Chase.
* {{Hypocrite}}: When Chris first appears, he chastises Peyton over listening to bands like The Get-Up Kids & spouts the virtues of true punk rock & accuses the emo scene of selling out those virtues; by Season 4, he's made his name as a country singer singing cheesy ballads; then fast forward to Season 9, where it's revealed that Chris Keller's most recent hit was a jingle for breakfast pastries.
* ICallItVera: He calls his guitar "[[CargoShip Haley James"]].
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: On his better days. Yes, he's an egotistical jerk but it's mostly PlayedForLaughs and he's never been really malicious about it.
* PluckyComicRelief: In seasons 3 & 9, much humour and funny moments come from Chris's antics.
* RecurringCharacter: In seasons 2, 3 & 4. He returned as a regular in season 9.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Although he's actually a talented musician.
* ThirdPersonPerson: Hilariously so, he refers to himself as [[FullNameBasis Chris Keller]], and it's made fun of by pretty much everyone.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Haley, Nathan, Brooke...most of them, really.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Other Characters (Seasons 1 to 4)]]

!!'''Principal Aaron Turner''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/ShawnShepard)''

* LastNameBasis: Always called by his last name.
* PermaStubble: In the first 4 seasons. He's clean shaven by the time of Season 5.
* PutOnABus: In early Season 5.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: As a principal. Even after [[spoiler:Brooke admits to stealing an exam]], he lets her graduate because she was going into fashion & not a field where calculus would be important.
* SharpDressedMan: Always in a nice suit.
* TokenMinority: Unlike most characters, he's black

!!'''Jake Jagielski''' ''(Portayed by Brian Greenberg)''

* AlliterativeName: '''J'''ake '''J'''agielski
* TheBusCameBack: Halfway through Season 2, before getting back on the bus at the end of the season. He made another return during Season 3 for 3 episodes.
* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds: His return in Season 3 is for no other reason than to make it clear that Peyton is in love with Lucas.
* TheGenericGuy: Whilst the other characters all have their quirks, Jake is really just there to give Lucas an ally on the basketball team & serve as a RomanticFalseLead for Peyton, with no real characterisation beyond the fact that he's a nice guy who happens to have a daughter.
* GoodParents: For his baby daughter Jenny.
* LovableJock: In season 1, when he was a player for the Ravens. The only one in the team actually, since he was surrounded by {{Jerk Jock}}s.
* NiceGuy: He's the only one in the team who didn't steal a school bus in the pilot, or go along with Nathan's "hazing" of Lucas after he joined the Ravens.
* OnlySaneMan: In the basketball team. Also when he's around his bitchy ex-girlfriend Nicki.
* PromotedToLoveInterest: In season 2 for Peyton.
* PutOnABus: At the end of Season 1.
* RomanticFalseLead: Begins a relationship with Peyton in Season 2, however by the end of Season 3 it's clear that Jake was never more than a replacement for Lucas.
* SecondEpisodeIntroduction: In a way - whilst Jake is named in the Pilot & appears briefly, he isn't properly introduced until the following episode.
* SecondLove: For Peyton, with Lucas being first (Nathan doesn't really count).
* TokenGoodTeammate: Especially in season 1 where Nathan and most of the Raven were still Grade A {{Jerk Jock}}s.

!!'''Ferguson "Fergie" Thompson''' and '''John "Junk" Moretti''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/VaughnWilson and Creator/CullenMoss)''

* DemotedToExtra: Whilst never prominent characters, Junk and Fergie was given stuff to do during Seasons 1 & 2. By Season 9, he had been reduced to background character.
* FlatCharacter: They have no real role in the story. They are just...there. Save for a random episode in Season 7 where they babysit Jamie, and their frequent appearances on Mouth and Skills' couch playing video games, what real contribution did they have to the show? This is ultimately lampshaded during the cast of the movie adaptation of Lucas' book, as it's revealed that in order to streamline the cast for the film, Junk & Fergie's characters have been cut.
* GirlfriendInCanada: Junk laims to have one in response to Skills' "Four years of high school. Zero girlfriends for Junk and Fergie" comment in the fourth season finale.
* HiddenDepths: Junk calls a crisis hotline during season 8, and admits that he's displeased with his life due to it seemingly going nowhere.
* InSeriesNickname: Fergilicious for Fergie. Only he refers to himself with that, though.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: No one ever calls Junk by his real name, John. Fergie is called "Ferguson" twice during the course of the show - once whilst teasing Lucas over forgetting his roots after not coming down to the River Court for a while, and when his name is called out during graduation.
* SaltAndPepper: Junk is white, Fergie is black.
* {{Satellite Character}}s: To Lucas, Mouth and Skills. Which is really saying something since Skills is kind of a SatelliteCharacter himself.
* UnfortunateName: Who would love to be called Junk?
* ThoseTwoGuys: Almost always appear together. In the Season 4 finale, there's a shot of the 12 graduating seniors paired up - Lucas & Peyton, Nathan & Haley, Brooke & Chase, Rachel & Mouth, Bevin & Skills, and... Junk & Fergie. Likewise, at Lucas & Peyton's wedding, there's a brief series of shots showing the various couples who aren't married; namely Mia & Chase, Mouth & Millie, Skills & Lauren, and again, Junk & Fergie.

!!'''Tim Smith''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/BrettClaywell)''

* AmbiguouslyBi: He likes girls (he married [[spoiler:Bevin]] in the the four-year jump) but he also seems [[HoYay way too devoted]] to Nathan.
* AscendedExtra: Was originally there to serve as Nathan's friend on the Ravens. After Jake was put on a bus, Tim rose in prominence.
* BookDumb: He departed the school mid way through his senior year to go to a special school for "slower students".
* BumblingSidekick: To Nathan in the first episodes.
* TheBusCameBack: In a rare subversion of ChuckCunninghamSyndrome, Tim returned in Episode 5x09, "For Tonight You're Only Here To Know"
* ButtMonkey: He's often made fun of for his stupidity.
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Disappears without explanation midway through Season 3; It's revealed a full season later that he'd transferred out of Tree Hill High.
* DumbJock: Like his friend Nathan, he was in the Tree Hill High basketball team, and unlike the other well known jocks on the show, he plays the trope very straight.
* TheLancer: To Nathan.
* PhraseCatcher: "Just say [Whatever Tim just said, but straight forward], Tim."
* PluckyComicRelief: After Nathan married Haley, this becomes Tim's main role in each of his appearances.
* PrettyFlyForAWhiteGuy: Much to Nathan' irritation.
* ThirdWheel: As Nathan becomes closer to Haley & Lucas, Tim starts to become this.

!!'''Jimmy Edwards''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/ColinFickes)''

* ADeathInTheLimelight: [[spoiler:Jimmy only appears in two episodes before season 3...And then there's "With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept", hands down the most tragic and tear-jerking episode of the entire show. Out of all people who died during the show, Jimmy's death is probably the most shocking one (tied with Keith's death, from the same episode).]]
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: With terrible and tragic consequences. The reasons why Jimmy starts hating school, feeling ignored by everyone, even Mouth and his other close friends.
* BackForTheDead: [[spoiler:When his character come back in season 3.]]
* TheBusCameBack: In Episode 3x15, "Just Watch The Fireworks"
* ChekhovsGunman: Disappearing after the first two episodes in season 1, he made a huge impact to the show's story upon his return in season 3. [[spoiler:As an actual [[IncrediblyLamePun guman]], no less.]]
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Disappears without explanation after two episodes. [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] in season 3.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Upon seeing the unconcious & bleeding out Peyton, Jimmy loses all hope that things could get better & puts his gun to his chest before pulling the trigger.]]
* ForgottenFallenFriend: Averted, [[spoiler:After his death in Episode 3x16, Jimmy is referred to repeatedly over the following six seasons, his death greatly affecting Mouth]].
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: [[spoiler:The release of the time capsule pretty much caused his rampage.]]
* JadeColoredGlasses: It's easy to distinguish this if you compare his appearances in seasons 1 and 3.
* LampshadeHanging: His return in Season 3 serves as one for his suffering ChuckCunninghamSyndrome, as [[spoiler:Jimmy became very bitter over being abandonned by his friends from the River Court, and began hating the entirity of the Tree Hill High student body because they didn't notice when he accidentally overdosed & was missing from school for several weeks]].
* MistakenForMurderer: [[spoiler:After his death, nonetheless. As seen below, everyone thought Jimmy killed Keith, before committing suicide.]]
* SympatheticMurderer: Not really. But after [[spoiler:the school shooting]] he was considered this way by most people when they still didn't know that [[spoiler:''Dan'', not Jimmy, was the one who killed Keith.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: Jimmy's ADayInTheLimelight episode is the most important and shocking episode of the show. Everything about it is a spoiler.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: [[spoiler:Jimmy brought a gun to school and held some students hostage. Just watch the episode and ''try'' not to cry or feel bad for him. And there's the DownerEnding...]]

!!'''Larry Sawyer''' ''(Portrayed by [[TheOtherDarrin Thomas Ian Grffin & Kevin Kilner]])''

* DisappearedDad: Due to his work as a fisherman, Larry spends a large chunk of his time at sea & away from Peyton.
* LongBusTrip: Doesn't appear at all during the second season, and isn't seen again after the third season - despite his daughter suffering from PTSD after being stalked by Psycho!Derek, graduating from high school, [[spoiler:getting married, having a daughter & nearly dying in the birth]], even though Larry's job as captain of a dredging vessel means he could have popped back up at any time.
* PapaWolf: To Peyton, largely due to work meaning he's away for large periods of time & the death of his wife when Peyton was a little girl.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Trusts his teenaged daughter to take of herself whilst he's away at sea, and allows Brooke to move in during season 3.
* ShipperOnDeck: During the first season, he's very much aware of his daughter's attraction to Lucas, and at one point invites him to join them whilst he was having dinner with Peyton at Karen's Cafe, even justifying his actions as "Taking care of my little girl."
* TheLostLenore: His late-wife, Anna.

!!'''Nicki''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/EmmanuelleVaugier)''

* {{Determinator}}: Nicki is a villainous example, when it comes to her daughter, Jenny.
* {{Jerkass}}: Justified as she's an antagonist. Nicki was the resident bitch, before Rachel was introduced in season 3.
* ManipulativeBitch: She was just as bad as Rachel.
* OnlyOneName: As far as we know.
* ParentalAbandonment: She abandoned her daughter Jenny for the first 8 months of her life.
* PutOnABus: Twice, in Season 1 and then in Season 2.
* TeenPregnancy: The mother of Jake's daughter Jenny.

!!'''Jimmy James''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/HueyLewis)''

* AlliterativeName: '''J'''immy '''J'''ames
* BusCrash: Is stated to have died during season 7, but it's unclear when this happened - the most likely answer is during one of the [[TimeSkip time skips]] between seasons 4 & 5 or 6 & 7.
* DotingParent: Like Lydia, he was a loving parent to all his children.
* HappilyMarried: To Lydia.
* ThePatriarch: Of the James family.
* RepetitiveName: James "Jimmy" James.
* TwoFirstNames: His RepetitiveName.

!!'''Lydia James''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/BessArmstrong)''

* BackForTheDead: When she comes back in season 7.
* TheBusCameBack: In 7X16 "My Attendance Is Bad, But My Intentions Are Good''.
* CerebusSyndrome: She first appeared as a DotingParent...
* CoolOldLady: In season 7.
* DotingParent: Like James, she was a loving parent to all her children.
* HappilyMarried: To Jimmy.
* IllGirl: In season 7 she was dying of pancreatic cancer.
%%* TeamMom
* TwoFirstNames: Lydia and James.
* WidowWoman: Her husband died at some point during the TimeSkip.
* YourDaysAreNumbered: In Season 7.

!!'''Bevin Mirskey''' ''(Portayed by Creator/BevinPrince)''

* AscendedExtra: If you look closely in Season 1, you can see Bevin in various scenes as an unnamed extra.
* BackForTheFinale: [[spoiler:Having not appeared since Season 5, she returns in the Grand Finale working in the Courthouse when Clay & Quinn go to sign the adoption papers for Logan. She also appears after the final TimeSkip, the show implying that she's reunited with Skills.]]
* BetaCouple: With Skills.
* BrainlessBeauty: A pretty and dumb cheerleader.
* TheBusCameBack: In the SeriesFinale.
* TheCheerleader: She was one at Tree Hill High School. The "cute but dumb" type of cheerleader, although she wasn't slutty or mean.
* ADateWithRosiePalms: Invoked.
-->'''Bevin:''' I [[RunningGag Brooke myself]] all the time, too.
* TheDitz: Or so it seems. After the season 4 TimeSkip, she married the equally stupid Tim Smith.
* TheDragon: To Rachel.
* DumbBlonde: It wouldn't be a teen show with cheerleaders without one.
* LastMinuteHookUp: [[spoiler:It is implied that she and Skills are reunited in the SeriesFinale.]]
* ObfuscatingStupidity: In "Pictures of You" she reveals that she only acts dumb for people to rely on her in that way.
* OffscreenBreakup: With Skills in season 5, and with Tim between seasons 5 & 9.
* PopularIsDumb: As seen above, she's not as stupid as she seems, but lets the other girls believe it for this reason.
* RecurringCharacter: She made appearances from season 2 to season 5.

!!'''Felix Tagarro''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/MichaelCopon)''

* BigBrotherInstinct: Towards Anna initially, when he believed that her bisexuality was only a rumor. He changed his mind anyway after her ComingOutStory.
* DirtyCoward: In a fight with Lucas, Felix drops to the ground after one punch, purely so that he can jump Lucas from behind.
* FriendsWithBenefits: With Brooke.
* {{Jerkass}}: A big one, but AllGirlsWantBadBoys and Brooke dated him for a while, until his MoralEventHorizon.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: He was homophobic.
* PutOnABus: In Episode 2x17, "Something I Can Never Have"
* TheRival: To Lucas. Both were interested in Brooke, and Lucas was also dating Felix's sister Anna.
* SpearCounterpart: Initially introduced as one to Brooke, which is lampshaded by Peyton.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Played by Michael Copon who is dark-haired and very tall.

!!'''Anna Tagarro''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/DaniellaAlonso)''

* BiTheWay: Fans still debate whether Anna was gay or bisexual. WordOfGod states that Anna's bi, but she says she's gay when coming out to Felix, because her brother was so homophobic, that saying she was gay felt like stronger declaration for her.
%%* BrokenBird
* ComingOutStory: When she discovers that Felix wrote ‘dyke’ on Peyton's locker she turns him in getting him expelled. She comes out to him and states how hurt she is by his use of the word.
* PutOnABus: In Episode 2x18, "The Lonesome Road"
* TwoferTokenMinority: The first recurring bisexual character of color on television.

!!'''Andy Hargrove''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/KierenHutchinson)''

* TheBusCameBack: Episode 5x12, "Hundred"
* HotTeacher: Initially he was a teacher at Karen's college.
* LastGirlWins: [[spoiler:But he'd give it up if it meant the First Guy was still alive & got to meet his daughter]].
* NiceGuy: A very decent guy, and really in love with Karen.
* ParentalSubstitute: [[spoiler:To Lily.]]
* PutOnABus: At the end of Season 2.
* WalkingTheEarth: During Seasons 5 & 6.
* YouNeverAsked: After being told that Karen had a son, Andy thought Lucas was a little kid. He then found out that the guy he was talking with at Tric's bar was her son.

!!'''Taylor James''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/LindseyMcKeon)''

* AloofBigBrother: At her worst.
* BlackSheep: To the Jameses.
* TheBusCameBack: Episode 7x13, "Weeks Go By Like Days".
%%* CoolUncle
* CryCute: [[spoiler:During her mom's cancer revelation and subsequent death.]]
%%* DeadpanSnarker
* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: blonde in season 2, AloofDarkHairedGirl in season 7.
* FemmeFatale: Very attractive and seductive.
%%* InferioritySuperiorityComplex
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: She shows this when [[spoiler:her mother Lydia dies in season 7.]]
* MassiveNumberedSiblings: She has three sisters and three brothers.
* MsFanservice: She was played by Lindsey Mckeon.
* ParentalAbandonment: [[spoiler: Her father died between the seasons 4 and 5 TimeSkip while her mother died in season 7.]]
* RavenHairIvorySkin: In season 7.
* ReallyGetsAround: She was known for being promiscuous and sleeping with many men.
* ScrewySquirrel
-->'''Quinn:''' Remember when Haley had her first period!? You convinced her that she was dying!
* SiblingTriangle: Played with. She is the girl Nathan lost his virginity to. Nathan is of course married to Haley. When she returned in season 7, she is seen dating Quinn's ex-husband David.
* TheTease: Wrote "Lucas - you know you want me" in his Freshmen yearbook.
* TokenEvilTeammate: In her family.
* TomboyishName: Though "Taylor" can be both male or female
* TwoFirstNames: Taylor and James.
* TheUnfavorite: Being the most rebellious daughter and the BlackSheep of the family.

!!'''Cooper Lee''' (Portrayed by Creator/MichaelTrucco)

%%* TheCharmer
* CoolUncle: Because he was roughly 12 when he became an Uncle, his relationship with Nathan comes off more like an older brother & significantly younger brother. He even makes an effort to have a relationship with Lucas, ''who actually isn't related to him in any way''.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: [[spoiler:Upon learning that Rachel used TheBabyTrap on him, he became extremely pissed.]]
* MayDecemberRomance: Has one with Rachel, before finding out her real age. He calls it off after that.
* MrFanservice: Nicknamed by Brooke "Hot Uncle Cooper". He gets a ShirtlessScene at some point.
* PutOnABus: In early Season 4, after recovering from the limo crash.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: He also qualifies as TallDarkAndSnarky.
* TwoFirstNames: "Cooper" and "Lee".

!!'''Elizabeth "Ellie" Harp''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/SherylLee)''

* BrokenBird: Like mother, like daughter.
* DrugsAreBad: She was a cocaine addict when she got pregnant with Peyton.
* DyingAlone: [[spoiler:Peyton found Ellie dead on her bed.]]
* IllGirl: [[spoiler:Dying of a terminal cancer.]]
* LastEpisodeNewCharacter: In season 2.
* MissingMom: To Peyton.
* {{Retirony}}: [[spoiler:Died around the time when she just started a relationship with her abandoned daughter.]]

!!'''Gigi Silveri''' (''Portrayed by Creator/KelseyChow'')

* AllWomenAreLustful: "[[PhraseCatcher Gigi Silveri, ladies & gentlemen]]."
* AmicableExes: With Mouth.
* TheBusCameBack: In season 6.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Somewhat, with her random comments during the games when announcing with Mouth.
* LovableSexManiac: A rare female example, surprisingly combined with TheCutie, and it still works.
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: To Mouth.
* {{Meganekko}}: Mostly in seasons 3 and 4.
* ReallyGetsAround: States as much during season 6, when she returns as Mouth's intern.
* SavvyGuyEnergeticGirl: Energetic Girl to Mouth's Savvy Guy.

!!'''Abby Brown''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/AllisonScagliotti)''

* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler: She was the hostage spared by Jimmy and ultimately witnessed Dan's murder of Keith. She told Lucas about it the following season.]]
* DisappearedDad: She only lives with her mother.
* IllGirl: Abby is diabetic and that's why [[spoiler:Jimmy lets her go when he was holding her and other students hostage.]]

!!'''Glenda Farrell''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/AmberWallace)''

* DarkerAndEdgier: Is first introduced during the school shooting, as just a normal girl. When she reappears in season 4, she's become a goth.
* IResembleThatRemark: When Peyton protests that she's a loner & not a prom queen during a Social Studies class, Glenda points that she's a loner whilst Peyton's a cheerleader dating one of the stars of the basketball team.
* NotSoDifferent: After spending an hour with Lucas, she admits that he would've made a pretty good goth.
* SecretKeeper: Is the first person Lucas tells about his novel.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Her mother was one of "the pretty & the popular" & is disappointed that Glenda isn't.

!!'''Shelly Simon''' ''(Portayed by Creator/ElizabethHarnois)''

* CelibateHero: Formed Clean Teens, a group that vowed to remain "Virgins for life".
* GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion: Averted. It's revealed that the reason she's so insistent that Brooke keep her baby was that Shelly hadn't done the same & regrets the decision.
* InsistentTerminology: Insists that she's a "born again virgin" after Brooke calls her out on leading a celibacy group when she isn't even a virgin.
* ReallyGetsAround: Before she formed Clean Teens.

!!'''Ian "Psycho!Derek" Banks ''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/MattBarr)''

* AttemptedRape: Tried to pull this on Peyton ''twice''.
* AxCrazy: There's a reason why he's nicknamed "Psycho!Derek".
* BrotherSisterIncest: Subverted. He pretends to be Peyton's brother just to get close to her. Once she learns the truth, he decides to stop holding back on his lust for her.
* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Remember WATCHMEWATCHYOU? He sent it to Peyton.]]
* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler:He felt guilty and was very devastated for his girlfriend's death when they were both involved in a car accident. He was obsessed with Peyton because she apparently was very similar to Maggie, his dead girlfriend.]]
* GreenEyedMonster: Envious of Peyton's close relationship with Lucas.
* InSeriesNickname: Psycho!Derek.
* TheLostLenore: See FreudianExcuse.
* LoveMakesYouCrazy: In his case...'''AxCrazy'''.
* LoveMakesYouEvil: He becomes evil after [[spoiler: his girlfriend's death. See FreudianExcuse.]]
* MadeOfIron: During his first AttemptedRape of Peyton, he manages to subdue Lucas and the real Derek (An actual member of the Marine Corps.) in short order, before the two of them throw him through Peyton's first floor bedroom window. And he ''still'' manages to recover enough that he's able to flee before the police arrive.
* NeverMyFault: He fails to acknowledge that he's in prison because of what he had done to Peyton and her friends. Instead, he blames her and claims that she's nothing more than a tease with everything she does.
%%* SanitySlippage
* StalkerWithACrush: For Peyton. His wall of Peyton photos is proof of it.
* WouldHitAGirl: He hit both Peyton & Brooke, and stabbed a prostitute.
* {{Yandere}}: Perfectly willing and capable of killing anyone in his way.

!!'''Derek Sommers''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/ErnestWaddell)

* BadassInANiceSuit: A member of the U.S. Marine Corps. Sometimes he wears his dress uniform.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Towards Peyton, eventually.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Starts off not wanting to have anything to do with his sister, but gradually comes to have a loving relationship with her.
* LimitedWardrobe: Is only ever seen in his military fatigues or his dress uniform.
* ParentalAbandonment: His biological father abandonned his mother for Ellie Harp.
* ShipperOnDeck: For Lucas & Peyton. It's ultimately his encouragement that leads to Peyton admitting her feelings.

!!'''Daunte Jones''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/RickFox)''

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:Died when he lost control of his speeding car and crashed into a construction site.]]
* FallenHero: He's a former Tree Hill Raven.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Died in a car crash immediately after he tried to run over Nathan but instead hit Haley.]]
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: He was a loan shark.
* SharpDressedMan: Always wears a full suit.
* StarterVillain: In season 4.
* SmugSnake: To the point that he plays this to ''Dan Scott'' of all people.
* WouldHitAGirl: Unintentional, as [[spoiler:Haley pushed Nathan out of Daunte's speeding car.]]

!!'''Lily Roe Scott''' (Portrayed by Creator/MaryKateEnglehardt)

* TheBusCameBack: Episode 5x12 "Hundred".
* DisappearedDad: Her father [[spoiler:Keith]] died before she was born.
* InsistentTerminology: Argues that Jamie has to call her Aunt Lily[[note]]Technically, she's not his aunt anyway - whilst Lucas & Nathan are half-brothers, she's only Nathan's cousin & subsequently isn't Jamie's aunt.[[/note]]
* MeaningfulName: Is named Lily after [[spoiler:Keith's spirit visits Karen in her coma, and a spirit version of their daughter is happily playing in a bed of lillies]].
* SomeoneToRememberHimBy: [[spoiler:Keith and Karen's child born after the former's death.]]
* TangledFamilyTree: Big brother Lucas is also her cousin.
* WalkingTheEarth: With her mother & Andy after the TimeSkip.
* WeHardlyKnewYe: Born in the penultimate episode of Season 4; After the the 4 year TimeSkip, she appears in a total of two episodes - 5x12 & 5x13 - and is rarely mentioned.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Other Characters (Seasons 5 to 9)]]

!!'''Lindsey Strauss''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/MichaelaMcManus)''

* BettyAndVeronica: The Betty to Peyton's Veronica for Lucas' Archie.
* BrainyBrunette: She's a book-editor and owns a publishing company. In one episode Haley says Lindsey is one of the smartest people she knows.
* IvyLeagueForEveryone: Lindsey attended an Ivy League school.
* NiceGirl: Surprisingly sympathetic for a RomanticFalseLead. 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, their ShipperOnDeck in season 5).
* PutOnABus: Episode 6x05, "You've Dug Your Own Grave, Now Lie In It".
* RomanticFalseLead: WordOfGod 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.
* RomanticRunnerUp: [[spoiler:Along with Brooke in the season 6 premiere.]]
* RunawayBride: [[spoiler: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.]]
* SexyMentor: To Lucas.
* ThirdOptionLoveInterest: Played with in the seasons 5 and 6's finale and premiere. Lindsey is Lucas' current/recent girlfriend and the LoveTriangle was between Lucas, her and Peyton. However, Lucas also "called" [[SecondLove Brooke]] [[spoiler: to propose.]]

!!'''Carrie''' ''(Portayed by [[Creator/TorreyDeVitto Torrey DeVitto]])''

* AloofDarkHairedGirl: Initially.
* ArchEnemy: To the Scott family in general, particularly Haley.
* AxCrazy: A ''literal'' example. [[spoiler:The girl attempted to attack Deb and Haley with an axe!]]
* BackForTheDead: In season 6.
* BigBad: Season 5 and the first few episodes of Season 6. She's Haley's antagonist for most of season 5, but gradually becomes an enemy to everyone, namely the Scotts.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: She seemed perfectly nice in the beginning.
* DarkActionGirl: Especially in season 6, when she becomes even more psychotic, manipulative and...violent.
* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler:It's revealed that her obsession with replacing Haley as Jamie's mother is down to her own son dying]].
* IJustWantToBeYou: [[spoiler:Towards Haley.]]
* MsFanservice: Her scene with Nathan ''in the shower''. And in one episode she's asked by Haley not to wear her bikini at the pool.
* OnlyOneName: Her last name is not revealed.
* StalkerWithACrush: To Nathan.
%%* TallDarkAndSnarky
* TheTease: When she tries to flirt with Nathan.
* WhiteShirtOfDeath: [[spoiler:Killed by Dan whilst in a HelloNurse outfit.]]
* WomanScorned: Do ''not'' mess with her.

!!'''Victoria Davis''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/DaphneZuniga)''

* AbusiveParents: Emotionally abusive to Brooke, initially.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Her primary character arc during Seasons 5 & 6.
* ForTheEvulz: Most of her actions in season 5.
* TheGhost: Until Season 5.
* InSeriesNickname: "Bitchtoria".
* {{Jerkass}}: A particularly cruel and nasty one, before she finally turns into a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
* JerkassHasAPoint: 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.
* HeelFaceTurn: 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.
* MyBelovedSmother: Trying to control all aspects of Brooke's life and career.
* ParentalNeglect: She wasn't particularly interested in Brooke's life until she'd proven her worth as a clothing designer.
* RecurringCharacter: In later seasons.
* TookALevelInKindness: End of season 6.

!!'''Owen Morello''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/JoeManganiello)''

* TheAlcoholic: A recovered one, before suffering a relapse.
* BadassBeard: Pre-Relapse.
* TheBartender: A bartending alcoholic. [[SarcasmMode It ends well]].
* BeardOfSorrow: Post-Relapse.
* TheBigGuy: 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.
* TheBusCameBack: Season 7 episode "At the Bottom of Everything".
* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds: The Owen[=/=]Brooke ship doesn't really have any resolution during Season 5, largely due to the Writers Strike costing the season 4 episodes & Manganiello not being available for the last 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.
* DeadpanSnarker: Initially in his interactions with Brooke.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Joe Manganiello is 6' 5"
* TroubledButCute: A former alcoholic and drug addict. Obviously Brooke was attracted to him.

!!'''Quentin "Q" Fields''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/RobbieJones)''

* BaldBlackLeaderGuy: In virtue of being the Raven's [[TheAce ace]] player.
%%* BaldOfAwesome
* EmptyChairMemorial: [[spoiler:In Haley's classroom after his death]].
* FourIsDeath: [[spoiler: His jersey number is '''44'''.]]
* JerkJock: When first introduced in Season 5.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Haley, Lucas, Skills & Nathan eventually force him to grow out of the JerkJock personality. Even before that, he's never anything but friendly to Jamie.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: 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.
* PetTheDog: Before growing out of being a JerkJock, Q's most likable moments involved Jamie.
* TokenMinority: One of the few black characters.

!!'''Mia Catalano''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/KateVoegele)''

* BettyAndVeronica: The Betty to Alex's Veronica for Chase's Archie.
* GirlinessUpgrade: In the same manner as Brooke, Peyton & Haley - rather than making her more feminine, it was done to show Mia maturing.
* IdolSinger: A successful singer and songwriter, thanks to RecordProducer Peyton and Haley.
* MsFanservice: On occaision.
* PutOnABus: At the end of Season 8.
%%* RavenHairIvorySkin
* RecurringCharacter: In later seasons (but she doesn't appear in the last one).

!!'''Samantha "Sam" Walker''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/AshleyRickards)''

* BoundAndGagged: In ''Things A Mama Don't Know''.
* DeadpanSnarker: Or LittleMissSnarker since she's a young girl.
* HappilyAdopted: By Brooke in season 6, despite their complicated relationship. She eventually left Brooke to live with her biological mother.
* ItsAllMyFault: Blames herself for [[spoiler: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.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Only Victoria calls her Samantha.
* PutOnABus: After season 6.
* ShipperOnDeck: For Brooke & Julian.
* StreetUrchin: When first introduced.
* TomboyishName: Sam is short for Samantha.
* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Has seen more than a 15 year old ''should'' have seen.

!!'''Mick Wolf''' ''(Portrayed by John Doe)''

* TheAlcoholic: His AA token commemorating a year's sobriety is actually Ellie's from the year she was pregnant with Peyton.
* BrokenPedestal: Peyton is initially thrilled to meet him, due to his status as a notable studio musician. Upon realising that he's her biological father, this happens as Mick had been intentionally avoiding admitting this to her & he skipped a dinner to get drunk in a bar.
* DisappearedDad: To Derek, abandonning him & his mother to start a relationship with Ellie Harp. He's also absent from his daughter's life until she's 22.
* LukeIAmYourFather: 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''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/MichaelMay)''

* AbusiveParents: His father hits him & his mother's a drunk.
* BigBrotherMentor: Gains one in Chase during Season 8.
* DisappearedDad: Until Season 9.
* IntergenerationalFriendship: With Chase and Chris Keller.
* KidsAreCruel: Initially introduced bullying Jamie. They quickly become friends after that.
* TheLancer: To Jamie.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Chase calls him Charles once. He's immediately told to call him Chuck instead.
* SincerestFormOfFlattery: Starts impersonating Chris Keller, [[ThirdPersonPerson right down to referring to himself in the third person]], during Season 9.
* TagAlongKid: To the adult main cast, along with Jamie.
* TookALevelInKindness: After befriending Jamie.

!!'''Miss Lauren''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/AllisonMunn)''

* CoolTeacher: Especially to Jamie.
* HotTeacher: She dates both Skills and Mouth, and even Jamie initially has a PrecociousCrush on her.
* OnlyOneName: Her last name was never revealed. [[spoiler:Her married surname is Fletcher, however.]]
* RecurringCharacter: Starting in season 6.

!!'''Xavier Daniels''' ''(Portrayed by [[Creator/DevinMcGee Devin McGee]])''

* ArchEnemy: To Brooke.
* AxCrazy: Out of the many disturbing, twisted villains throughout this show, Xavier is possibly the worst of them all.
* BadLiar: See ReformedButRejected below.
* BaldOfEvil: Not entirely bald, but definitely evil.
* BeardOfEvil: To make him look even more sinister.
* BigBrotherBully: He was violently abusive to his younger brother Jack.
* TheBusCameBack: Much to Brooke's dismay.
* DevilInPlainSight: In season 9, when he's released from jail.
* DiabolusExMachina: He is this trope personified. Especially if you ask Brooke.
* FoeYay: {{In-universe}} towards Brooke. It's one sided, though.
* ForTheEvulz: Whilst every other villain on the show has some sort of motivation behind their villainy, the same can not be said of Xavier.
* HeroKiller: [[spoiler: Killed Q. He nearly killed Brooke on at least ''three'' occasions.]]
* {{Jerkass}}: A violent criminal.
* KarmaHoudini: Is finally arrested in the thirteenth episode of season 6, after [[spoiler: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.
* KnightOfCerebus: 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 ForTheEvulz.
* ObviouslyEvil: Unlike other villains like Derek and Carrie, who appear to be nice at first.
* PromotionToParent: His parents were absent throughout his life, so he was forced taking care of his younger brother Jack.
* ReformedButRejected: Claims to be this in the last season. Of course he's not.
* WouldHitAGirl: Just ask Brooke. And Sam.
* WouldHurtAChild: His brother or even Sam are examples.
* XMakesAnythingCool: Xavier '''"X"''' Daniels.

!!'''Adam Reese''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/JamesVanDerBeek)''

* TheAlcoholic: His introduction features him snorting cocaine.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Is considered to be a good director, but is a bit of of a goof.
* BenevolentBoss: See below.
* HiddenDepths: After the film adaptation of Lucas' book is shutdown, 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 cancelled, but point out that they should still be proud of the attempt.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: After the film adaptation of Lucas' book is shutdown, Reese goes out & shoots a sunset on the pretence of using as stock footage for the film specifically because it meant that the studio still had to pay out on the various contracts.
* {{Keet}}

!!'''Principal Charlene Rimkus''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/SusanWalters)''

* BadBoss: To Haley.
%%* FieryRedhead
%%* IronLady
* MoralGuardian: 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.
* PutOnABus: In late season 6.
* ReplacementScrappy: In Universe. Everyone thinks she is this [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure to Principal Turner]].
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Once she took over the school she enforced a stricter policy on both the students and staff.

!!'''Sawyer Brooke Scott''' ''(Portrayed by Various)''

* AlliterativeName: '''S'''awyer '''S'''cott.
* GenkiGirl: [[spoiler:According to Lucas.]]
* LastEpisodeNewCharacter: In season six.
* MeaningfulName: 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.
* MotorMouth: [[spoiler:Again, according to Lucas.]]
* TimeShiftedActor: First seen as a newborn, before being aged up several months within the same episode.
* TomboyishName: Sawyer, which was also her mother's last name.
* WalkingTheEarth: With her parents as of season 7.
* WeHardlyKnewYe: Introduced in the Season 6 finale, never seen again afterwards.

!!'''Sara Evans''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/AmandaSchull)''

* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: She was kind, young and beautiful.
* HappilyMarried: To Clay [[spoiler:when she was alive.]]
* IdenticalStranger: To Katie.
* PosthumousCharacter: When Clay is introduced on the show, Sara was alredy dead.
* SpiritAdvisor: She frequently appears to Clay in season 7.

!!'''Katie Ryan''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/AmandaSchull)''

* ArchEnemy: To Quinn.
* AxCrazy: Yes, in this show there are '''a lot''' of psychos around...
* BigBad: For Season 7 and the first half of Season 8.
* CriminalDoppelganger: To Sara after the season 7 finale.
* DarkActionGirl: [[spoiler:She shoots both Clay and Quinn, and later she comes back to Tree Hill...to find Quinn and kill her.]]
* DistaffCounterpart: Of Psycho!Derek.
* EvilCounterpart: 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.
* IJustWantToBeYou: 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.
* IdenticalStranger: To Sara, obviously.
* IfICantHaveYou: [[spoiler:In the season 7 finale. It failed.]]
* LoveMakesYouCrazy: Her obsession with Clay made her insane and...
* LoveMakesYouEvil: [[spoiler:...A psycho stalker, much like Psycho!Derek before her.]]
* MurderTheHypotenuse: [[spoiler:Also in the season 7 finale. It also failed.]]
* ReplacementGoldfish: Tries desperately to become this for Clay.
* StalkerWithACrush: To Clay.
* TwoFirstNames: Katie and Ryan.
* WomanScorned: Her actions are motivated by Clay's repeated rejections of her.
* {{Yandere}}: And like any good yandere she opts for [[spoiler:MurderTheHypotenuse.]]

!!'''Lydia Scott''' ''(Portrayed by [[TimeShiftedActor Various]])''

* DeadGuyJunior: [[spoiler:Named after her paternal grandmother, following her death.]]
* TimeShiftedActor: Due to the {{Time Skip}}s in the Season 8 & 9 finales.
* TwoFirstNames: Lydia and Scott. Plus, the middle name Bob.
[[/folder]]

!!'''Ferguson "Fergie" Thompson''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/VaughnWilson)''

* DemotedToExtra: Whilst never prominent characters, Fergie was given stuff to do during Seasons 1 & 2. By Season 9, he had been reduced to background character.
* FlatCharacter: Has no real role in the story. Fergie is just...there. Save for a random episode in Season 7 where he & Junk babysit Jamie, and their frequent appearances on Mouth and Skills' couch playing video games, what real contribution did they have to the show? This is ultimately lampshaded during the cast of the movie adaptation of Lucas' book, as it's revealed that in order to streamline the cast for the film, Junk & Fergie's characters have been cut.
* InSeriesNickname: Fergilicious. Only he refers to himself with that, though.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Is called Fergie "Ferguson" twice during the course of the show - once whilst teasing Lucas over forgetting his roots after not coming down to the River Court for a while, and when his name is called out during graduation.
* SaltAndPepper: Fulfils this dynamic with Junk.

* ThoseTwoGuys: Almost always appears alongside Junk. In the Season 4 finale, there's a shot of the 12 graduating seniors paired up - Lucas & Peyton, Nathan & Haley, Brooke & Chase, Rachel & Mouth, Bevin & Skills, and... Junk & Fergie. Likewise, at Lucas & Peyton's wedding, there's a brief series of shots showing the various couples who aren't married; namely Mia & Chase, Mouth & Millie, Skills & Lauren, and again, Junk & Fergie.

!!'''John "Junk" Moretti''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/CullenMoss)''

* DemotedToExtra: Whilst never prominent characters, Junk was given stuff to do during Seasons 1 & 2. By Season 9, he had been reduced to background characters.
* FlatCharacter: Has no real role in the story. Junk is just...there. Save for a random episode in Season 7 where he & Fergie babysit Jamie, and their frequent appearances on Mouth and Skills' couch playing video games, what real contribution did they have to the show? This is ultimately lampshaded during the cast of the movie adaptation of Lucas' book, as it's revealed that in order to streamline the cast for the film, Junk & Fergie's characters have been cut.
* GirlfriendInCanada: Claims to have one in response to Skills' "Four years of high school. Zero girlfriends for Junk and Fergie" comment in the fourth season finale.
* HiddenDepths: Calls a crisis hotline during season 8, and admits that he's displeased with his life due to it seemingly going nowhere.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: No one ever calls Junk by his real name, John.
* SaltAndPepper : Fulfils this dynamic with Fergie.
* {{Satellite Character}}s: To Lucas, Mouth and Skills. Which is really saying something since Skills is kind of a SatelliteCharacter himself.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Almost always appears alongside Fergie. In the Season 4 finale, there's a shot of the 12 graduating seniors paired up - Lucas & Peyton, Nathan & Haley, Brooke & Chase, Rachel & Mouth, Bevin & Skills, and... Junk & Fergie. Likewise, at Lucas & Peyton's wedding, there's a brief series of shots showing the various couples who aren't married; namely Mia & Chase, Mouth & Millie, Skills & Lauren, and again, Junk & Fergie.

* DamselInDistress

* TheNicknamer: Comes up with nicknames for Lucas, Peyton & Haley.

* BrokenStreak: Was the only cast member to appear in every episode, until episode 9x03.

* ExpositoryHairStyleChange: Goes from curly hair to short & straight hair, back to curls, then curls with bangs with differing shades of blonde, then straightened hair which goes from a lighter blonde before finally switching to being a redhead halfway through season 6.

* FirstGirlWins: [[spoiler: Peyton. Lucas chooses her over Brooke and Lindsey in season 6.]]

* MrFanservice: Lucas and his {{Shirtless Scene}}s give the female audience plenty of satisfaction.

* MrFanservice: The most obvious example, even more so than Lucas, thanks to his infamous {{Shirtless Scene}}s.

* TheCheerleader: Though she only does it because her mother was one. Every other aspect of Peyton's personality runs opposite to this trope, that Lucas & Ellie both commented that it seemed odd that Peyton was a cheerleader.
* CoolCar: The comet.

* InSeriesNickname: P. Sawyer, used almost exclusively by Brooke.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Her treatment of Peyton in season 4, following Peyton confessing that she had feelings for Lucas, considering that Brooke made a sex tape with Nathan on one of his many single night break-ups with Peyton
* InSeriesNickname: "Pretty Girl" by Lucas.

** In Season 1, whilst Peyton & Lucas were in the wrong to start a relationship behind Brooke's back, Brooke ignores her own earlier attempted sabotage of Lucas & Peyton's developing relationship because she wanted to sleep with him.

--->'''Bevin:''' I [[RunningGag Brooke myself]] all the time, too.

--->'''Quinn:''' Remember when Haley had her first period!? You convinced her that she was dying!

---> '''Brooke:''' [[EveryoneCanSeeit The rest of the world's been waiting on you two idiots since high school.]]

* BerserkButton: DO NOT mess with his family, friends or his loved ones in any way. Hurt his mom in any way and Lucas will get even.

* BadassInDistress: Spends the entire last season as this.

* BrokenAce: He has a complicated and antagonistic relationship with his father, who moreso parades him (and to a lesser extent his mother) around as a trophy than having an actual healthy father-son relationship, his mother ignores him due to working all the time and she eventually backslides into drug addiction (though she gets better) and he was a big, arrogant manwhore with unstable relationships with women due to his troubled upbringing.

'''John "Junk" Moretti''' ''(Portrayed by Creator/CullenMoss)''