Due to the fact this is a long-running show, this character list contains unmarked spoilers for the entire series, so please tread lightly or not at all.
Jimmy Brooks and Gavin "Spinner" Mason graduated with the Class of Season 7. Jimmy lost a year due to rehab from the shooting and Spinner lost a year due to being expelled. Ashley Kerwin would have graduated with the Class of Season 7 after she spent a year in England, but she left school early to tour with Craig.
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Ashley Kerwin
Ashley Kerwin
Played by Melissa McIntyre, Seasons 1-4 (regular), 5 (guest), 6-7 (recurring)
Paige: “You take everything so seriously...just lighten up.”
Ashley tends to be very melodramatic and uptight compared to her peers, but she is also a very creative person and a talented vocalist and musician. She was the most popular girl at Degrassi; she was class president, had her own Girl Posse, and popular athletic boyfriend Jimmy. But even as the most popular girl, Ashley felt like she couldn't express herself openly and was becoming bored with her friends. She experimented with ecstasy at a sleepover and revealed her true feelings in regards to her friends and boyfriend while under the influence. After that incident, and at the beginning of high school, she is outcast by her friends and dumped by Jimmy. She changes her look dramatically to a goth style, symbolizing her outcast status and to fit in with her new friend, Ellie. She eventually ends up back into her friends' good graces after helping Paige deal with her rape, and later Ashley dates new kid Craig Manning. In season three, Ashley is cheated on by Craig to which she harbors great resentment until he apologized and they date again in season four before she leaves Canada and starts a media internship in London, with her unable to deal with his newly diagnosed mental illness. After returning to Canada shortly, she leaves Degrassi once again to pursue a music career in London in season seven.
- A Friend in Need: Despite being adversarial with Paige throughout season 2, Ashley is the second person she tells that she was raped and Ashley puts aside her anger and helps her cope.
- Alpha Bitch: Ashley was the most popular girl in school. She was controlling when it came to the morning announcements, and the talent show and insulted Terri for not having a boyfriend. This doesn't count when she was on ecstasy.
- Ambition Is Evil: In season seven, after Craig's album comes out (where he includes a song Ashley wrote without giving her proper credit), she starts to focus on a music career but didn't want to be seen as a "sidekick" to Jimmy since her piece was insufficient to his. When a producer offers to work on Ashley and Jimmy's music, Ashley deletes Jimmy's rap from the demo and submits only her vocals.
- The Artifact: Ashley and Toby were more prominent during the first two seasons as they had a parallel with Degrassi Junior High's Stephanie and Arthur. But as the show distanced itself further from the old series, their roles gradually faded and they were Demoted to Extra for the most part.
- Break the Haughty: Throughout season two, as her past snobbery comes back and bites her in the ass, resulting in the loss of all of her friends and social status.
- Cool Big Sis: She and her step-brother Toby have their typical sibling fights, but overall she is a caring big sister.
- Drama Queen: Called out on this in season three for her moody behavior. Paige even tells Ashley that Craig didn't just cheat on her because of hormones, but due to her melodrama. More pronounced in season two, where she went through a period of writing dreary poetry.
- Fallen Princess: After the fallout from the ecstasy, she loses her friends, and social status, going from School Idol to low-level Goth girl.
- Fatal Flaw: Her self-centeredness, which led to her Fallen Princess status.
- Garage Band: An accomplished musician in her own right, and Part of Hell Hath No Fury, and later played with Downtown Sasquatch for a bit. During seasons one and two, she was in a talent show band with Paige, Terri, and sometimes Hazel.
- Girliness Upgrade: In season 5, her hair is much longer and her clothes are more feminine compared to her looks in the previous seasons.
- Go-Getter Girl: In season 1, she strived to be student council president, excel in school, and be at the top of the school ladder in popularity and academics.
- Goth: After she starts hanging out with Ellie, she changes her look to all black and starts writing depressing poetry.
- Humiliation Conga: The season one episode Karma Chameleon, in which she drops down the Popularity Food Chain, gets dumped by Jimmy (who calls her a slut) and Sean, and loses her friends, including best friend Terri.
- It's All About Me: In the beginning, Ashley was determined to stay School Idol, and often times didn't think about other people's feelings, sometimes even her friends. She gets better after her fall from grace, but it occasionally comes up.
- Intoxication Ensues: Takes ecstasy in the first season finale, resulting in Ashley getting high, calling Paige a hag, and cheating on Jimmy. She became a social outcast overnight.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Ashley's mad at her dad for abandoning her so he could run off with a man. You have to admit, she does have a point, shoving away all your parenting responsibilities to the mom and running out on them is not instantly justified just because he's gay.
- Lovable Alpha Bitch: Even as the Alpha Bitch in season 1, she wasn't outwardly mean (especially compared to Paige, at least back then) and can be friendly and caring.
- Must Make Amends: After the ecstasy episode, she was set on getting her friends back and apologizing to Jimmy, but unfortunately after she decides to hang with Sean (despite Jimmy still having feelings for her), her friends learn of her plans and it blows up in her face.
- Not So Above It All: She has a haughty, melodramatic attitude and is called out on it in season 3. She then performs in an Elvis suit in a contest, showing that she can not take everything so seriously.
- Oblivious Guilt Slinging: Right before Craig is about to break up with her to be with Manny like he promised, Ashley gave Craig a vintage guitar that was worth a lot of money as a Christmas gift. This made him feel bad and decide not to break up with her after all.
- Out of Focus: A prominent character in the first three seasons, her role started to fade to just being Craig's girlfriend and giving Craig more drama. Then later she simply became a background character for Jimmy and Ellie's storylines.
- Put on a Bus: Ashley spent all but the final episode of season five in England. She came back to finish up her senior year in season six but apparently decided to stay in England again in season seven.
- Reformed, but Rejected: All the apologizing and drug counseling after her ecstasy trip still didn't gain her favors from her popular friends.
- Satellite Character: In seasons four through seven, mainly to Craig, Ellie, and Jimmy which was a departure from the previous three seasons.
- School Idol: Formerly, before her face from grace.
- Significant Wardrobe Shift: She's had a wardrobe shift in almost every season she's been in; from a trendy preppy girl (season 1) to a goth style (season 2), to an indie rocker chick style (seasons 3-4) to a Girliness Upgrade of tighter tops and jeans and jewelry (seasons 6-7).
- Stepford Smiler: She kept up appearances in order to be popular, but underneath the persona (and as revealed when she took ecstasy and blurted it out) she disliked the pressure of being School Idol and harbored resentment for her then-boyfriend Jimmy and Girl Posse. She saw a lot of herself in unpopular nerd Liberty.
- Straw Nihilist: At her worst, Ashley sees the worst in every situation and in people and can't get excited about anything.
- Student Council President: She rigged her election to get the post, too.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: She wrote a song about Craig "Mr. Nice Guy" with Hell Hath No Fury after he cheated on her.
- Tomboyness Upgrade: In season 1, she was the typical popular girl, but after her fallout from her peers, she cuts her hair very short and becomes a goth. In season 3, she changes her look to rocker chick style, but still boyish. Inverted in season 5, when she has a Girliness Upgrade again, including much longer hair and feminine clothes.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Paige, who was gunning for her Alpha Bitch spot. Ashley was the second person Paige told about her rape and Ashley was instantly protective. Also with Spinner, at least until they got older. He didn't like her very much when she was going out with Craig.
- Woman Scorned: After Craig cheats on her and gets Manny pregnant. She announces the pregnancy in the middle of the Cafe and makes Craig the target of a Take That! song. The band she was in even changed their name to Hell Have No Fury.
- Yoko Oh No: Seen as this when Downtown Sasquatch was recording their demo and Craig brought Ashley along.
Ellie Nash
Eleanor "Ellie" Nash
Played by Stacey Farber, Seasons 2 (recurring), 3-7 (regular), 8 (recurring)
"Guys suck, Ashley. They enjoy messing with our feelings - and then sticking us with the rent."
Ellie is a sarcastic world-weary goth girl who turned heads at Degrassi with her alternative fashion and derisive attitude. She later becomes good friends with Ashley after Ashley gets outcasted from the popular crowd. Underneath the freaky fashion and snarky attitude, Ellie has deep wounds of depression and major trust issues. Her father is away in the Peace Corps and her mother is a neglectful alcoholic. With her father gone and her mother constantly in a drunken stupor who needs to be taken care of, Ellie starts cutting her arms to distract herself from her home life. She starts dating Sean until he leaves her behind so he could deal with his own issues. Ellie later learns to finally confide in people, from her frenemy Paige to forgiving her mother when she nearly burns the house down. During her senior year and college, she had a tumultuous relationship with Craig Manning, to the point where she neglected her own relationship and was starting to drink to alleviate her stress. She had an interest in writing and journalism since she was 15 and in season seven, she is made the editor of The Core, Toronto University's college newspaper. In Degrassi Goes Hollywood, her story arc finally comes full circle she wraps up her relationship with Craig and meets with her PTSD-stricken father.
- The Alcoholic: Briefly, due to Jessie cheating on her with Caitlin Ryan and dealing with her mountain of stress with her relationship with Craig and her father coming home and dealing with PTSD.
- Alcoholic Parent: Her mother, to be specific. She nearly burns down her house in a drunken stupor.
- The Beard: She fell hard for Marco in season two, before realizing he was gay. She continued to be his beard until season 3 when she finally got tired of the charade. They're both now best friends.
- Broken Bird: She's gone through a lot, not just with boyfriends but with her family situation which pretty much left her bitter and reluctant to trust.
- The Cynic: Her home life left her like this, as she usually sees the worst in everybody, especially her mother.
- Deadpan Snarker: Her primary method of communication with people she dislikes, especially as a high schooler.
- Driven to Suicide: In "Degrassi Goes Hollywood", she attempts to drown herself by walking into the Pacific Ocean while drunk (she doesn't know how to swim), but is saved by Craig and Marco before she gets in too deep.
- Emo Teen: Unlike most Emo Teens, she genuinely has reasons to be angsty, but otherwise the label fits like a glove, from her wardrobe to her personality.
- Establishing Character Moment: In Karma Chameleon, popular Paige tries to order Ellie (decked out in her goth/Emo Teen gear) out of her seat so Hazel can sit there and Ellie coolly stands up to her, not caring about her position on the Popularity Food Chain.
- Fag Hag: To Marco, at least after she stopped crushing on him and being his beard. Their relationship was so close, that they actually hooked up in college due to their reluctance to be away from each other.
- Fake Guest Star: Had a few of her own storylines in season two, along with Marco, yet was still credited as a guest star. Became a series regular in season three.
- Fatal Flaw: She's reluctant to trust anyone, and puts up barriers.
- The First Cut Is the Deepest: Due to being hurt by others, Ellie is reluctant to trust anyone let alone any Love Interest.
- Freaky Fashion, Mild Mind: Her fashion is pretty out there in the first seasons she appeared in, but her personality is more laid back and cynical.
- Garage Band: She is part of Hell Hath No Fury and played drums in Downtown Sasquatch for a bit.
- Girliness Upgrade: Dressed in a goth style all throughout high school until college, in which she started dressing more casually and had even had some girly styles mixed in.
- Goth: Her fashion in high school had some basic Goth-type styles, mixed in with some of the more contemporary Emo Teen styles.
- Incompatible Orientation: She crushed on Marco hard until she found out he was questioning his sexuality.
- Intoxication Ensues: After she caught her idol, Caitlin Ryan making out with her boyfriend, she drank a lot of wine and humiliated herself and Caitlin during a public interview. Then also deals with Craig and her PTSD-stricken father during the Degrassi Goes Hollywood TV movie.
- Knight in Sour Armor: Generally pessimistic about everything, but she's determined to stop her cutting and be a great journalist.
- Last Girl Wins: She's the last girl that Craig was interested in during his time at Degrassi, and after they graduated and during Degrassi Goes Hollywood/Paradise City, she turns out to be the girl that he wanted to be with - only Ellie decided to leave it there.
- Love Martyr: Her relationship with both Craig and Jesse was filled with ups and downs and she was hurt, mainly because she kept internally making excuses for them.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: She is the Masculine Girl to Marco's Feminine Boy.
- The Muse: To Jimmy, which led to him having a crush on her. Unfortunately, his feelings weren't returned.
- One of the Boys: A drummer in an otherwise all-male garage band with several piercings. She does have a good female friend, but she is the only girl by season five who has a strictly platonic relationship with a guy and she does maintain friendships with a couple of others.
- Pair the Spares: When Emma and Sean broke up, both of them sought out new love interests - Emma with Chris and Sean with Ellie. The Sean/Ellie pairing was very popular because both had Dark And Troubled Pasts, she was a Broken Bird, and he was Troubled, but Cute. But of course, Emma and Sean had to get back together...
- Promotion to Opening Titles: Stacey Farber made the main cast in season three.
- The Rival: She is the rival of Manny for Craig's affection. Manny was mainly jealous of her spending time with Craig, not to mention insecure that Ellie had a lot more in common with him.
- School Newspaper News Hound: She takes journalism very seriously, not just during her stint at The Core, but at Degrassi's school paper The Grapevine.
- Self-Harm: She started cutting herself after her life became too much. She got better, thankfully.
- The Snark Knight: She was generally disdainful of everyone and herself before she met Caitlin Ryan and she started on her path to being a journalist.
- Stepford Snarker: In seasons two through four, particularly. Her snarky comments and pessimistic personality was a front to cover her sadness and depression.
- Trauma Conga Line: In addition to her crappy home life, it seems like nothing can really go Ellie's way, especially romantically. Her first crush Marco turns out to be gay. Sean leaves her to go to Wasaga, leaving her stuck with the rent. Jessie cheats on her with her mentor Caitlin Ryan. And her biggest crush, Craig, treats her like a side-chick. However she's a non-physical injury version of the Iron Butt-Monkey, determined to work hard, especially as a journalist.
- Troubled Teen: Her mother is an alcoholic, her father is away in the military, and she deals with her issues by cutting her arms.
- Unequal Pairing: With Jessie, who was the editor of The Core when she attended Toronto University. He never took advantage of her, but he was her boss and it's indicated Jesse dated several freshman girls while at The Core.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension/Will They or Won't They?: With Craig for three long, long seasons. Craig played her feelings while dating Manny, and even with Manny out of the picture, there was his coke problem. Poor Ellie.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Towards Paige. In high school, they could barely stand each other and their contact was limited to mutual friends (Ashley and Marco). In college, they grow closer immensely, but the previous tension hasn't really gone away.
- Zen Survivor: Came off this way in season two, and once Ashley gets ditched by her friends, Ellie decides to become Ashley's friend.
Paige Michalchuk
Paige Michalchuk
Played by Lauren Collins, Seasons 1-7 (regular), 8 (recurring), 16 (guest)
'"Four years of high school. Will you spend them cool with us, or as a social loser outcast with her? You decide."
Paige is a sharp-tongued fashionista who was part of Ashley's Girl Posse. She is smart and funny but wouldn't hesitate to step over others to get to her goals. As soon as Ashley's popularity fell, Paige quickly took the Alpha Bitch spot by undermining her friendships and taking her Girl Posse. Soon after becoming queen bee, Paige is date-raped at a party and traumatized until she finally tells Hazel and Ashley about the rape and even faces down her rapist. After the incident, she starts to tone down her meanness and she dates Spinner for two seasons. She faces off with her rapist a year later in a courtroom and unfortunately loses her case, which leads to a break-up with Spinner and an ill-advised fling with a student-teacher. During her senior year, she begins a relationship with Alex Nunez, her first girl-on-girl relationship which makes her wonder about her sexuality until she decides not to label herself. After graduating from Degrassi, she has a complete breakdown at Banting University which was the start of her downward slide which culminates in a break-up with Alex, a high-stress fashion job, and an aimless assistant job in Los Angeles. It does lead to her briefly being cast in Jason Mewes's movie, but she loses the part after getting a big head. She eventually does the right thing by getting Manny cast in the movie.
- Acquired Situational Narcissism: In Degrassi Goes Hollywood," after she's picked to be in Jason Mewes's musical and she starts being a total jerkass to everyone including her best friend Marco. She was so desperate to keep her name in the spotlight that she planned an upskirt "business" shot at a red carpet premiere. She even loses Marco's friendship for a while, but as revealed in the Degrassi: Next Class episode #ThrowbackThursday'', they're friends again.
- Alpha Bitch: The show's most famous example. She wasn't even the first Alpha Bitch (that would be Ashley) but her ascension to the top and behavior afterward pretty much defined her role on the show.
- Backstabbing the Alpha Bitch: What she does to Ashley after her ecstasy trip and tries to make amends.
- Break the Haughty: Several times throughout the show, the first major incident was dealing with the trauma of being raped at age 15.
- Broken Bird: After she was raped at age 15. And then when Dean was acquitted of raping her, she really fell into this trope. She gets better, but it darkened her character from that point on.
- But Not Too Bi: Almost all of her relationships shown in the series are with men, but the one exception is Alex, who she ends up being very serious about. While Alex explicitly calls her bisexual, Paige never gives herself a label, and when asked about it, she says that she isn't sure what she is yet.
- Catchphrase: "New year, new look, new Paige" is her most iconic one.
- Closet Key: Paige is the first girl Alex falls in love with, and from there Alex realizes she is a lesbian.
- Control Freak: Downplayed, but Paige has a need to keep up appearances as well as to be in charge to cover up her insecurities; as a young adult, she found herself completely falling apart when she couldn't cut it at Banting and worked two grueling jobs as an assistant.
- Cruel Cheerleader: She is the head cheerleader of the Spirit Squad and certainly didn't mind throwing her weight around.
- Deadpan Snarker: A lot harsher than deadpan, especially when it's directed towards a target.
- Drives Like Crazy: When she took a driving test with a hot driving instructor, she couldn't concentrate, leading to her failing and smashing several innocent traffic cones.
- Everyone Has Standards: When Hazel hands Fareeza a "Fashion Police" ticket for wearing a hijab (complete with a "terrorist chic" remark). "When I'm offended, you know you've really gone too far."
- Everyone Loves Blondes: She was always one of the most popular students.
- Establishing Character Moment: In season one, when she shows off her new look, complete with the midriff-exposing "Hottie" embroidered shirt and sunglasses and queen bee attitude.
- Evil Is Petty: Paige resorts to petty schemes in order to become the Alpha Bitch, and even encouraged Terri to drink so she would make an ass of herself in front of Spinner, only because she liked Spinner. She (mostly) gets over this.
- Fallen Princess: Her Alpha Bitch façade completely crumbled after she graduated high school and ended up flunking Banting and then later working for a fashion magazine as an assistant.
- The Fashionista: She was a trendsetter at Degrassi and spent time working for a fashion magazine as an assistant.
- Fatal Flaw: Pettiness and jealousy, stemming from her insecurity.
- Freak Out: When she starts attending Banting University (fictional Canadian Ivy League-type school), she completely caves under the schoolwork and starts having regular panic attacks. And it leads to a bigger Freak Out when she sets fire to all of her homework and nearly burns down her dorm.
- Garage Band: The guitarist of Hell Hath No Fury.
- Gratuitous French: She occasionally peppers her dialogue with some French.
- Hidden Depths: She may seem like a cruel and flighty queen bee, but she is very smart (enough to land into Banting) and resourceful.
- Hot for Teacher: She and a teacher's aide start dating in season four, but it is very short-lived.
- Intoxication Ensues: She smoked marijuana right before a surprise college prospect interview. The results are pretty much what you would expect them to be.
- Ivy League for Everyone: Gets into a fictional Canadian university that's supposed to be one of the best in the nation but drops out mid-semester because she can't handle the workload or academic pressure.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She has her bitchy, manipulative moments but she generally tries to do the right thing, she is a good friend and can give really good advice.
- Lovable Alpha Bitch: She became this after she was raped, trusting her friends more and helping them out.
- Manipulative Bitch: Successfully managed to make Spinner choose her over Terri during season one by getting her drunk.
- Oh, Crap!: She meets Holly J in the Mini "Queen Bees" and trades sass with her. But when she learns that Heather Sinclair is her big sister, Paige's face indicates flashbacks of dealing with Heather. She refers to Holly J as the "devil's spawn" as Ellie and Marco drag her out of the Dot.
- Rape Portrayed as Redemption: After she is raped and gets help for it, she becomes a lot nicer and friendlier. However, she still keeps an Alpha Bitch edge, so don't get too friendly with her.
- The Rival: To Manny, for a while due to Manny starting to usurp Paige from her position. After an all-out Cat Fight towards the end of season four, they mostly get over it.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Hit by this big time in Degrassi Goes to Hollywood when she's cast in a Jason Mewes film and before long is acting like she's a monster A-list star to the point she tells him how to run the movie. Before long, she's gotten a diva rep, blackballed and her attempt to boost herself with an "upskirt shot" ends with her literally falling flat on her face and breaking her leg.
- The Starscream: While being Ashley's best friend, she starts to undermine her Alpha Bitch position and seizes it when Ashley becomes unpopular.
- Staring Down Cthulhu: In one of her most famous scenes, where she stared down Dean, her rapist at a songwriting contest, and sang about how he took advantage of her.
- Stepford Smiler: After getting accepted into Banting and flunking all her classes, she tried desperately to maintain her reputation as the Alpha Bitch School Idol (and also implied, completely heterosexual) before it all came crashing down.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: She is the Girly Girl to Alex's Tomboy.
- Trauma Conga Line: Let's see, she is raped at a party, her rapist gets away with the crime, she completely flames out at college, and she has enough room to have an HIV/STD scare.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: In season 1, Paige gave Terri some liquor to loosen her up before the dance. She vomited all over Spinner. Had she dated Spinner, she would've been more confident and probably not thought Rick was her only chance at love. If Rick hadn't put Terri in a coma, there would be no reason for people to bully him, and he wouldn't have reacted by bringing a gun to school. This was a meme on the forums for a while.
- Verbal Tic: Try to find a sentence in her last few seasons where she doesn't say "hun."
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Ellie; they weren't ever very friendly, but Paige is the first to know about her cutting. From there, it's a friendly relationship with the occasional insult fest. Also with Ashley, with whom she opened up about her rape after Paige helped outcast her.
- Yaoi Fan Girl: Even before Marco came out, she liked to think about pairing him with Dylan.
Spinner Mason
Gavin "Spinner" Mason
Played by Shane Kippel, Seasons 1-9 (regular), 14 and 16 (guest)
"Last night, I asked my mom what my culture was. She pointed to the globe and said I was from Earth."
Spinner was one of Degrassi's most popular students, along with his best friend Jimmy Brooks. He was also the school bully but as the years went by, his bully reputation went away and he became a lot sweeter, if not more intelligent. In season two, he helps Paige confront her rapist and from there they start dating until in season four in which he gets dumped due to acting progressively meaner to Paige. As a result, he, along with Jay bullied Rick Murray to extreme. Rick then brought a gun to school and shot Jimmy, under a pretense fueled by Spinner that it was Jimmy who was behind an embarrassing prank. When the truth came out, Spinner was immediately outcast and was held back a year after being expelled for his role in the bullying and Jimmy disowned him as a friend. During season five after he got held back, it took a long time for Spinner to find his way back in his former friend's good graces which even included him almost thinking to convert to Christianity. Spinner is also a testicular cancer survivor and after he graduated (and was rejected from police college), he stayed around in the Degrassi neighborhood helping the new class of Degrassi students and worked at The Dot. In season nine, he marries Emma Nelson after a drunk accidental marriage. No, really.
- The Atoner: After indirectly causing the shooter to direct his attentions towards Jimmy, he works very hard to gain the trust of his friends back, especially Jimmy. Not to mention trying to forgive himself for what happened.
- Accidental Marriage: In season nine, he accidentally marries Emma after both of them get drunk. The marriage later turns real.
- Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!: Spinner suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and this condition led to his nickname.
- Big Brother Instinct: Towards his sister Kendra.
- Big Brother Mentor: After he graduates, he stays around Degrassi and Toronto and becomes a mentor to the younger students of the school.
- Book Dumb: He's not very good with schoolwork and even gets held back in English class. He doesn't seem very bright, but he is smart enough to help run a business and give good advice to younger students.
- Breakout Character: He was a secondary character for the most part in the earlier seasons. After the shooting, he became more of a dynamic character and became an indistinguishable part of the cast.
- Break the Haughty: He started bullying Rick mercilessly and was a jerkass to Paige in season four. Then after the shooting and the truth of his involvement getting out, he loses all his friends, gets expelled, and hits complete rock bottom.
- The Bus Came Back: After leaving the show in season 9, he makes an appearance in season 14, interviewing Eli for a summer job position at The Dot. Yeah, he still works there. And again in Degrassi: Next Class, where it's revealed he's still married to Emma.
- The Bully: His primary role in season one. He was also a bully towards Rick in season 4.
- The Chew Toy: Sometimes, for comic relief in the first three seasons.
- Chick Magnet: He dates not only Paige, but later Manny, Darcy, Jane, and ends up married to Emma.
- Converting for Love: He doesn't quite become a Christian, but he takes up a vow of abstinence until marriage, mainly due to Darcy.
- Derailing Love Interests: Towards Paige due to their relationship being strained after the rape trial, and Paige crashing his brand new car into Dean's car and getting Spinner arrested. He becomes a jerkass and even starts to become interested in Manny which leads to Paige dumping him.
- Disappeared Dad: A retcon, his father died of cancer apparently before the events of Degrassi, however in an earlier episodes, he mentions him.
- The Ditz: He is intelligent in his own way, but has his airheaded moments and isn't very well-read.
- Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness; Spinner has to learn his lessons the hard way most times.
- Garage Band: Drummer for Downtown Sasquatch and later he played for Studz and Janie and the Studs.
- He Who Fights Monsters: In reference to Rick: "I'm just like him! Violent!"
- Heel–Face Revolving Door: Starting in season four, ending (on the "face" side) at the end of season five.
- Heel–Faith Turn: He meets Darcy who introduces him to Christianity, in which he uses to become a better person and forgive himself.
- Held Back in School: Missed the rest of his junior year in season four due to his expulsion and had to repeat.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With both Jimmy and Jay, his closet friends.
- Hot-Blooded: One of the most impulsive, passionate characters.
- I Want to Be a Real Man: In season seven Spinner starts acting more aggressive and combative, mainly because his cancer treatment includes having a orchiectomy.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: As the Degrassi bully, he tormented the grade six/sevens, but he is protective of his sister Kendra, and will do the right thing, even if it takes him awhile. As the series progress, the "jerk" part dropped and he becomes The Heart.
- Kavorka Man: And how. He manages to either date or be admired by Paige, Terri, Manny, Darcy and finally Emma, in spite of him being (initially) the fat, smelly, crude bully with acne and poor grades.
- Last Minute Hook Up: Gets hitched with Emma at the end of Season nine.
- Late to the Punchline: He's a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to someone making a joke about him, an insult, and pretty much during general conversation.
- Leeroy Jenkins: Spinner usually acts before he thinks, which leads to him getting into easily avoidable situations.
- Malaproper: He often mispronounces words.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After the shooting and realizing that he inadvertently sent Rick after Jimmy, crippling him for life.
- My Sister Is Off-Limits: He was very protective of Kendra, and definitely made sure Toby treated her right.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: His decision to "do the right thing" and confess to Jimmy about his role in the prank leads him losing his friends and getting expelled.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Very few people actually call him Gavin, he is Spinner to his friends and just about everyone else. The teachers at school call him by his first name.
- Perpetual Poverty: He's never in a situation where we see the effects of being poor, but it's made clear that compared to his friends, he isn't very well off.
- Raging Stiffie: In a famous scene in season two's Weird Science where he pops a boner in front of the entire class.
- Reformed, but Rejected: He comes clean to Jimmy about his role in the shooting and Jimmy disowned him as a friend. He does the right thing and confesses to the shooting and gets expelled. It took him the entirety of season five to make things right with all his friends.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: He is the Manly Man to Marco's Sensitive Guy.
- Straight Man and Wise Guy: The wise guy to Jimmy's straight man.
- Sympathetic Adulterer: He flat out cheats on Darcy by having sex with Paige, but Darcy forgives him easily and he isn't portrayed very badly. Which makes it even more baffling that he's less than forgiving when Darcy takes sexy photos for someone online and when Jane cheats on him.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: During season four, after Paige's rape trial he couldn't deal with Paige's personality change after losing the case. After Paige breaks up with him, he takes it out on Rick.
- Took a Level in Kindness: In season one, he was the bully and in season two, he grew nicer. Then in season four, that was squandered but he gets nicer from that point.
- The Topic of Cancer: Spinner is diagnosed with testicular cancer in season seven, which causes him much grief and heartache especially after his father died from cancer.
- Tragic Mistake: His decision to listen to Jay to frame Jimmy for the paint and feathers prank sets him up for the road of ruin for the rest of season four and most of season five.
- Trauma Conga Line: Quite a lot of bad stuff happens to him throughout the series. His father died of cancer, he causes his best friend to get shot, loses all his friends, he gets expelled for his participation in the shooting, gets diagnosed with cancer himself, and that happens within the span of four seasons.
- Understanding Boyfriend: Was there for Paige when she confronted her rapist and supported her throughout the trial. The relationship did become strained by it. Also he was patient with both Darcy and Jane until they both cheated on him (in different ways).
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Jimmy, at least in the early seasons. Later, they become True Companions. Also with Ashley in the later seasons as he mainly gets over his animosity of her.
Jimmy Brooks
Jimmy Brooks
Played by Aubrey "Drake" Graham, Seasons 1-7 (regular), 8 (guest)
“How do you know what I mean? Are you in a chair? Huh? Do you wake up every morning thinking you can walk and then remembering you can never ever walk again?!”
Jimmy was one of Degrassi's most popular students and he was a great basketball player. As one of the most popular kids at Degrassi, he was admired for his good looks and athletic skills, but he also had a mean streak a mile wide, as Sean Cameron could attest to. He had a bright future in pro basketball, until he was shot in the back during a school shooting and was paralyzed from the waist down. He spent much of the time afterward re-adjusting to his new life as a disabled person, whilst lamenting over the loss of his athletic dreams and never walking again. He is best friends with Spinner, and even forgave him for essentially putting him in the chair, though it did take a while for Jimmy to stop being resentful. He meets and falls in love with a disabled girl named Trina and he proposes to her in season eight.
- All Love Is Unrequited: He crushed on Ellie throughout season five, but his feelings were not returned as Ellie was busy crushing on Craig.
- Angst: A lot of justified angst after being paralyzed from waist down, especially with his dreams of playing basketball are gone.
- Big Brother Mentor: In later seasons after his Character Development. Mostly towards Spinner, but also a few younger Degrassi kids.
- Big Man on Campus: During the early seasons, he was the star athlete and one of the popular kids.
- Career-Ending Injury: The shooting effectively ruined his basketball career.
-
The Cast Showoff: With his rapping skills, as showcased in season seven. - Celebrity Paradox: Played by actor/rapper Drake, who apparently also exists in the Degrassi universe independently of the character he portrays.
- Chekhov's Gun: In Season 7's penultimate episode "If This Is It," Jimmy shows Spinner his new gloves at the beginning of the episode. At the end of the episode, he uses these gloves to pull the fire alarm (and absorb the purple ink that he knew would pour out of it, thus avoiding getting caught) in order to buy Spinner some extra days to study for his physics final exam.
- Comedic Underwear Exposure: During the episode Girls Wanna Have Fun, during the '80s dance. He was dressed as Michael Jackson and showing off his dance moves before splitting his pants.
- Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: After he was paralyzed, he thought he wanted to continue with basketball, but the passion was gone and he was left lost and wondering what to do until Ellie clued him into his artistic side.
- Disabled Snarker: He wasn't a Deadpan Snarker at all until he was shot. Now almost every line he says comes with a grumpy remark.
- Dream-Crushing Handicap: It was tough for him leaving his basketball dreams behind. But he found a new interest in art, thanks to Ellie.
- Fatal Flaw: Holding grudges, and being quick to anger. This (mostly) goes away after he is shot.
- Flawless Token: Arguably the most level-headed person in his circle of friends, as the only black student and the only paraplegic.
- Garage Band: Guitarist of Downtown Sasquatch, along with Craig, Marco, and Spinner.
- Held Back in School: Didn't have enough credits to graduate in season five due to rehabilitation and had to repeat a year.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: He and Spinner have been best friends since they were young children and both went through withdrawal when they weren't speaking to one another, though Jimmy hid it better.
- Hidden Depths: Starting in season three, Jimmy started showing a large level of open mindedness for a High School Student, eventually become one of the wisest students in the show. He is also a great artist as he figured out after losing his basketball dreams.
- Intoxication Ensues: After taking one of Spinner's ADD pills in order to get an edge for the basketball team and not be cut. He was hyperactive throughout the game and showboating and even almost broke Sean's ankle, and it led to him being cut.
- Jerk Jock: Mainly in seasons one and two, with his treatment of Sean as well as Ashley after she and him break up. In season three he becomes a lot nicer, and then after he is shot, he becomes a Jerk with a Heart of Gold before finally taking a level in kindness and became a Nice Guy/Lovable Jock.
- The Loins Sleep Tonight: He has trouble getting an erection due to his paralysis, and couldn't have sex with Ashley.
- Lonely Rich Kid: His parents are wealthy and apparently don't have enough time to spend with him, even on his birthday. His parents aren't seen until season four and even then, it's clear he and his father are distant.
- Only Sane Man: Towards the end of his tenure on the show, he was the most rational Degrassi student, and with the least amount of angst despite his situation.
- Precision F-Strike: "Don't talk to me, you slut."
- Properly Paranoid: He was right all along about there being something off with Rick.
- Raging Stiffie: Post-paralysis he has great difficulty getting one, which is a problem because he's ready to lose his virginity to his girlfriend. He accidentally pops one during physio, though.
- The Rival: Jimmy had a highly antagonistic relationship with Sean Cameron, not helped by Ashley having an interest in him. This fell by the wayside as the show went on.
- School Idol: At the top of the class, as the most well known Degrassi student, not just as a former athlete but a survivor.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: Jimmy swears the most than the other characters.
- Straight Man and Wise Guy: The straight man to Spinner's wise guy.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Spinner, at least with the first two seasons before they grow to be True Companions.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Jimmy and his dad never had the closest relationship, but this was amplified after he was disabled when his dad still tried to push him into wheelchair basketball, and later a little bit of Follow in My Footsteps as he resists his father wanting him to join his law firm and also his reluctance to let Jimmy do stem cell therapy. It was to the point where he essentially blackmails him into letting him do the stem cell treatment.
Craig Manning
Craig Manning
Played by Jake Epstein, Seasons 2-5 (regular), 6-8 (recurring), 15-16 (guest)
"Me... in an infinite universe... on an insignificant planet... one of six billion inhabitants, big deal. I mean honestly, if I were to say that if I were to disappear, who'd care? What would it matter? Uh... a subatomic blip in the temporal fabric of creation. So there you have it, Craig Manning."
Craig Manning is a dreamy, introspective kid who has had a difficult life. Despite his hardships, he is still an affable young man, with a passion for creative arts and has a weakness for girls. His parents divorced when he was younger, and then his mother later died. His father physically abused him due to his grief and high pressure job. Craig found solace in hanging out with his half-sister Angela and her father, Joey Jeremiah. After running away from home due to his father, Craig finally told Joey about the abuse and went to live with him and Angela. His father was killed in a car accident soon after, leading to him to legally be adopted by Joey. In season three, he cheated on his then-girlfriend Ashley and got Manny Santos pregnant, and afterwards she aborted the baby despite him wanting to be a dad. In season four, he got back together with Ashley, but became diagnosed with bipolar disorder and dealt with the treatment as well as the stigma as both his father and Ashley found it difficult to manage. In season five, he got back with Manny, but also became interested in Ellie at the same time. Craig has had more romantic drama than possibly any other character on the show past or present, much of it due to his lack of commitment. In season five, he left Toronto to pursue a music career, and then later became addicted to coke. However, in season eight he's gone through rehab, and he is clean with a new girlfriend, and living his life in Los Angeles.
- Abusive Parents: His father was physically abusive to him ever since his mother died.
- Breakout Character: The minute he showed up in the second season he had Emma and Manny falling for him, became best friends with all the guys, and was adopted by one of the original Degrassi characters, which was an excuse to have Joey in the show more by adding more Craig centered episodes. Most of season two, three, and four put extra focus on him as the main protagonist figure of his grade.
- Celibate Hero: He tries to be one in season five. It works for about five minutes.
- Characterization Marches On: Craig is seen taking pictures in both seasons 3 and 4 but it's clear that by this point in the series, Craig's main passion had become music. This trait disappears entirely in season 5.
- Chick Magnet: He dated Ashley, had sex with Manny, dated Ashley again after she dumped him, then dated Manny again after Ashley went to England, then went back to Ashley, and nearly ended up with Ellie. And that's not counting all girls drooling all over themselves for him. When he comes back in season 16 in #ThrowbackThursday, he becomes a Dude Magnet as Tristan is in awe watching him play his guitar.
- The Ditherer: During his love triangle in season 3, he couldn't commit to either Manny or Ashley, which blew up in his face. He repeats the same mistake when he starts dating Manny in season 5, while clearly having feelings for Ellie.
- Fatal Flaw: His thoughtlessness and dithering are the undoing of every relationship he has ever been in.
- Garage Band: Lead singer and guitarist of Downtown Sasquatch.
- Happily Adopted: He is brought into the Jeremiah family, after he tells Joey that his father beats on him.
- Intoxication Ensues: His cocaine binges led to this, leading to a humorous scene at dinner with his friends. Then the trope turned dramatic as he got a nosebleed in front of a crowd during a performance.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: His true comeuppance is in season 6, after several seasons of treating girls badly. He develops a cocaine habit, which he blames Manny for when asked by Ellie. When his addiction and lying become too much, they both dump him and on top of that, his nose bleeds during a show. At the end of the "What's It Feel Like to Be a Ghost?" episode, he's at his lowest point, completely humiliated, and sent to live with Joey to get help.
- Master of the Mixed Message: With Ellie for two whole seasons, and he was a bit of a jerkass about it. He was dating Manny at the time and not fully committing to her and treating her like a Satellite Love Interest while keeping Ellie within arm's length to avoid starting anything serious to her.
- Manipulative Bastard: More prominently during his second love triangle, dating Manny but still keeping Ellie interested to avoid a more serious relationship.
- Missing Mom: His mother died of a unspecified sickness sometime a couple of years after she had Angela.
- Mood-Swinger: He is diagnosed with bipolar disorder after he has a Freak Out at Ashley's father's wedding.
- No Medication for Me: Craig gets tired of being treated with kid gloves after his bipolar disorder diagnosis, and stop taking his meds which leads to a big lie and him being lost and manic on the streets of Toronto.
- Nice Guy: Well, other than his well-documented issues with girls he's a very nice and easygoing guy with tons of artistic talent.
- Put on a Bus: Left midway through season five and spent the rest of the season recording music The Bus Came Back during the season finale though. He was Commuting on a Bus from that point after until season seven.
- School Idol: One of the more popular Degrassi kids, along with Jimmy, Paige, and Hazel.
- Trauma Conga Line: More so than any character from the older seasons; with parental abuse, parental death, romantic drama, and mental illness. They even threw in a drug problem on top of that.
- Troubled, but Cute: He's had a rough life, which probably adds to his overall desirability to the girls of Degrassi.
- Troubled Teen: His mother died, and his father abused him constantly, and later gets diagnosed with bipolar disorder which effects his everyday life.
- Unlucky Everydude: Other than the rough backstory and love life, Craig is The Everyman of the earlier seasons; how much of a woobie or jerkass he is up for debate.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Even with the terrible abuse, he still loved his father and just wanted his respect and adoration.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: In season 2, we're introduced to Craig as this guy who's obsessed with photography and is nearly always behind his camera. In season 3, the audience is introduced to Craig's musical side, and we see him use his camera only in the first half of the season. Beginning in season 4, Craig is solely a musical guy, and with the exception of one minor scene in an episode where he's taking photos at a school function his knack for photography is never mentioned again. This is interesting, considering photography is what helped him cope with his child abuse.
Marco Del Rossi
Marco Del Rossi
Played by Adamo Ruggiero, Seasons 2 (recurring), 3-7 (regular), 8 (recurring), 9 and 16 (guest)
“Pa, it's taken me seventeen years to say it...I'm gay. I'm totally gay!”
Marco is introduced in season 2 as the cute new kid with hot dance moves. Despite getting a lot of attention from the female student body, Marco was questioning his sexuality. In his time at Degrassi, he came to terms with being gay, got gay bashed, told his parents (his mom was accepting, his father not so much at first), became Student Council President, and even got a boyfriend, Paige's brother Dylan. After he graduated and Dylan left the country to play hockey, he went through the motions of dealing with a long distance relationship (and later breakup) and dealing with being alone. Marco can be very neurotic and clingy, but he is still a dependable and caring friend and a leader. As of season nine, he is training to be a teacher and even started out his training at Degrassi.
- A Friend in Need: He is a very loyal friend, and he is the first to forgive Spinner for the shooting.
- Ambiguously Bi: Bordering on If It's You, It's Okay, he and Ellie almost hook up after a make-out session brought on by shared loneliness. He himself admits that although they stopped, "a part of [him] didn't want to."
- Big Man on Campus: In season five, after he won Student Council President. Despite his openly gay status, he is admired by everyone, outside of Linus from the Friendship Club.
- Camp Gay: Downplayed, but it's still there. Marco loves pop music, fashion, Bollywood, looking nice and musicals.
- Coming-Out Story: Degrassi: The Next Generation's first coming out story, which spanned five seasons from him realizing he's gay to him coming out to his father.
- Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: After he and Dylan break up in season 6, Marco is left to deal with being single and alone and it leads to him not only getting busted in a gambling sting but contemplating prostitution in order to maintain a rich lifestyle.
- Fake Guest Star: Had a few of his own storylines in season two, along with Ellie, yet was still credited as a guest star. Became a series regular in season three.
- Fatal Flaw: Clinginess, more pronounced after his second break-up with Dylan.
- Garage Band: He is the bassist of Downtown Sasquatch.
- Gayngst: Throughout his Coming-Out Story, from being gay bashed, to dealing with hiding and later disclosing his sexuality to his parents, to nearly being outed to the entire school. Luckily, he comes to terms with his sexuality.
- Gentleman and a Scholar: He's one of the smartest students as well as nice, popular and well-adjusted.
- Hipster: He's open minded and goes for cool, alternative, girls like Ellie Nash.
- Hot-Blooded: As per the typical Italian stereotype. He is a passionate guy, from fighting over gay blood donor bans to telling off a homophobe.
- Long-Distance Relationship: With Dylan in season six, which eventually didn't last.
- Magical Queer: From season three onwards he became the one person who always offers advice and support, even to characters he never spoke to prior.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: He is the Feminine Boy to Ellie's Masculine Girl.
- Nice Guy: One of the nicest guys at Degrassi, and the friendliest.
- Odd Friendship: Strikes up a friendship with tough, tomboy Alex in season four, who incidentally is also gay.
- One of the Girls: Marco does have male friends, but as the show went on, Marco started hanging out with Paige and Ellie more often, and then lived with them briefly while attending college. He has more things in common with Paige (love of fashion, boy-crazy) than his guy friends.
- Only Sane Man: Even getting through his gayngst, he was the one his friends went to for advice.
- Operation: Jealousy: He used poor Tim as a way to get back at Dylan for cheating on him. He stops after he realizes he still does have feelings for him.
- Performance Artist: When Marco and Ellie have to film a commercial for their product advertisement he plans a bright, Bollywood-inspired version. She's the director and he's the actor. She rags on his version, calling it "flaming."
- Pretty Boy: Notably lampshaded by many characters and he takes care of his looks.
- Promotion to Opening Titles: Adamo Ruggiero made the main cast in season three.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The Sensitive Guy to Spinner and Dylan's Manly Man.
- The Smart Guy: He graduates as the valedictorian of the Class of Season 5.
- Student Council President: Elected for Student Council President in season four after a tough race with Alex.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: In season 5, he is the first one out of all their friends to befriend Spinner again, after almost a year of giving him the cold shoulder.
- Why Couldn't You Be Different?:
- With Ellie early on in season two, when she really wanted him to be straight due to her crush.
- With his dad when he finds out about his homosexuality. His mother finds out first and is accepting, but knew his father wouldn't be, so she didn't want him to come out to him.
- Uke: With Dylan as he was the shorter, more temperamental and "innocent" one of the relationship.
Jay Hogart
Jason "Jay" Hogart
Played by Mike Lobel, Seasons 3-4 (recurring), 5-7 (regular), 8-9 (recurring)
“This guy, he's nasty. He tastes like fire, rubs people the wrong way. This guy here; sweet, refreshing. But when these two get together...bad news.”
A bad boy at Degrassi. Unlike his best friend Sean, he lives up to his reputation, and during the show's run, he engages in a lot of illegal activities, such as drug use, and "corrupts" several Degrassi characters from Spinner to Emma, to Darcy. Beneath the criminal exterior, Jay is a nice, sensitive, and smart guy. He is also very resourceful and a good mechanic. In season 7, he starts seeing Manny Santos, and in The Movie, they finally become a couple.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: One of the Degrassi bad kids, yet was able to get a lot of girls to date him, and also perform sexual favors to him.
- Anti-Villain: For seasons three and four, he's the closest Degrassi gets to a serious villain, but like all the main characters, he's not completely terrible and has his Pet the Dog moments.
- Badbutt: He and his gang are introduced as supposed thugs, but they just mainly steal, start schoolyard fights and drink.
- The Bully: He bullied Dylan (or at least, tried to) and bullied Rick so severely he brought a gun to school.
- The Corrupter: Before his Heel–Face Turn, he was seriously a bad influence on a number of characters, from getting girls to perform oral sex to getting guys to steal things.
- Delinquent: He and his friends are the first "bad kids" group, and they pretty much fall into this trope with their behavior and attitude.
- Expy: Of Nick, one of the bullies in Degrassi High.
- Fake Guest Star: Introduced in season three where he became friends with main character Sean. Later plays a huge role in season four and finally makes the main cast in season five.
- Fatal Flaw: He's manipulative as well as reckless, especially in regards to illegal activities.
- Gang of Bullies: Part of one with Alex, Towerz, and Amy.
- Good Angel, Bad Angel: The Bad Angel, of course. This was more pronounced when he became friends with Spinner and Spinner was torn between his friend and his Christian girlfriend Darcy.
- Grease Monkey: Is a skilled mechanic and likes working on cars.
- Heel–Face Turn: To piss off her parents, Manny decided to bring him to her birthday party as her bad boy escort only for him, rather out of nowhere, to decide that Good Feels Good and change for the better by acting more mature and less combative.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Spinner and Sean, especially with Spinner. Their relationship bordered on
Ho Yay when Darcy came between them. - Hidden Depths: He may seem like a dumb bully who uses women but he is a great mechanic, and an overall sensitive guy.
- Iconic Outfit: The trademark backward baseball cap.
- Jerkass: When we first meet him, he was pretty mean to anyone, not in his clique. He becomes a Jerk with a Heart of Gold later on as he interacts with more characters, particularly Sean and Manny.
- Karma Houdini: More often than not. One of the few times he was punished for his behavior had him (only temporarily) expelled.
- Manipulative Bastard: If there was one person that fits this bill, it was him. He was able to convince otherwise non-threatening children into doing rather illegal and/or immoral activities, from stealing drugs from the pharmacy they worked at to engaging in street racing in a residential neighborhood.
- Promotion to Opening Titles: Mike Lobel makes the main cast in season five.
- Parental Abandonment: His mother died when he was little, and he does not speak with his father after he made a scene at his father and stepmother's wedding.
- Really Gets Around: Every girl that he's been with gets a prize, is what he tells Emma as he gives her a bracelet.
- The Stoner: He likes to toke up every now and then, especially with Alex.
- Toxic Friend Influence: To Alex, whom he went out with and then later Spinner.
Alex Nunez
Alexandra "Alex" Nunez
Played by Deanna Casaluce, Seasons 3-4 (recurring), 5-6 (regular), 7 (recurring)
“Jay, I'm not bi, I'm not confused. I'm a lesbian. An actual lesbian. Who just broke up with her first girlfriend and it sucks.”
Alex is a girl who hurts a lot inside. One of the outcasts at Degrassi, she has a very tough exterior and attitude. But inside, she is very caring, vulnerable, and soft. Her mother has bad luck with love and gets abused, and she has spent time living in a women's shelter with her mom due to their poverty. Paige Michalchuk is her first true love and the first person to break down her walls and she finally admitted to herself that she was a lesbian. Due to this relationship, she begins to believe in herself more and starts taking her life more seriously. Unfortunately, in season seven she and Paige had a cataclysmic breakup and she took a bus to Ajax for a new start.
- Artistic License: In Season 6, when her mother gets an eviction notice, a two-episode arc is devoted to Alex trying to find the money to pay the bills. Eviction is a more complicated process in Ontario, and in real life, they would go to court and have an opportunity to make arrangements to pay the arrears.
- The Bully: Along with her friends, she was a bully, particularly toward Emma and Rick. She deeply regrets bullying Rick, however.
- Butch Lesbian: Not so much in appearance, but with her clothing in the earlier seasons.
- Coming-Out Story: After she meets Paige and spends more time with her at work, she starts to realize her own homosexuality and comes to terms with it in the same school year.
- Deadpan Snarker: Has her moments.
- Delinquent: A former delinquent, after the school shooting and becoming vice Student Council President, she starts to change her ways.
- Derailing Love Interests: During season seven. The actress was leaving the show, and they broke her and Paige up in the most painful way possible to completely destroy any chance of a reunion. Namely, she went back to her old lazy unfocused ways after spending a season pulling herself up.
- Determinator: Paige was a good influence on her; after they dated she started getting serious about school and going to college. And when money was tight and she and her mother were on the verge of being homeless, she took up stripping to make money.
- Disappeared Dad: There's no information revealed about her biological dad, and only has her mother's boyfriend Chad to deal with.
- Everyone Has Standards: In Season 4, Alex initially threatens to publicly out Marco to win the class president election. Marco tries to talk her out of it just before their debate assembly, stating that she is well-liked enough to actually win votes fair and square. While giving her speech she decides at the last minute to keep his secret.
- Expy: As part of the Gang of Bullies , she is an expy of Tabi from Degrassi High.
- Fake Guest Star: Introduced in season three, played a major role in season four, and finally makes the cast in season five.
- Fatal Flaw: As someone who basically raised herself and looked after her mom, she's hesitant to ask for anyone's help.
- Gang of Bullies: Along with Jay, Towerz, and Amy.
- Irony: She had planned a campaign smear outing Marco as a queer during their class president election. A season later she realized she was a lesbian.
- Karma Houdini: It's easy to forget, but Alex was also in on the plan to pour the paint on Rick and was actually the one to set it up and the one who physically pulled the rope. Yet somehow, she got off scot-free, becoming friends with Jimmy and his group while Spinner got exiled. However, it could be argued that, unlike Jay and Spinner, she did not take part in convincing Rick that Jimmy helped pull the prank, which ended up getting him shot. She also felt remorse for her actions beforehand.
- The Lad-ette: She drinks and smokes with her guy friends, and could probably hold her own in a fight with them.
- Long Bus Trip: To Ajax in season seven, after she and Paige break up.
- Odd Friendship: Becomes friends with Ellie, Paige, and Marco in season four. As a result, she becomes one of the popular kids.
- One Name Only: Until season five, where she gains the last name of Nunez.
- Parental Betrayal: She has to start stripping in order to afford rent and college, and her mother uses the money to bail out her loser boyfriend instead.
- Perpetual Poverty: She is poor, and it's portrayed quite accurately. She's lived in women's shelters and was threatened with eviction on top of a huge credit card bill. She even had to take up stripping to pay for it.
- Pink Means Feminine: In Season 6, she goes shopping with Paige and buys a pink jacket. Paige points out how pretty she is in pink.
- Promotion to Opening Titles: Deanna Casaluce makes the main cast in season five.
- Spicy Latina: Hot-blooded, temperamental, and tough as nails until you get to know her.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: She is the Tomboy to Paige's Girly Girl.
- Tomboyish Name: Alex, which is short for Alexandra.
- Took a Level in Kindness: She was already softening during season 4, but after the shooting and dating Paige she became a nicer person.
- Tsundere: She is a type A, she is very rough around the edges and somewhat rude. Only Paige can bring out her dere side.
Hazel Aden
Hazel Aden
Played by Andrea Lewis, Seasons 1-2 (recurring), 3-5 (regular)
"Paige can't make me do anything!"
Hazel is Paige's best female friend and was part of her Girl Posse. She had one significant episode in season two regarding racism and anti-Muslim sentiment. Other than that, she is Paige's shadow, a fact that is pointed out a few times by other characters. She also dated Jimmy Brooks for three seasons before they broke up in season 5.
- A Friend in Need: She was the first person Paige told about her rape and she tried to convince her to go to the police. Later, she convinces Terri to dump Rick after he hits her.
- Accidental Pervert: The reason why she was in detention in the season 3 episode Take On Me was because in computer class, she saw an ad for porn and was curious and clicked.
- Beta Bitch: To Paige in the earlier seasons, though she rarely reached Paige's level of meanness, Fareeza notwithstanding.
- Cruel Cheerleader: She was on the Spirit Squad along with Paige and was pretty mean.
- Demoted to Extra: Ended up taking a back seat in season five until finally being written out after graduating. What was strange was she was actually had a Promotion to Opening Titles.
- Fake Guest Star: She didn't make the main cast until season three, despite being in the first two and starring in one episode.
- Garage Band: Keyboardist of Hell Hath No Fury.
- Girl Posse: Part of Paige's posse with Terri.
- Hollywood Tone-Deaf: She cannot sing at all. Ironically, Andrea Lewis can sing very well.
- Innocent Beta Bitch: A Satellite Character whose main role is being the best friend to Alpha Bitch Paige but is usually nicer than her, especially from season 3 onwards.
- Mistaken for Terrorist: As a child, she was harassed and called a terrorist, leading to her denial of her Muslim roots.
- Nice Girl: After season two, where she becomes a lot nicer even when Paige is being an alpha bitch towards Manny.
- Pass Fail: She pretended to be Jamaican for International Day then reveal her Muslim background.
- Promotion to Opening Titles: Andrea Lewis makes the main cast in season three.
- Satellite Character: Much of her characterization revolves around Paige, which several characters actually lampshade.
- Token Black Friend: Paige's black best friend. Much of Hazel's characterization revolves around her.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Gives this to Paige at the season four prom due to her complaining about her broken leg and taking the special bus (despite the recently disabled Jimmy right behind her) and her plans to take Manny down.
- You Are What You Hate: Subverted. She doesn't really hate Muslims, but pretends to so that nobody will know she's a Muslim.
Fans who want to know more about Hazel's religion, please check the Useful Notes page for Islam.
Terri McGreggor
Theresa 'Terri' McGreggor
Played by Christina Schmidt, Seasons 1-3 (regular)
“Most girls on the planet look like this, so get used to it!...I made 500 bucks today as a plus size model today...what did you make, ice cream boy?”
Terri is an insecure, overweight girl. Both Ashley and Paige's strong personalities completely dominated hers to the point to where she really could not stand up to them. In season two, she aligns herself with Paige due to Ashley falling out of favor with the popular crowd. In season three, she dates Rick Murray who in turn, abuses her and puts her in a coma and later she transfers from Degrassi in order to get away from Rick.
- Backstabbing the Alpha Bitch: She went over to Paige's side after Ashley's fall from grace.
- Big Beautiful Woman: She's good looking enough to be hired as a plus-size model, and Spinner and Rick had crushes on her. Too bad she doesn't believe it herself.
- Break the Cutie: Her storyline with Rick.
- Death by Falling Over: Not death, but Rick pushes her over and she hits her head on a concrete block and ends up in a coma in one of the more narm-ier Degrassi scenes.
- Domestic Abuse: She was hit and controlled by Rick in their relationship and actually ends up in a coma due to him pushing her onto a cement block.
- Fat Best Friend: To Ashley, Paige and Hazel, and she's a type B with her shy personality.
- Garage Band: Part of the initial band Paige, Hazel, and Paige had, Paige Michalchuk and the Sex Kittens, or PMS for short.
- Girl Posse: Part of Paige's Girl Posse, except she never really took part in any Alpha Bitch behavior.
- Innocent Beta Bitch: A shy and insecure fat girl who is always a loyal sidekick to the current Alpha Bitch (like Paige or season 1 Ashley) whose personality completely dominates hers.
- Long Bus Trip: She never returned to Degrassi after season three.
- Missing Mom: Terri's mother died when she was younger.
- Psychic Powers: Averted. She experimented with tarot cards, palm reading, and contacting spirits, but it was all fun and games and never had actual powers.
- Shrinking Violet: She is painfully shy and insecure about her looks and weight, especially compared to Ashley and Paige.
- Weight Woe: She is uncomfortable with her weight, even after she becomes a plus-sized model.
- What the Hell, Hero?: When Ashley's shocked and angered by her father coming out as gay, Terri tries to convince her to make up with him. When Ashley lashes out by saying that Terri wouldn't know what she was going through, Terri angrily retorts that her own mother is dead, and that Ashley should make peace with her father while she still has him around.
- Written-In Absence: In the DVD extras for season four, it's mentioned she still had a bit of brain damage and left to go to an all-girls school once she found out Rick would return to Degrassi.
