Editing Xander Harris (section)

{{short description|Character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Xander Harris
| series = [[Buffyverse|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]
| image = Xander season six 2.jpg
| caption = [[Nicholas Brendon]] as '''Xander Harris''' in 2001.
| first = "[[Welcome to the Hellmouth]]" (1997)
| last = ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Twelve|Finale]]'' (2018)
| creator = [[Joss Whedon]]
| portrayer = [[Nicholas Brendon]]<br />Kelly Donovan (Xander double)
| affiliation = Scooby Gang
| significant_other = [[Anya Jenkins]] (ex-fiancée)
| lbl21 = Classification
| data21 = Human
| lbl22 = Notable powers
| data22 = Vague knowledge of military training, tactics, and weapons handling techniques due to his brief transformation into a soldier by a spell.<br>Extensive experience in vampire hunting and melee combat.<br>Skilled construction worker and repairman.
}}

'''Alexander Lavelle Harris''' is a fictional character created for the action-horror/fantasy television series ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' (1997–2003). He was developed by [[Joss Whedon]] and portrayed throughout the television series by [[Nicholas Brendon]] and in two episodes by his twin brother, Kelly Donovan. He was conceived as an [[everyman]] and a male character for series heroine [[Buffy Summers]] ([[Sarah Michelle Gellar]]) to interact with, and to provide [[comic relief]] in the series. Xander is one of several friends of Buffy who assist her in saving the world against numerous supernatural events that plague [[Sunnydale|Sunnydale, California]], a town built over a doorway to hell.

Xander is based in part on Whedon himself, particularly in his high school years; as such, he is often the most geeky as well as witty and verbose of ''Buffy''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s characters. The character's overriding arc through the series has been his struggle towards maturity and earning the respect of others. In the [[canon (fiction)|canonical]] comic book continuation of the series, ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight]]'' (2007–2011), Xander comes to achieve these goals in becoming the tactical leader of a global army of [[Slayer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Vampire Slayers]] alongside Buffy.

Academic attention to the character has frequently come in the form of [[gender studies]] or with a focus on [[social class]], reflecting Xander's [[working class]] home life and his fears of inadequacy. However, Xander's unique position as both outside and within the main group enhances his insight into the other characters, especially as the series continues; in ''Season Eight'', he is Buffy's unofficial "[[Watcher (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Watcher]]", who watches over her and has a clear perspective. Critics have noted that although Xander frequently exhibits a struggle of [[masculinity]], his storylines often focus on his romantic conquests. Following his unreciprocated love for Buffy, these include the tumultuous relationship with rich girl [[Cordelia Chase]] ([[Charisma Carpenter]]), brief fling with his best friend [[Willow Rosenberg|Willow]] ([[Alyson Hannigan]]) and his long-term relationship with ex-demon [[Anya Jenkins|Anya]] ([[Emma Caulfield]]). 
In ''Season Eight'', the character's older-brother relationship with Buffy's little sister [[Dawn Summers|Dawn]] ([[Michelle Trachtenberg]]) also develops along romantic lines, too late for Buffy to realize her compatibility with Xander.

The character of Xander Harris also appears in numerous items in the series [[Expanded Universe]], such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games.