Despite the tragedy and infamy that has followed Nicholas Brendon in recent years, the actor has proven himself to be a massively underrated talent over his career. He was one of the better recurring characters on Criminal Minds, proved a strong dramatic presence in Private Practice, and was key to the success of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
As Xander Harris, Brendon served as the geeky comedic relief and heart of the fantastical show. It was his snarky presence that grounded Buffy as a TV show, a fact which is evidenced in some of the best memes based on the franchise.
The Least Favorite
Xander Harris, despite being an ordinary man (or perhaps because of), often gets the least amount of attention from his peers. This is best evidenced in his relationship with Giles, with the watcher being rather dismissive of Xander as a person.
While Giles is nowhere near as vicious as Gordon Ramsey, the character is openly disdainful of Xander. It's because of this that the latter often brushes off his friends and occasionally lashes out at them for the special treatment they get.
Xander, The Terrible Boyfriend
When people point out the aspects of Buffy that haven't aged well, Xander's treatment of women is typically one of the first things brought up. This can be evidenced in the above meme, which points to the character's crush on Buffy during the show's first few seasons.
What makes the meme so potent is the fact that it calls out Xander for the way he treats both Willow and Buffy. He's clearly aware that Willow has feelings for him, yet chooses to string her along in his efforts to get with Buffy.
Xander Has A Point
Xander and Angel, despite being two of Buffy's best characters, are two people who do not get along. Part of it has to do with their disparate personalities, while most of it comes down to Xander's jealousy that Angel would rather be with someone undead than him.
Though Xander often comes across as immature in his confrontations with Angel, his feelings about the vampire are somewhat justified considering Angel is a dangerous being. As the above meme demonstrates, people can hate on Xander all they want, so long as they acknowledge his concerns as legitimate.
Demon Magnet
As a teenage boy, Xander has a very active libido and goes after a lot of women during Buffy the Vampire Slayer's first two seasons. In an ironic twist of fate, many of them turn out to be demons, a fact that is made fun of later in the show.
While Xander's attraction to demons points to his gullibility and naïveté, it also points to the character's hypocritical nature. He constantly criticizes Buffy for dating a dangerous vampire, yet ends up falling in love with a former vengeance demon who has the power to alter realities.
The Butt-Monkey
As the one ordinary person in the Scooby Gang, Xander Harris often feels out of depth when stopping the supernatural. He has little means to protect himself from the likes of vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of spirits.
Given the amount of trouble Xander gets into when helping his friends, it makes sense that he would lash out from time to time. It's the reason why he declares, in the Buffy season 5 premiere, that he will no longer tolerate the way people stomp on him (a fact which is summed up succinctly in the above meme).
Inspirational Xander
On the surface, this exchange between Xander and Giles doesn't offer much for either character. It's just one of many comedic moments from one of Buffy's funniest episodes, made all the more hilarious by its juxtaposition with the Beatles' song "Let It Be."
Despite being built on a standard bit of silliness from Xander, the meme does an excellent job of encapsulating the character's general behavior around his friends. He rarely takes anything Giles says seriously, offering up snark and bathos when the Scooby Gang discuss how to stop a threat. It's this trait that makes the Xander so endearing to audiences.
Scumbag Xander
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Xander Harris can frequently come across as a gross human being. He constantly makes crass remarks about Buffy's physique, never knows when to not make something sexual, and is constantly going after people way out of his league.
Beyond being a skeevy teen, the above meme also points to the fact that Xander is a hypocrite. When Buffy was supposed to host a foreign exchange student, Xander cried foul that a boy would be staying with her, yet had no qualms with taking the student when it was discovered they were a girl.
Xander And Willow Looking Out For Buffy
Xander and Willow's friendship is one of the defining features of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The two characters make up the heart of the show and stick together through thick and thin.
While the above meme is primarily focused on Buffy's recklessness, it also says a bit about Xander. The image points to his closeness with Willow, and how the two of them idolize Buffy because of her powers. Importantly, it shows that they don't always trust Buffy, despite her exceptional abilities.
Xander The Idiot
Without question, Xander is the dumbest member of the Scooby Gang. He's the least successful at school, frequently falls for demons who want to eat him, and the most likely person in any given scene to make a fool of himself when he opens his mouth.
Because of Xander's idiocy, he is regularly made fun of by his peers, even those closest to him. While his relative lack of intelligence has resulted in some of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's funniest quotes, it has also led the character to commit some of the show's most frustrating actions (such as not telling Buffy that Willow was going to re-soul Angel).