CANON/HEADCANON; WIP
Andrew is from Season Eight, (just post Harmonic Divergence in Luceti, and from Retreat I in Taxon) . This is a work in progress as I go back through the episodes and the comic and take note of anything... noteworthy.
CANON;
Is Tucker's Brother.
Once summoned demon monkeys to attack the school play. It was a production of Romeo and Juliet. This is here as a reminder to me to not fail and remember that it was this play and not another one.
Was bullied in highschool.
Has seen all of Doctor Who.
Was good friends with Warren and Jonathan in highschool. Was the youngest of the group.
The Wells house was in poor condition and pretty small. [ The Prom ]
Tucker was clearly somewhat unstable. [ The Prom ]
Fails at evil laughter. [ flooded ]
Wanted Warren to build him Christina Ricci [ flooded ]
The first lair was in Warren's basement. [ flooded ]
The Trio was only established a month before they preformed their first heist. [ flooded ]
Has the layout of the Death Star memorized. Painted it on the van without reference. [ life serial ]
Was very much the whipping boy of the trio, but still adored jonathan and warren. [ life serial - up until warren and andrew start to get closer ]
Timothy Dalton was his favorite Bond up until Daniel Craig took over. [ Life Serial, Predators and Prey ]
Warren started to become a little more psychotic by Gone, Jonathan and Andrew just had very simple evil plans that involved no one getting hurt. Andrew compares the Trio to Lex Luthor, implying that he thought that they're constant struggle to take over Sunnydale was just a role they were playing. [ gone ]
They nerds decide to make a woman their sex slave. [ Dead Things ]
Proves his loyalty to Warren by helping him dispose of Katrina's body. [ Dead Things ]
"Juicy, pulsating candy." Just what. [ Dead Things ]
Doesn't like the taste of alcohol. [ Dead Things ]
Was the first to realize that Katrina was dead. [ Dead Things ]
Initially suggested turning themselves in. [ Dead Things ]
Andrew shows his grasp on right and wrong is weak at this point and that he still things that this is some fantasy game. "We got away with murder... That's kind of cool." [ Dead Things ]
The Jonathan vs Andrew and Warren relationship begins. [ Dead Things ]
Andrew is completely over the Katrina thing. [ normal again ]
Andrew gets clingier to Warren. [ normal again ]
Highlights everything. [ Entropy, First Date ]
Andrew looks frightened of Warren for most of this episode. [ Seeing Red ]
He is very much for killing Buffy at this point. He chants "Kill her, kill her!" [ Seeing Red ]
His faith in Warren was unshakable. [ Villains ]
"How could he do this to me? He promised we'd be together, but... he was just using me. He never really loved... hanging out with us." [ Seeing Red ]
His aunt is (possibly) his legal guardian. [ villains ]
- His mother was referenced in The Long Way Home, but only in passing. He called his aunt to bail him out of jail.
-- It's entirely possible his aunt doesn't care much, as she doesn't make an effort to contact him at any point after the jailing.
Learned the entire Klingon dictionary in two and a half weeks. [conversations with dead people]
*Has shin splints. [conversations with dead people]
Has seen Hellraiser; hates Pinhead. [conversations with dead people]
Hates everything about highschool and really doesn't like to think about it. [conversations with dead people]
Killed his best friend. [conversations with dead people]
-- Jonathan is talking seriously about redemption and how he cares about the people that live in Sunnydale, even if they never cared about him. Andrew is unimpressed by this attitude and stabs him without warning.
Has watched Stephen King's Misery six times. Believes the book to be scarier than the movie. [showtime]
*Has an inner ear condition. [showtime]
This scene says it all. [ storyteller ]
Can read a multitude of demon languages. [ storyteller ]
If he can get his hands on a video camera, he will never, ever put it down. [ storyteller, retreat ]
He bonds with people pretty easily one-on-one. [see; interaction with xander and spike]
Most definitely had something for Warren. [ storyteller, when i get the rest this will be filled ]
Really can't smoke. [ storyteller, damage ]
Dislikes the 1998 Godzilla movie. [ dirty girls ]
Has gotten considerably better at being the bad cop. [ compare empty places to damage ]
Was possessed once. Didn't like it. [ touched ]
Cannot hold his liquor.
Taught Giles how to play D&D. [ chosen ]
Tucker inspired him to summon demons. [ chosen ] (but don't you dare compare them)
Went to therapy [damage]
Gets knocked unconscious an awful lot. [ damage ]
Remains one of the few people in the series to stand up to Angel. [ damage ]
Is probably the only Scooby in canon who knows Spike is alive. [ damage ]
Rubs his Watcherosity in Wesley's face. [ damage ]
Actually is a very successful troll. [ The Girl in Question ]
Feels more accepted by the Scoobies than he did with the Trio. [ predators and prey ]
Has trust issues. Andrew trusts pretty easily and is a very persistent person, but people don't often trust him back. He's constantly worried that he might mess up and have everyone else lose faith in him and reject him. He created a Ragna demon to try to recapture a rogue slayer so no one would blame him for the incident somewhere down the road. [ predators and prey ]
- At his current canonpoint, he has created the Ragna but it has not yielded any results yet. As such, the Ragna is loose and no one knows about it yet.
Andrew still cares about Warren. He's very willing to put his life on the line for him. [ Twilight, Part 4 ]
Stars in the recruitment commercials with Vi.
He has not seen Revenge of the Sith yet.
** things he says, but quite possibly might not be true.
HEADCANON;
He was born on June 21st, 1982. It's May 2005 where he comes from. He's twenty-two.
Was bullied by Larry pretty badly. Larry, being the closeted guy that he was, picked on Andrew because of the very fey vibes he puts off.
Cordelia and the Cordettes picked on he, Jonathan and Warren a lot.
Tucker was off his rocker, Andrew was used to Warren's psycho behavior because of this.
Did not enjoy his last year of highschool because both of his friends had graduated.
Tucker went on to some fancy college. Or he's in jail. Andrew doesn't know for sure but always says the former.
Andrew was in the habit of lying constantly while in Sunnydale, but since joining the Scoobies he doesn't rely on it as much. He just loves stretching the truth and making it more flowery.
Since studying under Giles he has gotten a spine.
Hero worships Buffy, adores Willow, but is closer to Xander than he is to either of them.
Adores Italy Squad. Cooks and bakes for them, and educates them in all that is nerd along with their training.
Italy Squad adores him and are very protective of him.. [Predators and Prey] Andrew has taught them how to play D&D, video games, introduced them to Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who.
He enjoys baking and cooking.
Feels a good load of guilt for Anya's death. He's talked with his therapist about that too and has come to terms with most of it.
Jonathan is still a sore spot for him. Warren is even worse, as the skinless wonder is strutting about and on the enemy's side.
- He found out about the Warren thing secondhand.
Has the day for seeing Revenge of the Sith booked off.
Considers Giles somewhat of a father figure.
Also only calls him Rupert around other people. He's always Mr. Giles in person.
Jonathan rarely calls Andrew by name, if ever. Warren uses his name and acknowledges him.
Relating to the therapy. Andrew had a lot of issues when he was in the Trio. He was bullied in highschool and regarded as little more than 'Tucker's Brother', even with his best friends. Tucker completely overshadowed him, and as Tucker wasn't exactly Mr. Popularity, Andrew ended up pretty neglected. He was very desperate to be accepted, going so far as to become a 'Super Villain' in order to gain a real sense of identity and belonging. He had a very weak sense of identity - often imitating the strongest personality around him. Warren was his idol, so he clung to Warren like there was no tomorrow and bent over backwards to please him. He needed to feel stronger, so he mimicked Spike. When he appears in Damage, he's dressed in almost-standard Giles/Watcher wear. Tweed suit, pipe and with hair completely free of product. When we see him again in Season Eight, it looks as if he's finally gained enough of a sense of himself to just be himself.
It's possible that Andrew's sense of reality was also rather warped. He saw everything as a game, just racking up points as they rose to the top of the Sunnydale foodchain. Like an RPG. He was a prime target for the First because he was living in his own little world to begin with. Even after murdering Jonathan and constantly being told the reality of the situation, it takes until Storyteller for the facts to really sink in. Specifically, it takes Buffy threatening his life and beating him down emotionally until he can't deny it anymore.
Adding onto the above, Andrew is not an innocent. When Warren kills Katrina in Dead Things, Andrew spends most of the episode trying to get over the guilt - and does. In the end, his final line is, "We got away with murder... That's kind of cool." And he smiles and leaves it at that. It is one of the most disturbing moments his character has.
Andrew and Anya were really a lot alike. By the end of his days in Sunnydale, he was most certainly closest to her. They were oddballs, failed to understand most concepts that most people grasped easily - such as what not to say, personal space, etc. Anya's death hit him really hard because of this, and coupled with his near hero-worship/nerdbonding with Xander, makes it a pretty painful memory. Survivor's Guilt. This was also covered in therapy.
I feel the need to talk about how Season 8 Andrew differs from the Andrew of Season 6 and 7. Some of the things mentioned in Season 8 have not happened for him yet, but the fact that he acts that way in those situations make them worth noting.
Season 6: Whatever the reason, Andrew does not seem to be very in touch with the world around him. He strikes me as the kind of guy who had simply been placed into a bad situation one too many times and decided he didn't like the way the world was treating him. We hear nothing of Andrew's parents - Jonathan's mother is mentioned, Warren's mother is seen - but no one in Andrew's family is ever referenced other than Tucker, who is absent, and his aunt, who is said not to care. Andrew is completely neglected by the world - no one remembers him unless Tucker is spoken of first, the incident he's most proud of is forgot and takes time to remember, and he seems desperate just to find someone to fit in with.
The early dynamic of the Trio is really as best friends. Warren is clearly the leader, but they're all on equal footing. It's actually, more often than not, Andrew and Jonathan arguing against Warren - the two of them were much gentler than the other boy and truly did not want to cause harm to anyone. Andrew here is childish, innocent in an ignorant sort of way, fighting with Jonathan and Warren over nerdy things because they're friends and friends do that - but I've talked about this to death. It's only after Dead Things that we see a real change in him.
At Katrina's murder, Andrew is completely inconsolable. He rocks back and forth, crying openly, simply chanting 'oh god oh god oh god' over and over again. He is the first one to suggest that they should turn themselves in. Warren is the only one out of the three that keeps their cool and comes up with a plan. They get away with murder - and this marks the change in him.
After this, Andrew becomes colder. He stays close to Warren. Warren berates him any time he shows any sympathy for Jonathan, calling it weakness, and keeps him focused on the goal. Warren gives what Andrew wants - attention. And it's easy to see that this attention makes Andrew thrive. It's also very clear that Andrew is infatuated with the older boy, even before the tell tale lines in Villains. Andrew is loyal to Warren. Andrew's first reaction upon hearing the news that Warren was dead and Willow was coming to kill them is to simply lock onto the fact that Warren was dead. Andrew is lost without his leader. When the two of them are held by the Scoobies, Andrew turns to Jonathan and says that they can become the Duo and that Jonathan could be in charge because Andrew likes taking orders.
In short, the Andrew of Season 6 is pathetic. He has no spine, no drive - he's malleable and can be twisted into whatever kind of person people need him to be because he's so desperate to be accepted.
Season 7 starts off with Andrew and Jonathan returning to Sunnydale after spending time in Mexico. It also starts off with Andrew murdering his best friend at the bidding of a evil spirit.
Before I go any further - it must be said. Andrew knew all along that the First was not Warren. But, so desperate was he to have t he other man back, he forced himself to believe it was and pushed on ahead without a second thought to consequences. Andrew did what the First wanted because if he did, then he could go along with the fantasy of achieving Godhood that the First had given him and it meant that Warren hadn't really left him. In that same vein, it didn't take any coaxing for Andrew to buy that it was also Jonathan - because that got him out of feeling guilty for what he had just done. The First also makes a point to tell Andrew that it is not his fault and enables the fantasy.
Of course, we know that Willow grabs him before he can do any more damage - and, ignoring the hostage stage, when unbound we see Andrew's need to fit in even more. He starts to try to act like the people around him, trying to insert himself into conversations and invite himself along to their outings. Andrew is desperate to be acknowledged and looks visibly hurt when people shoot him down with insults or ignore him.
ANDREW
The silent warrior? Ha ha-I think not. She can't even slay that special vampire. (Dawn glares, Andrew shrugs) Everyone's saying.
DAWN
Well everyone should shut up. And you should stop pretending anybody here is your friend.
ANDREW
(ignoring her last point) And also, why's she so about saving Spike? He's a worse killer than me by... a way lot.
However, he doesn't stop, because stopping would be admitting that no one wants him and he cannot have that.
Andrew mimics the strongest person around him, as I said somewhere else in this massive entry. Prior to grabbing, he dressed much like Spike did. He seems to hope that by doing this, he can get some of the attention they get for themselves.
With them around, though - we do see a change. In First Date, when faced with the First - who, unrelated to this, shows us that Andrew is genuinely fond of Dawn, Anya and Willow by telling Andrew he doesn't have to kill them - Andrew pretends to agree with it's demands to shoot all of the Potentials. We see a short scene of Andrew rather creepily watching the Potentials, leading us to think that he's going to kill them - and then we see him attempting to trick the First Evil into revealing vital information about itself. Andrew went to the Scoobies first and opted to try to trick it - effectively pissing it off, but still showing us that he's not the same coward he once was.
However, he's still not redeemed. He hasn't even begun that. Andrew skirts around the fact that he murdered Jonathan - arguing that 'The First made me!' and variations of this involving Warren, or saying that he thought it would ascend them to Godhood, though as previously mentioned, he was fully aware that it would not and was only going along with it because believing otherwise would really make Warren dead. Storyteller shows us that he rewrites events to make himself look like a hero or the supreme villain. He writes himself as stronger than he actually is - and rewrites events on a whim if he hears a better explanation for a situation. He doesn't want to take responsibility and doesn't until Buffy leaves him with no choice other than to.
And when he does, Andrew simply goes from bright and bouncy to... well, acknowledging that he probably should die for his crimes. He takes no pleasure in this new fate. He simply accepts that he probably should die because he has done unforgivable things. After this, Andrew stops talking about Jonathan and Warren all together - he'd previously mentioned them as if they were still alive and with him, referring to them fondly and without any sign of remorse - and though he continues to whine and acts as annoying as before, it is clear that he's much unhappier with himself. He also stops telling stories.
However, he finds friendship with Anya, who is also an outsider looking in. With Spike, who is also a 'hostage'. With Xander, for their mutual love of comics and all things nerdy - and, oddly enough, with Dawn, even though she seems exasperated at his constant pestering.
In the end, as we all know, Andrew survives and Anya dies. Andrew sees her fall - and avenges her. He's genuinely shocked to be alive - and even a little angry and ashamed about it. After all, why should the murderer live and Anya die? Initially when Xander grabs his shoulder and demands to know what happened, Andrew tries to get away. Upon seeing Xander's pain, Andrew stops and tells one last lie - he says Anya died saving his life, to give Xander that one last memory to cherish.
Angel Season 5. Six months later, we see Andrew again - and boy has he changed. His hair is longer and curly and he's ditched his graphic tees for a sophisticated looking suit - if anything, he appears to be doing the same mimicry as he did before, only attempting to be like Giles this time. He still tries to look cooler than he actually is, as shown by his attempt to smoke a pipe - and as oblivious to social norms as he was before, as shown when he takes out his bagged lunch in the middle of explaining the Dana situation, but he's shown to be a lot more confident. He casually insults Wesley and rubs his status in his face without any backtracking.
For the rest of this episode we see Andrew tagging along behind Spike, trying to impress him with his new training by pestering him with stories. He still comes across as a little desperate for attention and acceptance and isn't that much different until the end of the episode, where he stands up to Angel and takes the insane Slayer back with him.
Before now, the only times Andrew had ever stood his ground were ones where he was just backing someone up - now, he initiates the challenge. He looks Angel straight on and doesn't avert his gaze - and until he fumbles with a line, he doesn't stutter and hesitate. He leaves with confidence.
Then! Nothing, for a while. We see him again in The Girl in Question, looking disheveled and crashing in "Buffy's" apartment. Now, here I must admit that headcanon takes a bit of a toll. When this episode was aired, the Buffy we see is supposed to be the real Buffy - Andrew isn't lying. However, with the information we get in the comics and the way he acts and speaks to the two, I must admit that he's honestly just trolling them.
ANDREW
Right, because you two both-
(nods, crosses his arms)
Yeah. She's not here.
ANGEL
Where'd she go?
ANDREW
To meet The Immortal.
SPIKE
By herself?
ANDREW
I told you I had plans.
Season 8 tells us that Andrew did some research on the Immortal and decided that Rome!Buffy should date him because it would be 'hilarious'. And, indeed, Andrew seems to be genuinely amused at the way Spike and Angel are acting.
SPIKE
Andrew. Has Buffy been acting off? Like The Immortal's got her under a spell of sorts?
ANDREW
Excellent question. (Pause, looks genuinely thoughtful. Then, cheerfully) No.
Throughout this episode we also see Andrew simply lazing around, getting ready for something. Now - he was meant to leave with a group of men and women. Again, headcanon explanation for this because it was an error in shooting - Andrew is on a cordless phone during Angel and Spike's second visit. I'm going with the idea that he called Caprice and Isabella to tell them to come to the door, just to further humiliate Spike and Angel because it is no secret how everyone thought of Andrew. He met up with his other friends at the place they were going to and told them the story and laughed about it.
Andrew's grown as a person. This episode was written for Dawn, but Andrew makes a much better example of it.
In Season 8 we see an even more confident Andrew. We also see an Andrew who is, for the first time ever, completely comfortable with himself. He doesn't shy away from responsibility or make up stories. He finally has the love and acceptance of the people around him - and is happy.
He's in charge of Italy Squad... and even if he's still the same nerdy Andrew, he's also a mentor and a teacher and for the most part, they seem to accept him and deal with eccentricities. In the very least, only Simone Doffler and one of his other Slayers leave when given the chance.
He keeps in touch with Xander (who also seems to be fond enough of him to buy him things and make friendly jabs at him) and Buffy. Andrew also is also seen doing some recruiting for the Slayers and does a very good job of it. In the very least, his explanation seems to win over a wild Slayer - up until Buffy gives her the 'welcome to the family' speech.
Andrew's also takes charge in times of crisis. He bred a Ragna Demon to track down the rogue Slayers without telling anyone - partly because he felt it was his responsibility to, and partially because he was worried that they would blame him for this. Andrew has learned that his actions have consequences and no longer hides from the truth - though, in turn, he may take a bit too much responsibility for things that go wrong. Andrew's not always the most certain of himself or where he stands with people so he tries to overcompensate.
In Retreat we also see him putting himself on the line for his Slayers -- and we see that he may still care for Warren. This is confirmed in Twilight, when he shields Warren with his own body to keep him safe from an attacking demon.
CANON;
Is Tucker's Brother.
Once summoned demon monkeys to attack the school play. It was a production of Romeo and Juliet. This is here as a reminder to me to not fail and remember that it was this play and not another one.
Was bullied in highschool.
Has seen all of Doctor Who.
Was good friends with Warren and Jonathan in highschool. Was the youngest of the group.
The Wells house was in poor condition and pretty small. [ The Prom ]
Tucker was clearly somewhat unstable. [ The Prom ]
Fails at evil laughter. [ flooded ]
Wanted Warren to build him Christina Ricci [ flooded ]
The first lair was in Warren's basement. [ flooded ]
The Trio was only established a month before they preformed their first heist. [ flooded ]
Has the layout of the Death Star memorized. Painted it on the van without reference. [ life serial ]
Was very much the whipping boy of the trio, but still adored jonathan and warren. [ life serial - up until warren and andrew start to get closer ]
Timothy Dalton was his favorite Bond up until Daniel Craig took over. [ Life Serial, Predators and Prey ]
Warren started to become a little more psychotic by Gone, Jonathan and Andrew just had very simple evil plans that involved no one getting hurt. Andrew compares the Trio to Lex Luthor, implying that he thought that they're constant struggle to take over Sunnydale was just a role they were playing. [ gone ]
They nerds decide to make a woman their sex slave. [ Dead Things ]
Proves his loyalty to Warren by helping him dispose of Katrina's body. [ Dead Things ]
"Juicy, pulsating candy." Just what. [ Dead Things ]
Doesn't like the taste of alcohol. [ Dead Things ]
Was the first to realize that Katrina was dead. [ Dead Things ]
Initially suggested turning themselves in. [ Dead Things ]
Andrew shows his grasp on right and wrong is weak at this point and that he still things that this is some fantasy game. "We got away with murder... That's kind of cool." [ Dead Things ]
The Jonathan vs Andrew and Warren relationship begins. [ Dead Things ]
Andrew is completely over the Katrina thing. [ normal again ]
Andrew gets clingier to Warren. [ normal again ]
Highlights everything. [ Entropy, First Date ]
Andrew looks frightened of Warren for most of this episode. [ Seeing Red ]
He is very much for killing Buffy at this point. He chants "Kill her, kill her!" [ Seeing Red ]
His faith in Warren was unshakable. [ Villains ]
"How could he do this to me? He promised we'd be together, but... he was just using me. He never really loved... hanging out with us." [ Seeing Red ]
His aunt is (possibly) his legal guardian. [ villains ]
- His mother was referenced in The Long Way Home, but only in passing. He called his aunt to bail him out of jail.
-- It's entirely possible his aunt doesn't care much, as she doesn't make an effort to contact him at any point after the jailing.
Learned the entire Klingon dictionary in two and a half weeks. [conversations with dead people]
*Has shin splints. [conversations with dead people]
Has seen Hellraiser; hates Pinhead. [conversations with dead people]
Hates everything about highschool and really doesn't like to think about it. [conversations with dead people]
Killed his best friend. [conversations with dead people]
-- Jonathan is talking seriously about redemption and how he cares about the people that live in Sunnydale, even if they never cared about him. Andrew is unimpressed by this attitude and stabs him without warning.
Has watched Stephen King's Misery six times. Believes the book to be scarier than the movie. [showtime]
*Has an inner ear condition. [showtime]
This scene says it all. [ storyteller ]
Can read a multitude of demon languages. [ storyteller ]
If he can get his hands on a video camera, he will never, ever put it down. [ storyteller, retreat ]
He bonds with people pretty easily one-on-one. [see; interaction with xander and spike]
Most definitely had something for Warren. [ storyteller, when i get the rest this will be filled ]
Really can't smoke. [ storyteller, damage ]
Dislikes the 1998 Godzilla movie. [ dirty girls ]
Has gotten considerably better at being the bad cop. [ compare empty places to damage ]
Was possessed once. Didn't like it. [ touched ]
Cannot hold his liquor.
Taught Giles how to play D&D. [ chosen ]
Tucker inspired him to summon demons. [ chosen ] (but don't you dare compare them)
Went to therapy [damage]
Gets knocked unconscious an awful lot. [ damage ]
Remains one of the few people in the series to stand up to Angel. [ damage ]
Is probably the only Scooby in canon who knows Spike is alive. [ damage ]
Rubs his Watcherosity in Wesley's face. [ damage ]
Actually is a very successful troll. [ The Girl in Question ]
Feels more accepted by the Scoobies than he did with the Trio. [ predators and prey ]
Has trust issues. Andrew trusts pretty easily and is a very persistent person, but people don't often trust him back. He's constantly worried that he might mess up and have everyone else lose faith in him and reject him. He created a Ragna demon to try to recapture a rogue slayer so no one would blame him for the incident somewhere down the road. [ predators and prey ]
- At his current canonpoint, he has created the Ragna but it has not yielded any results yet. As such, the Ragna is loose and no one knows about it yet.
Andrew still cares about Warren. He's very willing to put his life on the line for him. [ Twilight, Part 4 ]
Stars in the recruitment commercials with Vi.
He has not seen Revenge of the Sith yet.
** things he says, but quite possibly might not be true.
HEADCANON;
He was born on June 21st, 1982. It's May 2005 where he comes from. He's twenty-two.
Was bullied by Larry pretty badly. Larry, being the closeted guy that he was, picked on Andrew because of the very fey vibes he puts off.
Cordelia and the Cordettes picked on he, Jonathan and Warren a lot.
Tucker was off his rocker, Andrew was used to Warren's psycho behavior because of this.
Did not enjoy his last year of highschool because both of his friends had graduated.
Tucker went on to some fancy college. Or he's in jail. Andrew doesn't know for sure but always says the former.
Andrew was in the habit of lying constantly while in Sunnydale, but since joining the Scoobies he doesn't rely on it as much. He just loves stretching the truth and making it more flowery.
Since studying under Giles he has gotten a spine.
Hero worships Buffy, adores Willow, but is closer to Xander than he is to either of them.
Adores Italy Squad. Cooks and bakes for them, and educates them in all that is nerd along with their training.
Italy Squad adores him and are very protective of him.. [Predators and Prey] Andrew has taught them how to play D&D, video games, introduced them to Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who.
He enjoys baking and cooking.
Feels a good load of guilt for Anya's death. He's talked with his therapist about that too and has come to terms with most of it.
Jonathan is still a sore spot for him. Warren is even worse, as the skinless wonder is strutting about and on the enemy's side.
- He found out about the Warren thing secondhand.
Has the day for seeing Revenge of the Sith booked off.
Considers Giles somewhat of a father figure.
Also only calls him Rupert around other people. He's always Mr. Giles in person.
Jonathan rarely calls Andrew by name, if ever. Warren uses his name and acknowledges him.
Relating to the therapy. Andrew had a lot of issues when he was in the Trio. He was bullied in highschool and regarded as little more than 'Tucker's Brother', even with his best friends. Tucker completely overshadowed him, and as Tucker wasn't exactly Mr. Popularity, Andrew ended up pretty neglected. He was very desperate to be accepted, going so far as to become a 'Super Villain' in order to gain a real sense of identity and belonging. He had a very weak sense of identity - often imitating the strongest personality around him. Warren was his idol, so he clung to Warren like there was no tomorrow and bent over backwards to please him. He needed to feel stronger, so he mimicked Spike. When he appears in Damage, he's dressed in almost-standard Giles/Watcher wear. Tweed suit, pipe and with hair completely free of product. When we see him again in Season Eight, it looks as if he's finally gained enough of a sense of himself to just be himself.
It's possible that Andrew's sense of reality was also rather warped. He saw everything as a game, just racking up points as they rose to the top of the Sunnydale foodchain. Like an RPG. He was a prime target for the First because he was living in his own little world to begin with. Even after murdering Jonathan and constantly being told the reality of the situation, it takes until Storyteller for the facts to really sink in. Specifically, it takes Buffy threatening his life and beating him down emotionally until he can't deny it anymore.
Adding onto the above, Andrew is not an innocent. When Warren kills Katrina in Dead Things, Andrew spends most of the episode trying to get over the guilt - and does. In the end, his final line is, "We got away with murder... That's kind of cool." And he smiles and leaves it at that. It is one of the most disturbing moments his character has.
Andrew and Anya were really a lot alike. By the end of his days in Sunnydale, he was most certainly closest to her. They were oddballs, failed to understand most concepts that most people grasped easily - such as what not to say, personal space, etc. Anya's death hit him really hard because of this, and coupled with his near hero-worship/nerdbonding with Xander, makes it a pretty painful memory. Survivor's Guilt. This was also covered in therapy.
I feel the need to talk about how Season 8 Andrew differs from the Andrew of Season 6 and 7. Some of the things mentioned in Season 8 have not happened for him yet, but the fact that he acts that way in those situations make them worth noting.
Season 6: Whatever the reason, Andrew does not seem to be very in touch with the world around him. He strikes me as the kind of guy who had simply been placed into a bad situation one too many times and decided he didn't like the way the world was treating him. We hear nothing of Andrew's parents - Jonathan's mother is mentioned, Warren's mother is seen - but no one in Andrew's family is ever referenced other than Tucker, who is absent, and his aunt, who is said not to care. Andrew is completely neglected by the world - no one remembers him unless Tucker is spoken of first, the incident he's most proud of is forgot and takes time to remember, and he seems desperate just to find someone to fit in with.
The early dynamic of the Trio is really as best friends. Warren is clearly the leader, but they're all on equal footing. It's actually, more often than not, Andrew and Jonathan arguing against Warren - the two of them were much gentler than the other boy and truly did not want to cause harm to anyone. Andrew here is childish, innocent in an ignorant sort of way, fighting with Jonathan and Warren over nerdy things because they're friends and friends do that - but I've talked about this to death. It's only after Dead Things that we see a real change in him.
At Katrina's murder, Andrew is completely inconsolable. He rocks back and forth, crying openly, simply chanting 'oh god oh god oh god' over and over again. He is the first one to suggest that they should turn themselves in. Warren is the only one out of the three that keeps their cool and comes up with a plan. They get away with murder - and this marks the change in him.
After this, Andrew becomes colder. He stays close to Warren. Warren berates him any time he shows any sympathy for Jonathan, calling it weakness, and keeps him focused on the goal. Warren gives what Andrew wants - attention. And it's easy to see that this attention makes Andrew thrive. It's also very clear that Andrew is infatuated with the older boy, even before the tell tale lines in Villains. Andrew is loyal to Warren. Andrew's first reaction upon hearing the news that Warren was dead and Willow was coming to kill them is to simply lock onto the fact that Warren was dead. Andrew is lost without his leader. When the two of them are held by the Scoobies, Andrew turns to Jonathan and says that they can become the Duo and that Jonathan could be in charge because Andrew likes taking orders.
In short, the Andrew of Season 6 is pathetic. He has no spine, no drive - he's malleable and can be twisted into whatever kind of person people need him to be because he's so desperate to be accepted.
Season 7 starts off with Andrew and Jonathan returning to Sunnydale after spending time in Mexico. It also starts off with Andrew murdering his best friend at the bidding of a evil spirit.
Before I go any further - it must be said. Andrew knew all along that the First was not Warren. But, so desperate was he to have t he other man back, he forced himself to believe it was and pushed on ahead without a second thought to consequences. Andrew did what the First wanted because if he did, then he could go along with the fantasy of achieving Godhood that the First had given him and it meant that Warren hadn't really left him. In that same vein, it didn't take any coaxing for Andrew to buy that it was also Jonathan - because that got him out of feeling guilty for what he had just done. The First also makes a point to tell Andrew that it is not his fault and enables the fantasy.
Of course, we know that Willow grabs him before he can do any more damage - and, ignoring the hostage stage, when unbound we see Andrew's need to fit in even more. He starts to try to act like the people around him, trying to insert himself into conversations and invite himself along to their outings. Andrew is desperate to be acknowledged and looks visibly hurt when people shoot him down with insults or ignore him.
ANDREW
The silent warrior? Ha ha-I think not. She can't even slay that special vampire. (Dawn glares, Andrew shrugs) Everyone's saying.
DAWN
Well everyone should shut up. And you should stop pretending anybody here is your friend.
ANDREW
(ignoring her last point) And also, why's she so about saving Spike? He's a worse killer than me by... a way lot.
However, he doesn't stop, because stopping would be admitting that no one wants him and he cannot have that.
Andrew mimics the strongest person around him, as I said somewhere else in this massive entry. Prior to grabbing, he dressed much like Spike did. He seems to hope that by doing this, he can get some of the attention they get for themselves.
With them around, though - we do see a change. In First Date, when faced with the First - who, unrelated to this, shows us that Andrew is genuinely fond of Dawn, Anya and Willow by telling Andrew he doesn't have to kill them - Andrew pretends to agree with it's demands to shoot all of the Potentials. We see a short scene of Andrew rather creepily watching the Potentials, leading us to think that he's going to kill them - and then we see him attempting to trick the First Evil into revealing vital information about itself. Andrew went to the Scoobies first and opted to try to trick it - effectively pissing it off, but still showing us that he's not the same coward he once was.
However, he's still not redeemed. He hasn't even begun that. Andrew skirts around the fact that he murdered Jonathan - arguing that 'The First made me!' and variations of this involving Warren, or saying that he thought it would ascend them to Godhood, though as previously mentioned, he was fully aware that it would not and was only going along with it because believing otherwise would really make Warren dead. Storyteller shows us that he rewrites events to make himself look like a hero or the supreme villain. He writes himself as stronger than he actually is - and rewrites events on a whim if he hears a better explanation for a situation. He doesn't want to take responsibility and doesn't until Buffy leaves him with no choice other than to.
And when he does, Andrew simply goes from bright and bouncy to... well, acknowledging that he probably should die for his crimes. He takes no pleasure in this new fate. He simply accepts that he probably should die because he has done unforgivable things. After this, Andrew stops talking about Jonathan and Warren all together - he'd previously mentioned them as if they were still alive and with him, referring to them fondly and without any sign of remorse - and though he continues to whine and acts as annoying as before, it is clear that he's much unhappier with himself. He also stops telling stories.
However, he finds friendship with Anya, who is also an outsider looking in. With Spike, who is also a 'hostage'. With Xander, for their mutual love of comics and all things nerdy - and, oddly enough, with Dawn, even though she seems exasperated at his constant pestering.
In the end, as we all know, Andrew survives and Anya dies. Andrew sees her fall - and avenges her. He's genuinely shocked to be alive - and even a little angry and ashamed about it. After all, why should the murderer live and Anya die? Initially when Xander grabs his shoulder and demands to know what happened, Andrew tries to get away. Upon seeing Xander's pain, Andrew stops and tells one last lie - he says Anya died saving his life, to give Xander that one last memory to cherish.
Angel Season 5. Six months later, we see Andrew again - and boy has he changed. His hair is longer and curly and he's ditched his graphic tees for a sophisticated looking suit - if anything, he appears to be doing the same mimicry as he did before, only attempting to be like Giles this time. He still tries to look cooler than he actually is, as shown by his attempt to smoke a pipe - and as oblivious to social norms as he was before, as shown when he takes out his bagged lunch in the middle of explaining the Dana situation, but he's shown to be a lot more confident. He casually insults Wesley and rubs his status in his face without any backtracking.
For the rest of this episode we see Andrew tagging along behind Spike, trying to impress him with his new training by pestering him with stories. He still comes across as a little desperate for attention and acceptance and isn't that much different until the end of the episode, where he stands up to Angel and takes the insane Slayer back with him.
Before now, the only times Andrew had ever stood his ground were ones where he was just backing someone up - now, he initiates the challenge. He looks Angel straight on and doesn't avert his gaze - and until he fumbles with a line, he doesn't stutter and hesitate. He leaves with confidence.
Then! Nothing, for a while. We see him again in The Girl in Question, looking disheveled and crashing in "Buffy's" apartment. Now, here I must admit that headcanon takes a bit of a toll. When this episode was aired, the Buffy we see is supposed to be the real Buffy - Andrew isn't lying. However, with the information we get in the comics and the way he acts and speaks to the two, I must admit that he's honestly just trolling them.
ANDREW
Right, because you two both-
(nods, crosses his arms)
Yeah. She's not here.
ANGEL
Where'd she go?
ANDREW
To meet The Immortal.
SPIKE
By herself?
ANDREW
I told you I had plans.
Season 8 tells us that Andrew did some research on the Immortal and decided that Rome!Buffy should date him because it would be 'hilarious'. And, indeed, Andrew seems to be genuinely amused at the way Spike and Angel are acting.
SPIKE
Andrew. Has Buffy been acting off? Like The Immortal's got her under a spell of sorts?
ANDREW
Excellent question. (Pause, looks genuinely thoughtful. Then, cheerfully) No.
Throughout this episode we also see Andrew simply lazing around, getting ready for something. Now - he was meant to leave with a group of men and women. Again, headcanon explanation for this because it was an error in shooting - Andrew is on a cordless phone during Angel and Spike's second visit. I'm going with the idea that he called Caprice and Isabella to tell them to come to the door, just to further humiliate Spike and Angel because it is no secret how everyone thought of Andrew. He met up with his other friends at the place they were going to and told them the story and laughed about it.
Andrew's grown as a person. This episode was written for Dawn, but Andrew makes a much better example of it.
In Season 8 we see an even more confident Andrew. We also see an Andrew who is, for the first time ever, completely comfortable with himself. He doesn't shy away from responsibility or make up stories. He finally has the love and acceptance of the people around him - and is happy.
He's in charge of Italy Squad... and even if he's still the same nerdy Andrew, he's also a mentor and a teacher and for the most part, they seem to accept him and deal with eccentricities. In the very least, only Simone Doffler and one of his other Slayers leave when given the chance.
He keeps in touch with Xander (who also seems to be fond enough of him to buy him things and make friendly jabs at him) and Buffy. Andrew also is also seen doing some recruiting for the Slayers and does a very good job of it. In the very least, his explanation seems to win over a wild Slayer - up until Buffy gives her the 'welcome to the family' speech.
Andrew's also takes charge in times of crisis. He bred a Ragna Demon to track down the rogue Slayers without telling anyone - partly because he felt it was his responsibility to, and partially because he was worried that they would blame him for this. Andrew has learned that his actions have consequences and no longer hides from the truth - though, in turn, he may take a bit too much responsibility for things that go wrong. Andrew's not always the most certain of himself or where he stands with people so he tries to overcompensate.
In Retreat we also see him putting himself on the line for his Slayers -- and we see that he may still care for Warren. This is confirmed in Twilight, when he shields Warren with his own body to keep him safe from an attacking demon.