Jonathan (aka The Kid in the Hall):
Jonathan (aka The Kid in the Hall):
Debut -- Inca Mummy Girl (Season 2)
Last Seen -- Graduation part II (Season 3)
Jonathan pretty much epitomizes the term "bit player." Which isn't to say that he doesn't make a contribution, far from it. Jonathan's a student at Sunnydale High and he's often put into "victim-type" situations, whether that means being clamped by a bezoar offspring or just being subservient to Cordelia.
We first see Jonathan in IMG. He's at the Multi-Cultural Dance at the Bronze, dressed as a cowboy, and he's hanging around the stairs. Next we see him in Ampata's grasp. She's about to suck the life out of him, and even though he doesn't know that, he looks a little scared. I don't know if it's because he's not to used to being around such aggressive females or if it's because he thinks he's invading Xander's turf. He does remark that he thought Ampata was "here with Xander." Xander's voice drifts in, he's looking for Ampara, and this gives Jonathan the exit he needs. So long, little buckaroo. or is that buckeroo?
Other 2nd season appearances -- Reptile Boy; What's My Line part II; Bad Eggs; Passion; Go Fish
In RB, Jonathan's got the undesirable task of waiting on Cordelia. Since Cordy's been freaked out by dating college men, she's gone back to dating boys of the high-school age variety. Jonathan gets reprimanded for goofing up her order at the Bronze and is sent back to rectify his mistake with a wave of Cordy's hand. Y'know, he looks pretty scared here, too.
Jonathan really gets into Career Day in WML part II. Since he's the closest kid nearby, the Police Lady Turakan grabs him for cover when she's under attack by Buffy and Kendra. So Jonathan's grabbed by the neck and used as a shield so she can make her escape. What does Jonathan make of all this?
Jonathan Speaks Out:
Jonathan: "Was that a demonstration?" -- to Buffy, after Police Lady leaves. I may've gotten the wording wrong...gotta check the tape.
BE features a meek-no-more Jonathan. Sure, Buffy and Xander heard him screaming in the hallway, but when they came to investigate, Jonathan said that he was fine. As fine as anyone can be who's just been neurally clamped by a baby bezoar, I guess. He helps the rest of the school unearth eggs from the Mother Bezoar.
Passion features one of the best uses of Jonathan to date. He and a chick come into the library to look for a book and he receives looks of surprise and unkind words from Xander. It's really pretty hysterical. (Shades of Owen in Never Kill a Boy on the First Date.) The gang realizes they can't chat about Angel while "civilians" are within earshot, so they leave. Jonathan emerges from the stacks to ask a question and finds that everyone's gone.
Shh...Library Zone Ahead:
Jonathan: "We're supposed to get some books. On Stalin."
Xander: "Does this look like a Barnes & Noble?"
Giles: "This is a school library, Xander."
Xander: "Since when?" -- upon seeing an actual student enter the library.
Jonathan's got a lot to do in GF, such as get his head dunked into an ice water bucket by swim team member Dodd. When Buffy comes to his aid, he's not exactly glad, he's perturbed. Later Jonathan gets grilled by Willow -- the gang suspects Jonathan of tampering with something on the swim team that's affecting the swimmers. The only thing Jonathan is guilty of? Well...
Willow Goes Pembleton:
Willow: "So...you delved into the black arts and conjured up a hell beast from the ocean's depths to wreak your vengeance."
Jonathan: "---"
Willow: "Didn't you?"
Jonathan: "What? No. I snuck in yesterday and peed in the pool."
Willow: "Oh...eww!" -- Willow questions Jonathan about his involvement with the swim team.
Maybe Jonathan will be around for Season 3...assuming any swim team members haven't caught up with him.
Dead Man's Party; Homecoming; The Wish; Earshot; The Prom; Graduation part II
Jonathan's made the big time in DMP. I mean, you know, 'cause he's at that big bash at Buffy's house. He gets dragged into the nasty screaming match that Buffy and Xander et al. are having. Buffy's all distraught by the flak she's getting so she solicits the crowd.
Buffy the Perfect Hostess?:
Buffy: "Great. Thanks. Anybody else want to weigh in here? How about you by the dip?"
Jonathan: "No thanks. I'm good." -- during the party.
And at least Jonathan didn't get killed by zombies, so the party was probably a success in his book...
In Homecoming, Jonathan's getting goodies from Buffy so that she can get his vote for homecoming queen. It's been a while since I saw this ep., but if I'm not mistaken I think he bags her stuff for Cordy's, saying that Cordy gave him money. Well, he does tell Buffy this, while he's eating some chocolatey baked yummy food she gave him.
In The Wish, Jonathan's sitting on the stairs of the school when Cordy and Harmony and the gang come by. Harmony suggests that Cordy go out with loser Jonathan, who looks pretty sad to me, like he didn't ask for this nasty sorta treatment. I mean, it's not like he was doing anything but sitting there finishing up his Huge Glug. If we believe Harmony's nastiness, then Jonathan has a kill moped. But who believes Harmony anyway? Anyhoo, that's about it for him for this outing.
In Earshot, Jonathan gets more Pembleton action from Willow. This time out she's trying to figure out if he's the one planning to do everyone in at lunchtime.
Anyhoo, we learn a lot more about Jonathan in this episode..basically that he wants to kill himself because he thinks no one cares, and that he's seen as a short idiot, etc. Buffy and Jonathan do a little bonding in this episode..basically she helps him understand the whole teenager plight thing, and that he's sadly mistaken if he thinks being popular/beautiful/athletic is the end-all, be-all of puberty. Or should I say adolescence. I like both words. Not really.
Anyhoo, turns out Jonathan gets suspended from school for a while. Bummer. I kind of wondered where he got his gun, but....This episode sets up some good foreshadowing for The Prom.
In The Prom, Jonathan's a real attention-getter. Well, okay, he comes by it honestly since he's announcing one of the class awards at the prom. The kid does not panic in the face of all of his classmates (and the two Britmen Chaperones!). Anyhoo, apparently the class selected Jonathan to give out Sunnydale's first-ever Class Protector award to none other than Buffy Summers herself!
Jonathan reads something that the class wrote, about how most of her classmates never really talked to Buffy or got to know her, but they did realize that she's always around when "something weird is going on" -- Xander was right about the school motto, eh? -- and that she's always saving everyone. So to honor her and the fact that this class of '99 is Sunnydale High's class with the lowest mortality rate...Buffy gets some gold-lame parasol thingie. I have to say, it was neat. I wondered if the students chose Jonathan because he's the "victim with a name and face" that we see all the time. And all that. (Then again, this was written before Earshot aired, so...)
So...Jonathan gets the honor of presenting Buffy with a sort of recognition award...hey. It's cool. It's like she belongs. And it's like he's the class voice saying a long overdue, "Thank you!" to her. So, think the school knows that Jonathan peed in the pool that time? (see Go Fish.)
In Graduation part II, Jonathan works with
Anyhoo, also noteworthy is the fact that Jonathan helps to shield Cordy, it looks like, from some major vamp attack during the big exodus/attack thing at graduation. Cool. He made it out alive, I believe, so perhaps we'll see him on campus in season 4?