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Paige Michalchuk
Paige Michalchuk is a fictional character in the TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation, portrayed by Lauren Collins.
In the first season, Paige was seen as the stereotypical stuck-up, snobby, popular girl. By the middle of season 2, however, her character began to gain more depth and later in the series she even became somewhat of a heroine.
Her best friend is Hazel Aden who, like Paige, is a very popular student at Degrassi Community School, and a member of the school's Spirit Squad. Paige was also a childhood friend of Ashley Kerwin and later developed a long relationship with Gavin "Spinner" Mason.
Season 1[edit]
"New Paige"[edit]
In the first episode, Paige stated that it is a "new year, new look, new Paige," so Paige possibly may have not been a stereotypical preppy "mean girl," which she is presently, when she first entered Degrassi. Ashley also believes Paige is getting in the middle of her relationship which is why she feels pressured to have sex. Then while trying to help Ashley with her dad's dilemma, Ashley throws milk on her face as she believes Paige was being mean when she was trying to help.
Ashley vs. Paige[edit]
While on E, Ashley calls Paige a hag. Paige becomes disgusted and leaves the party as well as everyone else. Soon after Ash's popularity plummets and Paige becomes the most popular girl in school.
Season 2[edit]
Friendship[edit]
Paige still furious over Ashley, soon begins to forgive Ashley. As Terri and everyone else begin to be the old group again, Ash messes up by dissing Terri (accidentally) and then accepting a date from Sean while accidentally leading Jimmy on to think that she wanted to rekindle their relationship. Paige angrily excludes Ashley from her clique, and threatened to exclude Terri as well if she continued to be Ashley's friend. Relunctantly, Terri decides to leave her to be with Paige and Hazel. Paige triumphantly maintains her popular status.
Rape[edit]
In season 2, the boy's soccer team was playing against a school called Bardell, and Paige, as a cheerleader, had to cheer them on. She spotted the star of the team, Dean, coming off the bus, and was instantly attracted to him. After the game, Dean invited Paige and Hazel to a party; Paige accepted, canceling the date she already had with Spinner and leaving him heartbroken. At the party, Paige and Dean went upstairs to another room and at started kissing. Dean started taking things a little too far, and Paige wanted to stop. Instead, Dean pushed her back down on the bed, and raped her.
Paige was hesitant to tell anybody, but eventually confided in Hazel. Her advice was to get help, but since that would have involved telling her parents, Paige refused to. Six months later, Dean returned to Degrassi to play a basketball tournament. Paige found the courage to tell him off, that she was going to press charges against him. She also told JT and Spinner, who both came close to beating Dean up. Later - in season 4 - Paige helped her brother, Dylan, move into college. However, it turned out Dean also attended the same college; he approached Paige and told her not to press charges.
Season 3[edit]
Relationship with Spinner[edit]
After almost 2 years of crushing on Spinner, over the summer, Paige and Spinnner became an item.
Helping Ellie[edit]
Paige and Ellie hadn't exactly been best friends, especially over a rivalry of recieving Caitlin Ryan's open co-op job. As Ellie's stress began to rise, she began to cut herself, which she once did in the girl's bathroom at Degrassi. As she was about to cut herself, Paige walked in on her. When her arm began to bleed, Paige realized what she was doing, and told her to get help. When Ellie refused and told her to leave her alone, Paige secretly told the school's counselor about Ellie's issue. When Ellie overheard Paige talking to the counselor, she was angry at Paige until she convinced her to see the school counselor. Afterward, Ellie was thankful for what Paige did and the two have remained friends ever since.
Rick and Terri[edit]
Hazel being the first to notice the dangerous relationship, soon informs everyone about Terri's predicament. Soon a couple months after their breakup, Terri returns with Rick and Paige is caught in the middle. Paige becomes furious that Rick is back and calls him a psycho. Rick gets mad and storms off, while Terri scolds Paige for her behavior. Paige, in turn, gets angry at Terri and tells her to go after him. Terri later ends up in the hospital and Paige blames Spinner at first and then herself. Paige then visits Terri regularly but is distraught when she leaves Degrassi.
Season 4[edit]
Rape Trial[edit]
The trial didn't get underway until season 4. Dean's defense lawyer really grilled Paige. She shot back, saying that she was a virgin until she was raped by Dean. However, Dean was not found not guilty of rape because of the lack of physical evidence.
Sometime after the trial, Paige attended a party at Dylan's college. She relieved her stress from the trial by drinking and flirting with several guys at the party, even though she was dating Spinner at the time. Paige tracked Spinner down and tried to have sex with him, but he didn't want to since she was drunk. Paige stole Spinner's car keys, drove to the frat house where Dean was trying to be accepted and she proceeded to tell everyone that he had raped her. Then after he admitted he raped her, she crashed into Dean's car with Spinner's car. Dean called the police on Spinner, and he was arrested. Spinner took the punishment for Paige, but she eventually confessed to the crime. Paige apologized for wrecking Spinner's car and begged him to take her back. He did, and Paige promised to pay for the damages to his car.
Unexpected friend[edit]
After Paige totaled Spinner's car, Paige was forced to find a job. And the only job she could find was working at a movie theathre with Alex. At first Paige was scared and frustrated by this, but they both gained respect for each other and began to bond as friends.
Dumping Spinner[edit]
After Hazel points out to Paige, about Spinner's little fun with Manny, she doesn't get worried and says "They're just friends." But at her job at the movie theater, Spinner and Craig Manning get in a fight, not about Paige, but Manny, which causes her to end their relationship, once and for all.
Relationship with Matt[edit]
In season 4, Paige began dating Matt Oleander, a teacher's assistant at Degrassi. Paige and Matt went to great lengths to hide their relationship. One day at school, Manny Santos caught them kissing but, didn't say anything at first. Soon afterwards, Paige and Manny got into a physical fight in the hall, and Matt and Ms. Hatzilakos broke it up. Manny, angry, said "Hey Mr. Pedophile... I mean Oleander." This started to raise suspicions, and Matt was called into the office. Paige was also called into the office, and was shocked to learn that Matt had said she was stalking him and wouldn't leave him alone. Paige confronted Matt but agreed to go along with his story. The next day, Paige had a meeting with her teacher, Archie "Snake" Simpson, Ms. Hatzilakos and Matt. She lied in her confirmation of Matt's stalking story; and she said that she wanted to be transferred out of his class. They refused to let her change, so Paige said she wanted to change schools. Because her school year would be lost, however, they refused to let her, Mr. Simpson didn't believe her because of her best friend, Hazel Aden, teasing Paige about Matt one day in class, while Matt was there. He told Ms. Hatzilakos what he saw and Matt finally confessed that he was in a relationship with Paige, and she wasn't stalking him. Matt was expelled from teacher's college and the episode ended with the couple openly seeing each other. At the end of the season, Matt left Toronto for the summer after getting a job planting trees.
Season 5[edit]
Pot[edit]
Matt came back and met up with Paige at a restaurant, but he had let himself go. Paige had high hopes that they could be together after graduation, but Matt broke up with her because he already had a job lined up. He also gave Paige marijuana to help her ease her pain, but this only angered her, and she stormed out of the restaurant. Alex and Paige later shared the weed and both got high. Paige almost ruined her chances at getting into Banting University by announcing to a representative of the school at Degrassi's university fair that she was high.
Relationship with Alex/Confusion about Sexuality[edit]
When "Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh?" premiered, Alex was excited to go. Paige was reluctant to go because she was cut out of the movie. Alex finally convinced her to come, and enjoy "time with her." To get into the "real" after-party they pretend to be a gay couple. Inside, they began to dance provocatively in the middle of the floor. Jay criticized Alex for "putting on a show for everyone", but Alex replied that the night isn't about her, it's about Paige. Alex walked Paige home, and they stopped by Alex's house to get shoes (Paige's went missing). Paige chatted with Alex's mother, who mentioned that Alex talks about her all the time. Later, Alex began to talk to Paige about when they were dancing together, but was interrupted by her mother's boyfriend yelling and accidentally knocking Alex over an end table. They headed to Paige's house so Paige could try to fix Alex's injured arm and Alex explained how good it felt to be there, away from the chaos of her own house. Alex mentioned how she is in trouble, and they kissed. Paige was very confused, pretending it didn't happen and insisted to sleep on the couch.
The next morning, Paige acted very strange, refusing to talk about the kiss and said she just couldn't deal with what was happening. This upset Alex who then avoided her. In class, they agreed to meet at the laneway. There, Paige said being around Alex makes her laugh; Alex says being around Paige made her be a better person. Paige then kissed Alex, unaware that Jay was watching from a distance. Afterwards, Jay antagonized Hazel by telling her what he saw. Hazel then confronted Paige, asking if she turned gay and didn't tell her. Paige was caught off-guard and said she just got caught up in the moment and Alex meant nothing to her. Alex overheard the remark and feels extremely hurt. After talking to Kevin Smith about the situation, Paige decided to stop caring about what other people thought, and pursued a relationship with Alex. She went to Alex's apartment, and when Alex returned home, Paige asked her if she had room for a silly girl who would stop worrying about what people thought. She said she was wrong when she said Alex didn't mean anything to her because right now, she meant everything. They began to date, which made Hazel uncomfortable, but ultimately accepted it.
As graduation neared, Paige insisted more than ever that Alex plan on what to do after high school. She refused, and said that she's not on the same time table Paige was, and has to do things when they're right for her. She was unsure of what she wanted to do, but deciced that she wouldn't be happy following Paige to college and becoming her "lapdog". As the fight reached a climax, Alex decided to break up with Paige. Paige turned to Spinner for comfort, and a rebound, and they ended up hooking up that night. At the end of the graduation, Alex and Paige hugged, indicating that there is no animosity between them.
Sex with Spinner[edit]
During the season finale, Paige and Spinner ended up having sex. Spinner went to see her with the intention of letting her down easy (he and Darcy reconciled), but when they reminisce about the past, they have sex.
Season 6[edit]
Banting[edit]
Paige has a farewell party as to kick off the beginning of everyone's new lives. However as the party goes on, Paige helps Marco realize that moving on isn't such a bad thing and that it may be best for all of them to try new things. Paige later came back in a visit and held a small get together with all her friends and also gave Alex some advice on dealing with her attitude and others.
University Pressures[edit]
Paige begins to crumble under the pressure and begins to have frequent panic attacks. Even her life at home begins to fill her with despair. She is so overwhelmed by the pressure that she feels she has to return back to Banting. With her mother a successful graduate, Paige feels the need to follow in her foot steps. Upon returning Paige simply cracks and throws her work in the trash and lights it on fire.
Possible Feelings For Alex[edit]
While trying to convince Alex drop the reason why she's back in town from Banting so soon, Paige shockingly kisses Alex. Alex was shocked to be kissed by Paige. Paige then responds by saying it was a "good night kiss". This shows how she still has feelings for Alex.
Later Alex tells Paige's mother about failing papers she found in her car. Paige was mad at Alex but realized Alex told because she cared and wanted her to stop lying to her. Paige also tells Alex she wanted Alex to be proud of her and didn't want to be a failure because of her poor grades at Banting (which could explain their argument at Marco and Dylan's over Thankgiving break about 'pressure').
Relationships[edit]
- Gavin 'Spinner' Mason
- Matt Oleander
- Start Up: (Bark at the Moon) (413)
- Broke Up: (Death of a Disco Dancer) (503)
- Reason: After a long time apart from Paige, Matt finds Paige's life too structured and orderly.
- Alex Nuñez
- Start Up: (Lexicon of Love, Part 2) (512)
- Broke Up: (High Fidelity, Part 1) (518)
- Reason: Alex finds Paige too controlling.
| This article is based on a GNU FDL LGBT Wikia article: Michalchuk Paige Michalchuk | LGBT |
