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I have recently fallen into the habit of reading Buffy fanfiction and a surprising amount of it makes reference to Xander being slightly more than human (by more than simple experience). This surprised me since his role on the show was primarily 'the normal guy' and 'the heart of the team'.

I began a bit of a re-watch of the early seasons and I have noticed some times when he was affected by magic/demons/various supernatural stuff that could have given him enhancements beyond strict human norms, such as his possession by the hyena spirit, aerosol steroids from the swim team, and his well-known acquisition of military know-how from a Halloween costume.

What other events has Xander been part of that could have enhanced him beyond the norm?

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    ♪♪ "His penis got diseases from a Chumash Triiiiibe!" ♫♫
    – Valorum
    Commented Jan 17, 2020 at 22:28
  • @Valorum - I mean...yeah. Not typically what someone would mean by 'enhancement', but it fits.
    – Jeff
    Commented Jan 17, 2020 at 22:32
  • I don't remember any other lasting 'powers' than the military thing. However, when he talks "Dark Willow" down, saying that he is "just a simple carpenter", many think this alludes to him being a Christ-like figure (what with Jesus also being a carpenter). Could be that fanfiction has run off with that theory.
    – Klaus Æ. Mogensen
    Commented Jan 20, 2020 at 8:33

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Military knowledge aside, in-show, his role generally was indeed one of an ordinary guy who nevertheless had something to contribute. (Even if he tended to be the guy who "eats insects and gets the funny syphilis".) Adding a persistent supernatural aspect seems so contrary to that role that it seems a bit like something someone might do in a Gary Stu-ish vein if they personally identified with him. But if people really wanted to grab onto some things from the series to claim some lasting effects, here are some possibilities in addition to the ones you mentioned:

  • Having melded with the others while fighting Adam could be claimed leave some lingering connection to the others beyond the shared First Slayer dream.

  • Being split in two by Toth arguably gave him some some extra perspective on his stronger and weaker traits.

  • Temporarily being a Dracula bug-eater minion might have some lasting aftereffect.

  • He's arguably a bit of a demon magnet even when not cursed by Willow as in "Something Blue".

  • Lastly, he's a conquistador. A comfortador, also.

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  • In the follow-up comic we see him going back to Dracula to serve as his thrall
    – Valorum
    Commented Jan 22, 2020 at 7:28
  • @Valorum Huh. I never got around to reading Season 8.
    – Jacob C.
    Commented Jan 22, 2020 at 20:09
  • @Valorum Hmm... looking at some synopses and excerpts, the "Season 8" writers really decided to develop Xander and Dracula's relationship o_O
    – Jacob C.
    Commented Jan 22, 2020 at 20:13

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