Pacey was first introduced to us as the sarcastic, hormonal, slacker best friend of Dawson Leery. In season 1 he shocked everyone by having an affair with his 30-something English teacher and prevented her from being persecuted by saying he made up the whole thing. Despite his personal dramas, he was always there for a clueless Dawson, lending an ear or sage advice whenever he needed- which was often. His life soon changed when the new school year brought along one perky Andie McPhee. She challenged Pacey's sarcasm and matched him quip for quip, something he missed since his original sparring partner Joey Potter was off making googly-eyes with Dawson. Pacey and Andie soon fell in love and Pacey stood by her side when her mental illness took over control.

When Andie cheats on him over the summer, Pacey is heartbroken and turns to an equally distraught Joey. The two bond over their mutual relationship woes and find themselves falling in love against their will. Pacey soon realizes that Joey may just be the one for him but is in turmoil because Dawson also believes the same. After much drama and heartache, Pacey and Joey sail off into the sunset together and return from a summer aboard his boat (the aptly named "True Love") more in love than ever. However, soon Pacey's insecurities about Joey and his own future get the best of him and he breaks up with her in a humiliating and public forum- their senior prom. Disgusted with the person he'd become and barely graduating high school, Pacey leaves for a summer of sailing once again, this time alone.

Upon his return to Boston, where coincidentally all his high school friends are now attending college, Pacey is a brand new person, confident, successful and unhaunted by his past. He begins working as a chef and dates Joey's college roommate Audrey Liddell. However, after several months together, Pacey begins to question whether he'd ever really loved Audrey at all. Overhearing him saying this to his roommate, Audrey dumps him and begins her own personal downward spiral. Meanwhile Pacey is climbing steadily up the social-economic ladder by working in a lucrative stock firm. However, his luck was about to run out. A brief but intense relationship with Joey ends in heartbreak just as his career (and Dawson's) falls to pieces. He returns to Capeside and tries his best to repair his friendship with Dawson (which was never quite the same again after he fell for Joey the first time around) as Joey leaves both of them behind and finally achieves her dream of going to Paris.

Five years later, we find Pacey owning his own restaurant in Capeside and having an affair with a married woman. He feels detached from it all until Joey shows up at his doorstep. Amidst slow-motion and romantic music Pacey sweeps her into his arms and finally feels happy again for the first time in years. However, his newfound happiness is cut short when the gang finds out that Jen Lindley is dying of a fatal heart condition. Pacey is sent into her first because he has that innate ability to make people smile and he succeeds. In the following days Jen passes away and Pacey attempts to start being happy on his own, without needing Joey or anyone. However, when he tries to let Joey go she refuses and declares she has always known he was the one for her. In the last frame of the series we see Pacey watching Dawson's show about their childhood on tv, Joey at his side, finally finding the place where he belonged.

Written by Joshua Jackson Online. Do not take without permission.