Jared Banks

Infobox soap character
name = Jared Banks
series = One Life to Live
color = #99BADD



caption1 = John Brotherton as Jared Banks in the "One Life to Live" opening sequence
first = August 10 2007
last =
cause =
occupation = Former inmate
BE Executive
portrayer = John Brotherton (2007-)
Chris Bones
(Young Jared, 2008)
creator = Dena Higley and Ron Carlivati
romances = Jessica Buchanan (one night stand, pre-2007)
Sarah Roberts (kissed, 2007)
Gigi Morasco (kissed, 2008)
Natalie Buchanan (2008-)
alias = Jared Buchanan
parents = Charlie Banks
Valerie Banks [Jared repeats his mother's name, Valerie Banks, onscreen on January 18 2008.]
siblings = Jimmy Banks (deceased)
relatives =

Jared Banks is a fictional character on the American daytime drama "One Life to Live". Originally slated to debut on August 17 2007, the character, as portrayed by John Brotherton, first appeared a week earlier on August 10 2007. Chris Bones played a young Jared in flashbacks on January 17 2008.

Character information

Enter Jared

Recently released from prison, the mysterious Jared arrives in Llanview with a particular interest in the Buchanan family. He is first seen reading a book about legendary Llanview businessman Asa Buchanan, and soon tries to convince Asa's granddaughter Natalie to give him a job at Buchanan Enterprises. She is resistant, but agrees to a game of billiards with a job as the prize, assuming that, as an expert, she will win. However, Jared distracts her and she loses.

Jared swindles Nash Brennan at a game of poker and buys Antonio Vega's shares of Nash's vineyard; it revealed that he shares a secret past with Nash's wife (and Natalie's fraternal twin) Jessica Buchanan. Jessica's former alternate personality Tess had been responsible for sending Jared to prison, thus ruining his chances at a good business job. Jared wants revenge on Jessica, believing that she had set him up and not believing that "Tess" had ever existed.

Asa had died on August 16 2007, soon after Jared's arrival in town; [ [http://abc.go.com/daytime/onelifetolive/episodes/2007/20070816.html "One Life to Live" recap (8/16/07) - ABC.com] ] Jared befriends Asa's widow Renee, who claims to see much of her husband in Jared. Soon Asa's son Clint and butler Nigel — and later most of the family — are suspicious of Jared's motives. Jared and Natalie are attracted to each other, but she also is less-than-trusting of his motives and angry at his manipulations with her family. Jared boldly kisses Natalie at work, and she fires him. Jared arrives at Nash and Jessica's cottage with proof that he owns it as part of his stake in the vineyard, and proceeds to move in. Natalie re-hires him to get him to leave.

To Natalie's chagrin, Jared kisses Natalie's niece/cousin Sarah Roberts at Capricorn, and the Buchanans are shocked as Renee invites Jared to stay at Asa's mansion. Jared and Sarah have a date at the Palace Hotel restaurant, watched by an irritated Natalie and Cristian Vega, who is protective of Sarah and later romantically interested in her. Natalie warns Sarah about Jared, but Sarah is undeterred; when the time comes for the reading of Asa's will in Paris, Texas, Sarah invites Jared to come with her — which annoys Natalie, Jessica and Nash. Sarah soon realizes that her heart is with Cristian, and Jared and Natalie give in to their attraction and share several kisses.

The Buchanan heir

In his will, Asa had revealed the existence of another son, but had left the man unnamed and had tasked Nigel to reveal his identity when the time was right. Jared overhears Nigel say that David Vickers is secretly Asa's son; knowing that Nigel is reluctant to tell the family that con artist David is one of them, Jared soon blackmails Nigel into convincing the family that he is Asa's long-lost son. Nigel initially refuses, but eventually gives in; he gives a forged letter to Asa's sons Clint and Bo in which Asa names Jared as his son. Despite his feelings for Natalie, Jared moves his plan forward; he pretends to act surprised at being Asa's son and even unhappy about the idea — though he secures some of David's hair to pass the inevitable DNA test. However, Jared's real father Charlie Banks — who has been searching for him — shows up at the mansion. Charlie, a recovering alcoholic, is apologetic for his failures as a parent and hopes to reconnect with his son; a bitter Jared is unwilling to let Charlie back in his life.

Asa's ex-wife Pamela Stuart is summoned to Llanview by Bo on January 18 2008 [http://abc.go.com/daytime/onelifetolive/episodes/2008/20080118.html "One Life to Live" recap (1/18/08) - ABC.com] ] and attends the Buchanan Enterprises board meeting to weigh in on the possibility that Jared is Asa's illegitimate son. Bo had determined that Asa had been with Pamela around the time of Jared's conception; Pamela confirms that Asa had never even met Jared's mother Valerie Banks, let alone conceived a child with her. To the shock of everyone assembled, Pamela reveals that Valerie had in fact been her sister; Pamela then drops the bombshell that "she" is actually Jared's biological mother. Afraid of losing Asa's love by bringing a child into the relationship, Pamela had asked Valerie to secretly adopt Asa's son. Pamela declares him the Buchanan heir; after the board meeting lets out, however, Pamela returns to meet with Jared alone. It is revealed that Pamela has lied to the Buchanans and is merely going along with Jared's scheme; Pamela is not really Jared's mother, but has known Jared and his family since he was a child, and had told the young boy many stories about her life with Asa. Through Pamela's stories of the great Asa Buchanan, Jared's fascination with Asa and the Buchanan clan had been born. Jared had not been aware that Pamela was going to appear at the meeting or lie for him, but Pamela explains that it was the least she could do "after everything my brother" — a violent abuser who dated Jared's mother after Charlie left the Banks household — "did to you and your family." [The February 1 2008 episode included a flashback that reveals that Jared and Valerie had been abused by some of her boyfriends after Charlie had left the Banks household, and the February 15 2008 episode Jared confirms that one of the abusers had been Pamela's brother.] Pamela, who still remembers Jared with fondness, warmly wishes him good luck with the company, and tells him that — whether he realizes it or not — what he is doing is not about the money or the power, but about the Buchanans, and their good name.

Jared and Natalie continue to fight their now-forbidden attraction to each other. Charlie is not happy with Jared's scheme, but vows to protect his son's secret as part of his attempt to reconcile with Jared. Soon Charlie, who is romantically involved with Natalie's mother Viki Davidson, notices Jared's attraction to Natalie and tells his son he can either be the Buchanan heir or be with Natalie — but not both.

In the 15 February 2008 episode, Jared indicates that he has at least one sibling when he relates to Charlie the abuse they and their mother had suffered after Charlie had left them. In the 21 March 2008 episode, Jared and Charlie discuss how during that time Jared's younger brother Jimmy had been hit by a car and killed. Though Valerie had told Charlie it had been an accident, Jared reveals that Jimmy had actually been overwrought because of their mother's abusive boyfriend; Jared blames himself for letting an upset Jimmy run out into the street.

In March 2008, [ [http://abc.go.com/daytime/onelifetolive/episodes/2008/20080331.html "One Life to Live" recap (3/31/08) - ABC.com] ] Jared finally admits to a shocked Natalie that he is not a Buchanan and that David Vickers is. Jared hopes that he and Natalie can now be together, but she rejects him, deciding to keep his secret only to protect her family from David's greed. Eventually they fall into bed together on May 5 2008. Jared later tells Natalie that Charlie is his father, and they agree to keep the secret to protect Viki and assure Charlie's sobriety.

References

External links

* [http://abc.go.com/daytime/onelifetolive/characters/bio?pn=characterbio&character=Jared%20Banks Jared Banks profile - ABC.com]