Introducing Xander Cook
Xander might be an often shirtless, loveable goof who makes questionable decisions now, but he was a more, let’s say, menacing character when Paul Telfer first joined Days of Our Lives in 2015.
Rated X: The Scandalous Misadventures of Days of Our Lives’ Xander [PHOTOS]
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Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI -
Leave the Elephant, Take the Kiriakis
Image Credit: Howard Wise/JPI The elephant statue story in 2015 wasn’t exactly a fan favorite, but one good thing to come from it was the introduction of the latest addition to the Kiriakis family — theblood diamond smuggling, money laundering, Xander Cook.
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Never Cross Victor
Image Credit: Howard Wise/JPI Part of Xander’s criminal enterprise was working for Victor, until he went afoul of his uncle’s wishes, that is. That got him stripped of his privilege and wealth, and demoted to family gardner.
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An Outing With Friends
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Of all his evil deeds, the one thing that got him sent to prison was the one thing he didn’t do — attempt to rape Theresa. While in the slammer, he teamed up with fellow felons Clyde and Orpheus for an escape, and then terrorized his accuser, the Johnson family and Nicole.
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The Unhappy Couple
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI That wasn’t his first, or last, run-in with Nicole, who was the first person he met once in Salem. Following their first meet-cute, he went on to, among other things, kidnap her, hold her at gunpoint, and blackmail her into marrying him.
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Kiriakis, Xander Kiriakis
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Xander branched out and started working with Kristen and Dr. Rolf on the latter’s ability to bring back the dead, or presumed dead. That led to him brokering a deal with Eve — an amnesiac Jack for dirt on Kiriakis rival DiMera Enterprises — which put him back in Victor’s good graces. He even started using the Kiriakis family name.
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Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Back under the Kiriakis roof, Xander met Sarah who was at first repulsed by him. But that didn’t stop them from having a drunken one-night stand while she was fresh off heartbreak over Rex and Eric. He also bonded with Sarah’s mother, Maggie who had married Victor.
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A Turning Point
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Xander’s crime spree continued as he shot Marlena on her wedding day, kidnapped Nicole’s daughter Holly, and helped Kristen impersonate Nicole. But, he also uncharacteristically handed over Rolf’s diary to help save a back-from-the-dead Will’s life. So, not all bad.
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A Happy Family
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI That good deed was the start of a new leaf for Xander, who was falling in love with Sarah. He even pretended to be the father when she discovered she was pregnant with Eric’s baby.
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‘I don’t’
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Their sweet family unit blew up though when the baby became sick and it came out Xander and Victor switched Sarah’s dead baby for Kristen’s very much alive one. Understandably, she dumped him just as they were to say, ‘I do.’
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Double Proposal
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Somehow, Xander earned Sarah’s forgiveness and they planned to marry again. Their happiness knew no bounds… until Kristen drugged and kidnapped Sarah, dumped Xander while wearing a Sarah mask, and shipped the bride to a deserted island. You know, your standard couple problems.
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No Free Rides Here
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Drowning in heartbreak, Xander went on a bender, which led to him marrying Chanel (then played by Precious Way), who thought he was a loaded Kiriakis. The joke was definitely on her, as, after Victor continued to favor Philip over him, Xander renounced his family ties and money, and took back the name, Cook.
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Kindred Spirits
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Xander started to come out of his downward spiral (but not before sleeping with Nicole, who was fresh off her own heartbreak over Eric) when he started to bond with fellow oportunist Gwen. As he helped her get out of her own messes, they fell in love.
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Sarah, Is That You?
Image Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Xander and Gwen got engaged, but Gwen was keeping the whopper of a secret about Sarah’s situation. Unfortunately for her, Sarah was rescued. Fortunately for her, Sarah believed she was Renee DuMonde and Xander was Renee’s no-good husband Alex, who she wanted no part of.
