The Secret Life of the American Teenager
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Benjamin "Ben" Boykewich is the son of Leo Boykewich and Sarah Helen Boykewich. He was also the father of Mercy Boykewich, whom he shared with his ex-wife Adrian Lee. He is the step-brother of Chloe Boykewich. He is the husband of Diana Monroe Boykewich, and the father of Sarah E. Boykewich after the series ending by Brenda Hampton. He is portrayed by Ken Baumann.

History

In the beginning of the series, Ben is pining over Grace, a pretty blonde cheerleader going out with the popular football player, Jack Pappas. Ben begins to pursue Amy after his best friends, Alice and Henry, point her out at school. Ben is instantly and foolishly taken with her and joins the band sole.

He initially wants to confront Amy about her alleged past relationship and sexual contact with Ricky, but then decides against it after his guidance counselor points out that it's none of his business.

His father Leo is the first person to suspect Amy's pregnancy due to her throwing up on Ben while on a date and her large appetite. He initially dismissed the idea but realizes that it may be a possibility and tells Ben.

This realization causes Ben to propose to Amy, hoping that he can keep Amy and financially support her and the baby as he has genuinely come to love her. Amy cries hysterically at the proposal and later explains that although flatter by his actions, she is unsure of what to do.

When Amy considers getting an abortion, Ben convinces her not to because he knows that she has other options, and even resorts to telling characters such as the school guidance counselor that the child is his baby. He experiences a lot of hardship during Amy's pregnancy; particularly when he is brutally beaten up by a fellow student, but remains to be a loving and supportive boyfriend.

In the season one episode, The Secret Wedding of the American Teenager, Ben, and Amy get married using fake ID's after her mother says that Amy will have to get a job if she wants to keep the baby. George Juergens and Leo Boykewich show up and shut the party down.

Later in the series, Ben loses his virginity to Adrian in an act of revenge against Ricky and Amy for kissing. It is later revealed that Adrian is pregnant. The couple decides to keep the baby. He then tells Amy and they break up.

By the third season's mid-season finale, it is shown that Ben and Adrian have some romantic feelings for one another. It is noticed by viewers that Ben, a hopeless romantic at heart, tends to rush into things a fair amount of times.

In the autumn premiere, Ben and Adrian find out they're having a baby girl which is what Ben was hoping for. His father bought a condo for the two of them, and they later get married. This is the second time in the series that Ben will marry someone in an attempt to have them to himself.

Their daughter, Mercy was stillborn which left Adrian and Ben devastated. He later decides he wants out of the marriage due to Adrian's attitude. He admits it very harshly to Adrian after she gave away their baby's things.

After his outbursts to Adrian, he then gets drunk and humiliates himself in front of his father, but he later begins to recant his decision after having time to vent his frustration.

Adrian later decides that she doesn't want to be married to him and asks him to leave, leaving Ben brokenhearted and he asks to remain friends with her. Ben allows her to keep the condo with his father's approval.

Ben continues to keep his word of being her friend to her after she is embarrassed at the graduation party. He also meets a new girl named Dylan, who seems be interested in him.

Alice tells Ben that Henry slept with Adrian at the graduation party which enrages him and prompts him to tell Henry that he is no longer welcome at his home.

Dylan and her friends visit Ben and ask if he minds if they smoke some pot.

Ben is taken aback but doesn't want to appear judgmental, so he allows them to smoke in his room. They are discovered by Ben's and Dylan's parents and Ben lies to protect Dylan and tells them that he was given the pot at the party the night before. Ben and Dylan convince their parents that they should go out together.

In the school hallway, Ben tells Amy that he still loves her, but Dylan's friend Wendy overhears and tells Dylan. Dylan still wants to go out with Ben, but her parents don't want her to because they think he's a bad influence.

After the season finale he finally had a relationship with Amy, and after having sex 3 times realized his relationship with Amy was the worst mistake of his life. He transfers from Hudson University, to New York University, and moves into a small loft apartment. He allows Madison/Jack to have his old apartment in the brownstone, with the other Secret Life Couples whom he no longer has any interest to be around.

He later met his wife Diana after going to one of her art gallery showings. She was an artist who was famous for restoring art work from around the world and creating beautiful art work as well. When they meet she admits to being a fan of his book, and can't believe anyone was a fan of Ricky not him. She also tells him he for all he what he did must mean he has a beautiful soul, and the saddest eyes she has ever seen. They later get married three years after he finishes graduate school. Unfortunately Leo and the rest were not invited to this event.

During Ben and Diana's relationship he separates himself from almost everyone in his past, which includes his father. With Diana's help he realizes they are toxic to his life, and his well being. This angers Leo, but he has no way to alter the situation since with the help of other Boykewich family members, and his own finances becomes totally financially independent of Leo. This forces Leo to accept his own ignorance forged the rift between he and his son. However after the birth of his daughter, and with Diana's support the two later reconnect.

Relationships

Romantic

Amy Juergens

First Relationship

Second Relationship

Adrian Lee

First Relationship

Second Relationship

Adrian and Ben began to have an intimate encounter when they sleep together to get back at their ex's (Amy and Ricky) because of a kiss, lies, feelings of betrayal, and un-appreciation that Amy and Ricky made them feel.

Adrian later discovers that she is pregnant and reveals it to Ben in the episode Ben There, Done That.

They get married in It's Not Over Till It's Over and buys a condo together. Later, their daughter is stillborn which puts a strain on their relationship and they divorce in Strange Familiar.

Dylan

Dylan is introduced during the graduation party. Henry points her out and Ben goes after her. Ben's dad and Dylan's parents catch Dylan and her friends smoking marijuana in Ben's room and they are forbidden to see each other.

After some convincing, they are allowed to go out again but they accidentally burn down Dylan's school, and they are forbidden to see each other again.

Even though her friend, Wendy, told her that she overheard Ben telling Amy that he still loves her, she still wants to date Ben. They come up with this idea that her parents could meet Henry and pretend to go out with Henry but instead meet Ben. Ben's dad finds out and forbids him from going.

At her house, Henry is mad at Ben for sleeping with Alice and plans to make revenge by going out with Dylan for real. So he forces her to stay home and have a real date. Dylan is furious with Henry, but they still remain friends. Dylan then finds out that Ben and Alice slept together. Later, she breaks up with Henry and tells Ben and Henry that she is transferring to a different school with her friends. She later in season 5B "It's A Miracle" It is discovered she misses Ben, so Leo and her father arranges for them to have dinner together. However Ben decides that he just wants to remain friends with her.

Friendship

Ricky Underwood

Ben and Ricky have come to develop a strong relationship, however, this bond is continuously tested because of the rivalry between them. They have never really been friends, although Ben has helped Ricky in numerous ways, specifically by being the reason why Ricky met his father Leo.Ben and Ricky weren't friends in the begging of the series.

He is one of the few honest characters in Ben's life, however. He admitted to Ben in Season One, that he was going to take everyone from Ben and have them on his side. However Ben overestimated himself, and the people in his life, and also underestimated how manipulative, and cunning Ricky was. This creates a rivalry between Ben and Ricky that continues throughout the series. This rivalry had first started because Ricky got Amy pregnant, leaving Ben feeling inferior to him throughout his relationship with Amy. The rivalry worsened when Ricky starts to gain the respect of Leo Boykewich. Ricky usually wins many of the competitions between them, however, Ben continues to try and win, but his father's relationship with him is both a blessing and a curse to him.

Because Leo continues to force Ben to be the better man but does not do this for Ricky, who he believes has no right to make a judgement. This gives Ricky an advantage in every competition because where Ben tries to be honorable Ricky uses underhanded method's to gain approval.

Ricky lies, and manipulates those around him, and uses his past abuse to excuse himself when he is found out, but Ben refuses to use the trauma from the loss of his mother, or the stillbirth of his child to gain sympathy.

It is seen through out the series that Leo offers no guidance or understanding when it comes to the emotional problems Ben deals with.

In Season 4, Leo never mentions the death of his granddaughter or discusses it at all. Ricky's parents usually have no say in what he does and have no opinion of his morality. They both dated Adrian Boykewich and Amy Juergens.

Henry Miller and Alice Valko

Ben has been friends with Henry and Alice since the third grade.

In the first episode, Alice pointed out Amy to Ben. In season 4, Henry breaks up with Alice and the two of them try to have "shared custody" of Ben which doesn't work out.

In the season 4 finale, Alice walks into a bedroom after a graduation party to find Henry in bed with Adrian. Angrily, she tells Ben what she found, and Ben tells Henry he is no longer welcome in his home.

In the season 4 finale episode "Love is Love", Alice and Ben sleep together to alleviate Ben's part in a fire at Dylan's school after a date. 

It is later revealed that Alice slept with Ben to get back at Henry for sleeping with Adrian, Ben never admits it, but is shown that his reason for sleeping with Alice was similar.

When Henry later finds out from Alice, he is angry with them both. Henry tries to steal Dylan from Ben, but Dylan no longer has interest in either of them and breaks up with both of them, but they later reconcile and are friends again.

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