Oliver Trask

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Oliver Trask was a highly controversial fictional character who appeared during the first season of the FOX series The O.C. He ended up becoming one of the most hated characters in the shows run. He was played by Taylor Handley. His name was likely taken from X-Men villain Bolivar Trask as Seth is shown in the show to be a fan of comic books.

History

Season 1

Oliver Trask is a rich kid who lives in the penthouse of a hotel. His parents own a chain of hotels, and apparently leave him unsupervised. He left his last school, Pacific High, because a girl took out a restraining order on him, after he became obsessed with her. Oliver eventually attempted suicide because she rejected him. He meets Marissa at therapy, and falls for her, inventing a fictitious girlfriend, Natalie Bishop, to make her feel safe as well as sorry for him. Later they find that Natalie Bishop is a clerk at the hotel where Trask lives, and she used to babysit him. During his time on the show, he gets arrested for attempting to buy cocaine, fakes an attempt at suicide, and winds it all up by threatening to shoot himself if Marissa doesn't leave Ryan and stay with him. Throughout all this, Ryan and Luke are the only ones wise to his wicked ways. Ironically, both had previous relationships with Marissa. Ryan and Marissa temporarily break up as a result of Oliver's interference.

Effect

Oliver's appearance lasted only a few episodes - from "The Best Chrismukkah Ever" (Season 1, Episode 13) to "The Truth" (Season 1, Episode 18). However, the character's actions had long term implications. Already existing trust issues between Ryan and Marissa were exacerbated by the conflict over Oliver's true colors. It is argued by Seth in "The Ties that Bind" (Season 1, Episode 27) that Marissa's relationship with Oliver may have driven Ryan to seek solace with Theresa, resulting in the scandal over Theresa's pregnancy and marriage that arises in the final episodes of the show's first season and into the third season.

Rumors

Rumors having pegged that Oliver would come back during the season finale of the second season were untrue (though in the second season finale, after Seth hears a door bell ring he quips: "With the way things are going right now, I bet that's Oliver." This could have been a reference to these rumors, but was more likely due to how badly things seemed to be going for the characters.) After the finale for that season aired, rumors then arose that Oliver would return in the third season with Kirsten, who was in rehab for alcoholism. However, this never happened, although in the third season finale when Marissa apologizes to Ryan for all the craziness, Ryan assures that he would not have done anything different, "except for maybe Oliver," to which Marissa laughed and said "me too."