Have you ever met anyone quite like Xander Harris? You know, clumsy, funny, a people person. Kind of like a puppy. Quite the opposite of Cordelia. Coordinated, sarcastic, a self-centered person. Kind of like a swan. But somehow, they seem to fit together. Back to Xander. He's not school-smart or Mr. Macho-man but he's something better, that's what counts. He always finds cheer out of a bad situation, and helps with plans and book research. Because of him and Willow, Buffy almost always has a positive attitude when she fights. Xander has also saved Cordelia's life more than once before. If it weren't for him, Willow would have been killed by Angelus; Xander saved her with a cross. If there ws no Willow, there'd be no Buffy, and if there was no Buffy, there'd be no Giles, and so on. I'd say Xander plays a pretty important role in the lives of his friends.