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 brother of Chloe Boykewich. He is portrayed by Ken Baumann.
History
Ben meets Amy after his best friend Alice points her out one day at school. Ben is instantly and foolishly taken with her, and decides to ask her to a school fundraiser. They begin dating shortly afterwards.
He initially wants to confront Amy about her alleged relationship with Ricky, but then decides against it after his guidance counselor points out that it's none of his business.
His father Leo was the first person to suspect Amy's pregnancy due to her throwing up on Ben while on a date. He initially dismissed the idea, but realizes that it may be a possibility.
This causes him frantically rush into a dramatic proposal to Amy so that way he can keep Amy for himself and financially support her baby because he genuinely loves her after only a short time. Amy is flattered by his actions, but explains that 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 counsellor 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 on the series, Ben gets Adrian pregnant after losing his virginity with her in his car in front of Amy's house. The couple decide 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 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.
Relationships
Romantic
Amy Juergens
First Relationship
- Start: Falling in Love (1x01)
- Engagement: What Have You Done to Me? (1x05)
- Underage Wedding: The Secret Wedding of the American Teenager (1x12)
- Although the marriage was not valid because they used fake IDs, Ben still called Amy his wife.
- End: Loved and Lost (2x15)
- Reason: The stress of being a new mother was weighing on Amy and Ben was jealous of Ricky. Ben went to Italy for space and Amy was not allowed to go with him.
Second Relationship
- Start: Do Over (3x01)
- End: New York, New York (3x07)
- Reason: Ben told Amy that Adrian was pregnant with his baby, Mercy.
Adrian Lee
First Relationship
- Start: The Rhythm Of Life (2x19)
- End: The Rhythm Of Life (2x19)
Second Relationship
- Engagement: Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner (3x17)
- Marriage: It's Not Over Till It's Over (3x24)
- Divorce: Strange Familiar (4x20)
- Reason: The loss of their child weigh heavily on both Ben and Adrian and both give in to the grief and doubt which ultimately end their marriage.
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 buy a condo together. Later, their daughter is stillborn which puts a strain on their relationship and they divorce in Strange Familiar.
Dylan
- Start: Smokin' Like a Virgin (4x12)
- End: Past History ((5x05)
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 and doesn't really want to go out with Ben anymore so she gives Henry a chance. Later, she breaks up with Henry and tells Ben and Henry that she is moving with her friends.
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.
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 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 in to 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 season 5, 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.