Shawn Hunter

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Shawn Patrick Hunter is a fictional character played by Rider Strong on the television sitcom Boy Meets World, the best friend of protagonist Cory Matthews.

[edit] Character biography

Shawn has always been the best friend of Cory Matthews. The two met when Cory fell into an animal pen at a zoo and Shawn came to his rescue. Shawn has a personality almost opposite Cory's. Shawn takes more risks and has more of a bad boy image. Their personality differences do cause problems between the two a few times, but these problems can never destroy the friendship between Cory and Shawn. Later seasons depict the relationship between Cory and Shawn as being so intimate that Topanga is jealous of it. Several innuendos are made as to the subconscious homoerotic nature of their friendship.

In the first season of Boy Meets World, not much is known about Shawn Hunter except that he is Cory's best friend. In season two and thereafter, the show began to focus on Shawn's life as well. In the beginning, Shawn lives with both his parents, Chet and Verna Hunter. One day, Verna runs off with the trailer and Shawn is left under the care of the Matthews family when Chet chases after his wife. When the Matthews find that Chet will not be returning for a while, Jonathan Turner, a teacher at John Adams High School, offers to be Shawn's legal guardian. About a year later, Chet comes back and eventually Verna rejoins her family temporarily before taking off again. Shawn goes through many issues, including joining a cult briefly. In a later season, Shawn's half-brother Jack arrives in town for college. Shawn moves in with him and Eric Matthews, Cory's older brother, which leaves Chet free to take off again. However, on a trip back to town, Chet dies of a heart attack. Towards the final episodes of the series, Shawn discovers that Verna wasn't his biological mother when she sends him a letter after Chet's death. Apparently, Chet was left to take care of Shawn after his biological mother, who was actually a stripper, died shortly after his birth.

Shawn is a ladies' man, something Cory sometimes is envious of. Conversely, however, Shawn is jealous of Cory's close, long-term relationship with Topanga. Later in the series, Shawn falls in love with a girl name Angela. They have a tempestuous relationship, but genuinely care for each other. Things get rocky when his best friend Cory breaks up with Topanga. In the end of the series, Shawn moves to New York with Cory, Topanga, and Eric.

Boy Meets World
Episode List
Primary Characters	Cory Matthews | Eric Matthews | Shawn Hunter | Topanga Lawrence George Feeny | Alan Matthews | Amy Matthews
Secondary Characters	Morgan Matthews | Stuart Minkus | Jonathan Turner | Eli Williams Jack Hunter | Angela Moore | Rachel McGuire
Recurring Characters	Harley Keiner | Joey Epstein | Frankie Stecchino | Jason Marsden Chet Hunter | Griff Hawkins | Dean Lila Bolander