Buck Oliver
Personality
When he first appeared, Buck Oliver was a deceptive yet highly intelligent fourteen-year-old. He had a habit of chewing on toothpicks, but was always told to get rid of them. He had a decent personality and was said to be "handsome", but that was just his outward appearance- he was working with Mr. Skint as part of The Green Ring Conspiracy. As time progressed (in The Green Ring Conspiracy), Buck's shrewd nature began to show, making several Odyssians feel betrayed, yet others (like Katrina Meltsner) believed he had a "good heart" and could change if given the chance. Mr. Skint abandoned him because of his refusal to take Katrina as a hostage. After his time in Juvenile Detention, he seems eager to prove that he has changed for the better. However, he confides in Jules Kendall that sometimes he feels tempted to lie just to see if he can still get away with it. He also admits that he wonders if his life in Odyssey is temporary, and he'll eventually have to go back to the life of a con artist. Still, he expressed a distaste for living a life where you never know "when one lie ends, and another one begins"; never knowing what is real. ( The Long End Parts 2 and 3). Buck seems to have a crush on Jules.
History
Little is known about his history, except that, after the deaths of his parents (whom he can't remember), he moved around a lot with Mr. Skint, who taught him everything he knew about being a con-artist. It is possible that they went around doing odd jobs for criminals here and there, or they could have worked with the Green Ring the whole time, and went wherever the Carnival and counterfeit money went. Mr. Skint taught him how to pray in case they ever scammed someone who expected them to. At one point, Buck and Mr. Skint stayed at a motel, at the back of which Buck met a boy named Mike Rudy, who he befriended. He helped him and his father build a tree house, but Buck never had the chance to say goodbye before Mr. Skint ran into trouble and they had to leave (Divided We Fall). His full name is confirmed when he finds his birth certificate as "Buck Jebidiah Oliver" (in The Long End, Part 2). He was born on Friday, March 24th, at Hardlandville Hospital. He spent two years in Juvenile Detention after the Green Ring series.
Family
Buck has a long history of living in lies, so he never really understood who he was, or where he came from. Several sources, including Mr. Skint and Felicia Larson fed Buck false information about who he was and what happened to his parents. His family history only became clear to him in The Long End, Part 3. His parents were in fact con artists, as well.
His father's name was Novus Ordo Oliver (Alias: Cash Oliver). Novus Ordo is a term found on the back of dollar bills, therefore Buck is likely to have been named after his father in that way. According to Detective Polehaus, Novus was a low-rent scam artist, arrested on three occasions for fraud. He had at least twelve different aliases that the police knew of. Novus died in a car crash 15 years ago, when Buck was between one and one-and-a-half years old.
In Out of the Picture it was revealed that Buck's mother died when he was young. This was confirmed, and expanded upon in the Long End. His mother's name was Dolly Tender Oliver (Alias: Stacia Bartley). After her husband, Novus died, she got cancer. Because she did not want her son to witness her dying so horribly, she entrusted Buck into the care of Jebidiah Skint. Mr. Skint, who had always loved Dolly, raised Buck for her. He claimed that he always had true affection for Buck. His mother left Buck a very large trust-fund to inherit when he turned of age. However, because most of the money was stolen, he decided not to take it. According to Felicia Larson, Buck is the spitting image of his mother.
After being released from Juvenile Detention, Buck is put into the foster care system. Connie thinks that Eugene and Katrina should adopt him (The Ties That Bind, Part 1) and Eugene and Katrina bring him into their home in The Ties That Bind, Part 4. In As Buck Would Have It, Part 3, Buck finally is adopted and becomes Buck Meltsner.
Trivia
- He once had a habit of chewing on toothpicks. (#680: “The Green Ring Conspiracy, Part 2”)
- He has blue eyes. (#828: “Friend or Foe”)
- He is sixteen years old. (#831: “Crash Course”)
- His locker number is 141. (#755: “The Ties That Bind, Part 5”)
- His mother called him Bucky Bear. (#837: “Out of the Picture”)
- He has known how to drive since he was eleven years old. (#831: “Crash Course”)
- His birthday is on March 24th. (#860: “The Long End, Part 2”)
- He worked (or possibly still works) at a pizza place in Odyssey. (“A Friend In Need”)
Pictures of Buck Oliver
Quotes
“ | Katrina Meltsner: Did Mr. Skint visit you? Buck Oliver: I'd rather not talk about him...if you don't mind. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: I know how to get to all their account numbers; credit cards; pin numbers for ATM cards. Even where Jules keeps the credit card her dad lets her use. I've been watching. And learning. I could close it up any moment. Jebidiah Skint: I don't believe you. Buck Oliver: You're right not to. I'm saying it now. I could change my mind tomorrow. Like I said: Who knows where the lies end and the lies begin. I'm telling you I'm confused. I just don't know what I'm doing anymore. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: I choose you. I want you to be my parents. Eugene Meltsner: Oh! Katrina Meltsner: Do you? Buck Oliver: Yeah! I've always wanted that. You're the ones I can count on no matter what. When I was in trouble, all I wanted was for you to be there. You're the only people who make me feel safe. And... who make me feel loved. |
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“ | Dion Farkus: We don't call ourselves a gang anymore. It's bad PR. Buck Oliver: What are you called now? Dion Farkus: We decided on Team Vance. Yeah we saw one of those afternoon talk shows. The team is a more positive word. The police will think we're helping old people across the street or getting kittens out of trees. That kind of thing. |
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“ | Jay Smouse: Hey, where you going? Buck Oliver: I have an errand to run. Jay Smouse: Oh no you don't! Stay right where you are or I'll fire!! Buck Oliver: That's an ice cream scoop. Jay Smouse: Yeah, it is. And I know how to use it! John Whittaker: Oh, hello Buck. Eugene Meltsner: Someone apprehend that youth! Buck Oliver: Sorry Mr. Whittaker, things are a little crazy around here. Now I really need to go. John Whittaker: I don't think so. |
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“ | Jay Smouse: I bet you already blabbed about the AppleBerry phone he's been working on. Emily Jones: What AppleBerry phone? Buck Oliver: He found the phone? Jay Smouse: Yeah. And he's gonna be really ticked when he finds out you told. You're a regular Judas Benedict Arnold! Emily Jones: Jay! You just told us. We didn't know! Jay Smouse: I—I di—oh...um...well, gotta go! |
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“ | Buck Oliver: Did you say treehouse?! Are we gonna build a treehouse? |
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“ | Buck Oliver: I guess I'm not the only one having a weird day. Jules Kendall: Buck, it's always weird around here. Buck Oliver: No kidding. |
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“ | Jay Smouse: Go ahead and deny it!! Buck Oliver: All right. I deny it. Jay Smouse: Oh. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: Drew might have just been blowing smoke but he said I was lucky to have a dad who wanted to be involved in my life. And regardless of whether he meant it or not, he is right about that. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: Play the predictable, but don't forget the dog. |
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“ | Emily Jones: I’m on a case! Jay Smouse: Yeah? Well, so am I. And I bet my case is bigger than your case. Emily Jones: Oh, really? Jay Smouse: Yeah, like yours is probably just a little case with clip lock combination thingies, where my case is like a big trunk with lots of compartments and huge steel padlocks that are STRONG... Buck Oliver: Weren’t you goin’ to your uncle’s? Jay Smouse: Oh, yeah, yeah…got lost in the metaphor for a second. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: Did you ever notice, if you look really closely at Jell-O, it's like there's a lot of lights and movement inside? |
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“ | Buck Oliver: Nice...backpack. Don Polehaus: Yeah, it is. I bought it because it matches the coffee stains on my shirt. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: What are you doing? Jay Smouse: Ahh! Me? I was just admiring your truck. Buck Oliver: This truck? Jay Smouse: Yeah, it's ...um... big! Buck Oliver: You have a thing about big trucks? Jay Smouse: Oh yeah. Ever since I was a kid, you know, rrrr,honk honk,rrchrrr,back it up, parallel park... with a truck. Buck Oliver: If you want to make friends, don't ever do noises like that again, OK? Jay Smouse: Yeah. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: Hey Dion, where's your crew? I thought this is where you make my life miserable. Dion Farkus: Oh yeah. You see you've heard of the field of dreams. This is the field of screams. But yeah it's just me again. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: Sure, I'll just stare at this swirly straw for awhile. |
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“ | Buck Oliver: What was going on? Jay Smouse: A friend of my uncle's got sick. Buck Oliver: Is that why the cops were around? Jay Smouse: Yeah. You know, they take sickness seriously around here, so... Buck Oliver: It's a crime to get sick in this town? |
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“ | Buck Oliver: Buck Meltsner. I like that. Eugene Meltsner: And I happen to like the son part even better! Katrina Meltsner: Me too! Oh Buck, I am so happy you're ours. Forever and always! Buck Oliver: Yeah. It feels good to finally have a family. |
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Episodes
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Album Appearances
Buck Oliver has appeared in the following albums:
- Family Portraits
- The Lost Episodes
- Album 01: The Adventure Begins
- Album 02: The Wildest Summer Ever
- Album 03: Heroes
- Album 04: FUN-damentals
- Album 05: Daring Deeds, Sinister Schemes
- Album 06: Mission: Accomplished
- Album 07: On Thin Ice
- Album 08: Beyond Expectations
- Album 09: Just in Time
- Album 10: Other Times, Other Places
- Album 11: It’s Another Fine Day...
- Album 12: At Home and Abroad
- Album 13: It All Started When...
- Album 14: Meanwhile, in Another Part of Town
- Album 15: A Place of Wonder
- Album 16: Flights of Imagination
- Album 17: On Earth as It Is in Heaven
- Album 18: A Time of Discovery
- Album 19: Passport to Adventure
- Album 20: A Journey of Choices
- Album 21: Wish You Were Here!
- Album 22: The Changing Times
- Album 23: Twists and Turns
- Album 24: Risks and Rewards
- Album 25: Darkness Before Dawn
- Album 26: Back on the Air
- Album 27: The Search for Whit
- Album 28: Welcome Home!
- Album 29: Signed, Sealed and Committed
- Album 30: Through Thick and Thin
- Album 31: Days to Remember
- Album 32: Hidden Treasures
- Album 33: Virtual Realities
- Album 34: In Your Wildest Dreams
- Album 35: The Big Picture
- Album 36: Danger Signals
- Album 37: Countermoves
- Album 38: Battle Lines
- Album 39: Friends, Family, and Countrymen
- Album 40: Out of Control
- Album 41: In Hot Pursuit
- Album 42: No Way Out
- Album 43: Along for the Ride
- Album 44: Eugene Returns!
- Album 45: Lost and Found
- Album 46: A Date with Dad (and Other Calamities)
- Album 47: Into the Light
- Album 48: Moment of Truth
- Album 49: The Sky’s the Limit
- Album 50: The Best Small Town
- The Truth Chronicles
- Passages: Darien’s Rise
- Album 51: Take it From the Top
- Album 52: Cause and Effect
- Album 53: The Green Ring Conspiracy
- Album 54: Clanging Cymbals...and the Meaning of God's Love
- Album 55: The Deep End
- Album 56: The Grand Design
- Album 57: A Call to Something More
- Album 58: The Ties That Bind (7 episodes)
- Album 59: Taking the Plunge
- Album 60: Head Over Heels
- Album 61: Without a Hitch
- Album 62: Let’s Put on a Show! (1 episode)
- Album 63: Up in the Air (1 episode)
- Album 64: Under the Surface
- Album 65: Expect the Unexpected
- Album 66: Trial by Fire (4 episodes)
- Album 67: More Than Meets the Eye
- Album 68: Out of the Blue
- Album 69: Best Kept Secrets
- Album 70: Finding a Way
- Album 71: A Slippery Slope
- Album 72: The Long Road Home (3 episodes)
- Album 73: 28 Hours
- Album 74: Buckle Up!
- Album 75: The Best Is Yet to Come
- Album 76: Keep it Together
- Album 77: A New Perspective
- Album 78: At Face Value
- Album 79: 11th Hour
Buck Oliver has appeared in the following club seasons:
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 1
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 2
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 3
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 4
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 5
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 6
- 30th Birthday Live Show (album)
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 10
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 11
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 12
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 7
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 8
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 9
- Aventuras en Odisea: Volumen 1
- Aventuras en Odisea: Volumen 2
- Aventuras en Odisea: Volumen 3
- B-TV: The Collection
- Daily Bible Readings (album)
- Hope in Trying Times
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 1 Soundtrack
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 2 Soundtrack
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 3 Soundtrack
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 4 Soundtrack
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 5 Soundtrack
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 6 Soundtrack
- The Leonard Meltsner Saga
- The Officer Harley Collection
Buck Oliver has appeared on the front cover of the following albums:
Resources
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