Jared Banks

Storylines

Jared Banks first appeared in Llanview, Pennsylvania, with a clear focus on the Buchanan family. He was spotted reading a biography of Asa Buchanan and later asked Natalie for a job at Buchanan Enterprises. She challenged him to a game of billiards, confident she would win, but Jared distracted her and took the victory. He then cheated Nash Brennan at poker and acquired Antonio Vega’s share of Nash’s vineyard.

It came out that Jared had a hidden history with Nash’s wife, Jessica Buchanan. Her former alternate personality, Tess, had gotten Jared sent to prison, costing him a good career. Jared blamed Jessica directly, refusing to accept that Tess was a separate person, and sought revenge. Not long after Jared’s arrival, Asa died.

Jared grew close to Asa’s widow, Renee, who said he reminded her of her late husband. Asa’s son Clint and the butler Nigel were wary of Jared’s intentions. Jared and Natalie felt an attraction, but she resented his scheming. He kissed her at the office, and she fired him.

Jared then showed up at Nash and Jessica’s cottage with documents proving he owned it as part of his vineyard stake, and he moved in. Natalie was further annoyed when Jared kissed Sarah Roberts at Capricorn. The Buchanans were stunned when Renee invited Jared to stay at Asa’s mansion. Natalie warned Sarah about Jared, but Sarah ignored her.

When Asa’s will was read, Sarah asked Jared to go with her to Texas, upsetting Natalie, Jessica, and Nash. Asa’s will revealed he had another son, but left the man unnamed, tasking Nigel to reveal his identity later. Jared overheard Nigel say David Vickers was secretly Asa’s son. Knowing Nigel was reluctant to tell the family, Jared blackmailed him into convincing everyone he was the long-lost son.

Nigel initially refused but eventually gave in, forging a letter naming Jared as Asa’s son. Jared pretended to be surprised and unhappy about the news, while securing some of David’s hair to pass a DNA test. However, Jared’s real father, Charlie Banks, showed up at the mansion. Charlie, a recovering alcoholic, wanted to reconnect, but a bitter Jared refused.

On January 18, 2008, Asa’s ex-wife Pamela Stuart was summoned to Llanview by Bo. She attended a Buchanan Enterprises board meeting to discuss Jared’s claim. Bo had determined Asa was with Pamela around the time of Jared’s conception, but Pamela confirmed Asa never met Jared’s mother, Valerie Banks. Pamela then revealed Valerie was her sister and claimed she was Jared’s biological mother, saying she had asked Valerie to secretly adopt Asa’s son.

After the meeting, Pamela met Jared alone and admitted she had lied. She was not his mother but had known him since childhood, telling him stories about Asa that sparked his fascination. Pamela explained she lied because of what her brother—a violent abuser who dated Jared’s mother after Charlie left—had done to Jared’s family. She wished him luck and said his scheme was really about the Buchanans’ good name.

Jared and Natalie continued fighting their forbidden attraction. Charlie disapproved of Jared’s scheme but vowed to protect his secret to reconcile. Charlie, now romantically involved with Natalie’s mother Viki Davidson, warned Jared he could be the Buchanan heir or be with Natalie, but not both. In the February 15, 2008 episode, Jared told Charlie about the abuse he and his sibling suffered after Charlie left.

In the March 21, 2008 episode, Jared revealed his younger brother Jimmy had been hit by a car and killed. Valerie had called it an accident, but Jared said Jimmy was overwrought because of their mother’s abusive boyfriend, and Jared blamed himself for letting Jimmy run into the street. In March 2008, Jared admitted to Natalie he was not a Buchanan and that David Vickers was. He hoped they could be together, but she rejected him, keeping his secret only to protect her family from David’s greed.

They eventually fell into bed together on May 5, 2008. Jared later told Natalie Charlie was his father, and they agreed to keep the secret to protect Viki and Charlie’s sobriety. On November 9, 2008, Charlie saved Jared and Natalie from a bomb set by Jessica’s alter, Tess. Jared thought Charlie died and tearfully said he never got to tell Charlie he loved him.

Charlie then stumbled through the door, alive. Jared proposed to Natalie on Christmas morning 2008, and she agreed. They married privately on May 13, 2009. When someone stalked Jessica, who thought it was her late husband Nash’s spirit, John McBain suspected Jared, upsetting Natalie.

Jared went missing, and Natalie and Jessica flew to Napa Valley, California, to find him. They discovered Mitch Laurence had returned from the dead and held them captive. John and Brody Lovett flew to the vineyard to rescue them. After Mitch laid down on his knees from John’s orders, Mitch shot Jared.

Jared was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, breathing his last before finishing a sentence to Natalie.