Badger

Badger is a juvenile delinquent who is introduced in "Do or Die" with his best friend Tara. He is often quiet but eventually becomes comfortable enough to talk. He has shown to be a talented artist. He is another one of Mallory's love interests and kisses her. After "A Heartland Christmas", Badger isn't seen or mentioned again. It is presumed he was eliminated by Badger's romantic rival, young republican Jake Anderson.

Season 2
When, Badger and Tara are left unsupervised at the Dude Ranch they decide to set fire to a chair. Amy and Ty drive to pick them up for breakfast and find the flaming chair but no Tara or Badger, until the steal Ty's Truck. Clint and Lou tell them off for the theft and fire. Tara tells them that they couldn't stay inside the cabins due to the "vermin". They produce a snake in the hope to scare Lou and Clint, Lou reminds them teat she grew up on the ranch, but it works on Clint. Mallory gives Badger his riding lesson but when Tara storms out refusing her lesson he follows her. Ty finds Badger smoking by the barn, he tells him that he can't and when Badger flicks his butt at him Ty grabs him up against the door having to be broken up by Amy. Badger, later finds Tara talking to Ty, she dismisses him and tries to get rid of him. Upset by this, he goes straight to the barn and releases all the horses. When Amy goes to round them up Ty and Tara go to confront Badger. He wields a hook, found nearby, and starts swinging at Ty. Tara is able to calm him down just before Jack arrives. When Tara attempts to feed Copper she gets scared but Badger is able to help her and get over her fear. At night, Mallory and Tara sneak out of the cabin and head down to the dock and talk. Unbeknown to them Badge is listening nearby, Mallory asks Tara about badger and she admits that he scares her sometimes and that because he doesn't speak he's hard to read. In the morning, Ty realises that Badger has taken a horse so heads out to find him. He finds him down by a lake having fallen from his horse and hurt himself. Ty tries to help him but Badger tells him to leave him alone. He's convinced he's past help but Ty makes him realise that Tara cares if he would just talk to her about how he feels. When they return Jack and Ty tell Clint that Badger went out to smoke and got lost hurting himself. He later thanks Ty for his help and tells him he plans to talk to Tara. (Do or Die)

Season 3
Ty finds Badger waiting for him in the barn, and when he asks if Clint knows he's there, he realizes he's run away. He tells badger that if he's caught he'll end up somewhere worse than his group home but Badger gets him to agree not to call Clint. Mallory finds Badger by the lake, she sees his drawing and is impressed. She asks about Tara but he says he hasn't seen her for a while. Badger starts to panic when he sees Clint driving in and thinks Ty has called him. Mallory tells Clint and Ty that Badger was there but talked about hiking to the bus station, they both rush off to try and find him. Mallory goes back to Badger and gives him some food she managed to grab out the fridge, he tells her he's not sure where he's going but that he will see her again. That night, Amy and Ty are in Hanley's Barn when they hear a noise in the loft, they go up and look around and find Mallory hiding. When they ask her why she's there she glances towards something else, Ty goes over and Badger jumps out and tries to run away. Badger falls and Ty catches up to him, when they see a cloaked figure looming over him, Mr. Hanley removes his hood and believes he's the one spooking his horses. Amy apologises and explains they're her friends, Ty orders Badger and Mallory to go to the truck to take home. The next morning, Ty talks to Badger by the lake and asks what happened, he tells him he went to visit his parents and found an empty house and no forwarding address. Ty makes him agree that next time he needs a couple of days to cool off he comes to Heartland rather than run away. Ty gives him some advice about talking to Clint and he apologises impressing Clint who gives him minimum punishment. Later, he tells Mallory that he's grounded and hopes she didn't get into trouble. She confesses that she saw her picture in his sketch book and they share a moment, when the car horn honks and he leaves. He returns telling her he forgot something and they share a kiss. (The Haunting of Hanley Barn)

Romantic
When Badger first shows up Mallory doesn't show much interest in him. However when he shows up again, after running away from his group home, the pair get closer and she tries to help him. When she sees one of his sketches of her she confronts him and the pair eventually share a kiss.

Sketches
Badgers sketches seen throughout the show.

Trivia

 * Jack Knight's brother, Matthew Knight, is the actor who plays Sam in "A Heartland Christmas"