" Manny: [to Paige] Happy weekend Paige! [Paige ignores her] Why, thanks Manny and thanks for taking my practice this morning. Paige: You want me to thank you? For what? Dropping a dirty bomb on my life? Manny: Practice went awesome without you and if you ask some of us, that wasn't a coincidence. Paige: You told Hazel when you swore that you wouldn't. Manny: I thought she knew, okay? Chill. Paige: Don't use your outdated slang on me. I doubt that your mouth is even connected to your tiny, shriveled boy-obsessed brain. Manny: I'm the dumb one. Who still hasn't figured out not to chase older guys? Guys so out of her league it's not funny. Paige: Big words for someone who picks up my leftovers. " |
The conflict between Paige Michalchuk and Manny Santos, one of Degrassi's biggest and most well known conflicts, began in Season 1 of Degrassi: The Next Generation and lasted throughout their entire duration at Degrassi Community School.
Conflict history[]
Overview[]
Paige and Manny's rivalry began when Manny joined Paige's Spirit Squad in Season 1. Although well aware of Paige's mean girl reputation, Manny was eager to join Spirit Squad and be accepted into the popular crowd. This initially drove a wedge between Manny and her best friend Emma, who knew that Paige's kindness towards Manny was not as sincere as Manny believed. Emma wrote an article for the Degrassi Grapevine criticizing the Spirit Squad, which made Paige furious. She insisted that Manny help her and Hazel tear out the articles from every copy of the school paper after it was published. Manny's refusal to do so and subsequent argument with Paige sparked a rivalry which would last throughout the remainder of their time at Degrassi Community School.
Season 1[]
In Wannabe, Paige and Manny first meet when Manny tells Paige that she would like to join Paige's newly-formed Spirit Squad. When Paige asks Manny what she can do, Manny does a cartwheel in the hall. Impressed, Paige tells Manny to sign up.
Meanwhile, Manny's best friend Emma is disgusted by Paige's attempts to get more girls to sign up to become cheerleaders. Emma tells Manny that cheer leading perpetuates negative stereotypes about girls. Manny pretends to be sympathetic to Emma's concerns, but still secretly wants to join the Spirit Squad.
When Emma and Manny later walk by Paige in the cafeteria, Paige asks Manny to demonstrate her cartwheel again. Though Manny is uncomfortable, knowing Emma's opinions on cheer leading, Paige tells her that if she wants to join the squad, she can't be shy. Manny puts down her tray, and does a cartwheel. Paige tells her that she is jealous of Manny's abilities, much to Manny's excitement.
In the washroom, Manny tells Emma how happy she is that Paige and her friends are impressed by her. Emma however, is concerned that no one at school seems to be noticing the downside of cheer leading, and wants to find a way to bring it to the students' attention.
When Paige and Hazel run into a worried-looking Manny in the hallway and ask her what's wrong, Manny tells them that Emma is planning on writing a damning article on cheer leading for the school paper. Paige and Hazel tell Manny to come spend some time with them. Manny happily invites the girls over to her house.
At Manny's, Paige and Hazel hang out with Manny in her room. The phone rings, and Manny sees that it's Emma. She tells the other girls to keep quiet, telling them that Emma is calling. Paige tells Manny to talk Emma out of writing the article. Manny picks up the phone, and Emma asks her if she wants to come over to study. Manny tells her that she isn't feeling well, and asks her if she is still planning on writing her article for the newspaper. Emma tells her that she has decided not to. Emma then overhears Paige and Hazel talking, and asks Manny why she can hear Paige. Embarrassed to have been caught in a lie, Manny tells her that Paige will be leaving soon, and that she will come to Emma's later in the evening. Emma hangs up on her friend.
Season 2[]
In How Soon Is Now?, Dean began to flirt with Manny, Paige afraid for her, warned her to be careful around him. This was because Dean raped Paige earlier that year. Manny did not know this and claimed that Paige was just jealous.
Season 3[]
In U Got the Look, Paige notices Manny complimenting Sully. Manny asks her if she thinks he would be interested in her. Spinner has difficulty saying how he feels about her chances with him, and Paige admits that Manny is not Sully's type. Paige tells her that she can think of ten guys she would be "adorable with" and Manny says that she wants to be hot, not adorable or cute. Paige tells Manny that if she doesn't want to be seen as adorable then she should change her image. Manny does just that and begins wearing revealing clothing to school, which greatly contributes to her beginning a relationship with Sully.
In Accidents Will Happen (1), Paige and Manny meet in the bathroom. After Paige hands her a tissue, Manny asks her how she could tell if a guy used a condom. Paige initially jokes about it, but realizes that Manny is serious upon seeing her facial expression. Paige tells Manny that if she is talking about who she thinks she talking about then she is fine, because he seems responsible and promises Manny that she will not tell anyone. Paige's main advice to Manny is to remember the next time she has sex to ask questions first, get naked later.
In Accidents Will Happen (2), after Manny tells Paige that she cannot be on Spirit Squad anymore, Paige spreads the rumor to Ashley that Manny is pregnant. This led to Ashley confronting Manny and Craig and announcing Manny's pregnancy to the whole school. Manny ran off crying.
Season 4[]
In Anywhere I Lay My Head, Manny and Spinner get closer at the school's car wash—much to the surprise of Paige, who was dating Spinner at the time.
In Islands In The Stream, Spinner and Manny are seen flirting together at the school car wash in a picture found by Hazel, which upsets Paige. Later on, Paige breaks up with him. Later in the season Spinner and Manny begin dating, but Manny breaks up with him once she finds out he was involved in the tragic school shooting.
In Modern Love, Manny tells Hazel about Paige and Matt's relationship. Hazel hints at the relationship in class after Oleander calls her out. Manny and Paige get into a fight in the hallway after Manny literally kicks Paige's butt. Manny lets everyone know about Paige and Oleander's secret affair when Oleander and Principal Hatzilakos try to break them up, during which Manny refers to Oleander as "Mr. Pedophile" and tells him not to make his "girlfriend" Paige "anymore jealous" of her. After the altercation, Paige needed an ice pack for scratches and bruises on her face caused by Manny.
In West End Girls, Paige, with the help of Hazel, succeeds in putting on a small dress. After she gets out of the changing booth, she sees Manny, wearing the exact same dress. Manny jokes that she must have good taste and asks if the two can make things better between them. Paige tells her to both take off the dress and get out of her hair space, signaling her still bitter attitude towards Manny. Manny, Darcy and Chantay devise a plan to get revenge on Paige for humiliating Manny. They intentionally dropping her during a pep rally, causing her to break her leg. Paige retaliates by stripping off Manny's prom dress (the same one Paige wore) when Manny becomes Prom Queen. The two make up in the locker room after a heated argument and end their rivalry.
Season 5[]
In Venus (2), Paige kicks Manny off Spirit Squad after she saw the topless footage of her shot by Peter Stone.
In Our Lips Are Sealed (1), Paige compliments Manny and Emma on their willpower in sticking to their diets, which inspires them to continue their unhealthy eating.
In High Fidelity (1), Paige hears of Manny and Darcy's fight from Marco.
Season 8[]
In Degrassi Goes Hollywood, during most of the movie, Manny is upset that Paige got the part of Trixie in Mewesical High. On the set, Jason Mewes was arguing with Robbie, Mewes said he wants Manny as his Trixie, hearing this Paige insultingly says "Manny Santos, please." After Paige is fired from the role as Trixie, she helps Manny land the role.
Trivia[]
- Both Paige and Manny have dated Spinner Mason.
- They have had a rivalry with Ellie Nash, although Paige eventually became friends with Ellie.
- Manny also had a conflict with Paige's friend Ashley Kerwin, with whom Paige herself also once had a conflict with.
- They are both friends with Marco Del Rossi and Hazel Aden.
- They were both in relationships with a teacher: Paige with Matt Oleander and Manny with Mick.
- Paige also had conflicts with Manny's best friends, Darcy Edwards and Emma Nelson.
- Both girls were captains of the Spirit Squad.
- They were both the love interests of J.T. Yorke, though only Manny had a relationship with him.
- They were seen in the Seasons 3, 4 and 5 opening credits together, along with Hazel.
- Paige also had a conflict with Manny's boyfriend Jay Hogart.
- They were both friends with J.T. before his death.
- Ironically, Paige stole Manny's captain job on the Spirit Squad, and Manny got Paige's internship after she was fired.
- Both were named the hottest girls in school.
- Manny got Paige's acting job, after Paige was fired.
- Paige is the first queen bee to have a conflict with Manny.
- They were both members of the Degrassi Drama Department.
- They were two of the six characters on Degrassi: The Next Generation to be followed after their graduation.
- They could both sing.
- They both appeared in Kevin Smith's film Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh!. However, Paige's role was cut.
- They both appeared in 100 or more episodes: Paige (101) and Manny (128).
- Paige was J.T.'s first date in When Doves Cry (2) while Manny became his first girlfriend in Our House.
- Danny Van Zandt and Derek Haig thought that they were both attractive.
- Paige's ex-girlfriend had a conflict with Manny's best friend.
- They have both been on Degrassi: The Next Generation since Season 1.
