Christine Nelson

Christine Nelson
Degrassi character
Publicity photograph of Spike from the third season of Degrassi Junior High.
First appearance	"Degrassi Junior High: March 8, 1987 (episode 1.08: "Nothing To Fear")" ''Degrassi Junior High: January 18, 1987 (episode 1.01: "Kiss Me Steph")
Last appearance	Degrassi Takes Manhattan: July 16, 2010
Created by	Linda Schuyler and Yan Moore
Portrayed by	Amanda Stepto
Number of appearances	37 (Junior High) 25 (High) 51 (Next Generation)
In-universe information
Full name	Christine Nelson-Simpson
Nickname	Spike
Occupation	Photo developer (School's Out) Hairdresser (Next Generation)
Family	Ms. Nelson (mother) Unseen father
Spouse	Archie "Snake" Simpson (The Next Generation)
Children	Emma Nelson (with Shane McKay) Jack Simpson (with Archie Simpson)
Nationality	Canadian

Christine "Spike" Nelson^[1] is a fictional character from the Degrassi teen drama franchise. Portrayed by Amanda Stepto, Spike appeared throughout Degrassi Junior High (1987–89), Degrassi High (1989–91), and the first nine seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–10). Starting as an unnamed extra before being given a name and storyline, Spike's character largely revolves around her teenage pregnancy and motherhood.

She becomes pregnant in the first season of Degrassi Junior High, and the second season shows the pregnancy's impact on her relationships and education; her relationship with boyfriend Shane McKay (Bill Parrott) is strained, and the PTA has her removed from Degrassi for setting a "bad example". After giving birth to Emma by the third season, Spike is supported with monthly child support payments, which stop when Shane withholds one to attend a concert where he falls off a bridge, landing him in a coma. By Degrassi High, Spike unsuccessfully tries to re-enter the dating scene. In Degrassi: The Next Generation, of which Emma (Miriam McDonald) is a central character, Spike appears in a recurring role and plays a primary role in a number of two-part episodes, including one revisiting Shane. She marries former classmate Snake (Stefan Brogren) and has a second child, though their marriage is briefly marred by Snake's infidelity in season five. Her role gradually recedes until her last appearance in Degrassi Takes Manhattan in 2010. A novel focused on Spike was published by James Lorimer & Co in December 1988, exploring her storyline and background in further detail.

She was one of the first major pregnant teenagers on television. "It's Late", the episode that began her pregnancy storyline, won an International Emmy, the award of which inspired the name of Spike's daughter. Like her co-stars, Amanda Stepto's public image was directly affected by her portrayal of Spike, as she was often conflated with the character and mistaken as being legitimately pregnant. The character's large spiked hair, which was Stepto's own, became considered a "trademark" of both the character and the actress. Several episodes about her pregnancy were banned from airing on the BBC in the United Kingdom, where Degrassi Junior High experienced its highest viewership. Amanda Stepto earned recognition from critics and scholars for her portrayal of Spike. In 1990, along with her co-stars, she was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast for Degrassi Junior High.^[2] In 1992, she was nominated for the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role for Degrassi High.^[3][4][5]

Spike was one of the show's most popular characters, and her storyline was key to the franchise's later developments. She appears in a total of 113 episodes throughout the franchise.