Dean (AYAOTD)

Dean

Background

Dean Burkham is a student at Linden High School.

During the events of Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Season 1 Episode 9 The Tale of the Sorcerer's Apprentice played by Mathew Mackay

Dean and Alix are in class taking a test. By the end of class, Dean is the last one remaining, and Ms. Crenshaw takes his test from him and tells him that he is sinking into perdition. After class, Dean helps Alix open the lock to her locker and then shows her the poor score he made on the test. Dean says he can't catch a break, but Alix tells him that he can't get down on himself and his luck is sure to change. In World Cultures class, Dr. Oliver, a world-renowned archaeologist, gives a guest lecture. During her lecture she explains what archaeology is and shows the class some artifacts including a staff that was recently excavated from a Babylonian sorcerer's temple. She says the staff belonged to Goth, who was an evil magician that enslaved millions. She continues that writings indicate following Goth will lead to incredible fortune, while crossing Goth will lead to destruction. After class, Alix thinks Dr. Oliver was exaggerating, while Dean thought the lecture was cool. Alix goes to the library while Dean goes back into the classroom to talk with Dr. Oliver. She lets Dean handle the different artifacts and while Dean is holding up Goth's staff, the ruby eyes of the cobra headed staff suddenly glow.

Later, Dean goes into a locked door in the school and into the basement where he pulls up the basket with the pouch hidden back in 1966. During another test in Ms. Crenshaw's class, Dean immediately stands up and hands his blank test to Ms. Crenshaw. Ms. Crenshaw looks at the exam and asks Dean if he is trying to make a joke, but Dean stares at Ms. Crenshaw whose face suddenly becomes blank, and Ms. Crenshaw gives Dean an A+. After class, Alix asks Dean why he didn't take the test, but he tells her he did take the test and aced it. Alix doesn't believe him and Dean accuses her of thinking he is useless. Afterwards Dean starts hanging out with a new group of friends.

One day in the Chemistry classroom, Alix catches Dean stealing chemicals. Dean goes into the basement of the school with a group of students. They stand in a circle with Dean standing near Goth's staff and a cauldron. Dean tells the students the ingredients are used to create the mystic vapors. He says the return of Goth is at hand, and Alix accidentally drops her backpack. Dean orders the students after Alix and she runs away. Dean pulls a stone from the pouch and puts it into the mouth of the cobra staff and the stone and ruby eyes start to glow. A visage of Goth appears, and Dean tells him that everything is ready. Goth orders Dean to gather nightshade to release the vapors and tells Dean if he releases him, then all of Dean's desires will be fulfilled and the power of the universe will belong to Goth. Alix knocks something over and Goth orders Dean to get her. Alix goes into the auditorium and Dean is inside and he tells her that his luck has changed, because of Goth. Alix tells him that Goth is a monster, but Dean says half the school is following his and Goth's orders including some of the teachers. Alix begs Dean to fight against Goth, but Dean refuses and offers to let Alix go, but warns her not to get into his way. During the night, Dean and some of the students roll chemical barrels into the school. Alix is caught by a couple of students and Acolyte 1 tells Dean that Alix followed them, and Dean tells Acolyte 1 to put Alix in the van.

As they are walking to the basement, Dean tells Alix that he is taking her to a place in the school that was closed off more than 25 years ago. He says that one of the students went crazy and broke into the school and was chased by the guards and when they found her, she was out of her mind. They go into an area with a small pool and Dean starts the ceremony. He first has the large barrels of muriatic acid poured into the pool. Alix tries to escape, but the door is locked. She notices a large barrel of chlorine and then runs towards the staff and threatens to destroy it. She pulls out the stone from the mouth of the staff and the student cult members suddenly collapse. Dean throws some nightshade into the pool and calls upon Goth. Goth rises from the pool and orders Alix to bow before him or feel his wrath and she throws the stone at him, causing Dean to come to his senses. Alix begs Dean to help her, but Goth causes Dean to stay in place. Dean tells Alix to pour the chlorine into the pool and after Alix pours it into the pool, Goth disappears in a cloud of smoke and the other students wake up from their stupor. Dean apologizes to Alix and Alix hugs him.