The friendship between Eli Goldsworthy and Connor DeLaurier started in Season 12 of Degrassi.
Friendship History[]
Season 11[]
In In the Cold, Cold Night (1), Eli is the last to volunteer for Clare's first run as the Degrassi Daily editor. Connor, Jenna, K.C., and Alli are the other students there to help out.
In In the Cold, Cold Night (2), as they finish printing the first copy, Clare proudly says that it's her first copy as editor. Connor clarifies that she's interim editor and Eli makes a face before Alli tells Connor to let Clare have this one. Connor and Eli begin talking over the pizza Clare orders for everyone until Eli looks over at Clare and tells Connor to give him a second.
Season 12[]
In Scream (1), Connor is seen rehearsing the final scene of Romeo and Jules.
In Scream (2), Connor is seen performing Romeo and Jules as Friar Lawrence.
In Zombie (1), Alli is gossiping about Eli and Clare's relationship with Jenna, recounting what Clare told her Eli said. Alli says Eli "'needed space'" and Jenna asks if he's allergic to happiness and what he needs space from, "the love of your life?" Alli says he needs to get over himself. Connor clears his throat, wanting Alli to leave. Alli decides to leave, and Jenna tells Connor that Alli needs her friends right now since she is crushed that things didn't work out with Dallas. Connor says with a smile that what Alli needs is a boyfriend. Connor decides to try and get Alli a boyfriend so that it will keep her busy. Connor goes to see Dave who is watching Eli edit his zombie short film. He scares them and after Dave says not to do that, Connor pulls him away to talk. He tells him he needs to get back together with Alli. Dave declines and says they grew apart and are two different people now. Connor doesn't see a problem with that and says it would be like dating a completely brand new person. Dave says no, that they don't have common interests. Connor tells him that him and Jenna don't either but they make it work. Dave says he'd rather have it as a clean break, unlike Eli and Clare who break up and get back together and break up again. Dave turns to look at Eli and says he's a mess, buried in his movie, all sad and lonely. Connor excitedly says he can set up Eli with Alli. Dave slowly turns to him and sarcastically says that maybe fire and gasoline can hang out. Eli calls Dave over and Dave takes one last look at Connor and walks off, leaving Connor smiling. Later, Alli barges in on Connor and Jenna's date at The Dot to show Jenna flowers. Jenna asks if they're from Dallas and Alli declines and says they're from Eli, showing her the note on the flowers. Jenna reads "Will you be my girlfriend? XOXO Eli." Connor looks down as Jenna reads it. Alli says Eli's playing a sick game to get to Clare through her and adds that when she sees him he's dead. Connor mentions with a smile that Eli's not so bad. He continues, "He's sensitive and artistic," saying those are "both really attractive qualities." Connor adds that Eli would make an excellent boyfriend. Alli and Jenna both give him upset looks and they both gasp and Alli says "Oh my God" when Eli then also shows up, saying he went to Alli's house and her parents said she was at The Dot. Alli asks if he's stalking her and Eli denies it, and asks her to explain his identical flowers and note on them which he reads out loud "Would you be my boyfriend? XOXO Alli." Alli says she did not send those to him. Jenna thinks for a moment and figures out that Connor sent the flowers to both Alli and Eli. Connor admits he did and when Alli asks why, he says that they are both sad and lonely. Eli and Alli both share a surprised glance as Connor says they're a perfect match. Eli says he has to get back to his movie because he's on a deadline. Alli puts her flowers on Jenna and Connor's table without a word while Eli gives his flowers to an elderly woman and gives Connor one last glare as he heads out. Alli sits with Jenna as she tells him to leave.
In Zombie (2), Connor goes to apologize to Alli for trying to set her up with Eli. Alli says she doesn't want to talk about it. Jenna tells him that's enough because he's pissed a lot of people off. He asks if that means she wants to break up with him because she's mad and she says no because she's not mad. He smiles and asks what they're talking about. Jenna says they're talking about Clare and whether her and Eli should get back together. Alli says Eli's being a jerk. Connor says that Eli was just being honest, adding that he told Clare she was being annoying and that if she didn't want him to break up with her, she should've stopped. Alli looks over Connor's shoulder at Clare who has just arrived for class. Clare meekly thanks him for the advice and goes to sit down. Alli tells Connor "Nice one," before going to sit with Clare. Jenna confronts Connor and says now she's mad at him. He sighs. Later, Connor tells Eli that he should get back together with Clare, and that he is a mess. Eli explains that he's miserable, but Connor truly wants to help Eli, because he doesn't want Jenna to ask him for a break like Eli did to Clare. Connor tells the group that Eli wants to take Clare back. Connor sees Eli when talking to Jenna later that day and abruptly leaves in the middle of their conversation to go talk to him. Connor calls out to him and tells him that Clare would be able to see him. Eli then changes his mind and says he thinks the break is for the best, even though he loves her. Connor asks why he wouldn't want to be with her, and Eli doesn't reply, he walks out and goes to Jenna. She asks how it went and he says "I have no idea Eli and Clare are so complicated."
Season 13[]
In Young Forever, both are present at Adam's funeral and memorial. Both are smiling when Clare announces her remission. Eli looks between Connor, Jenna, and Alli when he seconds Clare's sentiment of making the most of their lives.
Season 14[]
In Finally (1), at Clare's house, Clare and Eli take a group selfie with Jenna, Connor, Alli and Dallas. Eli pulls Clare to one side before getting everyone's attention and tells Clare that she is the love of his life. He says that they've been though a lot but he knows that they're meant to be. He gets down on one knee and gets a box out of his pocket. Alli and the rest of the group look scared at what they think might be happening. Clare mirrors their surprise. Eli continues that he wanted to ask her if she'd do the honor of moving in with him, and opens the box which reveals a red key. He smiles and says since he has a horse and a carriage last year, he had to do something. Everyone watching breathes a sigh of relief.
In Finally (2), Clare and Eli are with Jenna, Connor, and Alli, sadly sitting on a bench, eating burgers and fries, and talking about how their prom is ruined. Alli is upset that Dallas messed up the boat booking. Jenna says it's not the end of the world, but Alli says it's the end of their world because it's the last night their class will ever be together. Clare says that's not necessarily true and turns to Eli and asks if he still sees his class. Eli says not really because if you aren't in the same place it's hard to stay close. Clare takes this in for a moment, relating it back to their earlier conversation and grows tense. Alli says she joined prom committee so her class could have the most amazing night of their entire lives. Connor says that that's maybe a little ambitious. Alli and Jenna give him a look while Clare smiles. When Connor gets a text from Dallas, he reads it out loud. He realizes Dallas told him to not tell Alli what was in the text and he awkwardly says "Oh" and grimaces. Eli looks at him, amused. Eli watches Connor's valedictorian speech.
Trivia[]
- They both had a crush on Clare Edwards, but only Eli dated her.
- They both were friends with Dave Turner, Alli Bhandari, Mike Dallas, and Mo Mashkour. They were both friends with Adam before his death.
- They were both bullied by Mark Fitzgerald, but only Eli had a major conflict with him
- Eli had a conflict with Connor’s friend Drew Torres
- Connor appeared in Eli's play, Romeo and Jules.
- Eli was close to Connor’s godfather Archie Simpson.
- They both have a disability: Connor has Asperger’s and Eli is bipolar.
- They both have punched an Ice Hounder in the nose: Eli punched Dallas and Connor punched Luke.