When Pacey relays the details of his sexual encounter with Ms. Jacobs to Dawson in a school bathroom, the conversation is overheard by another boy smoking marijuana in the next stall.

In season two, Pacey wants to reinvent himself, dying his hair and trying to get close to his longtime crush, Kristy Livingstone, which unfortunately does not work out.

They come out of the gate sparring and slowly develop a romance, though this progress is halted when Pacey's ex-girlfriend, Tamara, returns to Capeside.

Pacey's low self-esteem is boosted by the support and encouragement Andie gives him, and he slowly starts believing that he can do whatever he wishes in life and is able to improve academically.

Pacey spends the entire trip doing his best to do as his father tells him and stay out of harms way, but is constantly berated for his efforts.

After a summer apart, Pacey is anxiously awaiting the return of Andie, all the while encouraging Dawson to make things happen with Eve.

Andie starts dating a guy who ends up attacking her and this briefly brings her and Pacey together, though he then tells her that they cannot get back together, he doesn't love her like that anymore.

While trapped on Witch Island with Joey, Dawson, and Jen, the two proceed to make out in the condemned church, which seems to be haunted by the spirits of 13 girls who were burned alive there in the 1600s.

After failing grades, Pacey has to complete an English Class project – starring in a school production of Barefoot in the Park.

He gets into a fight with a bully who admits to vandalizing a mural Joey paints for the school, and as punishment, he is assigned to mentor a young, neglected boy with a rebellious attitude not unlike Pacey's.

Pacey's childhood friend, Will Krudski, comes along on a spring break visit to Dawson's Aunt Gwen in Stolen Kisses.

When Dawson accidentally learns of Pacey and Joey's burgeoning relationship from Jen weeks after it begins, he reacts furiously.

Joey, sensing her actions could end her friendship with Dawson permanently, reluctantly breaks things off with Pacey.

Pacey decides to leave Capeside and spend the summer sailing, but when Joey learns about his plans, she calls him out for giving up.

Pacey grows increasingly concerned with Joey's constant desire to rebuild her friendship with Dawson and prioritize his feelings over their relationship.

The two later join forces with Jack to prank the principal and set up their troublemaking-classmate Drue, increasing Pacey's hope for eventually recovering their friendship.

Pacey suspects that Joey may be jealous about witnessing a kiss between Dawson and Gretchen at the annual Leery Christmas dinner.

The season ends with Pacey managing to graduate high school at the last second, and taking a job on a yacht and leaving Capeside once again.

Later in the season, during Christmas in Capeside, Audrey confronts Dawson, Joey and Pacey for never dealing with their past and by consequence never growing up.

While working as a stockbroker, Pacey clashes several times with his slick, arrogant boss, Rich Renaldi (Dana Ashbrook).

Five years later, a 25-year-old Pacey is now the proprietor of The Icehouse, a successful restaurant in Capeside bearing the same name as the one Joey's family used to operate.

Dawson is nearing the end of production of his semi-autographical TV series 'The Creek', of which Pacey has posters hung at his restaurant.

During Gail's wedding reception, Pacey kisses Joey (reigniting lingering feelings between the two), but the moment is interrupted when Jen collapses.

In the midst of their romantic entanglements, Joey, Dawson, Jack, and Pacey are brought together at the Ice House to say goodbye to Jen, who dies from pulmonary congestion.

In the epilogue, it is revealed that Joey and Pacey are watching Dawson's semi-autobiographical television series The Creek in her apartment in New York City, appearing to have reignited their relationship.

The series ends with Pacey, his girlfriend, and his on-and-off best friend conversing over the phone as the camera pans to a photograph of the three with Jen.

First introduced as Dawson's best male friend and comic relief, Pacey emerged as a romantic hero through the course of season two.

"[7] The story reignited interest in the show and the love triangle would serve as a driving plot line through the series' final episode.

In a retrospective review for The Guardian, critic Jonathan Bernstein said "not only did Joshua Jackson have more credible chemistry with Katie Holmes, whom he briefly dated in real life, but Pacey quickly eclipsed Dawson as both the series’ most relatable character and its moral centre.

"[8] Jezebel said "their screwball dynamic, coupled with actors Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson's untapped chemistry and an intricately plotted courtship subverted everything expected of the show.