Stefan Urquelle

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The suave and sophisticated Stefan Urquelle

Stefan Urquelle is a fictional character from Family Matters played by Jaleel White. He is the alter ego of Steve Urkel, also portrayed by White. While Urkel is clumsy and unpopular with the people around him, Urquelle is popular and suave, especially with women.

Steve originally made the "transformation" to Stefan to woo Laura Winslow, who, as with other women encountered by Stefan, is enamored with the persona. Steve created a formula called "Cool Juice" to transform into Stefan. Originally, the effects of the transformation were only temporary; Stefan would change back into Steve after a certain amount of time (originally a week). In his first appearance, however, he was very narcissistic, cold-hearted, and shallow, which quickly turned Laura off. Laura decided she wanted the real Steve back because he, unlike Stefan, cared about others.

Steve later improved the formula to limit the effects it had on his personality, and re-dubbed the formula "Boss Sauce". He also invented a "transformation chamber", which allowed him to turn into Stefan for extended periods of time. As the show went on, Steve enhanced the "Boss Sauce" even further, completely removing the change-over from Stefan back into Steve. Stefan could only change back into Steve by drinking an antidote. He was also able to alter the nature of his "Boss Sauce" to induce other personalities, such as morphing himself into a martial arts master using hair samples from legendary martial artist Bruce Lee (he referred to this altered "Boss Sauce" as "Bruce Juice"). Eventually, however, Steve's transformations to Stefan became limited, when Steve started dating his girlfriend, Myra.

At the end of the seventh season^[1], Steve creates a cloning machine, which he uses on himself, briefly duplicating himself. It is suggested by Laura that the clone be permanently transformed into Stefan, allowing him to become a real person separate from Steve. Throughout the rest of the series, Stefan became Laura's boyfriend.

In one episode, the Winslows go to Paris. Stefan decides to stay there to work as a fashion model, and the two begin a strained long distance relationship. A few episodes after, Stefan couldn't resist the fact of leaving Laura, and decides to move back to Chicago, where he sees her from the stage at a New Edition concert. The two are together again until one of Laura's former boyfriends, Curtis, returns to the show. Eddie tells Curtis that Laura still loves him as a prank to get back at Laura. Curtis tries to get her to come back to him, but when he realizes Stefan is her boyfriend, he gives him a warning that if he ever breaks Laura's heart, he'll get what he deserves. Stefan, unfortunately, believes that will never happen. Near the series finale, Stefan proposes to Laura, but at the same time, so does Steve. In the end, Laura chooses Steve over Stefan, finally ending their long-distance relationship (that went on until Stefan was finally a real person). To that, Stefan leaves, and the rest of the series goes on without him.