Definitive Ranking of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Big Bads
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" got a lot right. And one big thing they (almost) always got right were the villains. Especially the big bads that tortured the "Scooby Gang" over the course of an entire season. Here's our ranking of the big villains from every season.
8. Adam (Season 4)
Probably the most boring villain to ever exist in Whedonverse, Adam is easily forgettable. He was supposed to be practically indestructible, but if we're being honest, we were never really that scared of him.
7. The Master (Season 1)
The Master was sassy and actually succeeded in killing a slayer, so he gets points for that. But he also just kind of sat underground while sending out minions to do all his work.
6. The Trio (Season 6)
Ugh. Warren was the absolute worst and Jonathan and Andrew just kind of did what he wanted. So it's really less of a trio and more of a Maroon 5 situation. Warren being the Adam Levine while Jonathan and Andrew were backup. The biggest thing that the Season 6 baddies accomplished was show us that sometimes the biggest monsters can be normal people.
5. Dark Willow (Season 6)
While not technically a big bad -- she did only show up for the last few episodes -- Dark Willow still deserves a mention. Even though she didn't go fully dark until Tara got shot, the entire season had been building to it. It also was something Buffy had never faced before -- one of her own being the bad guy.
4. The First (Season 7)
The First was supposed to be the biggest evil anyone could face. While the fact that it could take on any form was creepy and definitely threw the gang for a loop sometimes, it didn't really feel threatening until closer to the end of the series.
3. Angelus (Season 2)
Angelus is fun, that's what it comes down to. He's a crazy, sociopathic vampire, but he's having so much fun we can't stop watching. He also added an emotional depth in the second season that we wouldn't see again until Dark Willow. Buffy knew Angel, she loved Angel, and she helped unleash Angelus (even though she totally didn't mean to). Defeating this Big Bad meant losing a part of Buffy that she was never really able to get back.
2. Glory (Season 5)
Glory is the ditzy, murderous version of Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz": She just wants to go home and will do practically anything to get there. While she's somewhat responsible for Dawn appearing out of nowhere, we can forgive her because she is the sassy villain that gave Buffy a run for her money in of kicking ass and delivering sarcastic lines.
1. The Mayor (Season 3)
When the Mayor teamed up with Faith, great things happened. By "great," I mean the destruction of a high school and a ruined graduation -- but that's beside the point. The Mayor was so funny and polite, even when killing people. The added detail of him being a germaphobe delivered a level of hilarity that could only come from Joss Whedon. Plus, he was the most fun to watch.
