Big Bad
Encyclopedia
Big Bad is a term originally used by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series to describe a major recurring adversary, usually the chief villain
or antagonist
in a particular broadcast season. It has since been used to describe annual villains in other television series, and has also been used in scholarly work discussing Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The term was originally used in the episode "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", in which Buffy Summers describes the newly soulless Angel as "the big bad thing in the dark". The phrase may originate in various fairy tales (particularly "Three Little Pigs" and the related song) about the "Big Bad Wolf
". The phrase "big bad" by itself was first used on screen in Season 3, in the episode "Gingerbread" where Buffy says that an occult symbol is harmless, "not a big bad".
. According to author Jan Jagodzinski, the battle between Buffy
and the evil Master is "the central issue of season one
"; The Master, like all the "big bads", is a "symptom of postmodernity". In the series' storyline, according to prophecy, the Master will kill the Slayer and bring Hell on Earth. While he succeeds in this task in the Season 1 finale "Prophecy Girl
", he does not count on Buffy being resuscitated (after he bites her, she faints in a small pool of water and nearly drowns; she is revived a minute or so later by her friend Xander
via CPR
). Buffy's surprise revival allows her to defeat The Master.
Unlike other vampires who burst into dust completely upon being slayed, the Master leaves behind a full skeleton. His bones are dug up in the Season 2 season premiere "When She Was Bad
" in an attempt by a group of vampires at resurrection, but Buffy crushes his bones, killing him permanently.
of the program. Spike (played by James Marsters
), Drusilla (played by Juliet Landau
), and Angelus (played by David Boreanaz
) become the new villains. Spike comes to Sunnydale
in the episode "School Hard
", accompanied by his longtime love Drusilla. Drusilla, in a weakened and frail condition, is cared for by Spike who hopes that the Hellmouth's energy will help to restore Drusilla's strength and health. They are soon reunited with Angel but constantly refer to him as Angelus (Angel's evil "alter ego").
Angelus was cursed with his soul a century before the events leading up to Season 2, but with one major stipulation: should Angelus (known as "Angel" when ensouled) experience even one moment of absolute happiness, the curse would be lifted, the soul removed, and Angelus would return. In the Season 2 episodes "Surprise
" and "Innocence
", Buffy and Angel have sex
. Angel experiences perfect happiness, and his soul escapes his body, resulting in his transformation back to Angelus. He finds Spike and Drusilla in their warehouse headquarters and joins forces with them in their effort to destroy the Slayer. The storyline, according to author Jan Jagodzinski, raises "issues of love and abuse" while continuing the tradition of the "big bad".
In the two-part Season 2 finale "Becoming", Angelus's ultimate plan comes into view: by removing the sword from the Acathla statue, a portal to Hell will open up, sucking the world into it; only with Angel's blood can it be closed. After being double-crossed by Spike, Angelus removes the sword. Willow
uses a spell to return Angel's soul. Even though Angel has returned, the gateway to Hell opens up. Buffy drives her sword into Angel's gut, sending him into the portal and closing it.
, was granted demonic properties in the 19th century. Since his founding of Sunnydale, he changed his name to Richard Wilkins, Jr., and then Richard Wilkins III, all to hide his inability to age. As part of the pact he made to keep himself demon, he was promised Ascension one day: a "promotion", of sorts, from partial demon to full demon. The Mayor is the first non-vampiric big bad to appear on the television program.
During the course of Season 3
, he enlists the services of his vampiric associate Mr. Trick. After Trick is killed by the Slayer Faith (played by Eliza Dushku
), she joins forces with him, essentially turning double-agent against Buffy. In "Graduation Day, Part Two
", during a speech he is giving at the Sunnydale High graduation of the Class of 1999, his Ascension goes into full effect, transforming him into a giant serpent. Buffy lures the snake into the school library, which is fortified with TNT. She manages to escape and cue Giles
, who obliterates the school, with the Mayor inside.
) is a "biomechanical demonoid", a cyborg composed of multiple human and demon parts, reminiscent of Frankenstein's monster
. Created by Professor Maggie Walsh, Adam is designed to be the ultimate life form - strong, immortal, and nearly omniscient through personal awareness and his ability to uplink with technology. Emotionless in tendency and personality, Adam is originally a loyal operative of the Initiative.
After being completed, Adam promptly kills Professor Walsh and immediately sets forth a plan of action - by summoning demons and putting them out in the open, The Initiative will imprison them. Once the prisons are full enough, he will override the security systems, freeing them all and forcing a battle between the demons and Initiative soldiers. From the bodies produced by the impending slaughter of both sides, he plans to create more cyborgs such as himself and build the ultimate army. Even though the battle takes place, Adam is killed by Buffy in "Primeval
" by having his power source removed from his body. Adam is the first Big Bad to be defeated before the season finale; "Restless", the season four
finale, focuses on the Scooby Gang's battle against the first Slayer, whose spirit they summoned to help them defeat Adam.
), unlike other monsters in the series, is not a demon but a god from a hell dimension. Banished to Earth (and forced to share a body with a human man named Ben), Glory's goal is to find a mysterious "Key", the only way to escape her banishment and return to her home dimension. However, The Key is not merely designed to open a magical portal: when activated it will simultaneously break down the barriers between every dimension in existence.
Unbeknownst to Glory, The Key is in the form of Dawn Summers
, Buffy's younger sister who was created (not born) specifically for the purpose of hiding The Key; since Buffy is the Slayer and thus would make for a strong protector, an order of monks created Dawn and implanted false memories in everybody she would have ever met to hide the fact of her sudden appearance in their lives.
Once Glory finds out that The Key is in human form, she deduces that it is disguised as someone close to the Slayer, and someone new to the fold. Eventually, she kidnaps Dawn and takes her to a tower where the portal to her dimension will open, but the opportunity to use The Key is a small window and isn't for another few days. Ben later appears and tries to help Dawn escape but reconsiders when Glory promises to make Ben immortal on her return to her rightful divine state. Ben, who has lived his whole life knowing he would cease to exist (not merely die) should Glory regain her power, accepts this offer and betrays Dawn.
A few days later, as the opening is being prepared, Buffy shows up and Glory fights her. After a well-placed kick, however, she knocks off "her" head and reveals wiring - it's actually the Buffybot that Spike had ordered built as a sex toy but was reprogrammed by Willow. The real Buffy appears behind her and bloodies Glory as the ritual starts. Downed but not dead, Glory reverts back to Ben, whom Giles kills, thus killing Glory in the process.
were the Trio - Warren Mears
(portrayed by Adam Busch
), Jonathan Levinson
(portrayed by Danny Strong
) and Andrew Wells
(portrayed by Tom Lenk
) - followed by Willow
(known in this phase as Dark Willow), portrayed by Alyson Hannigan
. Series creator Joss Whedon
stated on the Season 6 DVD that the true Big Bad was life itself, and how as time goes on, it becomes more and more people's worst enemy. In contrast to many other villains, the Trio are used mainly for comic effect. However, as the series progresses, they become more of a threat.
The Trio is a band of nerds who, over a game of Dungeons & Dragons
, decide to take over Sunnydale. Recognizing Buffy as their biggest threat to their schemes, they attempt to keep her out of their hair and in the process get her seriously annoyed. Things get out of control, however, when after a failed attempt at turning Warren's ex-girlfriend Katrina into their love slave, Warren accidentally kills her as she tries to escape and inform the police. This takes the three characters into separate character paths—Warren becomes misogynistic and assumes the role of leader of the Trio, Jonathan lets his conscience take over and grows in disdain for Warren, and Andrew becomes increasingly loyal to Warren. The Trio plan a series of bank heists using powerful artifacts that grant immense strength and invulnerability. Unknown to Jonathan, Warren and Andrew plan to escape leaving him to be arrested. In the end however, after a confrontation with Buffy, both Jonathan and Andrew are sent to jail while Warren abandons them and escapes.
After another caper is foiled by Buffy, Warren decides to remove her for good. He acquires a gun and shoots at Buffy and Tara
, killing Tara almost instantly. Willow, who has been recovering from an addiction to dark magic, tries to resurrect Tara as she did Buffy but cannot because the death was not by mystical means. Now obsessed with vengeance, Willow resumes using magic and quickly begins to lose herself in the dark power. After discovering that he didn't kill the Slayer, Warren attempts to escape but is soon caught and flayed alive by Dark Willow.
After Warren's death, Willow goes after the two remaining members of the Trio, but Buffy, Xander and Anya
break them out of jail. Willow becomes lost to dark magic and despair; she is confronted by Buffy and the two of them fight. In the middle of the battle, Giles appears, returning from England. Giles enters the battle and is gravely injured; Willow begins draining the magical power out of him. However, this was in fact Giles's plan: the magic he was channeling was not the dark power Willow had been drawing on, but a kind of magic that comes from humanity. This infusion of light magic allows Willow to feel again, expanding her empathy so she can feel the emotions of practically everyone. However this seems to backfire, as in her grief and depression she decides to destroy the world to put an end to everyone's suffering.
Buffy saves Andrew and Jonathan from being killed and the pair decide to flee to Mexico. On a bluff on the other side of Sunnydale, Willow uses her magic to raise an ancient satanic temple from the ground and begins chanting, but Xander arrives and tries to trigger her emotions. Even though Willow keeps knocking him down, Xander repeatedly tells her that he loves her. Eventually, the emotion in Willow is too much and the dark magical power in her fades away as she and Xander break down in tears, embracing.
is uniquely portrayed by many actors and many characters. The First is incorporeal, but it has the ability to take the form of anyone who has died, even if the person is still active in some way, such as Buffy, or a vampire; through skillful playacting it can impersonate a living person. The First appears to possess all the knowledge of the form it has taken. Through the aid of rituals performed by its Harbingers, it also has the ability to appear in dreams. Finally, it also has the ability to imbue certain rare beings with its powers. Its first appearance is in the Season 3 episode "Amends
". Through impersonating Angel's victims and manipulating his dreams, it attempts to convince him to kill Buffy. This failing, it manipulates him into trying to commit suicide. Had it succeeded, this would have been a powerful blow to the forces of good. However Buffy defeats The First's Harbingers and The First vanishes, promising to return.
Since The First is non-corporeal, it can't be killed. But since it can't touch anything, it can't kill, at least directly. When Buffy was brought back from the dead at the beginning of Season 6, however, this caused an instability in the source of the Slayer's power. This created the opportunity for the first to attempt to destroy the Slayer Line in its entirety. It enlists the services of Caleb, a misogynistic preacher, who commanded the Bringer army—Harbingers who were ordered to kill those who were in line to become the next Slayers, should the current ones die. It was part of a master plan that, if successful, would solidify The First as a physical entity. By working backwards, killing all the potential Slayers, followed by the current Slayer, nothing would exist to stop The First from flooding the world with an army of Turok-Han
, a breed of supervampires (known in the series as übervamps), shifting the scale of the world irrevocably in favor of evil and making The First corporeally manifest.
To do this, however, the Hellmouth had to be opened. Buffy and an army of potential Slayers used their blood to open the Seal of Danzalthar, thus opening the Hellmouth. After an epic battle between the Turok-Han and the Potentials/Scoobies, the Turok-Han were defeated (though not without casualties) by a special amulet given to Spike by Buffy, by way of Angel. The amulet channeled the power of sunlight and killed the entire Turok-Han army. Thus, the Big Bad of one series contributed significantly to the defeat of the Big Bad of another series. The amulet also acted as a purifying force, powerful enough that it closed the Hellmouth. This caused all of Sunnydale to collapse into a massive sinkhole. Though The First was not destroyed, its plans were thwarted and without the Hellmouth it was unable to raise a demon army.
Twilight
is revealed in part four of "No Future For You
". He can fly, has superhuman strength, and believes that the newly-created Slayer army is no better than a pack of demons. His main aim is the total eradication of all magic, both good and evil. His minions include former Sunnydale residents Amy Madison
, Warren Mears and Riley Finn
alongside the late Irish warlock Roden, British Slayer Lady Genevieve Savidge and American General Voll. Eventually it was spoilered by comics cover and later confirmed that Twilight is Angel. His Twilight persona was in fact a ruse designed to distract the members of the anti-Slayer movement most likely to attack, thus limiting the potential destruction that would have been caused if those factions struck independently while trying to keep the deaths of the Slayers to a minimum, all while he pushes Buffy towards some unknown goal.
and Smallville
to denote the annual villain.
Similarly, in Veronica Mars
, there is a Big Mystery revolving around a crime perpetrated by the Big Bad of the season. Greg Weisman
, a fan of Joss Whedon's, described Demona
as a "Big Bad" in issue three of the Gargoyles
comic book. Sara Colleton, executive producer for Dexter
, referred to that show's use of a main villain for each season as the "Big Bad formula". In an interview with Television Without Pity, Chuck
showrunner Chris Fedak mentioned that Alexei Volkov was Season 4's Big Bad.
In the Showtime series Dexter
has a annual Antagonist: Season 1 is "The Ice Truck Killer", Season 2 is Lila Tournay, Dexter's psychotically unbalanced Narcotics Anonymous sponsor. Season 3 is Miguel Prado was a senior Assistant District Attorney, Season 4 is Arthur Mitchell, often referred to as the "Trinity Killer", Season 5 is Jordan Chase a highly intelligent and well known and highly regarded author, a motivational speaker
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
or antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
in a particular broadcast season. It has since been used to describe annual villains in other television series, and has also been used in scholarly work discussing Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
On Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The term "Big Bad" was originally used on American television program Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which aired 1997–2003). According to author Kevin Durand (2009), "While Buffy confronts various forms of evil during each episode, each season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer had its own "big bad" villain who dominates throughout the season. The power of the "big bad" always threatens to end the world, but Buffy ultimately overcomes him or her in the season finale."The term was originally used in the episode "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", in which Buffy Summers describes the newly soulless Angel as "the big bad thing in the dark". The phrase may originate in various fairy tales (particularly "Three Little Pigs" and the related song) about the "Big Bad Wolf
Big Bad Wolf
The Big Bad Wolf is a term used to describe a fictional wolf who appears in several precautionary folkloric stories, including some of Aesop's Fables and Grimm's Fairy Tales.-Interpretations:...
". The phrase "big bad" by itself was first used on screen in Season 3, in the episode "Gingerbread" where Buffy says that an occult symbol is harmless, "not a big bad".
Season 1
The first "big bad" villain on the program was The Master, played by Mark MetcalfMark Metcalf
Mark Howes Metcalf is an American actor in both television and film.-Early life:Metcalf attended Westfield High School in Westfield, New Jersey.-Film and television work:...
. According to author Jan Jagodzinski, the battle between Buffy
Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
and the evil Master is "the central issue of season one
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 1)
- Crew :Series creator Joss Whedon served as executive producer and showrunner. David Greenwalt joined the series as co-executive producer as 20th Century Fox wanted an experienced television producer as Whedon had never ran a television series before. Whedon wrote the most episodes, writing three...
"; The Master, like all the "big bads", is a "symptom of postmodernity". In the series' storyline, according to prophecy, the Master will kill the Slayer and bring Hell on Earth. While he succeeds in this task in the Season 1 finale "Prophecy Girl
Prophecy Girl
"Prophecy Girl" is the season finale of the WB Television Network's first season of the drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the 12th episode of the series. The episode first aired on June 2, 1997 with the series acting as a midseason replacement for Savannah...
", he does not count on Buffy being resuscitated (after he bites her, she faints in a small pool of water and nearly drowns; she is revived a minute or so later by her friend Xander
Xander Harris
Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...
via CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
). Buffy's surprise revival allows her to defeat The Master.
Unlike other vampires who burst into dust completely upon being slayed, the Master leaves behind a full skeleton. His bones are dug up in the Season 2 season premiere "When She Was Bad
When She Was Bad
"When She Was Bad" is the first episode in the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The episode was written and directed by series creator and executive producer Joss Whedon...
" in an attempt by a group of vampires at resurrection, but Buffy crushes his bones, killing him permanently.
Season 2
With The Master dead, new "big bads" were introduced in season twoBuffy the Vampire Slayer (season 2)
The second season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered on September 15, 1997 on The WB Television Network and concluded its 22-episode season on May 19, 1998...
of the program. Spike (played by James Marsters
James Marsters
James Wesley Marsters is an American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond yobbish English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997 to 2004...
), Drusilla (played by Juliet Landau
Juliet Landau
Juliet Rose Landau is an American actress best known for her role as Drusilla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff show Angel, the latter appearance earning her a Saturn Award nomination. She is also known for co-starring as Loretta King Hadler in Tim Burton's Ed Wood.She has appeared in a...
), and Angelus (played by David Boreanaz
David Boreanaz
David Boreanaz is an American actor, television producer, and director, known for his role as Angel on the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and as Special Agent Seeley Booth on the television crime drama Bones....
) become the new villains. Spike comes to Sunnydale
Sunnydale
Sunnydale, California is the fictional setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon conceived the town as a representation of a generic California city, as well as a narrative parody of the all-too-serene towns typical in traditional horror...
in the episode "School Hard
School Hard
"School Hard" is episode three of season two of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The story for the episode was conceived by series creator and executive producer Joss Whedon and co-executive producer David Greenwalt, with Greenwalt penning the teleplay. It was directed by John T....
", accompanied by his longtime love Drusilla. Drusilla, in a weakened and frail condition, is cared for by Spike who hopes that the Hellmouth's energy will help to restore Drusilla's strength and health. They are soon reunited with Angel but constantly refer to him as Angelus (Angel's evil "alter ego").
Angelus was cursed with his soul a century before the events leading up to Season 2, but with one major stipulation: should Angelus (known as "Angel" when ensouled) experience even one moment of absolute happiness, the curse would be lifted, the soul removed, and Angelus would return. In the Season 2 episodes "Surprise
Surprise (Buffy episode)
"Surprise" is episode 13 of season two of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.- Plot :Buffy has a vivid dream which she fears is prophetic and realises that Spike and Dru may still be alive...
" and "Innocence
Innocence (Buffy episode)
"Innocence" is episode 14 of season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This is renowned as the highest rated episode in the series, attracting 8.2 million viewers as the series moved from its Monday timeslot to Tuesday.-Plot synopsis:...
", Buffy and Angel have sex
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
. Angel experiences perfect happiness, and his soul escapes his body, resulting in his transformation back to Angelus. He finds Spike and Drusilla in their warehouse headquarters and joins forces with them in their effort to destroy the Slayer. The storyline, according to author Jan Jagodzinski, raises "issues of love and abuse" while continuing the tradition of the "big bad".
In the two-part Season 2 finale "Becoming", Angelus's ultimate plan comes into view: by removing the sword from the Acathla statue, a portal to Hell will open up, sucking the world into it; only with Angel's blood can it be closed. After being double-crossed by Spike, Angelus removes the sword. Willow
Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan...
uses a spell to return Angel's soul. Even though Angel has returned, the gateway to Hell opens up. Buffy drives her sword into Angel's gut, sending him into the portal and closing it.
Season 3
As evil as he is tidy and pleasant, Mayor Richard Wilkins (otherwise known as simply "The Mayor"), played by Harry GroenerHarry Groener
Harry Groener is a German-born American actor and dancer, perhaps best known for playing Mayor Wilkins in Buffy the Vampire Slayer .-Early life:...
, was granted demonic properties in the 19th century. Since his founding of Sunnydale, he changed his name to Richard Wilkins, Jr., and then Richard Wilkins III, all to hide his inability to age. As part of the pact he made to keep himself demon, he was promised Ascension one day: a "promotion", of sorts, from partial demon to full demon. The Mayor is the first non-vampiric big bad to appear on the television program.
During the course of Season 3
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 3)
- Crew :Series creator Joss Whedon served as executive producer and showrunner, and wrote and directed five episodes of the season including the season premiere and the two-part finale. David Greenwalt was promoted to executive producer, and wrote two episodes and directed another. Marti Noxon was...
, he enlists the services of his vampiric associate Mr. Trick. After Trick is killed by the Slayer Faith (played by Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku
Eliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
), she joins forces with him, essentially turning double-agent against Buffy. In "Graduation Day, Part Two
Graduation Day (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
"Graduation Day" is the season finale of the WB Television Network's third season of the drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, consisting of the twenty-first and twenty-second episodes. They are also the fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth episodes of the show overall...
", during a speech he is giving at the Sunnydale High graduation of the Class of 1999, his Ascension goes into full effect, transforming him into a giant serpent. Buffy lures the snake into the school library, which is fortified with TNT. She manages to escape and cue Giles
Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
, who obliterates the school, with the Mayor inside.
Season 4
Adam (played by George HertzbergGeorge Hertzberg
George Hertzberg is an American actor best known for his portrayal of the cyber-demonic soldier Adam in the fourth season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
) is a "biomechanical demonoid", a cyborg composed of multiple human and demon parts, reminiscent of Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
. Created by Professor Maggie Walsh, Adam is designed to be the ultimate life form - strong, immortal, and nearly omniscient through personal awareness and his ability to uplink with technology. Emotionless in tendency and personality, Adam is originally a loyal operative of the Initiative.
After being completed, Adam promptly kills Professor Walsh and immediately sets forth a plan of action - by summoning demons and putting them out in the open, The Initiative will imprison them. Once the prisons are full enough, he will override the security systems, freeing them all and forcing a battle between the demons and Initiative soldiers. From the bodies produced by the impending slaughter of both sides, he plans to create more cyborgs such as himself and build the ultimate army. Even though the battle takes place, Adam is killed by Buffy in "Primeval
Primeval (Buffy episode)
"Primeval" is the 21st episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:Following Spike's interference in the previous episode, Buffy and the Scoobies are not talking to each other, consistent with Adam's plans...
" by having his power source removed from his body. Adam is the first Big Bad to be defeated before the season finale; "Restless", the season four
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 4)
- Crew :Series creator Joss Whedon served as executive producer and showrunner, and wrote and directed four episodes including the season premiere and finale. Marti Noxon was promoted to supervising producer and wrote or co-wrote five episodes. Jane Espenson was promoted to co-producer and wrote or...
finale, focuses on the Scooby Gang's battle against the first Slayer, whose spirit they summoned to help them defeat Adam.
Season 5
Glorificus, otherwise known as "Glory" (portrayed by Clare KramerClare Kramer
Clare Elizabeth Kramer is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Glory, the main villain in Season 5 of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Early life:...
), unlike other monsters in the series, is not a demon but a god from a hell dimension. Banished to Earth (and forced to share a body with a human man named Ben), Glory's goal is to find a mysterious "Key", the only way to escape her banishment and return to her home dimension. However, The Key is not merely designed to open a magical portal: when activated it will simultaneously break down the barriers between every dimension in existence.
Unbeknownst to Glory, The Key is in the form of Dawn Summers
Dawn Summers
Dawn Summers is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Marti Noxon and David Fury on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, portrayed by Michelle Trachtenberg. She made her debut in the premiere episode of the show's fifth season, and subsequently appeared in every...
, Buffy's younger sister who was created (not born) specifically for the purpose of hiding The Key; since Buffy is the Slayer and thus would make for a strong protector, an order of monks created Dawn and implanted false memories in everybody she would have ever met to hide the fact of her sudden appearance in their lives.
Once Glory finds out that The Key is in human form, she deduces that it is disguised as someone close to the Slayer, and someone new to the fold. Eventually, she kidnaps Dawn and takes her to a tower where the portal to her dimension will open, but the opportunity to use The Key is a small window and isn't for another few days. Ben later appears and tries to help Dawn escape but reconsiders when Glory promises to make Ben immortal on her return to her rightful divine state. Ben, who has lived his whole life knowing he would cease to exist (not merely die) should Glory regain her power, accepts this offer and betrays Dawn.
A few days later, as the opening is being prepared, Buffy shows up and Glory fights her. After a well-placed kick, however, she knocks off "her" head and reveals wiring - it's actually the Buffybot that Spike had ordered built as a sex toy but was reprogrammed by Willow. The real Buffy appears behind her and bloodies Glory as the ritual starts. Downed but not dead, Glory reverts back to Ben, whom Giles kills, thus killing Glory in the process.
Season 6
The main villains in Season 6Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 6)
- Crew :Series creator Joss Whedon served as executive producer, but his role was diminished as he took a hiatus to write the musical episode, and later Fox ordered a new pilot from him, Firefly. Whedon only ended up writing and directing one episode, the musical and is the only season where he...
were the Trio - Warren Mears
Warren Mears
Warren Mears is a fictional character portrayed by Adam Busch in the American television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as its canonical comic book series continuation.-Television:...
(portrayed by Adam Busch
Adam Busch
Adam Busch is an American actor who played the recurring character Warren Mears on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He first appeared on Buffy in season 5, in an episode called "I Was Made to Love You".-Career:Early roles include Noah Allen from Nickelodeon's the Mystery Files of...
), Jonathan Levinson
Jonathan Levinson
Jonathan Levinson is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Danny Strong.-Character history:Jonathan was born in 1981 and raised in Sunnydale, California...
(portrayed by Danny Strong
Danny Strong
Daniel W. Strong is an American actor and writer in film and television.-Early life:Strong was born and raised in Manhattan Beach, California. where he would rent videos from Video Archives, becoming friends with Quentin Tarantino who was then a clerk there...
) and Andrew Wells
Andrew Wells
Andrew Wells is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, played by Tom Lenk. The character also appears in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, the canonical continuation of the series....
(portrayed by Tom Lenk
Tom Lenk
Thomas Loren "Tom" Lenk is an American stage and television actor best known for his recurring role as Andrew Wells in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel.-Early life:...
) - followed by Willow
Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan...
(known in this phase as Dark Willow), portrayed by Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Lee Hannigan is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Willow Rosenberg in the cult classic television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Michelle Flaherty in three American Pie films, and Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.-Early life:Hannigan was born in...
. Series creator Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
stated on the Season 6 DVD that the true Big Bad was life itself, and how as time goes on, it becomes more and more people's worst enemy. In contrast to many other villains, the Trio are used mainly for comic effect. However, as the series progresses, they become more of a threat.
The Trio is a band of nerds who, over a game of Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, decide to take over Sunnydale. Recognizing Buffy as their biggest threat to their schemes, they attempt to keep her out of their hair and in the process get her seriously annoyed. Things get out of control, however, when after a failed attempt at turning Warren's ex-girlfriend Katrina into their love slave, Warren accidentally kills her as she tries to escape and inform the police. This takes the three characters into separate character paths—Warren becomes misogynistic and assumes the role of leader of the Trio, Jonathan lets his conscience take over and grows in disdain for Warren, and Andrew becomes increasingly loyal to Warren. The Trio plan a series of bank heists using powerful artifacts that grant immense strength and invulnerability. Unknown to Jonathan, Warren and Andrew plan to escape leaving him to be arrested. In the end however, after a confrontation with Buffy, both Jonathan and Andrew are sent to jail while Warren abandons them and escapes.
After another caper is foiled by Buffy, Warren decides to remove her for good. He acquires a gun and shoots at Buffy and Tara
Tara Maclay
Tara Maclay is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed by Amber Benson from the fourth to the sixth season until the character's death. Tara is a shy young woman with magical talents who falls in love...
, killing Tara almost instantly. Willow, who has been recovering from an addiction to dark magic, tries to resurrect Tara as she did Buffy but cannot because the death was not by mystical means. Now obsessed with vengeance, Willow resumes using magic and quickly begins to lose herself in the dark power. After discovering that he didn't kill the Slayer, Warren attempts to escape but is soon caught and flayed alive by Dark Willow.
After Warren's death, Willow goes after the two remaining members of the Trio, but Buffy, Xander and Anya
Anya Jenkins
Anya is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She also appears in the comic book series based on the television show. Portrayed by Emma Caulfield, the character appears as a guest star in the third and fourth seasons of the show before...
break them out of jail. Willow becomes lost to dark magic and despair; she is confronted by Buffy and the two of them fight. In the middle of the battle, Giles appears, returning from England. Giles enters the battle and is gravely injured; Willow begins draining the magical power out of him. However, this was in fact Giles's plan: the magic he was channeling was not the dark power Willow had been drawing on, but a kind of magic that comes from humanity. This infusion of light magic allows Willow to feel again, expanding her empathy so she can feel the emotions of practically everyone. However this seems to backfire, as in her grief and depression she decides to destroy the world to put an end to everyone's suffering.
Buffy saves Andrew and Jonathan from being killed and the pair decide to flee to Mexico. On a bluff on the other side of Sunnydale, Willow uses her magic to raise an ancient satanic temple from the ground and begins chanting, but Xander arrives and tries to trigger her emotions. Even though Willow keeps knocking him down, Xander repeatedly tells her that he loves her. Eventually, the emotion in Willow is too much and the dark magical power in her fades away as she and Xander break down in tears, embracing.
Season 7
The First EvilFirst Evil
The First Evil is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The First Evil first appeared in the third season episode "Amends", and became the main antagonist of the 7th and final season.A being manifested from all evil in existence, the First is an...
is uniquely portrayed by many actors and many characters. The First is incorporeal, but it has the ability to take the form of anyone who has died, even if the person is still active in some way, such as Buffy, or a vampire; through skillful playacting it can impersonate a living person. The First appears to possess all the knowledge of the form it has taken. Through the aid of rituals performed by its Harbingers, it also has the ability to appear in dreams. Finally, it also has the ability to imbue certain rare beings with its powers. Its first appearance is in the Season 3 episode "Amends
Amends (Buffy episode)
"Amends" is episode 10 of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:It's Christmas in Sunnydale and Angel is haunted with dreams of the people he murdered over the years as Angelus. When Buffy starts getting dragged into his memory-nightmares, experiencing Angel's...
". Through impersonating Angel's victims and manipulating his dreams, it attempts to convince him to kill Buffy. This failing, it manipulates him into trying to commit suicide. Had it succeeded, this would have been a powerful blow to the forces of good. However Buffy defeats The First's Harbingers and The First vanishes, promising to return.
Since The First is non-corporeal, it can't be killed. But since it can't touch anything, it can't kill, at least directly. When Buffy was brought back from the dead at the beginning of Season 6, however, this caused an instability in the source of the Slayer's power. This created the opportunity for the first to attempt to destroy the Slayer Line in its entirety. It enlists the services of Caleb, a misogynistic preacher, who commanded the Bringer army—Harbingers who were ordered to kill those who were in line to become the next Slayers, should the current ones die. It was part of a master plan that, if successful, would solidify The First as a physical entity. By working backwards, killing all the potential Slayers, followed by the current Slayer, nothing would exist to stop The First from flooding the world with an army of Turok-Han
Turok-Han
The Turok-Han vampires are fictional characters from Joss Whedon's TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They appear in the 7th and final season of the series, making their first appearance in the episode "Never Leave Me", when the Seal of Danzalthar is opened under the basement of Sunnydale High,...
, a breed of supervampires (known in the series as übervamps), shifting the scale of the world irrevocably in favor of evil and making The First corporeally manifest.
To do this, however, the Hellmouth had to be opened. Buffy and an army of potential Slayers used their blood to open the Seal of Danzalthar, thus opening the Hellmouth. After an epic battle between the Turok-Han and the Potentials/Scoobies, the Turok-Han were defeated (though not without casualties) by a special amulet given to Spike by Buffy, by way of Angel. The amulet channeled the power of sunlight and killed the entire Turok-Han army. Thus, the Big Bad of one series contributed significantly to the defeat of the Big Bad of another series. The amulet also acted as a purifying force, powerful enough that it closed the Hellmouth. This caused all of Sunnydale to collapse into a massive sinkhole. Though The First was not destroyed, its plans were thwarted and without the Hellmouth it was unable to raise a demon army.
Season 8
Although the television series ended with season seven, series creator Joss Whedon devised a comic book series that continued the story beyond the seventh season.Twilight
Twilight (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
"Twilight" is the seventh story arc of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, based upon the television series of the same name, and is written by novelist and comic book writer Brad Meltzer...
is revealed in part four of "No Future For You
No Future for You
"No Future for You" is the second story arc of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, based upon the television series of the same name, and is written by Brian K. Vaughan...
". He can fly, has superhuman strength, and believes that the newly-created Slayer army is no better than a pack of demons. His main aim is the total eradication of all magic, both good and evil. His minions include former Sunnydale residents Amy Madison
Amy Madison
Amy Madison is a fictional character, a witch played by Elizabeth Anne Allen in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and by Shay Astar in the Season 8 motion comics. She made appearances in every season of Buffy except Seasons Five .Amy is a witch...
, Warren Mears and Riley Finn
Riley Finn
Riley Finn is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Portrayed by Marc Blucas, Riley was introduced in the 1999 season four premiere episode, "The Freshman", and Blucas was part of the series credited cast for the second part of season four...
alongside the late Irish warlock Roden, British Slayer Lady Genevieve Savidge and American General Voll. Eventually it was spoilered by comics cover and later confirmed that Twilight is Angel. His Twilight persona was in fact a ruse designed to distract the members of the anti-Slayer movement most likely to attack, thus limiting the potential destruction that would have been caused if those factions struck independently while trying to keep the deaths of the Slayers to a minimum, all while he pushes Buffy towards some unknown goal.
In other series
The term has been later used in other fandoms, such as CharmedCharmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
and Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
to denote the annual villain.
- The short-lived series Birds of PreyBirds of Prey (TV series)Birds of Prey is a television drama series produced in 2002. The series was developed by Laeta Kalogridis for The WB and is loosely based on the Birds of Prey DC Comics series...
actually used the term "Big Bad" on screen to refer to Harley QuinnHarley QuinnHarley Quinn was first introduced as a villain on September 11, 1992, in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series, later adapted into DC Comics' Batman comic books. As suggested by her name , she is clad in the manner of a traditional harlequin jester...
. - The final scene of Stargate: The Ark of TruthStargate: The Ark of TruthStargate: The Ark of Truth is a 2008 Canadian-American military science fiction film written and directed by Robert C. Cooper. The film is the conclusion of Stargate SG-1 Ori arc, and picks up after the SG-1 series finale, but takes place before the fourth season of Stargate Atlantis. The Ark of...
featured Lt Col Cameron Mitchell stating that it was strange not to have a "big bad" to face any more following the removal of both the Ori and Goa'uld threats. - In the May 11, 2007 LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
podcast, the show's producers refer to Ben Linus as the series' "Big Bad", although they have subsequently revealed, and demonstrated, that Charles WidmoreCharles WidmoreCharles Widmore is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost, which chronicles the lives of over forty people after their plane crashes on a remote island somewhere in the south Pacific. He is primarily portrayed as an older man by Alan Dale; Tom Connolly and David S...
is even worse. In the final season however, even Widmore appears heroic when set up against the Man in BlackMan in Black (Lost)The entity referred to most frequently as the Man in Black is a fictional character on the American ABC television series Lost, and is the main antagonist of the...
. - Even comics have adopted the term into their lexicon, with NightwingDick GraysonDick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
describing Bruno Mannheim to BatwomanBatwomanBatwoman is the name of several fictional characters, female counterparts to the superhero Batman. The original version was created by Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff. Her alter ego is Kathy Kane. This character appears in publications produced by DC Comics and related media beginning in Detective...
as "the Big Bad" in DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' 5252 (comic book)52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
: Week 30.
Similarly, in Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
, there is a Big Mystery revolving around a crime perpetrated by the Big Bad of the season. Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
, a fan of Joss Whedon's, described Demona
Demona
Demona is a fictional character in the animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Marina Sirtis. One of the primary antagonists in the series, Demona was once Goliath's lover and part of their castle's Wyvern Clan of gargoyles...
as a "Big Bad" in issue three of the Gargoyles
Gargoyles (SLG comic)
Gargoyles is a comic book produced by Slave Labor Graphics and Creature Comics. It was written by series creator Greg Weisman starting in 2006, and continued the storyline of the animated television series Gargoyles from the first two seasons, supplanting the ABC Network third season, The Goliath...
comic book. Sara Colleton, executive producer for Dexter
Dexter (TV series)
Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...
, referred to that show's use of a main villain for each season as the "Big Bad formula". In an interview with Television Without Pity, Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
showrunner Chris Fedak mentioned that Alexei Volkov was Season 4's Big Bad.
In the Showtime series Dexter
Dexter (TV series)
Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...
has a annual Antagonist: Season 1 is "The Ice Truck Killer", Season 2 is Lila Tournay, Dexter's psychotically unbalanced Narcotics Anonymous sponsor. Season 3 is Miguel Prado was a senior Assistant District Attorney, Season 4 is Arthur Mitchell, often referred to as the "Trinity Killer", Season 5 is Jordan Chase a highly intelligent and well known and highly regarded author, a motivational speaker