Whereas Buffy the Vampire Slayer is legendary for its “massive dangerous” villains, the present additionally boasts loads of “monster-of-the-week” characters who’re simply as scary and memorable. Nonetheless, they do not usually get the credit score they deserve as a result of lots of them present up in Buffy‘s monster-of-the-week filler episodes, which are sometimes tacky low factors for the long-lasting sequence.
However all through Buffy‘s seven seasons, there are a number of creatures who briefly come into the Scoobies’ lives who’re simply as sinister and terrifying as Glory, Angelus, or the Mayor. That is usually as a result of their scary look or their nightmare-inducing strategies they’ve for killing their victims. Then there are these monsters-of-the-week who’re charming, sympathetic, or performed by certainly one of Hollywood’s greatest late comedic actors.
10
Hans And Greta
Season 3, Episode 11, “Gingerbread”
Typically, one of the best one-off monsters in Buffy are so nice for his or her potential to make the Scoobies and their allies activate one another, creating distinctive battle. In Buffy season 3, episode 11, “Gingerbread,” the Hans and Greta demon was a metaphor for mob mentality, because it was in a position to persuade Joyce to activate her personal daughter and rally towards anybody who used magic in Sunnydale.
By Hans and Greta posing as murdered youngsters, they attraction to Joyce’s sympathies as a mom, and it is her very human need to guard susceptible children that results in all of the atrocities that comply with, from banning magic books to making an attempt to burn Buffy, Willow, and Amy alive.
In fact, when Giles and Cordelia are in a position to expose Hans and Greta in its two demon type, it is a lot much less efficient at fear-mongering and inflicting destruction; it is merely a generic, considerably silly-looking humanoid monster whose solely scariness is its towering peak. This important strips it of all its actual energy, which is why it would not rank increased on the record.
9
The Fish Monsters
Season 2, Episode 20, “Go Fish”
On the face of it, this Buffy episode looks as if one other filler with a foolish premise: the Sunnydale Excessive swim coach begins turning his workforce members into fish monsters to reinforce their efficiency. Nonetheless, “Go Fish” is actually one of the scariest Buffy episodes due to how closely it leans into physique horror.
At first, the Scoobies suppose the swim is on steroids, as that will clarify their sudden profitable streak and aggressive conduct, and {that a} fish demon is drawn to the medicine of their our bodies. Nonetheless, once we be taught that the gamers are literally turning into the creatures and see Gage rework by shedding his human pores and skin, it is one of many present’s most visually disturbing, Cronenberg-esque scenes.
Apparently, although the fish monsters are violent, they finally simply need to stay within the ocean amongst their very own type, which is form of… candy. These Buffy monsters-of-the-week finally earn their rating for the way distinctive they’re, although they lose factors for trying slightly foolish — like low-grade Creature from the Black Lagoon knockoffs — as soon as they’ve remodeled. Plus, Coach Marin, who’s the actual “monster” right here, is completely forgettable.
8
Zachary Kralik
Season 3, Episode 12, “Helpless”
Sometimes, one of the best Buffy vampires are main gamers within the present. That is what places Zachary Kralik, who solely seems in season 3’s “Helpless,” in a league of his personal. As we see with vampires like Spike and Drusilla, most of them begin off as regular and kind-hearted, albeit flawed, individuals. However Zachary Kralik was a misogynistic serial killer, who tortured and murdered over a dozen younger ladies earlier than he was sired.
Kralik’s backstory is straight out of a horror film, as he alleges he was abused and castrated by his mom, whom he then killed and ate. His “drawback with moms” is what makes him goal Joyce, which solely ups the stakes, on condition that Buffy has to combat Kralik with out her Slayer power.
Given how wonderful actor Jeff Kober is, it is shocking that Kralik wasn’t in additional episodes. Nonetheless, Kober was clearly efficient at taking part in deranged creeps, as he was introduced again to play Amy’s magic vendor, the equally shudder-worthy Rack, in season 6.
7
Gachnar
Season 4, Episode 4, “Concern Itself”
Season 4’s Gachnar is hardly the scariest monster in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, however like Hans and Greta, he is such an important monster-of-the-week due to how he deeply impacts the Scooby Gang. Within the episode, Gachnar is by accident summoned to a frat home Halloween celebration, the place he manipulates the friends into pondering their worst fears are coming true.
For the Scoobies, that manifests in Xander turning into invisible to the group, Oz hurting Willow as a werewolf, Willow being unable to regulate her magic, and Buffy’s combat towards the forces of darkness finally being futile. Although Buffy season 4 is considered one of the show’s worst, “Concern Itself” is a profound character examine and exhibits how lonely every of the Scoobies actually is.
In fact, the Gachnar reveal is a humorous twist, as when he’s summoned in his demon type, he is solely a few inches tall, and Buffy unceremoniously squashes him along with her foot. However as humorous as that is, the life lesson right here could be very poignant — usually, our fears are a lot scarier in our heads than once we truly confront them.
6
Inca Princess
Season 2, Episode 4, “Inca Mummy Lady”
Feminine monsters of the week in Buffy are uncommon, however that alone is not what makes season 2’s Inca Princess so memorable. When the mummified princess is reawakened in “Inca Mummy Lady,” she learns that she is ready to return to her youthful type by actually sucking the life out of people with a kiss. Nonetheless, every kiss’s results are solely short-term, and he or she should maintain feeding to maintain herself.
It is creepy and visually disturbing to observe the Inca Princess’s victims flip from people lively to shriveled mummies proper earlier than our very eyes. Nonetheless, in addition to her MO, Inca Princess stands aside as a result of she’s the primary monster-of-the-week whom we really feel sorry for.
Positive, what she’s doing is incorrect, however her motivations are sympathetic. She was sacrificed by her individuals on the younger age of 16, and he or she simply needs to stay. In that regard, she’s considerably of a funhouse mirror to Buffy and her calling because the Slayer. Because the present progresses, we see loads of demons who aren’t 100% black hat-wearing villains, and that development is began by the Inca Princess.
5
Gnarl
Season 7, Episode 4, “Identical Time, Identical Place”
Buffy season 7 is usually seen as a letdown as a result of the gang’s closing chapter was sullied by the introduction of method too many characters within the Potentials. That makes it all of the harder for a monster-of-the-week to say their locations as certainly one of Buffy‘s scariest monsters, however Gnarl has greater than earned his stripes, not only for being scary but in addition for being completely gross.
All the pieces about Gnarl appears borne out of our worst nightmares. There’s his garish yellow-green pores and skin, his sunken red-rimmed eyes, and his mouth jammed with too many pointy enamel. Nevertheless it’s how he kills his victims that is the scariest. He begins by paralyzing them, then feasts on their flesh, one strip of pores and skin at a time.
Not with the ability to transfer whereas being killed within the slowest, ickiest method attainable is terrifying, and he caps all of it off by speaking to his victims with a smooth however menacing sing-song voice. And like several good monster-of-the-week, Gnarl completely ties into the episode’s themes by kidnapping Willow, who had returned to Sunnydale and was frightened of her energy, and making her powerless.
4
Der Kindestod
Season 2, Episode 18, “Killed By Demise”
It takes a particular type of sick villain to solely prey on youngsters, and that is exactly who Der Kindstod targets. That is what makes him evil. However what makes him terrifying is that he particularly goes after sick youngsters, and solely these with a fever can see him.
The fears of a kid usually aren’t taken critically at one of the best of instances, however at Sunnydale Memorial, they’re chalked as much as delirious fever goals. Think about being a sick youngster, getting attacked by a daunting Freddy Kreuger-esque monster, and crying out for assist to an grownup who’s actually within the room subsequent to you, and so they cannot prevent.
Then there’s the killing itself, which can particularly make those that have points with eyes squeamish, as Der Kindestod extends his eyeballs, latches them onto the face of his victims, and sucks the life out of them. The “Killed by Demise” episode itself won’t be certainly one of Buffy‘s greatest, but it surely’s definitely elevated by Der Kindestod’s presence.
3
Candy
Season 6, Episode 7, “As soon as Extra, With Feeling”
What Candy lacks in frights, he greater than makes up for in display presence. He is the villain of certainly one of Buffy‘s best-ever episodes — “As soon as Extra, With Feeling,” the musical episode.
With the Buffy forged singing their hearts out and delivering a few of their greatest performances within the present, from Buffy’s heartbreaking confession that her associates pulled her out of heaven to Spike’s anthem of angst, “Relaxation in Peace.” However Candy actor and three-time Tony Award winner Hinton Battle virtually stole the episode along with his show-stopping quantity, “What You Really feel.”
Once more, Candy will not be giving us nightmares anytime quickly, however his enjoyment at inflicting mayhem by music is type of charming, particularly as a result of he isn’t even slain — he simply leaves Sunnydale of his personal free will. Sadly, Battle handed away in 2024, however maybe his character’s legacy can someway stay on within the Buffy reboot.
2
Ted
Season 2, Episode 11, “Ted”
In contrast to most teen exhibits of its period, Buffy wasn’t identified for its slew of well-known visitor stars. That is what makes the late, nice John Ritter’s look such a welcoming anomaly. And if that wasn’t thrilling sufficient, the usually lovable everyman is taking part in a villain — who’s a tackle his lovable everyman persona.
As Ted, Ritter is every thing a Buffy fan may need in a monster-of-the-week. He is distinctive in his seemingly healthful, charming persona that fools everybody however Buffy, and causes discord between her and Joyce. The monster metaphor right here is chillingly efficient, as Ted represents an abusive intimate associate along with his lovebombing Joyce, alienating her from her daughter, and bodily assaulting Buffy.
Buffy covers new floor right here, as Ted is the present’s first robotic — who even will get a creepy origin story as his creator was dying however needed to proceed his legacy of controlling and abusing ladies. “Ted” additionally marks the primary time Buffy has to cope with the prospect of getting probably killed a human. As we all know, robots and Slayers killing people play an enormous think about later episodes.
1
The Gents
Season 4, Episode 10, “Hush”
Although Buffy is considerably of a horror present, few monsters are really scary. And on the flip facet, there’s the Gents, the stuff of pure nightmares — actually. Their look is eerier than another demon in Buffy, with their pale bluish pores and skin, bald heads, and too-wide grins. Then there’s the ethereal method they transfer, not strolling like mere mortals, however gracefully hovering off the bottom.
Nevertheless it’s how they kill that’s the scariest factor the present has ever provide you with. First, the Gents steal the voices of a complete city, after which they slip into rooms at evening and lower out the hearts of their victims, who aren’t even in a position to scream.
The prophetic music Buffy hears in her dream:
“Cannot even shout.
Cannot even cry.
The Gents are coming by.
Trying in home windows,
knocking on doorways…
They should take seven
and so they may take yours…
Cannot name to Mother.
Cannot say a phrase.
You are gonna die screaming
however you will not be heard.”
Virtually each single particular person has had the nightmare of being unable to cry out whereas being attacked by a malevolent power, making them a really standout monster-of-the-week. It is no shock that they’ve their origins in fairytales, that are the unique nightmare gasoline. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is aware of this and unabashedly — and brilliantly — exploits it.
- Launch Date
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1997 – 2003
- Community
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The WB
