10 Most Badass Buffy The Vampire Slayer Baddies

Among his many talents, Joss Whedon is among the best long game players to have worked in television. Many's the time he places a tiny hint or hanging thread in one episode, only to have it unravel several stories, or even seasons, down the line. One of the neatest examples of this is season five baddy of the week Olaf The Troll, whose appearance is fleeting, but holds great significance down the line.

A booming, orange haired hulk of a creature, Olaf remains a little too goofy to be genuinely frightening, even as he easily bats aside Buffy and co (utilising his incredible troll strength). Indeed, he would surely rank up there in the pantheon of funny Buffy characters, particularly his Thor-like demands for ale (and babies) to consume.

In a neat move, Olaf turns out to be an ex-lover (and first curse victim) of Xander's girlfriend Anya, leading to a hugely one-sided macho face off. Eventually he is pummelled into another dimension by Buffy, who, having broken up with her boyfriend, takes exception to Olaf's claims that Xander and Anya's relationship is doomed. He leaves behind only his troll hammer (also Thor-esque).

This weapon, of course, turns out to be the key to the gang's eventual defeat of season five arch villain Glory. It's a clever piece of setup by Whedon and the writing team, and a great display of the show's ability to work as an episode by episode adventure series, as well as a longer, mythology based story.