10 Most Badass Buffy The Vampire Slayer Baddies

One aspect Buffy nailed better than most shows was giving its characters rich and fully realised back stories. Rupert Giles appears at first like the stuffy, reserved librarian he pretty much is, but early in the show's run, a dark past is hinted at - and this comes to the fore when old running buddy Ethan Rayne shows up.

A partner in crime from his misspent youth as "Ripper", Giles has done everything in his power to distance himself from Rayne's chaotic brand of gleeful supernatural venality. But like some kind of magically inclined cockroach, the mischievous shaman can never quite be vanquished. Rayne makes only a handful of appearances on the show, but his presence only ever spells bad news for Giles, and leads to some of the series' most fun episodes (A New Man most notably).

Portrayed with delightful zest by the late Robin Sachs, Ethan Rayne is a perfect example of Joss Whedon's enviable knack for comedy, and the blending thereof with spooky horror fun. The Rayne episodes are rarely the most important in terms of a season's overall arc, but in terms of the depth they give to characters like Giles, who could otherwise be veering towards snooty English stereotypes, they're indispensable.