9. Darla
Appeared in: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel If there's one thing that has always interested us about vampires, its how they came to be. Progenitors always play a huge role in vampire literature and film and in the case of Buffy and Darla, well - Darla happens to be the maker of Angel as a vampire, and she has a hold over him as both a former lover and his maker. If that was the extent of her involvement, you might find her ranked elsewhere on this list, if at all, but in turning up on Angel after being a fairly simple character on Buffy, Darla grew layers. Resurrected to be an antagonist for Angel, she becomes something more - a reflection of his own past sins. Eventually, she lures him into her bed in the hope of turning him back to Angelus, the evil creature he was before being cursed with a soul - but instead of losing his soul (something only possible if he experiences a moment of true happiness), he realizes he no longer loves Darla. Darla is furious, further, she's pregnant - and when she males the ultimate sacrifice as a mother to ensure the survival of her child, you realize just how great a character Darla has become.