Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Best Single Episode Villains

6. Gnarl

Episode: Same Time, Same Place (Season 7, Episode 3) Gnarl was a vile demon who had long, talon-shaped fingernails which secreted a paralysing poison that rendered his victims completely immobile, although they could still talk a little bit. The paralysis wouldn't wear off until Gnarl died, which gave him the luxury of being able to feed on his victim's skin while they were still alive. Gnarl also had acute reflexes and agility, being able to appear out of nowhere. He used this speed to strike Dawn and quickly retreat away from the scene. Gnarl was also immune to magic, evident from the fact that Willow tried to cast a spell on him but it did absolutely nothing. Gnarl even said he loves spells and keeps them as 'pets'. He appeared in the episode Same Time, Same Place, at the same time that Willow was due to return from her rehabilitation in England after she turned evil and tried to end the world. Bodies were found skinned - something Willow had done to Warren Mears prior to her rehabilitation - leading people to believe she was responsible. Willow's fear of seeing her friends led to her being invisible to them and vice versa, so while Gnarl had paralysed Willow and was eating her skin, Buffy and the Scoobies didn't know this - which led to all kinds of problems. Ultimately, Buffy killed Gnarl by thrusting her thumbs in to his eyeballs. Nice.