Ranking The Major Buffy The Vampire Slayer Villains From Worst To Best

Right, put down your pitchforks and hear us out.

Spike is absolutely one of the best-written characters in the show, BUT his time as a Big Bad often leaves a lot to be desired. His initial appearance sets the bar high, with his vicious attack on Sunnydale High painting him out to be a genuine threat to The Scooby Gang.

Yet, he doesn't ultimately accomplish much.

Outside of performing a ritual to restore Drusilla's strength - at the expense of Angel's lifeforce - Spike spends most of the second season confined to a wheelchair after Buffy causes him to be crushed beneath a large pipe organ.

Eventually partnering up with Buffy when Angelus and Drusilla are on the brink of ending the world, Spike's villainy soon became more fleeting with him taking over Cordelia's role in the show, dispensing acidic insults and fighting alongside Buffy when needed. He would still mastermind some fairly nefarious schemes from time to time, but as a character, Spike works best as either an anti-hero or a trusted ally of the Slayer.

It's not to say that he's a bad villain, it's that he's simply more interesting when he's not in that role.