Let’s be real: most TV villains are exhausting. They’re all "kneel before me" and "darkness shall reign" while wearing enough leather to bankrupt a cow. But then you’ve got Richard Wilkins III.
If you grew up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Mayor wasn't just another monster of the week. He was the guy who told you to wash your hands and avoid "potty mouth" while casually planning to devour a high school graduation class. Honestly, he’s probably the only Big Bad in history who would offer you a hand wipe after stabbing you in the back.
People always talk about Angelus or Glory being the peak of the series. But those fans are missing something. The Mayor was special because he wasn't just evil; he was a dad. A terrifying, soul-selling, germophobic dad who happens to be 100 years old.
The Man Who Literally Built a Hellmouth
Richard Wilkins didn't just stumble into Sunnydale and decide to run for office. He founded the place. Back in 1899, the guy arrived in California and realized that the Hellmouth was basically a real estate goldmine for someone willing to play dirty.
He didn't want to save the world. He wanted to own it.
To keep the secret of his immortality, he pulled a weirdly dedicated long con: he pretended to be his own son. And then his own grandson. For a century, the citizens of Sunnydale just thought the Wilkins family had remarkably consistent genes and a passion for local government. You’ve gotta respect the commitment to the bit.
While most sorcerers are hiding in caves, Wilkins was in a wood-paneled office, managing the local police department and making sure the streetlights worked. It’s that blend of the mundane and the monstrous that makes him so unsettling. He’s the personification of "polite society" being a complete and utter lie.
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Why the Germophobia Isn't Just a Joke
We all remember the shrunken heads next to the box of wet naps. It’s a classic Buffy visual gag. But look closer. Wilkins’ obsession with cleanliness is actually a brilliant character beat.
He’s a man who has spent a century surrounded by the "muck" of the demon world—vampires like Mr. Trick who are messy, chaotic, and unpredictable. The Mayor represents order. He wants a world that is neat, tidy, and completely under his thumb.
There's a scene where he’s reading "The Family Circus" while waiting for his Ascension. It’s hilarious, sure. But it also shows his total lack of empathy. To him, the apocalypse is just another item on a to-do list, right between "fix the pothole on Main St." and "pick up dry cleaning."
The Faith Factor: His One Real Weakness
If you want to understand why the Mayor still matters in the 2020s, you have to look at his relationship with Faith.
Most villains treat their henchmen like disposable tissues. Not Wilkins. When Faith shows up—broken, angry, and looking for a father figure—he actually steps up. He buys her dresses. He tells her he’s proud of her. He genuinely seems to love her in his own twisted, sociopathic way.
It’s the most human we ever see him. And ironically, it’s what kills him.
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When Buffy stabs Faith and puts her in a coma, the Mayor loses his mind. He’s not a calculating politician anymore; he’s a grieving father. He tries to smother Buffy in her hospital bed. He lets his emotions cloud his judgment.
Buffy, being the tactical genius she is, uses that grief. In the final showdown, she doesn't just fight him. She taunts him with the knife she used on Faith. She baits him into the library because she knows his anger has made him stupid.
The Ascension: When the Suit Comes Off
The Season 3 finale, "Graduation Day," is basically the gold standard for TV endings. We spent an entire year hearing about the "Ascension." We saw him become invulnerable—literally getting his head sliced in half and just popping it back on like it was a minor inconvenience.
And then the eclipse hits.
He transforms into Olvikan, a 60-foot snake demon. It’s a big, loud, CGI-heavy moment (well, 1999 CGI). But the best part? His last words.
As he slithers into the library, realizing he’s been lured into a room full of TNT, he doesn't scream a curse. He doesn't beg for mercy. He just looks at the explosives and says, "Well, gosh."
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That’s Richard Wilkins in a nutshell. Even as a giant prehistoric demon, he’s still the polite guy who hates swearing.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Plan
A lot of fans ask: "What was he going to do after he became a snake?"
The assumption is usually that he’d just eat everyone and then... what? Rule the rubble?
But if you look at his history, that doesn't fit. Wilkins loved being Mayor. He loved the structure of Sunnydale. The Ascension wasn't just about becoming a monster; it was about becoming a god who could rule over a new society. He even tells Faith that children will look up at him in "awe and wonder."
He didn't want to end the world. He wanted to be the only thing left in it that mattered.
Actionable Insights for Buffy Fans
If you’re revisiting Season 3 or introducing someone to the show for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the Mayor’s arc:
- Watch the background details: Look at his office. The mix of occult artifacts and mundane office supplies tells you everything about his duality.
- Track the Faith/Buffy parallels: Notice how the Mayor gives Faith the stability Giles gives Buffy, but without the moral compass. It’s a dark mirror of the show’s central relationship.
- Appreciate Harry Groener: The actor’s background in musical theater is why the character has that rhythmic, almost sing-song way of speaking. It makes the threats feel ten times creepier.
- Check out the comics: If you want more, the Buffy Season 10 and 12 comics (and the BOOM! Studios reboot) play with his legacy in some pretty wild ways, though nothing beats the original Harry Groener performance.
The Mayor remains the series' best villain because he’s the one we’d most likely trust in real life. He’s charming, he’s "wholesome," and he’s got a plan for the future. He’s a reminder that the most dangerous monsters aren't the ones growling in the dark—they’re the ones smiling at you from behind a desk.