Date: 1999

The conflict with Richard Wilkins, the Mayor of Sunnydale, was a slow-burning war hidden behind smiles and civic pride. Outwardly cheerful and obsessively polite, Wilkins was in fact an ancient sorcerer who had ruled Sunnydale for generations, carefully guiding the town toward one goal: his Ascension into a pure demon form. As the Scoobies uncovered his plans, Wilkins proved to be one of their most dangerous enemies. He was patient, well-informed, and nearly invulnerable, using assassins, demons, and political power to isolate and eliminate threats. His relationship with Faith made him especially dangerous, as he exploited her need for belonging and turned her into his enforcer. The battle ended at Sunnydale High’s graduation. Wilkins completed his Ascension, transforming into a massive demon, but Buffy united the graduating class into an organized resistance. Armed students and coordinated tactics brought the Mayor down, destroying both him and the school. Wilkins was defeated not by secrecy or manipulation, but by community, unity, and refusal to stand alone.