Richard Wilkins

Richard Wilkins III was the fictional mayor of Sunnydale in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Although allusions to the Mayor were made in an ominous context as far back as Season 2, Mayor Wilkins played a pivotal role as the "big bad" of season 3.

Related Topics:
Mayor - Sunnydale - Television series - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Big bad

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Wilkins had migrated to California in the 1800s, eventually trying to make his fortune by finding gold. Instead, he found a Hellmouth full of demons. Rather than being killed, he made a pact with the demons to develop a town atop the Hellmouth and attract human inhabitants — primarily as a food source for vampires and other demons. In return, he was granted dramatically reduced aging. It is implied that Mayor Wilkins sold his soul at the age he is in the show, effectively stopping the aging process and taking the first step to ascending. (It is implied, though never stated, in the series that Richard Wilkins III was also Richard Wilkins I & II, faking his own death and pretending to be his son to help conceal his lack of normal aging.) He also set about on the path to ascension, which in the Buffy universe means that a human becomes a pure demon. Throughout season 3, Mayor Wilkins set events into motion to facilitate his ascencion.

Related Topics:
California - 1800s - Gold - Hellmouth - Demon - Town - Vampire - Aging - Soul - Ascension

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Unlike many Buffy villains, Mayor Wilkins was, on the surface, an amicable fellow. He always had a smile on his face and was obsessive about cleanliness. Unexpectedly, he was approached by Faith, a Slayer turned renegade, with an offer of help. His relationship with Faith soon blossomed into a somewhat bizarre father/daughter scenario. Although thoroughly evil, Mayor Wilkins did grow to care about Faith and became her father figure. When Mayor Wilkins ascended into the huge, snake-like pure demon Olvikan during Sunnydale High School's graduation ceremony, Buffy exploited his love for Faith to lure him into a trap which killed him and turned the high school into an explosive inferno.

Related Topics:
Smile - Faith - Slayer - Renegade - Father - Daughter - Father figure

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Mayor Wilkins was seen again in season 4, in the form of a videotape he had left for Faith in case she ever woke up from her coma. He was also seen again in season 7, as one of the many incarnations of The First Evil.

Related Topics:
Videotape - Coma - The First Evil

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The character was played by Harry Groener.

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