Biff Tannen

"Butt heads."

- Biff Tannen's main quote "Now why don't you make like a tree and get out of here."

- Biff's way of saying "leave". "Hello! Anybody home?"

- When beating someone's head with his knuckles or, in 2015, the top of his cane.

Biff Buford Howard Tannen, simply known as Biff, is one of the main antagonists in the Back to the Future sci-fi/comedy movie trilogy, mainly 1 and 2. He was the great-grandson of Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen and future grandfather to Griff Tannen.

He was portrayed by Thomas F. Wilson.

Original Timeline
Biff Tannen, in the original timeline, started bullying George McFly when they were kids and never stopped. Over the next 30 years, Biff would continue to bully and intimidate George, as they both ended up working for the same company where Biff became George's supervisor (due to George doing all Biff's work for him to get promoted). Biff's crush on Lorraine never died either, although Lorraine had married George and presumably Biff had married as well.

Good Alternate 1985
However, things changed when the McFlys' youngest son Marty McFly accidentally traveled back through time to 1955 using his friend Doc Brown's DeLorean time machine, interfering with his parents' first meeting. Marty, using the anachronistic name "Calvin Klein," also manages to get on the wrong side of Biff by standing up to him, something which Biff was not used to. Marty was also indirectly responsible for causing Biff to crash his car into a manure truck, and this led to Biff finding Marty and Lorraine on the night of the school dance (November 12, 1955). Biff's gang trapped Marty in the trunk of another car and Biff tried to get his way with Lorraine. George came along, as part of the plan he and Marty had made where George would find Marty "parking" with Lorraine, but soon realized that the pretend rescue was now a real one. For the first time, George stood up to Biff to stop him from raping Lorraine. He responded by attempting to break George's arm. Lorraine, trying to pull Biff away from George, was knocked to the ground. This enraged George, who subsequently knocked out Biff with one punch. Lorraine fell in love with George at that moment, and they walked into the dance holding hands, staring into each other's eyes.

This punch led to a much more confident George, and Biff no longer had a victim to pick on. He may have found someone else to bully, but some theories suggest that as the supposed weakest kid in school had successfully stood up to and punched Biff, nobody else would let him bully them anymore. Since Biff no longer had George to do his work for him, he now had to do things for himself. He started up his auto-detailing business, which he owned and ran himself, and by 1985 it seemed to be quite popular. The McFlys were among his most loyal customers, and Biff's subservient attitude was demonstrated by addressing George as "Mr. McFly". George seemed amused at Biff's efforts to get away with as little work as possible though he and Lorraine privately credited him with unwittingly helping them get together, and they appeared to have become friends, or were at least on amicable terms. Biff was nice to his customers and to their faces, but could still be mean if he had to be.

Old Biff
In the future, Biff, age 78, in 2015, Marty, Doc and Marty's girlfriend Jennifer Parker traveled forward in time from 1985 to 2015 – unaware that their departure had been witnessed by Biff. Over the next 30 years, he remembered seeing the flying DeLorean taking off.

Biff, seemingly bitter and resentful at this point in his life, was still waxing cars by 2015, at the age of 78, and was pushed around by his grandson Griff. Despite being over the age of retirement, Biff did not appear to have retired – he may have just been doing his grandson a favor by waxing his car, or he may have hit on hard times and been forced to continue working.

Old Biff tells how Marty had his own life completely flushed down the tubes back in 1985. Biff still seemed to like bullying people, including Marty (who he thinks is Marty's future son Martin McFly Jr.), and the handle on his walking cane was in the shape of a closed fist – although he remained cautious and apprehensive around George McFly. Also Biff's crush on Lorraine still lingered.

On October 21, 2015, Biff saw the DeLorean from 1985 in the street and realized that Doc Brown had invented a time machine. He picked up a sports almanac that Doc had thrown in the trash and stole the DeLorean whilst Doc and Marty were rescuing Jennifer from her future home. Biff headed back to November 12, 1955 with the sports almanac to give to his younger self.

Bad Alternate 1985
Biff fades from existence. However upon returning to 2015, Biff became the victim of a time paradox: his giving the almanac to his younger self had changed the timeline, resulting in his nonexistence. He slumped behind a garbage bin fading into nothingness as the DeLorean flew away. The top part of Biff's cane remained in the DeLorean and Doc showed it to Marty as an indication that old Biff was there. As when Marty started to fade at the dance in the first movie, Biff did not fade out completely until the Delorean's distinctive sonic booms were heard. Presumably, had Marty and/or Doc found the evidence that Biff had been in the time machine, they could have corrected the time-line, but once they left 2015, Biff's fate was sealed.

Alternate Present
Biff, age 48. In the alternate 1985, young Biff used the sports almanac to bet on the results of sporting events, since he now knew the results. In 1958, age 21, Biff soon became very rich and powerful, spending his money on women and cars. He also started up his toxic waste company BiffCo, soon becoming one of the richest and most powerful men in America. Biff built a casino hotel in Hill Valley (at least 27 stories high), named "Biff Tannen's Pleasure Paradise Casino &amp; Hotel", on the site of the former Hill Valley Courthouse, upon legalized gambling in 1979. He also helped Richard Nixon remain President of the United States until at least 1983 (while seeking a fifth consecutive term). Biff's effects on history affected the whole world – in this version of history, the Vietnam War was also still ongoing by May 1983. Though he was recognized as one of America's heroes, his enormous casino hotel, complete authority over the local law enforcement, and money driven power, descended Hill Valley into a breeding ground for crime, corruption, and gang warfare.

Biff and Lorraine's Marriage
Biff and Lorraine got married after 1973. Despite all this, Biff did not have the girl he wanted. In this version of history, he was married at least three times, presumably the first wife was the woman he would have married in the normal timeline and the mother of his child(ren). On March 15, 1973, Biff shot and murdered George McFly, though Lorraine is unaware he did this. He married her not long afterwards, possibly by offering financial support to the young widow and her 3 children, but the money and power had gone to his head and he treated her horribly, and among other things, forced her to get breast implants. This went on until 1996 when Lorraine finally shot Biff. There is another possibility; having created an alternate timeline by giving his younger self the almanac, the old Biff from 2015 no longer exists, now that 2015 will become part of the 1985 alternate timeline.

This version of reality was erased when Marty and Doc went back to 1955 and got the almanac from Biff before he could use it, causing Biff to crash into the very same manure truck a second time. The timeline went back to how it was at the end of the first film, where Biff was running his auto detailing business.

The improved 1985 Once Marty had returned to 1985 for the second time, Biff was back to working as an auto-detailer and he waxed Marty's Toyota truck for him once more.

Back the Future: The Ride
During an experiment in 1955 from the Institute of Future Technology, Biff stows himself into the vehicle and finds himself in the present. Doc's dog Einstein spots him wandering through the walls via the security camera system. Biff hassles a security guard with an "I'm a butthead!" sign. Doc worries that if Biff takes any valuables from the institute, it could wipe out the universe. Biff also finds himself viewing the guests who are to be part of Doc Brown's time traveling experiment. He tries to course the guests into helping him when security shows up. Biff dismisses them then sprays on the security camera. After briefly knocking out the power, Biff storms the garage and ties up the scientists who were in 1955. He then traps Doc in his office. Upon realizing Biff's presence, Doc tries to remind Biff he must get back to 1955 or there could be a major paradox. Biff then takes the DeLorean's keys and hijacks it.

The guests, using the 8-passenger DeLorean remote-controlled by Doc, chase Biff through 2015 Hill Valley, crashing into signs while dodging traffic. In the ice age, Biff tries to confuse the visitors by knocking snow and ice from the ear onto them. In the dinosaur age, Biff tries to feed the riders to a Tyrannosaurus Rex, only to be knocked into a river of lava by a T-Rex. Biff pleads for help, then the guests bump the DeLorean and they arrive back in the institute. Biff thanks the guests for saving him, only to be captured by security.

Trivia

 * According to the screenwriter for Back to the Future Part II, the Alternate Timeline version of Biff Tannen was based on New York businessman/reality TV star and 45th U.S. President Donald Trump.