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Char MSG Ep1 (11)
Char Aznable has declared Biff Tannen (original) is to be renamed to
Biff Tannen (Back to the Future)
for the following reason(s): Name of the trilogy he is from.

Please discuss it on the talk page for this article.
"I told you I am not Casval, I am Char Aznable."Stop hand
           KeyLockerTwo
This villain was proposed but was rejected by the community for not being heinous enough or lacks what is necessary to be a Pure Evil villain. Therefore, this villain shall be added to our "Never Again List", where proposed villains rejected by the community shall be placed to prevent future proposals of the same evil-doer. They can be proposed again (with the permission of an administrator) if new elements appear in their series that can change their status as non-PE villains.

Any act of adding this villain to the Pure Evil category without a proposal or creating a proposal for this villain without the permission of an administrator will result in a ban.
Additional Notice: This template is meant for admin maintenance only. Users who misuse the template will be blocked for a week minimum.

NOTE: This article regards the version of Biff Tannen from the original film. For his musical counterpart, see here.

Villain Overview

What are you looking at, butt-head?
~ Biff Tannen's most famous quote.
Now why don't you make like a tree... and get out of here.
~ Biff's way of saying "leave".
Hello! Hello! Anybody home? Huh? Think, McFly! Think!
~ When beating on George McFly's head with his knuckles or in 2015, on Marty McFly with the top of his cane.

Buford "Biff" Howard Tannen is the main antagonist of the Back to the Future trilogy.

He is the bully of George McFly, both in high school and in adulthood, and is “in love" with Lorraine McFly. Biff was the great-grandson of Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen and future grandfather to Griff Tannen. He is also the archenemy of Marty McFly, George McFly, Doc Brown, and Lorraine Baines. Biff was also the main responsible to lead Doc Brown to be sent to 1885, after the Delorean Time Machine was struck by a Lightning after he and Marty burned the Sports Almanac book that he brought to his younger self after stealing the Time Machine.

He was portrayed by Thomas F. Wilson, who also played Victor in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Ashtin Carnaby in Atlantis: Milo's Return, Camoflush in The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Electro in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Rok-Ko in Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, and both Flats the Flounder, and the Tattletale Strangler in the SpongeBob SquarePants series.

Biography[]

Original Timeline[]

Buford Howard Tannen was born on March 26, 1937 in Hill Valley, California. In the original timeline, Biff Tannen started bullying and constantly harassing George McFly when they were kids, never having stopped throughout the years. Biff even made George do his homework for him while he had fun and hung out with his friends, Match, Skinhead, and 3-D.

Over the next thirty 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 Biff had presumably married as well.

Revised Timeline[]

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 (while escaping from the Libyan terrorists who had gunned down the former), 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) in Doc Brown's car. Biff's gang trapped Marty in the trunk of another car, but are driven away by its owner Reginald and his band members who were in the car having a smoke break 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 finally plucks up courage, 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.

2015[]

Biff 2015

2015 Biff

Oh, and kid? Say hi to your grandma for me.
~ Old Biff to 'Marty McFly Jr.'

In the future, Biff, age seventy-eight, 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 thirty 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; he even called Griff and his gang a bunch of "buttheads" for foolishly crashing into a courthouse and getting themselves arrested for it. Despite being over the age of retirement, Biff did not appear to have retired — being forced to wax his own grandson's car to make ends meet. Biff however appeared to be more intelligent than in his youth, as he had a better grip of his mixed metaphors.

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, which caused him to recall the time he saw the Delorean 30 years ago, Shortly after, Marty Mcfly Jr ran out of the cafe and accidentally bumped into Biff, confusing the latter as a result because he was seeing two "Marty's". He then eavesdropped on Marty's and Doc's conversation and realized that Doc Brown had invented a time machine. He may have also realized that the kid he was picking on was Marty McFly Jr's father Marty McFly Sr from 1985. 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.

Upon returning to 2015, however, Biff fades from existence, as he no longer exists in 2015 in the new timeline he created by giving his younger self the almanac.

1985A[]

Biff Superpowerful

A rich and powerful Biff in the bad alternate 1985.

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 twenty-one, 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 twenty-seven stories high), named "Biff Tannen's Pleasure Paradise Casino & Hotel", on the site of the former Hill Valley Courthouse, upon legalizing gambling in 1979. He also helped Richard Nixon remain President of the United States until at least 1983 (while seeking a fifth consecutive term) by covering up the Watergate scandal. 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[]

(Lorraine: Damn it, Biff! I'm leaving!) (Lorraine walks up the stairs.) Biff: Hoho! So go ahead! But think about this, Lorraine! Who's going to pay for all your clothes, huh? And your jewelry and your liquor? Who's going to pay for your cosmetic surgery, Lorraine? (Lorraine: You were the one who wanted me to get these, these things. (She points to her enlarged breasts) If you want them back, you can have them!) (Lorraine turns towards the door.) Biff: Look, Lorraine, you walk out that door, I'll not only cut off you, I'll cut off your kids! (Lorraine leans on the banister, horrified) (Lorraine: You wouldn't!) Biff: Oh, wouldn't I? First your daughter Linda, I'll cancel all her credit cards. She can settle her debts with the bank all by herself. (He walks up the stairs towards Lorraine.) Your idiot son, Dave? I'll get his parole revoked. And as for Marty, well, maybe you'd like all three of your kids behind bars just like your brother Joey. One big happy jailbird family. (Lorraine: (upset) Alright, Biff. You win. I'll stay.)
~ Alternate Biff and Lorraine.

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 was unaware he did this. Biff and Lorraine got married in 1973, possibly by offering financial support to the young widow and her three 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 and killed Biff (possibly as revenge for years of abuse as well as him killing George). With Biff's death in 1996, Old Biff was wiped out of existence upon arriving back in 2015.

The Improved 1985[]

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 leading him for another 300 Bucks to repair his car. Marty burnt the almanac, and with that the timeline went back to how it was at the end of the first film, where Biff was running his auto detailing business.

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 to 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 coerce 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 the 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.

Personality[]

Biff, like the rest of the Tannen family, bullied people to get what he wanted. He wasn't intelligent during his youth, as he constantly got his metaphors incorrect and he had to force George to do his homework for him. Rather than studying in high school, he was preferring to bully George into doing his homework for him while he drank and hung out with his friends. Feared by most of his schoolmates, he was less brave without his gang (Match, Skinhead, and 3-D). The only person at Hill Valley High School that Biff was afraid of was the school principal, Mr. Strickland. He has a one-sided crush on Lorraine Baines, referring to her as "my girl", but Lorraine claims that she wouldn't be his girlfriend not even for a million dollars.

In the original timeline, Biff bullied and harassed George during their youth and adulthood. However when George's youngest son Marty accidentally travels back to 1955 and gives George some confidence, George successfully stands up to Biff by knocking him out with a punch when the latter was harassing Loraine. Being hit by George maybe ended his bullying days and installed at least some humility within him. From there on he treats George and Marty with respect, and even addresses George as "Mr. McFly". He also seems genuinely happy for George when his novel gets published.

In the alternative timeline however, after acquiring massive wealth and power thanks to the Sports Almanac given to him by his older self, Biff showed his true colors as an extremely mean-spirited, vengeful, power-hungry individual. Not only did he turned Hill Valley into a lawless, anarchic, gang-run town, he also murdered George McFly and forced his wife Lorraine to marry him instead. He then proceeded to emotionally, physically and financially abuse Lorraine for years, forcing her to get breast implants and threatening to cut her and her children off financially if she leaves. He also did not hesitate to try to kill his stepson Marty after instructed to do so by his older self. His extremely ill-mannered and self-centered behavior eventually proved to be his downfall when Lorraine, who had had enough of him (and perhaps having found out about his involvement in George's death), shot and killed him in 1996.

Relations[]

  • 3-D, Match and Skinhead (Gang members; 1955 and 1985A).
  • George Mcfly (Bully victim; 1955 and Original 1985; Murder victim in the Alternate timeline; and Employer in 1985B).
  • Lorraine "Baines" Mcfly (One-sided crush; 1955 and Original 1985, 2015, married in 1985A).
  • Marty McFly (Archenemy and attempted murder victim; 1955 and 1985A).
  • Emmett Brown (Enemy).

Quotes[]

Back to the Future[]

Do you realize what would happen if I hand in my reports in your handwriting? I'll get fired. And you wouldn't want to happen, would you? (Biff grabs George's tie) Wouldn't you?
~ Biff bullying George in the original 1985.
You realize what would happen if I hand in my homework in your handwriting? I'll get kicked out of school. And you wouldn't want to happen, would you? (Biff grabs George's shirt) Wouldn't you? (George: No, I wouldn't.) No, no.
~ Biff bullying George McFly, during their school- days.
Hey, McFly! What do you think you're doing?!
~ Biff Tannen finding George in the Cafe.
Don't be so gullible, McFly!
~ Biff to George McFly.
Hey, McFly! I thought I told you never to come in here!
~ Biff when he finds George in the Cafe once again.
What's it to you, butthead? You know, you've been looking for a fight!
~ Biff Tannen to Marty.
I'm gonna get that son of a bitch!
~ Biff when Marty caused him to crash into a manure truck.
You caused 300 bucks damage to my car, you son of a bitch! I'm gonna take it out your ass!
~ Biff's breakdown as he gets his revenge on Marty.
Well lookie what we have here. No, No! You stay right here with me!
~ Biff tries to rape Lorraine.
I think you got the wrong car, McFly.
~ Biff threatening George when he encounters him raping Lorraine.
Just turn around, McFly, and walk away. Are you deaf, McFly? Close the door and beat it!
~ Biff threatening George.
Alright, McFly! You're asking for it and now you're gonna get it!
~ Biff's last lines in the first film as he prepares to beat up George.

Back to the Future Part II[]

(Biff runs out of the McFly's front door, with several matchbooks in his hand)Say, Marty! M-Marty! Marty, I wanted to show you these new matchbooks for my auto-detailing I printed out! (Biff looks towards the street and sees the DeLorean time machine hovering) A flying DeLorean? (The DeLorean flies off down the street and disappears in a bright light, leaving fire trails in the sky) What the hell is going on here?
~ Biff witness the DeLorean time machine depart for 2015.
Something's very familiar about all this.
~ Old Biff watches as his grandson's gang chase Marty around Courthouse Square on hoverboards.
Buttheads!
~ Biff after watching his grandson Griff and his gang crash into the courthouse.
Flying DeLorean. Haven't seen one of those in... thirty years.
~ Old Biff sees the DeLorean time machine and remembers when he first saw it.
So, Doc Brown invented a time machine?
~ Old Biff discovers Doc's secret.
So there I was, minding my own business, (Biff opens the safe behind his portrait) some crazy old codger with a cane shows up. (Biff takes a box out of the safe.) He says he's my distant relative. I didn't see any resemblance. (He places the box on the table.) So he says "How would you like to be rich?" So I say "Sure." (He opens the box with a key and takes the sports almanac from it. It is in a plastic bag.) So he lays this book on me. He says this book'll tell me the outcome of every sporting event 'til the end of the century. All I have to do is bet on the winner, and I'll never lose. (Marty reaches forward to grab the almanac, but Biff pulls it out of his reach.) So I say "What's the catch?" He says, "No catch, just keep it a secret." (Biff puts the book back in the box and locks it. Biff puts the box back in the safe and closes it.) After that, he disappeared. I never saw him again.
~ 1985A Biff tells Marty how he got the Sports Almanac.
He told me one more thing. He said someday a crazy wild-eyed scientist or kid might show up asking about the book, and if that ever happens. (Biff takes out a gun). Funny, I never thought it would be you.
~ Biff about to shoot and kill Marty after learning that he knows about the Sports Alamanac.
Go ahead kid! Jump! Soon it'll be nice and neat! (Marty: What if I don't?!) Lead poisoning. (Marty: What about the police, Biff? They're gonna match up the bullet with that gun!) Kid, I own the police! Besides, They couldn't match up the bullet that killed your old man! (Marty: You son of a-!) (Biff cocks the gun.)
~ Biff catching up to Marty on the roof of his casino. Biff also confesses that he murdered Marty's father, George McFly.
I suppose it's poetic justice. Two McFlys, with the same gun!
~ Biff about to kill Marty.
Young Biff: Well, that's very nice, thank you very much. Now why don't you make like a tree and get out of here?
Old Biff: It's leave, you idiot! "Make like a tree, and leave." You sound like a damn fool when you say it wrong!
~ Old Biff corrects his young counterpart on their slogan.
What the hell?!
~ Biff shocked seeing Marty standing on the hood of the DeLorean Time Machine and about to get knocked out by Doc Emmett Brown using the Delorean's side door.
Manure! I hate Manure!
~ Biff Tannen

Back to the Future Part III[]

Hey butthead! Get away from! (Marty: Watch it, Biff.) Marty! I...I didn't mean to scare ya! I didn't recognize you in those clothes! (Marty: What the hell are you doin'?) Uh...just puttin' on the second coat now! You goin' cowboy, huh?
~ Biff's final words in the Back to the Future franchise.

Trivia[]

  • Ironically, Tom Wilson was bullied throughout his childhood because he used to be a sickly and thin kid. According to Wilson, he drew inspiration to play Biff from the bullies who tormented him.
  • According to Bob Gale, the screenwriter for the Back to the Future films, the alternate timeline version of Biff Tannen from Back to the Future Part II was based on New York businessman/reality TV star and 45th U.S. President Donald Trump.
  • Tom Wilson improvised Biff's catchphrases "butthead" and "Now why don't you make like a tree and get out of here?". Wilson also introduced the line "Hello? Hello? Anybody home?" accompanied by knocking his victim on the head.
  • By taking away the Almanac from him, Marty actually saves Biff's life as without his wealth, he is not killed by Lorraine in 1996, allowing Biff to live to see 2015.
  • Thanks to the role of Biff Tannen, Tom Wilson has been type-casted as a bully. Most of his other roles, specifically those vocal, feature him in the role of any kind of tough guy, like Flats the Flounder from SpongeBob SquarePants, for example.
  • Biff doesn't have any scenes interacting with Doc Brown.
    • In addition, only his 1985A version serves as an antagonist to Marty whilst knowing who he is, as the 1955 version didn't know he was George McFly's son.

Navigation[]

           BackToTheFutureTitle Villains

Biff Tannen's Gang/BiffCo
Biff Tannen (musical) (Match, Skinhead & 3-D)

Griff Tannen's Gang
Griff Tannen (Data, Spike & Whitey)

Buford Tannen's Gang
Buford Tannen (Stubble, Ceegar & Buck)

Tannen Crime Family
Kid Tannen | Cliff Tannen | Riff Tannen

Others
The Libyans | Edna Strickland | Megatron (Transformers/Back to the Future) | Tannen Family

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