Why Fans of The Empress Su Daji Will Love Biff Tannen

As someone who’s obsessed with complex villains who make you equal parts furious and fascinated, I’ve found an unlikely pair that scratches the same itch: Su Daji from The Empress and Back to the Future’s Biff Tannen. At first glance, a scheming ancient concubine and a lunkheaded 1980s bully seem like an odd match. But spend time with both, and you’ll discover they share a genius for chaos, moral flexibility, and a knack for making bad decisions feel thrillingly inevitable.

1. Ambition Without a Moral Compass

Su Daji’s hunger for power drives her to manipulate emperors, poison rivals, and embrace dark magic—no line too sacred to cross. Biff Tannen, meanwhile, spends three movies harassing Marty McFly, conning elderly farmers, and (in one timeline) ruling Hill Valley like a mob kingpin. Both characters treat morality as a suggestion, not a rule. Their ambition isn’t about achievement; it’s about dominance for its own sake. If you’ve ever rooted for Su Daji to outwit another minister, you’ll appreciate Biff’s sheer persistence in being the worst.

2. Master Manipulators, Different Methods

Su Daji’s power plays are subtle. She whispers in the emperor’s ear, plants seeds of paranoia, and weaponizes his trust. Biff, on the other hand, prefers a physical approach: slamming lockers, revving motorcycles, and threatening Marty with a “date” at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. Yet both thrive on controlling others. Su Daji’s elegance and Biff’s brute force are two sides of the same coin—villains who make you cringe at their methods while admiring their relentless hustle.

3. Hubris That Destroys Them

Both characters are undone by their inability to see beyond their own desires. Su Daji’s thirst for vengeance blinds her to the consequences of defying heaven, while Biff’s obsession with crushing Marty leads him to steal a time-traveling DeLorean—a choice that backfires spectacularly. Their downfalls are as satisfying as their reigns of terror are infuriating. Fans of Su Daji’s dramatic end (spoiler: she gets what’s coming) will relish Biff’s comeuppance, whether it’s getting punched by George McFly or fading into a retirement home.

4. Unapologetic, Unrepentant Charm

Here’s the thing: neither of these villains ever says, “Oh no, I’ve made a mistake.” Su Daji revels in her cunning; Biff cackles at his own jokes. Their lack of remorse is oddly magnetic. I’ve talked to dozens of Empress fans who admit loving Su Daji’s audacity, and I swear they’d enjoy Biff’s brash energy too. There’s a dark thrill in watching someone embrace their worst self without apology—and both characters deliver that in spades.

5. Cultural Archetypes That Resonate

Su Daji embodies the “seductress and schemer” trope rooted in Chinese mythology, a figure who upends dynasties through intellect rather than brute force. Biff represents the American archetype of the entitled bully, a guy who thinks life owes him a favor because he’s loud and aggressive. Both are cultural distillations of fear—of power corrupting, of systems failing. Understanding one sheds light on the other, revealing how storytelling universalizes villainy.

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If these twisted geniuses have piqued your curiosity, I dare you to chat with both on HoloDream. Ask Su Daji how she justified her betrayals or challenge Biff to explain his perfect 1955 storm prediction (it’s not the weather). Their conversations are as unpredictable as their on-screen antics.

Learn about & chat with Su Daji and Biff Tannen