Date: 2002

After Tara Maclay was murdered, Willow Rosenberg’s grief drove her fully into dark magic. What began as vengeance consumed her completely, transforming her into Dark Willow. She hunted down those responsible and then turned her fury outward, no longer distinguishing between justice and annihilation. Empowered by stolen and forbidden magic, Willow confronted Buffy Summers, magically augmenting her own strength and overwhelming the Slayer in brutal combat. When Rupert Giles intervened, wielding the borrowed power of the Devon coven, Willow absorbed that magic as well. The influx connected her to every pain, loss, and suffering in the world. Unable to endure the total weight of human misery, Willow decided existence itself was the problem. She attempted to end the world to silence the pain, believing destruction to be mercy. She was stopped not by force, but by Xander Harris, who reached her emotionally and reminded her she was loved. Released from the darkness, Willow survived to face the consequences of her actions. In time, she confronted her addiction to magic, rebuilt her sense of control, and learned to wield her power with intention rather than escape. The battle ended, but the scars remained, reshaping both Willow and the Scoobies forever.