Vengeance demon



"We actually prefer justice demon. FYI"

- Halfrek

Vengeance Demons (or Justice Demons as they prefer to call themselves) are an all-female species of demons who have the power of granting wishes of vengeance. Their ranks are gathered by D'Hoffryn, who seeks out women who exact curses on those who have done them harm. They are female immortal beings who travel the world exacting vengeance on behalf of their victims such as wronged women, scorned men, dying people, and even neglected or abused children.

Mission
Vengeance demons travel the world exacting vengeance on behalf of victims. Their typical method is to appear to a wronged person and encourage them to vent their frustration about those who have hurt them. The moment the object of the demon's attention expresses their preferred method of punishment in the form of a wish, the vengeance demon can cause his or her wish to come true, whether it requires gruesome dismemberment or even the creation of a new alternate universe. Although vengeance demons' mission in as a whole is to bring forth "destruction and chaos for the pleasure of the Lower Beings", each individual has her own priorities and specialties, such as scorned women or neglected children. Some vengeance demons do not believe their mission is evil at all, and describe themselves instead as "Justice Demons," a term which carries less stigma than "Vengeance Demons".

In a manner, vengeance demons are somewhat similar to the classic depictions of genies, as they obey the exact wording of the wish, but do not give the wish-maker what they want. For example, when Cordelia Chase wished to Anyanka that Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale, Anyanka instead altered history so that the Order of Aurelius ruled Sunnydale with an iron fist. Similarly, when Dawn Summers wished to Halfrek that no one would leave her, it instead resulted in anyone and everyone who entered the Summers' residence being mystically trapped inside the house and unable to leave the premises.

Origins
"You have much anger and pain. Your magic is strong, but your pain... it's like a scream that pierces dimensional walls. We heard your call."

- D'Hoffryn

D'Hoffryn creates vengeance demons by appearing to humans who have exacted notable revenge on their loved ones, and transforming them into demons. He created Anyanka, Patron Saint Of Scorned Women by this process, but failed to convert Willow Rosenberg. The recruitment process is a polite one, and women have the option of declining the offer. When this occurs, D'Hoffryn grants them a talisman which they can use to summon him, should they change their mind at a later date.

Working environment
"The flaying of Warren Mears? Oh, truly inspired. That was water cooler vengeance. Lloyd has a sketch of it on his wall."

- D'Hoffryn

Despite the severity of the vengeance they inflict, vengeance demons are humorously implied to be the white-collar workers of the demon world. Throwaway comments by Anya, Halfrek, D'Hoffryn all suggest an office-like setting, where demons relate their stories of vengeance and gossip to each other. When Anya takes back a wish she granted, she is punished by having to file a flightplan whenever she wishes to teleport.



Powers and abilities
"Wish granted."

- Halfrek

Vengeance demons have the ability to grant wishes of vengeance; this power is derived from the amulets they wear around their necks. If their amulet is destroyed, their wishes can be undone and they become mortal again. Vengeance Demons can transform into a frightening demonic form from human form, in which their faces appear to be skinless with exposed veins, and possess immortality, invulnerability, supernatural strength, teleportation, accelerated healing, and some form of telekinesis. Anya has also claimed that they are immune to the form of mind control which is manipulated by wiccans such as a corrupted Willow Rosenberg by telepathically communicating with the mind, yet this was done when she forced Anya to free her from Giles' binding spell. They can sense when people have vengeance in their souls, and can identify whether creatures have souls or not.

Notable Vengeance Demons

 * Anyanka — specializes in granting the wishes of wronged or scorned women.
 * Halfrek — specializes in granting the wishes of neglected or abused children.
 * Malice — specializes in granting people their dying wish.
 * D'Hoffryn — is the employer/master of all The Vengeance Demons.

Appearances

 * Go Ask Malice
 * The Wish
 * Pangs
 * Doublemeat Palace
 * Older and Far Away
 * Hell's Bells
 * Entropy
 * Seeing Red
 * Villains
 * Two to Go
 * Grave
 * Lessons
 * Beneath You
 * Same Time, Same Place
 * Selfless