#dimensional gate

D'Hoffryn: “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.”

Willow: “I-I'm sorry. I'll try for a quiet rage. Bye.”

D'Hoffryn: “Our intention is not to quash your potential - quite the contrary.

The pain and suffering you brought upon those you love is inspiring. You are ready to join us here in Arash Ma'har.”

Willow: “Pain... What pain? 

*D'Hoffryn opens a dimensional rift and allows Willow to see her friends getting their asses kicked.*

Oh, God. But I didn't mean to!”

D’Hoffryn: “But you did. This is the result of your power. You will make a fine vengeance demon.”

Willow: “No, please! You have to help them!”

D'Hoffryn: “It is not my concern. You are my interest in this matter.”

Willow: “Really... no offense intended. I mean, you've been super-nice and everything, but... I don't want to be a demon. I just wanna go back and help my friends.”

D’Hoffryn: “That is your answer?”

Willow: “It-it is.” 

D’Hoffryn: “I'm sorry to hear that. Oh well. Here is my talisman. You change your mind, give us a chant.”

Ohhhhh... I have a lot of thoughts about this episode. To unpack them all would take far too long. I'll just get to the point.

The foreshadowing to Dark Willow. Whether intentional or not,... this confirms the theory I came up with about how Dark Willow is a demon alter ego of Willow that lives in a alternate dimension of her psyche and only emerges through pure unrestrained rage and the corruptive power of the Black Arts and is not any kind of separate and different entity that possesses her. There’s different psychological dimensions to what a person is. The human in particular is a multi-dimensional being but is not fully aware of it. There are many energetic layers to what we are in our true nature.

“your pain - it's like a scream that pierces dimensional walls.”

“pain... what pain?”

Thus, the conclusion is: Dark Willow is a vengeance demon. The one that D’Hoffryn was promising to mentor her into becoming in this episode. Looks like she didn’t need his help. She was perfectly capable of becoming one herself as it was already part of what she was. Part of her true nature. The abusive part through personal pain. 

Does this make Willow a monster? Yes, but not one incapable of being redeemed. Not one incapable of humanity. And that’s why her evolution is so poignant. She represents what we refuse to recognize in ourselves when we deal with the human condition.