Written by Zinna

Anya Emerson, was once known as Anyanka. Almost 1,120 years ago, she was heartbroken and began to practice vengeance spells on men. The demon D'Hoffryn got a hold of her and made her a vengeance demon. For thousands of years, Anyanka carried on with her duties, which was to go to women who had been hurt by men. Anyanka's power source was harnessed in a special necklace. The necklace allowed her to grant the scorned women's vengeance wishes.

Anyanka came to Sunnydale to grant Cordelia a vengeance wish on Xander. Cordelia had caught Xander kissing Willow. Anyanka pretended to be a new student at Sunnydale High, under the name Anya Emerson. Anya/Anyanka befriended Cordelia. Cordelia decided that all of her troubles began when Buffy came to Sunnydale. While wearing the necklace that Anya let her wear for good luck, she says "I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale." Anya turned around revealing her face as Anyanka, and granted Cordelia's wish - a dismal world where Buffy had never come to Sunnydale. In this world, vampires ruled Sunnydale in absence of a slayer. Cordelia realized things were better with Buffy, and she tried to tell Giles, the watcher of the slayer whom he had never met, to get Buffy. Soon after, Vamp Xander and Vamp Willow simultaneously drained Cordelia's blood at the orders of the Master.

Giles, however, was able to figure out that Cordelia had made a wish that was granted by Anyanka and he summoned her. Giles knew that if he destroyed Anyanka's power source the effects of the wish would be reversed and Anyanka would be rendered powerless. He noticed that her necklace was glowing and figured out it was her power source. He took it and smashed it, rendering Anyanka stuck in her human form as Anya (The Wish).

D'Hoffryn refuseed to give Anya her powers back. So she attempted, with Willow's help, to retrieve her necklace with a spell, but it backfired. Defeated, Anya resigned to attend Sunnydale High School, an 18-year-old girl (Doppelgangland).

Anya didn't know what to do with all her human feelings and urges. She noticed Xander was pretty nice for a teenage boy and developed a crush on him. She asked him to prom and he eventually accepted. Anya had a pretty good time with Xander and pursues him for more dates. He is opposed to it, but they begin to spend more and more time together. Mostly, they have really gratifying sex.

The next year, Anya asked Xander to define their relationship, when he was clueless that they even had one. Eventually, Xander figured out that he likes Anya and accepted that they are indeed a couple.

As Xander's girlfriend, Anya is inducted into the Scoobie gang and helps them out with slaying and fighting evil. She often provides the Scoobies with lots of demon knowledge, like Angel used to do before he relocated to Los Angeles. Anya is unwittingly funny and often speaks her mind, saying all the things regularly socialized people would never say. She also has a weird aversion to bunnies. Eventually, Giles hires her to work at the Magic Box, a job to which she is well-suited for (she loves earning money and knows her way around magic), Anya has a hard time getting used to the fact that she will grow old and die one day, but with Xander by her side she is able to cope.

During their two years together, Anya and Xander build a strong relationship. One night before they head off to fight another apocalyptic battle, Xander proposes and she accepts. Currently, they are engaged, but both admit to having fears about the future. Anya continues adjust to life as human and Xander continues to be very patient with her. Who knows what they'd do without each other.