Triangle (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

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"Triangle" is episode 11 of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Giles visits England, leaving Anya in charge of the Magic Box. Willow accidentally unleashes a troll who used to be Anya's boyfriend. Eventually, Anya and Willow manage to send him to the land of trolls, but not before he wreaks havoc at the Bronze. Throughout the episode, Anya and Willow fight over Xander.

Plot synopsis[]

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Buffy trains while talking to Giles about his plans to ask the Watchers' Council for help with Glory. While Giles prepares for a trip to England, he leaves the shop in the hands of Anya and Willow, whose constant bickering worries Giles and places Xander and Tara in uncomfortable positions.

Dawn notices that Buffy has removed all the pictures of Riley from her room. Buffy and Dawn talk about how Buffy is recuperating after Riley's departure. Dawn tries to be supportive, and Buffy appreciates her efforts and discusses her emotions openly with her sister. Dawn expresses sadness that Riley left so suddenly, and Buffy admits that everyone except Buffy had seen it come on gradually. Meanwhile, Spike uses a Buffy mannequin to rehearse a conversation he plans to have with Buffy. He wants to explain his motivations for showing her Riley's extracurricular vampire activities, but his temper gets in the way.

Back at the Magic Shop, Anya protests Willow's use of the shop products for magic spells, calling it stealing. Willow tries to tempt Anya by offering to show her some magic tricks, but Anya decides that Willow is using peer pressure and refuses to participate. Willow starts a spell, but Anya interrupts with questions and the two begin arguing again. Accidentally, the spell calls forth a giant troll. The store and much of Sunnydale is seriously damaged as the troll puts his large war hammer and great strength to good use.

On the university campus, Buffy and Tara talk about their new semester classes and then about the events at the magic shop. Buffy overreacts when Tara mentions possible trouble between Anya and Xander because of Willow and Anya's constant fighting. Buffy cries and buries her head in Tara's shoulder, declaring that Anya and Xander have a "miraculous love".

Anya drives a car for the first time wildly through the streets while Willow, in the passenger seat, searches for a spell to stop the troll, who proceeds to wreak havoc in Sunnydale, bashing trash cans, swinging his hammer, and threatening the townspeople before smelling "ale" and heading toward the Bronze.

Xander mopes at the Bronze and runs into Spike. As Xander seethes hostility at his presence, Spike fishes for information on Buffy, to no avail. The two eventually begin to play pool and talk about women trouble. Back at the Magic Shop, Buffy and Tara fear the worst as they view the destruction left by the troll, and take off to try to track him. The troll arrives at the Bronze, declaring his desire to drink ale and eat babies. When the troll asks Spike and Xander where to find babies to eat, Xander ineffectually attempts to talk sense into the troll, suggesting that he sit down in one of the more sturdy chairs to have a calm talk. However, the troll is unsatisfied with their suggestions of stags, strong grog, and onion blossoms. While the troll drinks beer straight from a keg, the whole gang gathers at the Bronze. When Buffy arrives, Spike cautiously greets her, but she ignores him and he steps back, disappointed.

The troll, Olaf, reveals that he used to date Anya and she turned him into a troll after his unfaithful dalliance with a wench, earning her the job of a Vengeance demon. Buffy attacks Olaf and Spike jumps in a moment later to back her up. Buffy and Spike are unsuccessful, and Olaf uses his hammer to knock down the second floor of the Bronze and injure many innocent people. As Buffy takes stock of the damage, she notices Spike comforting a bleeding victim, and accuses him of preparing to feed on her. He protests that he is only helping, and that would not dream of sampling any blood because he knows Buffy would not like it, but she does not believe him and calls him disgusting, leaving him disappointed. Buffy sends Willow and Anya back to the Magic Shop to find a spell that would actually be effective against Olaf.

At the shop, Willow and Anya finally address the root of their issues: their fear of each other's potential to hurt Xander and pull him away from the other. Anya makes it clear that she has no intention of hurting Xander in any way, and Willow assures Anya that she has no intention of luring him away. Olaf storms into the shop, intending to hurt the girls, but Xander arrives before two of the most important women in his life are seriously wounded. The troll beats Xander up badly then forces him to choose whether Anya or Willow will die. Xander refuses to choose, proving his loyalty to both girls.

Buffy arrives and fights with the troll while Willow works on a spell and Anya distracts Olaf with insults. When Olaf says that Anya and Xander will not last, Buffy gets incredibly angry and beats the troll into unconsciousness. The troll is sent off into an alternate universe (probably the land of trolls, but possibly the world without shrimp). Giles talks to Buffy about the damage to the shop. Joyce joins them and they discuss the non-existent information about Glory and the Key that Giles received from the council. Dawn overhears part of this discussion and is very concerned.

External links[]

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Triangle

• "Triangle" at IMDb
• "Triangle" at BuffyGuide.com