10 Smartest Moments In Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The finale of Season 2 is a harrowing experience for Buffy. In order to save the world, she’s forced to stab Angel and send him into a hell dimension. Heartbroken, she then leaves town and travels up to Los Angeles.

Though Buffy returns to Sunnydale at the start of Season 3, she’s still riddled with anguish. Fortunately, Giles figures out a way to lessen her emotional burden. During a library meeting, he tells Buffy he’s working on a spell that will ensure the dimensional vortex stays shut and Angel remains dominant. But in order for the spell to work, he needs to know as much as possible about Angel’s final moments.

Buffy is reluctant to speak the truth at first, but she finally comes clean at the end of Episode 3, revealing that Willow’s spell was successful and that Angel returned to his true self before he was sucked into the hell dimension. When Buffy leaves the room, Giles turns to Willow and admits he made up the spell – he just needed an excuse for Buffy to open up.

Here, Giles proves he is more than just a brainbox. He also understands grief and the psychological burden that comes with staying silent.