Tough Love (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
| "Tough Love" | |
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| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |
Glory "feeds" on Tara's mind, rendering her mentally unstable
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| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 19 |
| Directed by | David Grossman |
| Written by | Rebecca Rand Kirshner |
| Production code | 5ABB19 |
| Original air date | May 1, 2001 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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"Tough Love" is the 19th episode of season 5 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy withdraws from school in order to better look after Dawn, who has been skipping school and shirking her responsibilities since her mother's death. Buffy assumes a new role as head of household. Willow and Tara quarrel, and while they are separated Glory "feeds" on Tara's mind, rendering her mentally unstable. In a vengeful rage, Willow storms after Glory, unsuccessfully trying to defeat her.
Buffy notifies her poetry professor that she is dropping out of college so that she may take care of Dawn. Ben is fired from his job at the hospital, as Glory has been monopolizing the human form they share and he has not shown up for work in two weeks. Glory takes a bath while she demands that her blindfolded minions tell her everything they know about the Key. Dawn and Buffy are called into Dawn's principal's office where Buffy is informed that Dawn has been skipping school. At the magic shop, Anya expresses new found patriotism and how money ties into that.
Buffy seeks Giles's advice about being Dawn's mother figure then takes her sister home, attempting an authoritative role with Dawn. Glory's minions provide her with enough information to conclude who the Key is and Glory leads the way to gather it. Meanwhile, Tara and Willow discuss their relationship and Willow's powers as a witch, but the discussion ends up angering Willow when Tara expresses first her concern about Willow's "frightening" power. Tara also reveals her fear that Willow may not be satisfied with dating a woman and go back to dating men.
Buffy talks with Dawn about how Dawn's situation needs to improve in school or Buffy could possibly lose guardianship of Dawn. Depressed over her first major fight with Willow, Tara goes to a cultural fair, but finds herself sitting next to Glory on a park bench. Giles finds one of Glory's minions at the shop and questions him about Glory's plans. Willow goes after Tara who is in Glory's grasp, but can't get to Tara before it's too late. Glory discovers that Tara isn't the Key, and offers to let her go if she reveals the key's identity. Protecting Dawn, Tara refuses, and Glory drains Tara's mind of sanity.
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