I sometimes believe that Buffy's cruciamentum went exactly as Travers and the council wanted it to. Travers so half-heartedly fires Giles that it's almost comical. s5 proves that if he wanted Giles away from Buffy, he could easily just deport him. Instead, he let's buffy and giles believe they've won a battle. Because what's really just happened is although Giles bailed at the last moment, he also went through with drugging a teenager and making it very clear to said teenager that he does not view her as a person. Giles might be beginning to disobey the council, but when push comes to shove Travers knows what he would do for the cause. Giles is still a watcher, and Giles is the only person who can control the slayer. Travers firing Giles, and his comment about having a father's love, is a very neat way to ensure Buffy stays loyal to the man who will point The Slayer in the right direction when necessary.
