The collective bad conscience of the office reaches a peak as Andy remains oblivious about Dwight and Angela’s affair.
“It’s been 17 days. Eventually he’ll find out when their kids have giant heads and beet-stained teeth.”
Dwight’s smugness wears down as he finds himself looking over his shoulder every time Andy speaks a word and asks Angela to tell the truth despite possible violent repercussions. When Angela and the rest of the office remain apprehensive, Michael decides to take the initiative by telling him about the affair while he’s leaving the parking lot for a meeting at corporate.
Andy returns to the office and asks Angela to talk in private. Angela avoids his questions, and Andy finally confronts Dwight and challenges him to a duel.
Meanwhile, Michael has left the office to meet with David Wallace about “big picture stuff” which Michael admits to having “little or no idea what that means”. David Wallace tells Michael that his branch is doing very well, having made more sales lately than every other branch, and asks him what he’s doing right. Michael is clueless and overstays his welcome at corporate, but David expresses his appreciation for Michael’s attempt to understand his own success.
Andy leaves Dwight a note against the parking lot wall. When he’s distracted with reading, Andy pins Dwight to the fence with his Prius. Shouting insults at each other, Andy blurts out that Angela’s been sleeping with Dwight the entire time when she’s only been with Andy twice. Dwight is saddened to find that she was sleeping with someone other than himself. Once they return inside, Andy cancels the wedding cake and Dwight trashes the bobblehead Angela gave to him as a gift years ago.
“Duel” is a predictably serious episode after the dismal ending of “Moroccan Christmas”. The opener involving a radar gun display placed outside the business park is actually funnier than the entire episode, but it’s a relief that the Dwight/Angela/Andy thread was tied up tastefully with Angela being rejected on both sides. It is a wonder how far Angela has fallen since she was written as a straight-laced, religious stickler. Michael’s storyline was dry, continuing a pattern seen since Holly left the show. Appropriate episode, but it will be easily topped in the next few weeks.
