Wynonna Earp: What Nicole Being The Ghost River Triangle's Shield Means
Wynonna Earp’s Ghost River Triangle is ground zero for the demons of the world but also houses the gateway into the garden that controls the balance of order and chaos. Since the show’s final season began that balance has been upset and it will take a deal made between newly reinstated Sheriff Nicole Haught and Dark Angel Waverly to restore that order. A deal for Nicole to become the new Angel's Shield that, in all probability, was her destiny all along.
The longer Doc and Waverly, (the half-angel daughter of the Garden’s Guardian Julian) were trapped in the Garden in the season premiere the more chaos was unleashed in Purgatory. Since her father died, Waverly determined it was her duty to take his place on the throne to restore order. That was something her sister Wynonna would not let her do. Things become so out of control everyone thought the Garden had created a mysterious fog to punish the town.
Only, it wasn’t the Garden that created the fog, it was Waverly's angelic dark side sending a warning to restore order. When the fog wasn’t enough, Dark Angel Waverly emerged to fix the chaos of which the humans were so fond. She did so by dispatching her evil twin Jolene, the Clanton curse, and Black Badge all in one afternoon. Returning to the Garden and the throne wasn’t going to be as easy and she’s stopped by the only person in the world with the power to prevent it: Nicole, who was prepared to go anywhere and do anything to save Waverly. Whether it was Nicole’s passionate argument or the fact that Dark Angel Waverly found that their stories were intertwined and Nicole’s destiny was to become the Angel’s Shield, which she saw written in her book, a deal was struck, and order restored.
Nicole almost lost Waverly to the Garden before because she wasn’t there to save her. This time she didn’t care what sacrifice she had to make, she was going to be the one to save her love. In retrospect, Nicole becoming the Shield makes perfect sense: Her entire role in the series has been as the protector and moral compass of the show, which was why Nicole becoming Sheriff again was such an important act for her. To be the Angel’s Shield she will need to be strong and in charge, and this Nicole is ready to fight for the people of “her” town and, most importantly, for the woman she loved. She may not have considered it that great a sacrifice to bind herself to the Garden and the Triangle forever and become unable to leave it again. She wasn’t going anywhere, anyway, she was preparing to marry Waverly, to bind herself to her for as long as they live, to go where she went. Now, their happily ever after together may last for all eternity.
Nicole as the Angel’s Shield completes the third arm of a powerful Ghost River Triangle Trinity. Wynonna is the champion battling all who threaten the newly restored order, Nicole is the Angel’s Shield, protecting all who live there and under her care, and Waverly is the Dark Angel, the heavenly failsafe should order become threatened again. Peacemaker is Wynonna’s magic weapon, and Waverly’s angelic powers continue to grow, yet it is not known if Nicole will receive any supernatural powers to go with her new title. However, her human heart, compassion, and morality are her true powers.
The new Trinity is in place and all seems right with the world on Wynonna Earp. A wedding will happen but remember this is Purgatory, so there is always another threat. Evil Eve is still at large, and she would be the most likely candidate to test the power of the Trinity that is Wynonna, Waverly, and Nicole.