I agree with this. Joss has changed his mind/been quoted back and forth so many times, as have many other writers.
Sarah, when she finally said something, was very definite and unapologetic in her opnions (they are of course just opinions, not absolutes) but the actor gets inside the skin of the character an awful lot.
I always remember the two times that Sarah, the ultimate professional actress, got geniuinely emotional over a scene on the show (that we know about). They were the sewer break-up in 'The Prom' and just before the 'rewind' in 'IWRY'.
That tells me all I need to know about how she viewed Buffy/Angel. 🙂
That is 110% what it is, Sarah was asked who she liked better, she said Angel - but she wasn't asked who she thought Buffy would end up with, she gets asked who she 'hopes' she would. It's all just an actors opinion.
I know plenty of people that have used that quote from James, where he said he played Spike like he was in love with Buffy from the very first scene, as canon back up that Spike loved Buffy.
I haven't seen someone say Sarah thinks Buffy and Angel should be together, so they are, but I have seen people say James played the character as loving Buffy so Spike loved Buffy from the start.
Which by the same logic, would apply to Sarah, she says I Love You to spike in the final episode, but if she thinks Buffy loved Angel not Spike that should have the same effect on fans right?
Maybe thats why people dont believe it, there wasn't the same emotional umph behind it, as the actress didn't believe it?
James has also said he doesn't think Buffy loved Spike and he believes Angel is better suited for her, but fans just pick and choose what parts to believe.
Which is why it's all irrelevant, an actor liking the same people you do is fun, but means nothing unless you believe that an actors thought process matters - but in which case if you think Spike loved Buffy from the start, surely Sarahs feelings should matter for any Spike/Buffy stuff.
Even if Whedon said he wanted Buffy and Spike together, it's irrelevant. Just cuz he wants it, doesn't mean he'd do it in the best interest of the character. He clearly liked Tara, and like Tara and Willow, yet he had no problem killing Tara for the sake of the story. His opinions and the actual BtVS story are very different things.
I dont think we know enough about the Shanshu to know if it still exists. If it is Angels, and it's attached to him, just waiting for a certain moment to be activated, presumably it still exists as it's within him like how the slayer power still exists within the slayers.
If it's out in the open waiting to be activated on whoever achieves it, it might be different now.
Is a prophecy magic? We dont know.
Since the prophecy already exists presumably it can't be changed.
But if the vampire becomes human once the prophecy is fulfilled maybe that is by magic, in which case the actual transformation would be subject to the new rules.
Maybe now, Angel can Shanshu become human but still retain his powers, being human doesn't have to have the same meaning now.
