I don't think it's a spoiler, especially since The WB announced that Angel would be returning with the addition of James Marsters.

Oddjob | May 22, 12:33 CET

Well, knowing which characters will and won't appear next year is a bit of a spoiler for some it'd think.

Tristan | May 22, 13:07 CET

We consider casting info spoilery.

... so first it was 'she won't return as a regular' and now it is 'she won't return'?


(ladies and gentlemen, we have 1000 members)

Caroline | May 22, 14:21 CET

1001 now I see, congrats :)

Simon | May 22, 17:57 CET

[tips hat] Way to go Whedonesquers!

bogu_salias | May 22, 18:22 CET

and now 1002! Woo hoo! not quite the milestone number as 1000 or 1001 but still...

irrelevantchangeling | May 22, 19:16 CET

wait... no Cordy?!??!?

How the hell are they going to wrap those loose ends?

irrelevantchangeling | May 22, 19:26 CET

Just like Faith ... stays in a coma until they realize they need to bring her back on the show.

Scott | May 22, 20:22 CET

*sings* "Girlfriend in a coma, I know, I know, it's serious..."

Caroline | May 22, 21:16 CET

Yeah, the coma thing is quite a good writer's tool...

I'm worried though that Angel won't be the same without Cordy. I mean, I love Lorne, and Angel, but they need a Cordy. Fred can't fill that niche.

Of course, it's a whole new premise now, and I can't wait to see where the show goes...so let's hope Charisma comes back in at some point and brightens up our days!

All together now:
1, 2, 3, 4. Yes, I hear it in her laughter.
Ohh, I see it in her smile.
Yeah, you'll be hanging from the rafters.
Ooh, better stay a while. Ooh, better stay a while.
This whole world filled with laughter.
You got my heart a little wired.
Hey, you'll be hanging from the rafters.
Ooh, better stay a while. Ooh, better stay a while.
Ooh, better stay a while.

PureJoel | May 22, 22:21 CET

Hmm
The show will definitely go an interesting direction without her, but they need to tie up the loose ends with Cordy before she leaves or dies or whatever. And yeah, I figured that Joss will probably come up with some way to bring back Spike. Does anyone remember the prophecy about a vampire with a soul that will become human? Its always been assumed that its about Angel, but could possibly be about Spike and might be a means of bringing him back on Angel. Just a thought...

buffyfanatic18 | May 22, 23:11 CET

As I posted in a comment elsewhere:

Wesley:  "Shanshu has roots in so many different languages.  The most ancient source is the Proto-Bantu and they consider life and death the same thing, part of a cycle, only a thing that's not alive never dies.  It's- it's saying - that you get to live until you die.  -  It's saying - it's saying you become human."
Cordy:  "That's the prophecy?"
Wesley:  "Ah, the vampire with a soul, once he fulfills his destiny, will Shanshu.  Become human. - It's his reward."

Apotheos | May 23, 00:05 CET

hee hee... Spike as human... can't you just see him taunting Angel in the sunlight? - "See me develop a tan~"

Actually, Spike with a tan seems like a horrible idea.

irrelevantchangeling | May 23, 00:08 CET

yeah, but hee hee, I love your taunt. :D

The Lady Pele | May 23, 03:48 CET

Hmm, it does seem Wes's comment was directed towards Angel

buffyfanatic18 | May 23, 06:10 CET

Yeah, buffyfanatic18, it does seem as if those comments are supposed to be about Angel. But this is Joss we're talking about, and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the prophecy actually referred to Spike. I've been sort of expecting that since his soul first came back, and with Spike taking Angel's place (in many ways, it seems) I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if that's how they brought him back.

syrcharles | May 23, 06:40 CET

I gotta wonder if Lilah really knew the purpose of the amulet and was hoping Angel would be the one to burn and dust out instead of Spike.

Vamp_Insurance | May 23, 09:14 CET

Thanks Lady Pele.

ooh, plot twist with the shanshu. it makes sense to have Spike return as human and be the one to fulfil the shanshu prophecy. Angel would be all billowy coat of pain about it and we'll have lots of tension between them.

now, what's Spike's interaction with Wes, Gunn, Gwen, Fred and Lorne going to be like?

irrelevantchangeling | May 23, 10:14 CET

Wesley was talking to Angel - but the reason he was doing so was that the prophecy refered to a vampire with a soul, and just how many of *those* were kicking around at the time?

Remember, Angel was doing it before it was fasionable!

IIRC the prophecy seemed to refer to a single being, so I don't think it could apply to both (or all vampires with souls, should we dig up another one). So if this is how William comes back, it should (theoretically) remove the most plausable path laid for a happy Angel-Buffy ending.

Apotheos | May 23, 10:54 CET

Gotta wonder--does the shanshu say anything about a "super-strong human" at the end of the equation? Then we'd have the same problem with Angel when he was made normal-joe human temporarily--but Joss can probably deal with that.

babykarret | May 23, 12:17 CET

yeah,syrcharles, you have a point, too
it is joss we are talking about, he would never give us the obvious.
i was just trying to see the other point, too

buffyfanatic18 | May 24, 06:16 CET