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(bull*&$£; his signing away the prophecy is in fact the only definitive proof that the prophecy must have been about him all along; or else how would he be able to sign it away?)
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{{Quote|What do you think all this means for that Shanshu boogaboo? If we make it through this, does one of us get to be a real boy?<br>Who are you kiddin'. We're not gonna make it through.|Angel & Spike|Not Fade Away}}
 
{{Quote|What do you think all this means for that Shanshu boogaboo? If we make it through this, does one of us get to be a real boy?<br>Who are you kiddin'. We're not gonna make it through.|Angel & Spike|Not Fade Away}}
   
Unknown to Spike however, Angel had earlier signed away "his rights" to the Shanshu Prophecy in order to infiltrate the [[Circle of the Black Thorn]]. From this it can be assumed that the Shanshu Prophecy now falls to Spike.
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Unknown to Spike however, Angel had earlier signed away "his rights" to the Shanshu Prophecy in order to infiltrate the [[Circle of the Black Thorn]].
   
 
However, in After The Fall, Angel is transformed into a human by the Senior Partners to hinder him. Considering his anti-apocalyptic battle in [[Not Fade Away]], it is possible the Shanshu Prophecy has been misinterpreted as a reward for his heroism, instead of a way of hindering him after he takes on the [[Senior Partners|partners]].
 
However, in After The Fall, Angel is transformed into a human by the Senior Partners to hinder him. Considering his anti-apocalyptic battle in [[Not Fade Away]], it is possible the Shanshu Prophecy has been misinterpreted as a reward for his heroism, instead of a way of hindering him after he takes on the [[Senior Partners|partners]].

Revision as of 16:16, 8 September 2008

Shanshu prophecy

The Shanshu Prophecy

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 says that you get to live until you die. It says the vampire with a soul, once he fulfills his destiny, will shanshu. Become human. It's his reward.
―Wesley Wyndam-Pryce[src]

The Shanshu Prophecy, as translated by Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, foresees the restoration of a vampire with a soul into a mortal human being. The prophecy is contained in the Scrolls of Aberjian. The prophecy itself first appeared in the episode "Blind Date" and was revealed in the season finale of the show's first season, "To Shanshu in L.A.".

Translated, the word "shanshu" means both to live and to die.

Angel uses this promise of eventually being human again as motivation throughout much of the series.

For years it was assumed that the prophecy was about Angel, even after Spike became the second vampire to have a soul, because Spike was not a Champion. However, after Spike died to save the world, becoming a Champion in the process, who the prophecy was meant for came into question once Spike was re-corporealized.


Angel and Spike discuss the Shanshu Prophecy:

What do you think all this means for that Shanshu boogaboo? If we make it through this, does one of us get to be a real boy?
Who are you kiddin'. We're not gonna make it through.
―Angel & Spike[src]

Unknown to Spike however, Angel had earlier signed away "his rights" to the Shanshu Prophecy in order to infiltrate the Circle of the Black Thorn.

However, in After The Fall, Angel is transformed into a human by the Senior Partners to hinder him. Considering his anti-apocalyptic battle in Not Fade Away, it is possible the Shanshu Prophecy has been misinterpreted as a reward for his heroism, instead of a way of hindering him after he takes on the partners.