strikera0

I think so, too. While predictable, Sara dying heroically would have given Laurel a believable motivation to pick up the BC mantle and fight on in her name, but it seems the writers were smart enough to realize that it also would have created a big backlash on the internet - so they gave Sara a faux happy ending by sending her back to the killer cult. And it seems to have worked in a way. There may be some negative feedback in comment sections when the issue of Laurel turning into BC comes up, but some of the boards I've been reading have been rather quiet on that front because a lot of Sara fans seem more relieved that she made it out of the season alive - even if the show might end up turning her into something most fans won't recognize.

If Sara/Caity is a regular next season, I would imagine that she's signed to a 12 or 13-episode contract. After the way last season ended (Sara returning to the LoA), I can't imagine her as a 20-episode character. The center of her life happens to be on a different continent now. And if the writers are smart, they would try to keep her appearances to a minimum anyway because with Laurel on track to become instaBC, Sara's presence would only be a painful reminder of how much she pales in comparison.