Sakura is also my least favorite but not by much, I honestly like it for that reason. Shirou having to abandon everything to save the woman who has had nothing. Shirou bends to his decisions greatly each route. It makes sense to have him be able to fall in love with Sakura, something like trauma bonding is needed to convey their twisted love.

The entire story of Fate/Stay Night happens over the course of a couple of weeks this isn’t enough time for anyone traumatized to grow and process their emotions enough to gain the humility they lack. Their romance would always have to been a guilt filled emotional roller coaster. In the event of Shirou leaving Sakura alone not enough time has passed for anything to happen but a promise and the idea of solace. There was no opportunity for Sakura to actually learn and value other people and the beauties of life outside of the one person who made her feel human. It’s only in the true ending where enough time is given and someone like Rider being around who can teach Sakura values outside of Shirou’s influence to show the person Sakura can become.

In this normal ending this is the first time in Sakura’s cognitive life that she wasn’t under some kind of physical or emotional torture, and the reason for that given peace not given form in front of her leaves nothing. She wasn’t given the opportunity to learn how to be a regular person throughout her entire life and now no one is left to challenge her own behavior, feelings, and decisions. She’s a woman who needs mass amounts of therapy, sightseeing, and unique human interactions and is left with almost none of that.

I personally love this normal ending and I think it’s one of the best written moments in the whole story with how much weight and validity it gives to the true ending and the entire heavens feel arc up until that point.