Yes all the symbolism. Spike referring to himself as dying 3 years ago, Annie saying he came back from the dead, Vicious's comments, his cybernetic eye that sees the future and his real one that sees the past, Sitting Bull referring to him as being killed by a woman ie Julia 3 years ago, Spike saying he's been living in a dream, and the list goes on.
Basically the time while he was on the Bebop was his "purgatory" between when he left the Syndicate and Julia and finally seeing Julia die. After Julia died he decided to finally end the fued with Vicious.
Remember when Faye asks him why he chooses to meet death. He responds saying that he intends to find out if he is alive. In the end, he finds out that he was "dead" all along.
As far as Spike and Faye getting together. Well it was pretty obvious to me that Spike never had any interest in Faye as he was so caught up with Julia. And if anyone's going to get with Faye it would be Jet, but I'll talk about that another time.
"You can't sit on the fence when it comes to Jesus, Satan owns the fence." Mark Cahill
2-151 D Co. Infantry (Air Assault)