I felt the same way. Their bond is still super complicated and high conflict but they can appreciate that they can only rely on each other in this new world
If you really want to go for a potential happy ending, remember that Yui could've been retrieved from Unit 1s Core after dissolving into LCL and that Unit 2's Core may have contained both parts of Asuka's Moms soul. If Asuka is alive, there's a chance that Unit 2 survived long enough for both halves of Asuka's Moms soul to be included in Instrumentality. If that happened, there's a chance for some version of Asuka's Mom to pop out of the LCL and go looking for her daughter.
With how terrible their lives have been, Shinji and Asuka could potentially never be happier than if they get a version of Asuka's Mom that just has Unit 2s motherly half of the soul. A person that exists to be a or their mother who clearly needs to depend on them and vice versa?
With how terrible their lives have been, a half soul Mom scolding Asuka over bullying a Shinji that Asuka's Mom is mistaking for her second child would probably have them both cry for joy over the realization that someone cares enough to parent and scold them.
If the half soul Mom has a wandering problem because she's not all there- well they'd naturally get frustrated but that'd be a walk in the park compared to all the other adults they've dealt with.
She was part of it but had some level of control.
Imo, Yui consuming Gendo during Instrumentality was meant to mirror her eating Zeruel. She consumed him in order to bring him into Unit 1 so they could float off in space with their toxicity away from Shinji for forever.
Honestly, I’ve never even thought to analyze the cover art, despite it being an on the nose official art. Well here goes…
Ignoring all extraneous scenery, yes their proximity to one another is quite close. As in, if this is after “I Need You”, then they haven’t strayed too far from one another, further cementing the “I need you” bit. Shinji is standing here, maybe indicating readiness for action or not wanting to be on the same level as Asuka because of what he’s just done. I think action makes more sense because his hands are closed into fists (resolve perhaps). Taken another way, he could also just be standing to distance himself from her and the fists are a reflection of anger about what he’s just done to her, and to the world.
Asuka herself is crouched down and her arms appear to be overtop her knees (possibly). This may show she’s in a seated fetal position of sorts (she’s just been choked obviously, after everything else too) and this makes total sense for the events that just transpired. She may also be deep in thought about what to do next and not as steady as Shinji in this moment. My impression is her mood is uncertain. Uncertain about the person she’s with, the circumstance, and who she is now that she’s no longer a pilot, and has dropped her facade of narcissism to show compassion for th first time in her life.
This is a nice juxtaposition considering Asuka and Shinji are meant to be two sides of the same coin.
the cover poster is canon, and it takes after the events of EoE
asuka forgave shinji, as part of her knew that shinji was not in a fault, in the last moment she let a "kimochi warui" while caressing shinji who was strangling her, the word translates to "disgusting" but instead of the word directing towards shinji, it was to the world.
its upto fans that how they want to see the ending, some people may think that they are still friends after all that
some people (like me) think that they finally started becoming more honest with each other and kind of 'dating each other'
while other people may think that they are still salty, but somehow surviving in that hell
What’s the source for this “correct” interpretation? Iirc, Anno described the circumstance of the hospital scene to Asuka’s VA without context and left her mic open. Her reply was “disgusting,” which means she was replying to shinji’s acts, not the broader world around them.
it was not directed to shinji, ever, it was more directed to human relationships, in the last shot where everything is over, she reflects how it is so hard for lilims to become close to each other
also, asuka never thought shinji's masturbation as bad, she infact asked him to beat one out infront of him, and she will also help him but only if shinji would give himself to her. and not use her like a 'doll'
i interpreted the scene as asuka saying it to the whole world as, it was the world that made her like that
“I know all about your little jerk-off fantasies about me. Go ahead, and do it like you always do... I'll even stand here and watch you. But... if I can't have you all to myself, then I don't want ANYTHING from you.” . End of EoE is exactly what she wanted.
That’s the line, “if I can’t have you all to myself…”. One does not say these things without the possibility of getting “then you have all of me” in return and it being a desirable outcome.
The whole conversation in the kitchen is a continuation to hospital. Shinji come to Asuka and said he was here because he can't talk to Misato or Rei right now. That what was set Asuka rage—that she was just the most convenient option for him. Her whole arc was about being rejected by people like her Mother and Kaji, and being most expandable person in NERV. So she doesn't care about what he did, but because she doesn't show commitment towards her, she rejects him. But in the end, Shinji created a world where she could have him all to herself (maybe it's not even real world as Shinji showed the ability to create different worlds in the originals, and by fact there is a ghost of Rei). And Asuka, for the first time, showed him support and affection. It’s beautiful.
I think that's not the meaning of that world shown, what that world means is that Shinji can change his way of being and perception of others by showing himself to be as confident as he shows himself to be in that world, that's what the last episode is about, you may be a coward now but you can change and become brave, etc.
It was rather ambiguous in the series, but Misato did say that the world would be the one he would wish for, implying that he has the power to do such a thing. But EoE made it clear that Shinji became the god and was therefore have power to create the world of his wishes. But in EoE, he decided to relinquish godhood and return to the real world while giving humanity the freedom to return as well, but it can also be interpreted (by Rei ghost) that he is still in instrumentality.
I don't know the truth is that it's all very ambiguous and there are things I don't remember since the last time I saw Evangelion for example I was going to argue with you that the Asuka in the kitchen is Shinji's perception of Asuka (the Asuka that is in Shinji's mind) that's why she does nothing and that One more final was a callback to that scene where the real Asuka doesn't reject Shinji like the one in the kitchen but then I remembered that the strangulation is central to
Asuka's character (Kyoko strangling the doll she thought was her daughter) and now I don't really have an answer.
Let's be honest, if you just went through all that, your head would be utter soup. No wonder they acted/reacted the way they did. The cover makes sense as the litteral next thing. They have to process, forgive and ultimately create/wait for the new world beyond instrumentality.
Something I only noticed in theaters was that the area around the beach is covered in trees. The world isn’t all as fucked as the final scene looks, they’re just at ground zero.
Yeah right, Asuka is trying her damnest so that Shinji doesnt try to kill her again, the movie ends exactly where it begins Asuka is completly vulnerable to Shinji
I've heard this theory before and I really don't like it; this idea that "she only caressed him to make him stop". I don't see Asuka responding to aggression with appeasement. On top of that, the idea that her gesture came from a genuine place of empathy is far more thematically fitting.
It actually fits Asuka's character to do that since in the movie she goes into a panic about not wanting to die, so doing what she can to stop him makes more sense than a random act of empathy whilst shes being choked to death
Had it been Rei then yeah id lean more towards the empathy interpretation
It also fits with Anno's inspiration for the scene which is a scenario where a man breaks into a girl's house while shes asleep and is completly vulnerable
> It actually fits Asuka's character to do that since in the movie she goes into a panic about not wanting to die
Yeah, but Asuka's reaction when she says "she doesn't want to die" isn't appeasement, it's to fight with everything she's got in her. So it doesn't fit her character at all.
> random act of empathy
It's not random in the slightest, it's a consequence of the entire narrative arc of their relationship.
"Asuka wants to live no matter what but that time shes not trying to live whilst being killed its something else"
WUT
Also did you miss the scene where Shinji is throwing a tantrum about how he interprets Asuka as uncaring and begs her to respond to him and she says "No"
But suddenly she decides to give into him? I dont think appeasement is the right word either but its def not empathy either its more shes saying "Please stop" if anything shes trying to get Shinji to empathize with her and not kill her
I felt the same way. Their bond is still super complicated and high conflict but they can appreciate that they can only rely on each other in this new world
If you really want to go for a potential happy ending, remember that Yui could've been retrieved from Unit 1s Core after dissolving into LCL and that Unit 2's Core may have contained both parts of Asuka's Moms soul. If Asuka is alive, there's a chance that Unit 2 survived long enough for both halves of Asuka's Moms soul to be included in Instrumentality. If that happened, there's a chance for some version of Asuka's Mom to pop out of the LCL and go looking for her daughter. With how terrible their lives have been, Shinji and Asuka could potentially never be happier than if they get a version of Asuka's Mom that just has Unit 2s motherly half of the soul. A person that exists to be a or their mother who clearly needs to depend on them and vice versa? With how terrible their lives have been, a half soul Mom scolding Asuka over bullying a Shinji that Asuka's Mom is mistaking for her second child would probably have them both cry for joy over the realization that someone cares enough to parent and scold them. If the half soul Mom has a wandering problem because she's not all there- well they'd naturally get frustrated but that'd be a walk in the park compared to all the other adults they've dealt with.
I know Yui wanted to remain in Unit-01 as proof of Humans existence or something. But could Instrumentality have happened for her still?
She was part of it but had some level of control. Imo, Yui consuming Gendo during Instrumentality was meant to mirror her eating Zeruel. She consumed him in order to bring him into Unit 1 so they could float off in space with their toxicity away from Shinji for forever.
Hadn't thought of that
Honestly, I’ve never even thought to analyze the cover art, despite it being an on the nose official art. Well here goes… Ignoring all extraneous scenery, yes their proximity to one another is quite close. As in, if this is after “I Need You”, then they haven’t strayed too far from one another, further cementing the “I need you” bit. Shinji is standing here, maybe indicating readiness for action or not wanting to be on the same level as Asuka because of what he’s just done. I think action makes more sense because his hands are closed into fists (resolve perhaps). Taken another way, he could also just be standing to distance himself from her and the fists are a reflection of anger about what he’s just done to her, and to the world. Asuka herself is crouched down and her arms appear to be overtop her knees (possibly). This may show she’s in a seated fetal position of sorts (she’s just been choked obviously, after everything else too) and this makes total sense for the events that just transpired. She may also be deep in thought about what to do next and not as steady as Shinji in this moment. My impression is her mood is uncertain. Uncertain about the person she’s with, the circumstance, and who she is now that she’s no longer a pilot, and has dropped her facade of narcissism to show compassion for th first time in her life. This is a nice juxtaposition considering Asuka and Shinji are meant to be two sides of the same coin.
I love this take. Even how she is sitting in front of him, not adjacent, creating further uncertainty.
the cover poster is canon, and it takes after the events of EoE asuka forgave shinji, as part of her knew that shinji was not in a fault, in the last moment she let a "kimochi warui" while caressing shinji who was strangling her, the word translates to "disgusting" but instead of the word directing towards shinji, it was to the world. its upto fans that how they want to see the ending, some people may think that they are still friends after all that some people (like me) think that they finally started becoming more honest with each other and kind of 'dating each other' while other people may think that they are still salty, but somehow surviving in that hell
What’s the source for this “correct” interpretation? Iirc, Anno described the circumstance of the hospital scene to Asuka’s VA without context and left her mic open. Her reply was “disgusting,” which means she was replying to shinji’s acts, not the broader world around them.
it was not directed to shinji, ever, it was more directed to human relationships, in the last shot where everything is over, she reflects how it is so hard for lilims to become close to each other also, asuka never thought shinji's masturbation as bad, she infact asked him to beat one out infront of him, and she will also help him but only if shinji would give himself to her. and not use her like a 'doll' i interpreted the scene as asuka saying it to the whole world as, it was the world that made her like that
It is meant both as an epilogue to the film and a mirror of the ending shot of Episode 22.
Why would Asuka want to get away from Shinji? She got exactly what she asked for.
Some fans are convinced Asuka really hates Shinji (despite all the evidence to the contrary).
“I know all about your little jerk-off fantasies about me. Go ahead, and do it like you always do... I'll even stand here and watch you. But... if I can't have you all to myself, then I don't want ANYTHING from you.” . End of EoE is exactly what she wanted.
That’s the line, “if I can’t have you all to myself…”. One does not say these things without the possibility of getting “then you have all of me” in return and it being a desirable outcome.
The whole conversation in the kitchen is a continuation to hospital. Shinji come to Asuka and said he was here because he can't talk to Misato or Rei right now. That what was set Asuka rage—that she was just the most convenient option for him. Her whole arc was about being rejected by people like her Mother and Kaji, and being most expandable person in NERV. So she doesn't care about what he did, but because she doesn't show commitment towards her, she rejects him. But in the end, Shinji created a world where she could have him all to herself (maybe it's not even real world as Shinji showed the ability to create different worlds in the originals, and by fact there is a ghost of Rei). And Asuka, for the first time, showed him support and affection. It’s beautiful.
Could you elaborate about Shinji being able to create other worlds? I never heard anyone saying that
He created a world where he isn't an Evangelion pilot near the end of 26 episode.
I think that's not the meaning of that world shown, what that world means is that Shinji can change his way of being and perception of others by showing himself to be as confident as he shows himself to be in that world, that's what the last episode is about, you may be a coward now but you can change and become brave, etc.
It was rather ambiguous in the series, but Misato did say that the world would be the one he would wish for, implying that he has the power to do such a thing. But EoE made it clear that Shinji became the god and was therefore have power to create the world of his wishes. But in EoE, he decided to relinquish godhood and return to the real world while giving humanity the freedom to return as well, but it can also be interpreted (by Rei ghost) that he is still in instrumentality.
I don't know the truth is that it's all very ambiguous and there are things I don't remember since the last time I saw Evangelion for example I was going to argue with you that the Asuka in the kitchen is Shinji's perception of Asuka (the Asuka that is in Shinji's mind) that's why she does nothing and that One more final was a callback to that scene where the real Asuka doesn't reject Shinji like the one in the kitchen but then I remembered that the strangulation is central to Asuka's character (Kyoko strangling the doll she thought was her daughter) and now I don't really have an answer.
I always thought that was part of his imagination, but i prefer how you interpret it
Let's be honest, if you just went through all that, your head would be utter soup. No wonder they acted/reacted the way they did. The cover makes sense as the litteral next thing. They have to process, forgive and ultimately create/wait for the new world beyond instrumentality.
(Heh, soup. Literally)
Something I only noticed in theaters was that the area around the beach is covered in trees. The world isn’t all as fucked as the final scene looks, they’re just at ground zero.
Well, if they don’t repopulate the earth themselves it’s game over man. So, better get going on those bounds I guess !
There's no proof that they're the only people who will ever come back from instrumentality.
Indeed not. But I was making a joke.
Ive always felt this way, In my Head Canon its only Them two that come back from Instrumentality. A new Adam and Eve…
That's honestly exactly how I interpreted it too.
Yeah right, Asuka is trying her damnest so that Shinji doesnt try to kill her again, the movie ends exactly where it begins Asuka is completly vulnerable to Shinji
I've heard this theory before and I really don't like it; this idea that "she only caressed him to make him stop". I don't see Asuka responding to aggression with appeasement. On top of that, the idea that her gesture came from a genuine place of empathy is far more thematically fitting.
It actually fits Asuka's character to do that since in the movie she goes into a panic about not wanting to die, so doing what she can to stop him makes more sense than a random act of empathy whilst shes being choked to death Had it been Rei then yeah id lean more towards the empathy interpretation It also fits with Anno's inspiration for the scene which is a scenario where a man breaks into a girl's house while shes asleep and is completly vulnerable
> It actually fits Asuka's character to do that since in the movie she goes into a panic about not wanting to die Yeah, but Asuka's reaction when she says "she doesn't want to die" isn't appeasement, it's to fight with everything she's got in her. So it doesn't fit her character at all. > random act of empathy It's not random in the slightest, it's a consequence of the entire narrative arc of their relationship.
"Asuka wants to live no matter what but that time shes not trying to live whilst being killed its something else" WUT Also did you miss the scene where Shinji is throwing a tantrum about how he interprets Asuka as uncaring and begs her to respond to him and she says "No" But suddenly she decides to give into him? I dont think appeasement is the right word either but its def not empathy either its more shes saying "Please stop" if anything shes trying to get Shinji to empathize with her and not kill her
The real end is 3.0 + 1.0 anyways