I know Eva has moments of commentary where the idea of child soldiers is criticized, but at least in the OG series, it seemed to work out for humanity in the end. Eva always came across to me as “children are easily manipulable and their feelings don’t matter so long as the ends justify the means”.
Isn’t it the one where the kid gathers all the power he needs to stop the invaders from destroying the world, and uses it to destroy the world by himself?
Not sure if you’re referencing some other media, or any of the Eva movies that aren’t canonically linked to the show, but in the show
spoiler
NERV triggers Instrumentality, which, without much explanation, merges all human consciousnesses into 1 hive mind consciousness which may or may not have something to do with Rei being Shinji’s mom, and may or may not have to do with Evas being living creatures borne of Lilith, and somehow eliminates the Angel threat. Shinji’s abandonment complex is neatly resolved by him realizing that the military people forcing him to fight were right all along and that being in the military is awesome if you aren’t afraid to be outgoing.
!Gendo’s only goal in instrumentality was to reunite with his wife, and NERV/SEELE were just after power. Shinji actively rejected both of these goals by restoring the bodies of those who did not wish to be part of the hivemind. The ending was him realizing that the challenges of being human were mutually inclusive with the emotions of love and trust; the human body is effectively an AT field borne of the fear of being truly known by others, and love is the result of trusting others to view part of that “true self.” Instrumentality would’ve made Shinji’s life a lot easier, but he would’ve also lost the relationships he’d built with the people he’d actually come to care for. Also, instrumentality didn’t end the angel threat, rather the angels all had to be killed before instrumentality was initiated to ensure they didn’t just wipe out the human race.!<
Which ending? The OG show, the movie, or the rebuilds?
OG show had humanity almost lose multiple times because someone at NERV was being a dick. The ending was about Shinji figuring out how to connect to people, not about the war.
Movie had SEELE backstab humanity, and humans only survive because Shinji’s mother (the only sane character in the show, also coincidentally a civilian) saw the writing on the wall and came up with an absolutely insane plan that worked, at the cost of her life and Shinji’s sanity.
Rebuild is weird even by Evangelion standards, and I think at this point Anno is trolling the ‘fans’ who want a conventional happy ending with Shinji and Asuka getting married or what not.
Dude was literally going through some shit in his life during the original show, and “retold” the same story with a different outcome for the rebuilds. Mari is an analogue for his wife.
Let’s be honest - who hasn’t had an unhealthy obsession with a slightly crazy firecrotch at one point? Hotter than the midday sun does not necessarily equal wife material.
I know Eva has moments of commentary where the idea of child soldiers is criticized, but at least in the OG series, it seemed to work out for humanity in the end. Eva always came across to me as “children are easily manipulable and their feelings don’t matter so long as the ends justify the means”.
Isn’t it the one where the kid gathers all the power he needs to stop the invaders from destroying the world, and uses it to destroy the world by himself?
Not sure if you’re referencing some other media, or any of the Eva movies that aren’t canonically linked to the show, but in the show
spoiler
NERV triggers Instrumentality, which, without much explanation, merges all human consciousnesses into 1 hive mind consciousness which may or may not have something to do with Rei being Shinji’s mom, and may or may not have to do with Evas being living creatures borne of Lilith, and somehow eliminates the Angel threat. Shinji’s abandonment complex is neatly resolved by him realizing that the military people forcing him to fight were right all along and that being in the military is awesome if you aren’t afraid to be outgoing.
I read the ending quite differently.
That was my understanding of the ending.
Which ending? The OG show, the movie, or the rebuilds?
OG show had humanity almost lose multiple times because someone at NERV was being a dick. The ending was about Shinji figuring out how to connect to people, not about the war.
Movie had SEELE backstab humanity, and humans only survive because Shinji’s mother (the only sane character in the show, also coincidentally a civilian) saw the writing on the wall and came up with an absolutely insane plan that worked, at the cost of her life and Shinji’s sanity.
Rebuild is weird even by Evangelion standards, and I think at this point Anno is trolling the ‘fans’ who want a conventional happy ending with Shinji and Asuka getting married or what not.
Dude was literally going through some shit in his life during the original show, and “retold” the same story with a different outcome for the rebuilds. Mari is an analogue for his wife.
Let’s be honest - who hasn’t had an unhealthy obsession with a slightly crazy firecrotch at one point? Hotter than the midday sun does not necessarily equal wife material.