[EVA]Jesus, Jesus Everywhere

[once at ix.netcom.com]

-----Original Message-----
>From: "Rachel K. Clark" <rachel.k.clark at comcast.net>
>Sent: Aug 8, 2006 7:55 AM
>To: EML <evangelion at eva.onegeek.org>
>Subject: [EVA]Jesus, Jesus Everywhere
>
>Carl wrote:
>
><< Gendo is such a prick that he can't see that his attitude towards Shinji
>is tactically dangerous, even to his own plans. >>
>
>Arguably, "damaged", or suchlike, would be more accurate than "a prick". As
>I've "gotten to know" Gendo, descriptors like "bastard", etc., increasingly
>feel like surface-level denominations that miss the point. That's not to
>defend his loathable behavior over the years, but, since he's a fictional
>character, it doesn't bother me as much as if he were real (in which case he
>would receive many spankings). I'm not sure if this is common knowledge or
>not, but the cold, devil-may-care Gendo seems to be little more than a
>facade -- yet another coping mechanism among the many used by the show's
>colorful cast.


Yes but the "Gendo that exists inside Shinji," the "Gendo that exists inside Misato," etc., is a prick. In our interactions with others, it is usually our facades that are more important than our so-called true selves; the facade is the "interface." In the absence of an Instrumentality, it does no good to say, "He's really such a sweet man," when there is no evidence people can see for it. Shinji would just grab his nuts at such an assertion, although he might come up empty-handed.

In Ritsuko's case, it's literally the case that the Gendo that exists inside her is a prick. But who indeed would not take the chance to play doctor with EVA's ice-queen PhD? Neither cute lieutenants nor cold-faced commanders can resist her. 

—C.