[EVA] Shinji's mental collapse in EoE

[RJN]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Svensson" <sun1jack at hotmail.com>
To: <evangelion at shinobu.onegeek.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 11:58 PM
Subject: Re: [EVA]Parental Figures


: I disagree with the idea that the opening scene is JUST there to
demonstrate
: that Evangelion is now a film and can simply be ignored. It really
shows
: more than anything that Shinji has reached rock bottom. It tells us
that
: Shinji has gotten to the point where he needs Asuka, and is only
able to
: admit that when she can't answer him.

@I think he's lost respect of all the NERV people including Asuka &
any hope of another understanding him or how he feels. Misato's cold &
cheerless opinion was probably the final nail in his self-esteem
coffin. So he reverts to animal uncivilised base behaviour when a
purely physical stimulus is revealed.

Having finished that, he realises how low he sank & drops another
level towards suicidal. Perhaps his depression is now clinical in
depth, if it was not before.
While not equal in reason, he has sunk to Rei's deathwish level, to
end his pain & loneliness.

Shinji therefore is uncaring when the JSSDF find him. Misato being
even more distant just thinks Shinji is sulking & petulant. Her last
pep-talk is too little too late, & the kiss that was meant to revive
him in fact did the opposite, when Shinji tastes her blood in his
mouth.

Seeing Asuka's Eva trashed (& presuming Asuka dead), followed by his
trip in Eva 01 to get impaled, really jellies his mind. And here it
gets confusing because we see the SEELE monoliths talking as though it
was all meant to happen, in order to nullify Shinji/01's resistance to
the instigation of what follows.

No wonder, Shinji chooses to return the world to normal, as its the
happiest he's ever been. All the baloney Rei & the others said to him
meant nothing. He knew what he wanted all along - not perfect but in
his short life it was when he felt most complete!
RJN