Why There's One More Final - End of Evangelion Analysis

Watching the End of Evangelion, one of my favorite movies, in the theater back in March helped me finally put into words what exactly the final scene means to me, and some problems I have with how other people on the internet talk about it. It's not a lot to go over, but it's something very important that people still tend to miss, somehow.
Song list:
Jesus bleibet meine Freude (End of Evangelion OST)
Expansion of Blockade (End of Evangelion OST)
Opening of Dream (End of Evangelion OST)
Outro: Personal cover of Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari by Supercell
All songs used: • Songs Used
Twitter: / zoomertalk

[@terynnorcross6883]

I'm not a huge eva fan, but the way it explores how hard it can be to actually commit to the ways we've found to improve our lives is some pretty real shit

[@JurzGarz]

Good video! This basically summarizes my views on the ending as well. I agree, it’s more important to look at the scene from a thematic and character standpoint than to read too much into the literal imagery and events. I see it not so much as a contradiction of the previous scene’s optimism, but as a grounding of it. If the scene ended with Shinji choking Asuka, without the caress or him letting her go, I think there would be a stronger case that the ending is just a total downer, as some think it is. With those bits, and combined with the previous scene, however, I think it shows that reality is often harsh and we will often fuck up, but there are still good things in the world and we can learn and move past those fuck ups.

[@windythepuffin7787]

Wow I literally just rewatched this movie! Didn't understand that scene at all but thanks to this vid I think I get it. I want to add that I don't think the scene is as pessimistic as it seems. I read it as Shinji and Asuka being forced into making the first step of progress towards connection. Their actions (Shinji choking her, Asuka lightly raising her hand to his face) are really far from their normal personalities that clash so much earlier in the show and prevent them from understanding each other. But now they're forced as close to each other as they have ever been (since the kiss, which was also out of character), and while they don't yet know how to handle it, their shells are starting to crack. Maybe that read is too optimistic, but I'd like to believe that the movie is saying that Shinji took a difficult road, not an impossible one.

[@chryysanth]

That's totally a valid interpretation, pretty much how I think of the scene as a whole. People totally just ignore that it exists though when thinking about the themes of the movie, even though it concludes with a portrayal of something more nuanced and real to people's experiences.

[@mrskye08]

My understanding is that shinji woke up with asuka. Was shocked to see the world is a mess. Asked asuka for help but no response, so he choked her (which is very similar to previous scene). Asuka held shinji's face to tell she's alive. Shinji cried, and asuka was appalled "Here he goes crying again. And i find it...disgusting." It's like ending was telling yes people are back, but does not necessarily mean changed. Shinji is still the same shinji and asuka is still the same asuka.

[@utopiecwarminski6140]

To me, the main message when I watched it was: it's good that you managed to become a better person but all the pain you inflicted, all the mean words you said and all the bad things you have done to others... it won't go away. People hurt by you won't just tell: I forgive you, I still want you to be part of my life. Most of them will in good scenario say: I'm happy that you are now a better person, but the damage you have caused is too much for me to want to have you near me, maybe the time will come when I had healed and we will be able to talk like we used to, but not today. And this is the ending in EoE. You have to live with consequences of your choices even if you wouldn't take them in your current state. It correspondes with the ending of TV show well. There, people were just happy that Shinji managed to improve himself, but it was in his head, in reality these people just aren't near him - it's the real life - if someone loved you, but you hurt them, the past them would be happy about your change - although they wouldn't be near you in real life. Asuka and Shinji on the beach can represent two different messages to viewer having two different tasks. Shinji failed his own task, because he relapsed on causing harm to other people - the result is that despite trying to be better you will have moments of weakness. And Asuka had a job of showing affection in a humane way, which was hard for her, and she did it - she teaches you a lesson, that you can truly change for better and there is hope for you, like for Shinji, to deal with you own problems, change your bad habits and ways of dealing with your traumas. Asuka can also show you that sometimes even for your own sake you have to forgive. You, the viewer, have a task to not only forgive yourself for your mistakes but also forgive other people for theirs. Only then you can live YOUR own life - not the life other people burdened you with due to their mistakes. Shinji himself is shown that he managed to realise what had happened. He makes a symbol of a grave for Misato but also generally for his past. He realised that it's all gone - people from the time before he was sinking to the bottom won't come back and he has to move on, which he partially does. But he can't further progress. It's like with people who grind bad grain every morning and wonder why they eat unhealthy bread every evening. He sits or lies on the beach hoping that someone from his past will come back, despite the fact it could be better to just move on - if you burn a bridge you can't expect it to be there tommorow, if you hurt someone they won't be there for you next time waiting to potentially get hurt again. He has a problem with things he has done, what his world is now and what it means for his future - in some way it depicts that he did change for better internally, beaouse if you despise your past bad choices it means you grew as a human. To sum up. Eva and EoE are both beautifull, there is no happy ending because this anime was meant to be in some way realistic and so is the ending. It perfectly depicts a lot of issues and can teach us that we can overcome them, but in the end we rip what we sow, even if we sowed it in the worst moments of our lives. And always remember that escapism isn't a good choice to make, the real life can inflict the pain, but it's because it's real. If you decided to read this all, thanks. If it managed to make you a better person, congratulations.

[@TheDarkness2146]

This was an excellent read thank you so much ❤️

[@PhulaTrox]

yeah this is perfect whether your interpretation is that shinji regressed in a moment of anger, or he is affirming his individuality by trying to face rejection/testing if hes in the real world, the point still stands that the process to improvement will be very rough. and that love and understanding involve pain. ofc theres a difference between "there'll be pain, but things will get better" and "things will get better, but there'll be pain". eoe opted for the latter. and i think thats because of its emphasis on anti-escapism. the final message it wants to leave us on is that the process to improvement WILL be hard and not to run away from that. which is kinda reassuring in its own weird way

[@GpiodMana]

their first plan was ending with shinji preparing grave for others himself alone. but probably anno thought this will be too pessimistic and contradict with movies message itself, so he magically revived asuka. and natural conclusion of this decision was the creepy interaction we got in the ending.

[@langustajableczna]

what's the source for that?

[@GpiodMana]

@@langustajableczna search: 'eoe live sequence and alternative ending'.

[@krisdaughtrey8098]

Enjoyed your video. Been rewatching the anime with my son. It's been the start point of a lot of cool and introspective conversations between us about life, growing up, and sticking with the choices you've made.

[@chryysanth]

wow, that's very cool that you two are getting some valuable stuff out of it! how old is your son if you don't mind me asking

[@zblazowany5271]

I don't really understand the final beach scene. So Shinji made a decision to accept the one's individuality and the possibilty of harm it gives. But in the end there wasn't really anyone alive on the Earth beside him, cause everyone returned to the LCL. So ironically he should alone. How come Asuka was alive?

[@chryysanth]

everyone is able to leave the goo if they also want to be an individual person, like what shinji did. so presumably asuka is there for the same reason as shinji

[@mrskye08]

My assumption is that everyone's back somewhere else, not on the beach...

[@Blade_BeastIV]

​@@chryysanth how come we saw all the spirits/souls or wtv leaving the black moon? Where did they go?

[@Martwypłód2k12]

what's your PDB account

[@chryysanth]

i believe im chrysanth on there as well. i don't really use it much for anything tho, other than looking up characters occasionally

[@Martwypłód2k12]

@@chryysanth cool