History Fridge / RebuildOfEvangelion

* While some absolutely hated the movie in general, others suddenly '''loved''' ''2.0'' once the finale of the movie began since it tied back to the subtitle (''You Can (Not) Advance''): [[spoiler:even if you make these characters happier and better-adjusted...even if you make Shinji braver...even if you try to do everything "right"...[[YouCantFightFate in the end, everything and everyone is still doomed.]] In fact, make Shinji and Rei happy together, and the world seemingly ends ''faster''. The only thing that prevented the end of the world was Kaworu somehow knowing ''exactly'' when to show up to prevent Unit 01 from going full Third Impact.]]
** This realization only makes [[spoiler:Kaworu's]] lines during the ending hit harder than ever, and make you wonder... [[spoiler:"I'll make sure to make you happy THIS time, Shinji."]]
** The same can be said of the Japanese subtitles to the first two movies: [[spoiler:the first one (Beginning) is just a (Lighter but not softer) retelling of the first part of the series. And then there is the second one, Breaking, where everything goes OffTheRails]].
** Arguably also Asuka's injuries sustained during [[spoiler:Unit-03's destruction by Unit-01]]. Along with the eyepatch, close examination of her body in the recovery room reveals that they mirror the ones she sustained in [[spoiler:''End of Evangelion'']].
** Only seen in the trailer for ''3.0'' so far, but: Kaworu & EVA-Mark.06 [[spoiler: descending into Terminal Dogma]] is done in an identical fashion to [[spoiler: Kaworu & EVA-02 descending into Terminal Dogma in that original TV series]]. Subtle, but clever when you finally notice it.

*** [[spoiler: No, the irony is even worse, seeing as Shinji loses Kaworu (presumably) forever...dammit]]
*** [[spoiler: Kaworu actually says they'll meet again before he dies]].

* [[spoiler: It may seem (and is) horribly depressing that Shinji didn't save Rei. You must remember, though, that she and Unit-01/Shinji sort of melded at the end of 2.0...though, this causes one to wonder as to what the hell happened to her]]
** [[spoiler: She is now literally inside Shinji's heart?]]
** [[spoiler: While it seems outlandish and crack at first, but a probable possibility is that Rei's original soul is inside Shinji's SDAT player.]]

* Why do Angels dissolve into blood-red liquid when they are killed? The answer to that may lie in ''The End of Evangelion'': [[spoiler:in that movie, it is revealed that humans possess AT Fields, the same as Angels. What's more, AT Fields are what allow humans to maintain a physical form: without them, they would dissolve into LCL. When the [=EVAs=] destroy an Angel's core in ''Rebuild'', they are also likely destroying the Angel's AT Field, without which it cannot maintain its physical form: hence, its body dissolves.]]

* Evangelion Unit 03 [[spoiler:possessed by an Angel and going berserk, putting up a fight against Shinji in Unit 01]] without stopping ''and'' without the power cable in the back... [[PlotDevice Remember that it is a prototype designed for longer operational time]].
* At first, the [[spoiler: derail of the plot in 3.0 seems like an AssPull]], but there's foreshadowing to the fact that [[spoiler:we're not gonna follow the plot beat for beat]] with certain scenes happening ''way'' before they happen in the show (the elevator scene is a good example)
** Seele-01 alludes to this at the end of 1.0, saying, "The apocrypha of the Dead Sea Scrolls has been passed into the Book of Law." Cut to a shot of [[spoiler: Evangelion Mark.06 under construction.]] [[spoiler: Gendo does this again in Q, saying the time has come to amend the Dead Sea Scrolls.]]
* Here's one that comes from the movies' entire premise; "What if Anno made the series in his new, happier state?" Simple. It becomes even worse for the characters. Depression, cynicism and pessimistic philosophy can serve as defence mechanisms, these slowly break your will, yes, but also allow you to predict the future and prepare for the worst, therefore keeping you from feeling the full impact. [[WideEyedIdealist Optimists]], on the other hand, are much more unprepared and thus corruptible by the harsh realities, randomness and surprises of life, once [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished they learn the hard way]] that [[CrapsackWorld life isn't fair]], [[DeConstruction everything comes tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down....]] [[spoiler:[[SubvertedTrope And if they keep that optimism]], generally are the first people to [[KnightInSourArmor start figuring out a plan to work around that unfairness]], as opposed to [[SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers depression just eating itself in the same manner, over and over again]]. Thus, depression may allow you to ''survive'', but it isn't exactly ''living''.]]\\
In the Rebuild movies, Shinji wasn't a pessimist. He was actually on the rise; never well adjusted, perhaps, but rational, and slowly becoming happy. When the realities of the NGE series hit him, they hit Rebuild!Shinji a hundred-fold harder than NGE!Shinji. As a result, he was plunged far deeper into emotional pain. Think of it like having farther to fall, or that while NGE!Shinji was always low in emotional happiness and sanity, his depression kept him braced from falling much further. Rebuild!Shinji was climbing up... And so when [[DespairEventHorizon the end of 2.0 and all of 3.0 hit,]] he fell. All the way to the bottom. '''That''' is how you BreakTheCutie and invoke a HeroicBlueScreenOfDeath. [[spoiler:The moment he gets a reprieve, however, his sanity [[HesBack promptly reforms]], and even what would have sent him over just hardens his HeroicResolve until he ends up beating Gendo in the most total way possible - complete rejection of his philosophy, [[AllLovingHero even the idea he's an irredeemable monster]] after seeing his past.]]

** It's the antagonist who are apparently aware of the ResetButton and actively work to make sure their plans succeed (Gendo's manipulations that lead to [[spoiler: the awakening of Eva-01, the overthrowme of SEELE, and an unknown amounts of Rei clones to prevent any wildcard .]])

* Why does the Curse of Eva stunt a pilot's growth? [[spoiler: In the original series, and possibly in Rebuild too (it appears to still hold for Eva-01 at least), the majority of Evas are controlled through the synchronization between mother (resident soul/control system) and child (pilot). Assuming this concept still exists in some capacity in Rebuild, the influence of the mothers' souls may be preventing the children from growing up, in an attempt to preserve their bond.]]
* While the lack of communication is seen as something that could had been avoided, and as such, most of the plot of ''3.33'', it is actually a realistic result for the crew of Wille to act as such: living in a perpetual battlefield is something that takes its toll on everyone, there's no room for personal growth or second thoughts; regardless of the amount of true guilt Shinji, who had an unwitting hand on [[spoiler: Third Impact]], would have, such a thing would mean nothing to the people who had to deal with the broken world that was left behind.
* Why is the trailer for 3.33 playing the song "Quatre Mains"? [[spoiler: Simple: in French, it means four hands, as in the one for Evangelion-13 unit]].

* Mari is generally thought of as being the most well-adjusted of ''Rebuild'''s Evangelion pilots. She certainly isn't ''sane'' -- she's far too [[DissonantSerenity cheerful]] and [[BloodKnight enthusiastic]] about this whole "fighting monsters at the end of the world" thing for that -- but she doesn't suffer from crippling self-loathing or existential angst like the other pilots, and is generally able to take whatever weirdness Angels, [=EVAs=], and Impacts have to throw at her in stride. [[spoiler:''3.0+1.0'' reveals that Mari is ''much'' older than the other EVA pilots, having attended college with Yui and Gendo. Therefore, if nothing else, Mari has had a lot longer to work through her various hangups than the other pilots have. In addition, the fact that she had already been a pilot for over a decade before the start of ''Rebuild'' means she's had plenty of opportunities to experience weird shit associated with the Human Instrumentality Project, and there's probably very little that surprises her at this point.]] This also ties into how, in ''3.0'', Mari is much less bothered than Asuka about how the Curse of EVA has stunted her aging, since [[spoiler:she's been living with that condition for nearly thirty years]].

* Asuka's appearance in the [[spoiler:beach scene]] in ''3.0+1.0'' with her ripped plugsuit isn't just for fanservice, rather it's to show that [[spoiler:she's grown up into a young woman and that the plugsuit no longer fits her]].

* In ''3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time'', during the long awaited scene of [[spoiler: Gendo and Shinji]] having a sit down talk together, it plays an orchestrated version of the song played when Asuka was [[MindRape psychically violated]] in the original. Because it takes place in a [[MindProbe mind space]] between the two, they're effectively doing a more benevolent version of the same thing: sifting through his mind to get at the root of the problem and facing it head on.
* Hideaki Anno [[WordOfGod himself]] describes Mari as someone whose existence marks a "break" in a conventional ''Evangelion'' story. This is shown in more ways than one. While this initially manifests in her more upbeat and less neurotic personality, which makes her come off feeling somewhat ''off'' compared to the rest of the cast, [[spoiler:by ''3.0+1.0'', this extends to how she stands out as recognizable even in Gendo's sketchy flashback sequences during Instrumentality, to say nothing of how she's old enough to have known him and Yui in college. Altogether, her very presence, on top of her actions, prove crucial in Shinji breaking the cycle and finally moving on.]]
* Misato using the Wunder [[spoiler:to create a new Spear for Shinji to use]] takes on even more significance. Though granted, [[spoiler:Mari and her Eva play a major role in crafting it]], the bulk of its completion, and the proverbial thrust, are done with "legacy" equipment such as the ship's conventional engines, meaning technology that ''isn't'' reliant on Angels or knowledge of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Which not only drives home how [[spoiler:the Spear is wholly created by humans, but also how mankind is more than capable of moving forward without Evangelions.]]

* The reason why Gendo is able to [[spoiler: effortlessly throw Shinji around like a ragdoll during their fight? At this point, Gendo has ascended to godhood and has an Evangelion designed to counter Shinji's. The scene itself completely deconstructs ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer, with Gendo pointing that violence and fear won't solve the issue. It's only when Shinji is forced to stop fighting and try to understand Gendo that he's able to successfully put an end to the Fourth Impact and create a world without Evangelions.]]
** Additionally, their [[MirrorMatch moves are similar enough]] that [[spoiler: Shinji can't make any progress during the fight due to their similarities. It's very possible that Gendo orchestrated Rei's growing feelings for Shinji so he'd be forced to understand how he felt when he lost Yui. Much like Gendo, Shinji goes to extreme lengths in order to be with the person they loved but whereas Gendo is unable to move on, Shinji accepts his loss and appreciates the time he spent with Rei.]]
* Though it seems completely out of left field that Shinji would [[spoiler: end up with Mari]], it actually works out. The first thing she says to Shinji is that she likes how he smells, a very forward hint of her attraction to him. Her being against him in 3.0 is only due to it being her job to stop Fourth Impact. In the final film, she has a pet name for him, goes out of her way to protect him and she's the last person he meets before the ending.

* Kaji's joke-flirting with [[spoiler: Shinji]]. Admittedly hilarious the first time you see it, but halfway towards the fridge is when you realize Kaji [[spoiler: came on to a 14-year-old boy!]] Even as a joke, very DudeNotFunny. And any judge would be inclined to agree.

** And of course, their loved one is genetically speaking [[spoiler:''the same person'']].

* Wondering why Unit 01 [[spoiler:crushed Unit 03's entry plug in its mouth instead of its fist]] this time? Wondering how [[spoiler:Asuka is in good enough shape to continue as a pilot in part 3 even after being inside the plug as it was crushed]] whereas [[spoiler:Toji was crippled for life (and even ''died'' in the manga)]]? Try this little experiment- take a pencil or some other long, thing object and squeeze it in your fist. Note which parts are under pressure. Now, pulling your lips back as far as you can, insert the pencil in your mouth sideways until its past your incisors and bite down on it. Again, note which parts are under pressure. [[spoiler:By crushing the entry plug in its jaws rather than its fist, Unit 01 ''avoided'' seriously crushing the middle part where Asuka was sitting, resulting in her injuries being comparatively minor compared to Toji's. Far more shocking, but far ''less'' brutal!]]

* Part of the reason why Shinji invoked Instrumentality in the original show was because [[spoiler:he ''thinks'' everyone secretly resents or hates him, given his self-doubt and lack of self-esteem. With 3.0 showing that this idea has become reality, it's a guarantee that ''everyone'''s going to be fucked if Shinji gets into the same position he had in [=EoE=]. Might also serve as a NiceJobBreakingItHero towards WILLE]].
* In the original series, Ritsuko destroyed all of the Rei clones as part of her mental breakdown, which meant Gendo was forced to depend only on Rei III; [[spoiler: in 3.0 it's stated that there were multiple clones of Rei over the 14 years of TimeSkip.]] this means aswell that [[spoiler: Gendo doesn't have to depend on Rei Q to start Instrumentality.]]
* The extent of Gendo's manipulation [[spoiler: as of 3.0]] can count as this.
** First, [[spoiler: the mere existence of WILLE, given the TimeSkip of 14 years and the implied continous fighting]], one would wonder why didn't he finished them off, the answer? [[spoiler: to ensure Shinji's isolation and eventual breaking. Since WILLE is shown to be formed of ex-members of NERV and after [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt certain events]] the majority of them only shows hostility towards him]], which in turn means that the only people who were close enough to him no longer are and that they're unwlling to tell him anything of what happened or even care for him.
** Second, the relationship between Shinji and Rei; Gendo pushed them to get closer from the shadows through the first two movies, as a result at the end of 2.0, Shinji's attempts to save her due to this also brought [[spoiler: the awakening of Eva-01 and Third Impact]] as a side effect, which was exactly what Gendo had planed. By 3.0 [[spoiler: it's shown that it wiped out a great amount of people and completely destroyed the biosphere and has earned Shinji, as stated above, the hatred of his past partners and friends]], the eventual rescue of [[spoiler: Rei Q]] exploits his previous and current relationships and the lack of information to Nerv's benefit. Afterwards, the GutPunch is delivered by [[BeleagueredAssistant Fuyutsuki]], the Rei he knew is [[spoiler: dead or trapped in Eva-01, and the Rei that he interacted with is only one of many clones of her]] effectively destroying most of Shinji's remaining sanity and any attempt of him to get close to her.
** Third and finally, the eventual friendship of Shinji and [[spoiler: Kaworu]], given his true desire to help Shinji and humanity as a whole, he reveals the truth of what happened [[spoiler: 14 years ago, which also is the reason of WILLE hate of Shinji]], and, as the revelations almost crush Shinji, he becomes his LivingEmotionalCrutch and sets off with him to pilot [[spoiler: Eva-13 and save the world, however, when they arrive at Central Dogma, Kaworu realizes too late that they were set up to begin the Fourth Impact and, thanks to Shinji's desperation and Asuka's lack of will to talk]], they fell into Nerv's trap. It gets worse as [[spoiler: Kaworu is forced to act as the final angel and becomes the trigger of Fourth Impact, to prevent it, he makes a HeroicSacrifice]] that takes any remain of Shinji's sanity and allows [[spoiler: Eva-13's awakening]].
** Still here? the only WildCard that remain are Asuka and [[spoiler: Rei-Q]], and as the end of 3.0 hints (Shipping aside),[[spoiler: it will be Shinji's eventual relationship with either of the two in 4.0]] which will determinate the fate of the world.
* Asuka's relationship with Shinji after the [[spoiler: TimeSkip: if her actions indicate anything it's that she doesn't outright hate him, but the years of fighting and living in a wasteland had made her unable not to hurt him. This means also that their relationship is just as bad if not worst than near the end of the original series]].
* The [[spoiler: Curse of Eva]]. It never gets explained what it causes, but the possibilities aren't pretty.
** It simply [[spoiler: halts the growth of those that suffer from it]]. In this case, [[spoiler: Asuka, Shinji and Mari]] will be the doomed to always be [[spoiler: a teenager, and will never mature physically and, in part, mentally]].
** It makes the body [[spoiler: reflect the mental age of the one who suffers from it]], the implications behind this is that [[spoiler: neither Asuka or Mari have truly matured in the 14 years of TimeSkip]].

* [[spoiler:Now that both of his parents have pulled a HeroicSacrifice, Ryoji is now an orphan.]]
* When you take the ending of Thrice Upon a Time into account, [[spoiler: Gendo's ultimate goal boils down to an elaborate suicide where he can finally be with Yui in death. With Shinji's help, he succeeds and before that, Gendo has no problems with taking most of the world's population with him.]]

* Here's one that comes from the movies' entire premise; "What if Anno made the series in his new, happier state?" Simple. It becomes even worse for the characters. Depression, cynicism and pessimistic philosophy can serve as defence mechanisms, these slowly break your will, yes, but also allow you to predict the future and prepare for the worst, therefore keeping you from feeling the full impact. [[WideEyedIdealist Optimists]], on the other hand, are much more unprepared and thus corruptible by the harsh realities, randomness and surprises of life, once [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished they learn the hard way]] that [[CrapsackWorld life isn't fair]], [[DeConstruction everything comes tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down....]] \\
In the Rebuild movies, Shinji wasn't a pessimist. He was actually on the rise; never well adjusted, perhaps, but rational, and slowly becoming happy. When the realities of the NGE series hit him, they hit Rebuild!Shinji a hundred-fold harder than NGE!Shinji. As a result, he was plunged far deeper into emotional pain. Think of it like having farther to fall, or that while NGE!Shinji was always low in emotional happiness and sanity, his depression kept him braced from falling much further. Rebuild!Shinji was climbing up... And so when [[DespairEventHorizon the end of 2.0 and all of 3.0 hit,]] he fell. All the way to the bottom. '''That''' is how you BreakTheCutie and invoke a HeroicBlueScreenOfDeath.

** Additionally, their [[MirrorMatch moves are similar enough]] that [[spoiler: Shinji can't make any progress during the fight due to their similarities. It's very possible that Gendo orchestrated Rei's growing feelings for Shinji so he'd be forced to understand how he felt when he lost Yui. Much like Gendo, Shinji goes to extreme lengths in order to be the person they loved but whereas Gendo is unable to move on, Shinji accepts his loss and appreciates the time he spent with Rei.]]

Though Rei is good to Shinji and is affectionate toward him, this is mixed in with her being created from his mother's DNA and her lack of autonomy. Due to the implications, the healthiest relationship with Rei would either be platonic or LikeBrotherAndSister, avoiding the psuedo-incestious implications entirely.
In Asuka's case, her blunt and abrasive demeanour makes her attraction obtuse to spot at ''best'', and her willingness to assault Shinji puts a damper on any healthy relationship between the two. If anything, Asuka and Shinji would be either VitrolicBestBuds, Shinji's sparring partner or a training coach to help him get stronger.
Kaworu, though wanting to make Shinji happy, does so at the cost of his own happiness. Though it's admirable that he's willing to help Shinji through his problems and even teach him how to play a piano, his self-sacrificing nature and his Shinji-centric matyrdom would make any relationship beyond the platonic self-destructive in the long run.

[[AC:Fridge Brilliance]]

[[AC:Fridge Horror]]

* When you take the ending of Thrice Upon a Time into account, [[spoiler: Gendo's ultimate goal boils down to an elaborate suicide where he can finally be with Yui in death. With Shinji's help, he succeeds and before that, Gendo has no problems with taking most of the world's population with him.]]

** Additionally, their [[MirrorMatch moves are similar enough]] that [[spoiler: Shinji can't make any progress during the fight [[NotSoDifferent due to their similarities.]] It's very possible that Gendo orchestrated Rei's growing feelings for Shinji so he'd be forced to understand how he felt when he lost Yui. Much like Gendo, Shinji goes to extreme lengths in order to be the person they loved but whereas Gendo is unable to move on, Shinji accepts his loss and appreciates the time he spent with Rei.]]

* [[spoiler:Now that both of his parents have pulled a HeroicSacrifice, Ryoji is now an orphan.]]

* From those not familiar with Evangelion series as a whole, Shinji befriending Kaworu in 3.0 who is heavily hinted from the start that he's not 'normal' can feel a bit out of place. (For example, magically fixing cassette player or doing nothing but play piano) But at this point Shinji not longer cares about ''anyone'', be it himself, his former friends, NERV or his dad.

* Hideaki Anno [[WorldOfGod himself]] describes Mari as someone whose existence marks a "break" in a conventional ''Evangelion'' story. This is shown in more ways than one. While this initially manifests in her more upbeat and less neurotic personality, which makes her come off feeling somewhat ''off'' compared to the rest of the cast, [[spoiler:by ''3.0+1.0'', this extends to how she stands out as recognizable even in Gendo's sketchy flashback sequences during Instrumentality, to say nothing of how she's old enough to have known him and Yui in college. Her very presence, on top of her actions, prove crucial in Shinji breaking the cycle and finally moving on.]]

* In 3.0 + 1.0 Thrice Upon A Time, during the long awaited scene of [[spoiler: Gendo and Shinji]] having a sit down talk together, it plays an orchestrated version of the song played when Asuka was [[MindRape psychically violated]] in the original. Because it takes place in a [[MindProbe mind space]] between the two, they're effectively doing a more benevolent version of the same thing: sifting through his mind to get at the root of the problem and facing it head on.