History Fanfic / EvangelionYouDoNotBelong

* DisappearedDad: Michael's father is notably abscent throughout Michael's entire life. His mom appears to be the only parental figure he's had, and that his father never had any input in his life.

* TragicKeepsake: Michael's plastic cross. [[spoiler: After a very heated argument with his mother, Michael made a cross necklace from bits of trash, using it as an anchor for praying, specifically praying for a better life than the one he has now.]]

* RelationshipUpgrade: Asuka and Michael constantly fight eachother, with them pretty much starting as enemies. However, they slowly grow closer towards one another. Even after [[spoiler: Michael mocks Asuka's mom and strangles her after Touji's death]], they still are really close. Eventually, [[spoiler: Asuka confesses that she likes him, and Michael admits to himself that he always did like Asuka, cementing their relationship as a couple.]] [[spoiler:Unfortuantly, it doesn't last long, as Michael breaks Asuka's heart by saying he would leave and not stay for Asuka, causing her to go into a coma.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: The story ends with Michael deciding to stay in the Evaverse, viewing it as a way for him to protect other people, as well as finally finding love in the form of Asuka. However, Rei and Kawarou leave for unknown reasons, the world is in complete ruin with most of the world being killed due to instrumentality, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Asuka loses her left leg]]. Despite this, the fic ends on a note that the world can be rebuilt and will take time.]]

* MyCountryRightOrWrong: Not ''country'', per se, but universe. Michael, despite how terrible and boring his life is, prefers going back to his universe rather than stay in the Eva one, despite the fact it had brought him friends, a reason to fight, and [[spoiler: even a girlfriend]]. Unfortuantly, his conviction to his home universe causes many terrible things, such as [[spoiler: breaking Asuka's heart after saying he wouldn't stay for her, and slowly dying due to it]]. In fact, he's so convicted to going home that [[spoiler: when Kaworu tells him that he can go back home by causing [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Third-Impact]], he barely even hesitates to commit to it, despite the fact it will kill everyone on the planet, including Asuka.]]

* TheCorrupter: [[spoiler: It's implied that Shinji has been slowly corrupting Michael's desire to return home and amplifying his rage to dangerous levels. judging how Shinji talks with Michael, it's apparent that Michael gets most of his anger from Shinji. Later on, it's made more explicit by how, despite being a fragment, each felt what the other felt, explaining Michael's nihilistic tendincies.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: The story ends with Michael deciding to return home, viewing it as a way for him to protect other people, as well as finally finding love in the form of Asuka. However, Rei and Kawarou leave for unknown reasons, the world is in complete ruin with most of the world being killed due to instrumentality, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Asuka loses her left leg]]. Despite this, the fic ends on a note that the world can be rebuilt and will take time.]]

** Also happens with [[spoiler: Asuka, when she attempts suicide after Michael breaks her heart, by telling her she can't come with him or stay with her.]]
* TheCorrupter: [[spoiler: It's implied that Shinji has been slowly corrupting Michael's desire to return home and amplifying his rage to dangerous levels. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, but judging how Shinji talks with Michael, it's apparent that Michael gets most of his anger from Shinji.]]

* EveryoneCanSeeIt: Pretty much between Michael and Rei. They are extremely close to one another, to the point where other characters can clearly see that they both like eachother, but refuse to admit. Michael personally claims they are JustFriends, but it's blatantly obvious to both the audience and characters that he is ObliviousToLove, both to his [[SelectiveObliviousness own feelings]] and Rei's.

* TheresNoPlaceLikeHome: Michael's main goal. He desperately wants to go home to his home universe, seeing it as his true home instead of the Evaverse. However, this trope is [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] in terms of how utterly selfish such a motive is. While it is reasonable for one to want to go home, Michael is completele unfettered in how to achieve it, and is especially upset when [[spoiler: told he cannot go home by Ritsuko]]. He is so unfettered about going home, that [[spoiler: when given the choice between staying in the Evaverse and causing [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Third-Impact]], Michael barely hesitates to cause Third-Impact, potentially ending not just humanity, but all life on the planet.]]

* TrappedInAnotherWorld: The entire conflict of the story revolves around this trope. Michael desperately wants to get to his home universel and is constantly asking Ritsuko for any updates. Though as the story goes on, it becomes readily apparent that going back would be the worst decision, since not only would he lose all the connections he made in the Eva world and revert to TheAloner, but also be a target of abuse for his mother. The only reason he can give as to why he wants to go back is more of a "MyCountryRightOrWrong" situation, stating that he belongs there and not in the Eva world. [[spoiler: It also becomes a major problem when he breaks Asuka's heart by telling her he would not stay, and instead take the chance to go back, leading her to become hospitalized]]. Ultimately, though, [[spoiler: it doesn't actually matter, as Ritsuko explains that there was never a way for him to go back, making his entire goal [[ShootTheShaggyDog completely pointless and unobtainable]] while also putting Asuka in a coma.]] However, [[spoiler: Kaworu explains that Michael can create a wormhole to travel back home, but the only way to do so is to create ''[[ApocalypseHow Third]]'' ''[[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Impact]]''. Michael, already reaching his DespairEventHorizon, is too apathetic to care about the casualties that will result from it.]]

* YouKnowTheOne: Michael's mom is subjected to this treatment, almost never being referred to as "mom", and only being called "'''she'''" instead.

* MyCountryRightOrWrong: Not ''country'', per se, but universe. Michael, despite how terrible and boring his life is, prefers going back to his universe rather than stay in the Eva one, despite the fact it had brought him friends, a reason to fight, and [[spoiler: even a girlfriend]]. Unfortuantly, his conviction to his home universe causes many terrible things, such as [[spoiler: breaking Asuka's heart after saying he wouldn't stay for her, and slowly dying due to it]]. In fact, he's so convicted to going home that [[spoiler: when Kaworu tells him that he can go back home by causing [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Third-Impact]], he barely even hesitates to commit to it, despite the fact it will kill [[KillEmAll everyone on the planet]], including Asuka.]]

* NominalHero: Michael is pretty much this trope par excellence. It's apparent that Michael possess a very shaky moral compass, with his near UnstoppableRage and willingness to attack pretty much [[FriendOrFoe anyone]] if they piss him off speaks volumes of to how little he values other people. He also does not give a damn about killing others, [[spoiler: whether that be when he first met Touji or his own brother]]. His main goal is also to get back to his home universe, [[TheUnfettered no matter the cost]], even if it means abandoning everyone he has known in the Eva world.[[spoiler: It becomes even more obvious during the later chapters, with how he's willing to cut ties with Misato, and how he is willing to commit ''[[KillEmAll mass extinction of the planet]]'' just to get home to an unwelcoming world, showing how little morality he has left at that point.]]

* StrawNihilist: [[spoiler: By the time Michael learns he can't go back home, his mind takes a deep downward spiral, viewing everything as pointless and fuelling his feelings of not feeling like he can belong. When he learns from Kaworu that he can go back home by instigating [[ApocalypseHow Third Impact]], Michael begins plotting to use Unit-01's power to activate it, and viewing the [[KillEmAll extinction of all life on the planet]] as "phantoms" and something he has to force himself to accept.]]
* TheresNoPlaceLikeHome: Michael's main goal. He desperately wants to go home to his home universe, seeing it as his true home instead of the Evaverse. However, this trope is [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] in terms of how utterly selfish such a motive is. While it is reasonable for one to want to go home, Michael is completele unfettered in how to achieve it, and is especially upset when [[spoiler: told he cannot go home by Ritsuko]]. He is so unfettered about going home, that [[spoiler: when given the choice between staying in the Evaverse and causing [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Third-Impact]], Michael barely hesitates to cause Third-Impact, potentially ending not just humanity, but '''[[KillEmAll all life]]''' on the planet.]]

* WantsToBeHated: Michael views himself as a terrible person, and thus tries to enforce this view onto everyone he interacts with so he can be viewed as a despicable person. It's unclear why he does this, but it's heavily implied it comes from his [[AbusiveParents Mother]], [[spoiler: whose constant verbal and physical abuse has drained his psyche enough that he, despite hating her, actually is startiing to [[{{Gaslighting}} believe her words]]]]. This is later {{Lampshaded}} by [[spoiler: Sumire Nagara, who points out that Michael wants people to hate him for pretending to not care about the people sacrificing themselves for him]].

* AmbiguousDisorder: It's apparent that Michael has issues, to say the least. He constantly puts up a fake smile when he's near Jade even when feeling miserable, prefers being alone in groups, [[spoiler:[[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown nearly killing Touji in anger]]]], [[spoiler:[[CainAndAbel doing the same thing to his brother]]]], and is extremely aversive to interacting with other people. Most of these traits seem to lead him having either Sociopathy or Borderline Personality Disorder, though whether he has either of these disorders is unknown.

* StrawNihilist: [[spoiler: By the time Michael learns he can't go back home, his mind takes a deep downward spiral, viewing everything as pointless and fuelling his feelings of not feeling like he can belong. When he learns from Kaworu that he can go back home by instigating [[ApocolypseHow Third Impact]], Michael begins plotting to use Unit-01's power to activate it, and viewing the [[KillEmAll extinction of all life on the planet]] as "phantoms" and something he has to force himself to accept.]]

* TrappedInAnotherWorld: The entire conflict of the story revolves around this trope. Michael desperately wants to get to his home universel and is constantly asking Ritsuko for any updates. Though as the story goes on, it becomes readily apparent that going back would be the worst decision, since not only would he lose all the connections he made in the Eva world and revert to TheAloner, but also be a target of abuse for his mother. The only reason he can give as to why he wants to go back is more of a "MyCountryRightOrWrong" situation, stating that he belongs there and not in the Eva world. [[spoiler: It also becomes a major problem when he breaks Asuka's heart by telling her he would not stay, and instead take the chance to go back, leading her to become hospitalized]]. Ultimately, though, [[spoiler: it doesn't actually matter, as Ritsuko explains that there was never a way for him to go back, making his entire goal [[ShootTheShaggyDog completely pointless and unobtainable]] while also putting Asuka in a coma.]] However, [[spoiler: Kaworu explains that Michael can create a wormhole to travel back home, but the only way to do so is to create ''[[ApocolypseHow Third]]'' ''[[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Impact]]''. Michael, already reaching his DespairEventHorizon, is too apathetic to care about the casualties that will result from it.]]

* AttemptedSuicide: [[spoiler: Michael cuts himself after not knowing what is real or what is fake after Touji's death, but this [[AvertedTrope isn't actually his attention, and Asuka only mistakes him for trying to kill himself.]]]] However, this ''is'' PlayedStraight with [[spoiler: Asuka, after Michael tells her she can't come with him or stay with her.]]

** [[spoiler: Michael gives one to Asuka, about her need for validation and being a Jerkass. He crosses the line, however, for bringing up her mom and and how she isn't around, which inevitability sets off her BerserkButton. Her crying afterwards in her room is an absolute ''gut-punch''.]]

* SatanicArchetype: [[spoiler: Michael's sheer self loathing causes him to view himself as a demon or the Devil himself. His intense rage and antisocial perosnality causes him to lash out and hurt others as a means to protect himself from being hurt in turn, but only fulls his already weakening mental state. His view of himself even warps Unit-01, becoming the emobdiment of his pure, unfiltered rage and hate towards himself and the world.]]

* AttemptedSuicide: [[spoiler: Michael cuts himself after not knowing what is real or what is fake after Touji's death, but this [[AvertedTrope isn't actually his attention, and Asuka only mistakes him for trying to kill himself.]] However, this ''is'' PlayedStraight with [[spoiler: Asuka, after Michael tells her she can't come with him or stay with her.]]

* StrawNihilist: [[spoiler: By the time Michael learns he can't go back home, his mind takes a deep downward spiral, viewing everything as pointless and fuelling his feelings of not feeling like he can belong. When he learns from Kaworu that he can go back home by instigating [[ApocolypseHow Third Impact]], Michael begins plotting to use Unit-01's power to activate it, and viewing the [[KillEmAll extinction of all life on the planet]] as "phantoms" and something he has to force himself to except]].

* LyingToProtectYourFeelings: Michael pretty much does this whenever he feels sad and not wanting to make others miserable, putting on a fake smile and brushing it off, most notably to Jade. He also does this to Misato [[spoiler:when she asks him if he is happy in Tokyo-3]]. However, this is notably {{Averted}} when [[spoiler: Asuka asks if she can at least come with him if he can't stay in Tokyo-3. This slip ends up resulting breaking Asuka's heart, [[AttemptedSuicide trying to kill herself like in the Anime]], and being sent into a coma.]]

* SelfHarm: [[spoiler: Michael begins to question reality and if his entire situation is a dream or reality. To test this, he cuts himself to see if he feels pain, which he does.]]