A Crown of Stars / Characters

The main cast of A Crown of Stars, both returning and original.

Do note that several characters, particularly the leads, are based off of characters from Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, this page deals with the characterization tropes found in A Crown of Stars and, by extension, the fic it is a sequel from: "A Throne of Bayonets".

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Shinji and Asuka

The main characters; Shinji and Asuka have had led difficult lives. The 3rd and 2nd child (respectfully) of NERV's Evangelion project, both had traumatic childhoods involving Parental Abandonment, battles with the monstrous Angels, and eventually The End of the World as We Know It in the form of the Third Impact. Things haven't been much better in the years since then, trying to survive in the battered remains of their world, and the various warlords that popped up afterwards.

General

Audience Surrogate: They fulfill this role in the chapters set in Avalon, showing what it would be like stepping in other universe where you can find your divine rulers sunbathing while you are strolling in a beach shortly after travelling through time and space, driving a real Transforming Mecha, getting reunited with dead relatives and finding all kind of odd-looking aliens.
Battle Couple: They often fight together and that is when they are more effective.
Broken Hero: Shinji and Asuka were severely traumatized due to deep childhood trauma and being children fighting a war they did not understand. They tried to save the world but at the end they were so broken that Shinji let it die. Their lives got worse during the next years while they tried survive in a devastated world ruled by warlords, but after getting help and an improved outlook they are again fighting to save their world.
Can't Live with Them, Can't Live Without Them: An extreme form, at first.
Conveniently an Orphan: They were chosen as pilots because they were orphans... and their mothers were inside their robots.
Dented Iron: They went through a medical check-up the second day they were in Avalon, and the doc was distressed by what she found. Both of them had signs of malnutrition, nerve damage in several areas, numerous signs of emotional and mental trauma, and assortment of old injuries and scars ( Asuka still bared the marks from her fight with the MP Eva's and was nursing a recently healed gunshot wound to the gut, while Shinji had several broken ribs, a broken arm, and a hairline skull fracture from when Winthrop and his goons nearly beat him to death 3 years ago).
High-School Sweethearts: They met in middle school and got married when they were twenty... after numerous, extremely traumatic events.
I Miss Mom: Shinji and Asuka decided to follow Daniel mainly because he promised he would give them their mothers back.
It's Personal: They have very important personal reasons to want to topple Jinnai (such like being forced to work for him and his former boss for four years during which they were mistreated and Asuka turned into a toy).
Kid Hero All Grown-Up: The story happens several after the Angel War. Shinji and Asuka are now in their early twenties.
Loners Are Freaks: Due to the events of NGE, Shinji and Asuka were too worn out and damaged to relate to other people, and as a result most folks gave them a wide birth unless they wanted something from them. This got worse after Winthrop "acquired" them, since no one would dare to incur his wrath for messing with his pet pilots. However, this isolation later gets turned to their advantage when circumstances force them to fake a presence on the UN Fleet dispatched to South America.
Love Makes You Dumb: They develop a rather "enthusiastic" relationship in later chapters; probably making up for years of Belligerent Sexual Tension. However, they get so wrapped up in their passion that they forgot a few things like using birth control, or that Asuka's future self had been Pregnant when they meet. The inevitable finally occurs in chapter 67, and both agree that they should have seen this coming.
Asuka: (Now what, Sohryu? I’m so fucking smart, now what do I do? I’ve been bragging to myself about beating fear and deciding my own fate for weeks now. I think fate just punched back.)
Mandatory Motherhood: Shinji and Asuka didn't plan on having children, but when Shinji got her pregnant, they decided to become parents.
Missing Mom: They lost their mothers when they were barely four. When Daniel tells both pilots he can bring them back and promises to do so, they agree to trust him and go with him.
No Social Skills: They never got any social skills, but their capability to interact with other people got even worse in the post-apocalyptic world. They were nearly completely withdrawn and insolated when Daniel met them.
Oblivious to Love: A lot of the troubles Shinji and Asuka faced in the past and many of their traumas are rooted in their inability to realize each other's feelings, believing she hated him/he was not interested in her, and missing all hints stating otherwise. Late in the history, Asuka wonders whether their lives might have been different if he would have noticed her hints or she would have been more sincere and less prideful.
Orphan's Ordeal: They led tough lives after their mothers' deaths. Their fathers abandoned them, a shady organization forced them to fight a war against alien monsters, they died, outlived the end of the world and had to survive in a wrecked, desolated world inhabited by warlords, thugs and rapists...
Parental Abandonment: Shinji and Asuka's fathers dumped them by the side of the road shortly after their mothers' deaths before they were four. Fifteen years later they are still traumatized about it.
Shell-Shocked Veteran: They have endured so much misery, pain and trauma after long years of conflict that when Daniel comes along they are barely functional. They are bitter, jaded and soul-weary and not looking forward to the future. And they are not even nineteen.
Supernaturally Young Parent: At one point they meet Misato Ikari, daughter of their Avaloni counterparts. They are nineteen, she is over fifty, and she has children older than them.
Took a Level in Badass: After getting much needed pshychological counseling and a brand-new Humongous Mecha, they go from two wretches barely capable to fight for their lives to commanders of an army.
Took a Level in Cheerfulness:
- At the beginning Asuka was mentally broken, exhausted, bitter and angry with everyone and everything. When she arrived on Avalon people cared about her offered counseling and helped her to set several things right, and Asuka's mood improved considerably. When Shinji saw her again after several hours he was shocked because she was acting more like the bold, cheerful girl she was when he met her.
- Shinji, too. Hooking up with his life's love, getting his mother, family and friends back and fighting for a worthy cause -for once- cheered him up tremendously.
Trauma Conga Line: Since they were three they have endured parental abandonment and abuse, been turned into child soldiers, got constantly beaten and mind-raped, actually died and outlived the end of the world, survived in a devastated world, became several warlords' toys... and still they have won a war against alien monsters and overthrown a dictator, and they are helping to topple another and rebuild their world.

Shinji Ikari

"I’m done with small, Asuka. Me trying to be small is what got us the world we had. I always tried to curl up in a ball and shut out the whole world, like it would stop bothering me if I was small enough. I’m done. I got to see my mother today for the first time since I was three years old. I got to punch my father in his stupid face. If this is a dream or I’m going crazy or whatever, I’m going to take advantage of it. This is my chance to undo some of the damage I did by being small. I’m going to take it."

The main character of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and male lead of A Throne of Bayonets and A Crown of Stars. Now 20 years old, Shinji is a troubled young man. He was at the center of Third Impact and blames himself for current state of their world.

Action Dad: Shinji is this to his daughter. He hates fighting, but if someone threatens Asuka and their baby, he'll jump in his battle mecha or have on his Powered Armor and will blow stuff up.
Always Save the Girl: Throughout the story Shinji realizes he would burn the world down to save Asuka or punish those hurt her. The realization of being just like his father shakes him very badly.
The Atoner: He blames himself for the state of the world and Asuka's suffering, so that he wants to repair his world and help Asuka or being there for her at least.
Beware the Nice Ones: Shinji is a soft-spoken and kindhearted young man who abhors violence... but he's also got a vicious temper that put's Asuka's ferocity to shame. This is, after all, the same guy who went on a rampage after the debacle with the 13th angel, and also beat the crap out of the Angel of Might. Thankfully, this side of him rarely comes out; It usually takes a very specific trigger, such as physically harming his loved ones (particularly Asuka), but it does happen, and it's frighting as hell.
Shinji: “We… when we were talking about Don Barceló, and what to do with him? And you said he was like the ones who hurt you? When you said that, I… I wanted to burn him.”
- Shinji was horrified when he learned this about himself. He'd always been somewhat aware of it, but the incident with Don Barceló really brought it to the forefront, and it frightened to no end becasue it could very easliy lead him down the same path his father took. However, bringing it out in the open allows him to start coming to terms with it.
Asuka: (after giving the rundown on Jinnai’s forces) "Anything I missed?"
Shinji: "Keep me away from Jinnai if we ever see him again, or I think I'll try to rip his face off,"
[looks up to see that everyone's staring at him]
Shinji: "I'm sorry. Did I say that out loud?"
- He nearly makes good on this threat in the finale.
Broken Hero: He tried to save the world in the original series, even if he hated to fight, but at the end he was so broken he let it die.
Calling the Old Man Out: Shinji skips the talking part and straight up decks Gendo upon their reunion. Afterwards, Shinji refuses to have anything to do with his father, even though Gendo's had time to think about what he's done and is making a genuine effort to become a better person.
Devoted to You: Shinji is fully devoted to Asuka. When Ching talks to Asuka, she points out that no woman keeps his attention for longer than five seconds before he's looking at Asuka again. Throughout the story he repeatedly tells the red-haired girll that he belongs to her.
Eating the Eye Candy: He can not take his eyes off Asuka for more than a few minutes.
Innocent Blue Eyes: Shinji has clear-blue eyes, and he used to be an innocent, nice boy before the War, the end of the world and living in the wastelands.
Male Gaze: Has repeatedly been caught staring at Asuka, either her face in whatever she's dressed in, or her ass. Askua doesn't mind; hell, she expects it of him.
Must Make Amends: His main motivation to not leave Asuka alone ever again is making up for what happened when he abandoned her. He also joins the Avalon Army even though he hates to kill because he wrecked his world and he thinks this is his chance to make things right.
These Hands Have Killed: Being forced to kill Kaworu deeply affected and shocked Shinji. For a long time he refused to kill, even in self-defense.

Asuka Langley Sohryu

“I don’t care what you think, [...] I’m happier now than I’ve been since you and fucking Commander Ikari blew up the world. I’ve gone through more shit in the last four years than any person should have to face in their whole lives, while you played Gott-in-Heaven here. You don’t get to decide my life.”

Female lead of Evangelion, A Throne Of Bayonets and this story. Her mother went crazy after an experiment and later committed suicide. Shortly after her father abandoned her when she was barely four. In reaction Asuka strove to become the best to that people paid attention to her.

Ace Pilot: Asuka was her squad's best pilot, with the greater number of kills. During a scene Ching praises her performance during the battle of the Geofront and when she and Shinji used a barely-moving prototype mecha in Germany to fight and defeat several fully-functional MP-Evas. Later she has a new Transforming Mecha and kicks butts with it.
All Take and No Give: Her relationship with Shinji was this. Seeing through it and eventually getting over it helped her (and him) come to a Love Epiphany.
Attention Whore: Since she was four Asuka had sought other people's attention and praise as a way to validate her existence. Even after her mind and her body had been thoroughly broken and her pride shattered she still craved for acknowledgement and she was glad when she had a chance to show off.
Broken Ace: Asuka is beautiful, brave, a great fighter, an excellent pilot, a certified genius... and is inwardly broken due to deep childhood trauma, becoming a child soldier, getting beaten, mind-raped, abandoned and defiled before the Apocalypse, getting turned into a pawn in someone else's wars and a plaything after the Apocalypse...
Broken Bird: Her mother went crazy, stopped to recognize her and committed suicide. Her father cheated on her mother and abandoned Asuka as soon as Kyoko died. In response Asuka tried to become stronger and more self-reliant.
Can't Live with Them, Can't Live Without Them: Her feelings towards Shinji are complex.
Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Winds up and decks Daniel mid-rant in one of their first discussions. Not that it helped things anyhow.
Fiery Redhead: She is short-tempered, passionate, fierce... and her hair is bright-red.
Gamer Chick: Asuka really likes video games. In spite of living in a devastated world, Shinji made a special effort to find rare, new video games for Asuka because he loved seeing her to smile for a change.
Her face would sometimes relax, when they sparred in the dojo, or when they were playing one of Asuka’s favorite diversions, video games. She always seemed pleasantly surprised when Shinji would appear with more of the ridiculously rare functioning games for her systems. She always asked him why he spent so much on her toys. He never managed to say to her face that it was all worth it to see that wisp of a smile and hear her calling him ‘baka’ again in that softer voice.
Gratuitous German: Slips into using German phrases; usually as profanity, but not all the time (she's very fond of using "Gott" in place of "God, for instance)
Hot-Blooded: After the events of canon and the preceeding story, Asuka was exhausted, soul-weary, burn-out and depressed. As she gets therapy and help, though, she gradually gets her overflowing fire and passion back, now tempered with more wisdom and less rashness.
If It's You, It's Okay: Is perfectly fine with Shinji staring at her (ass or otherwise)
Icy Blue Eyes: Asuka has ocean-blue eyes... and -at the beginning- a very harsh, cold, bitter personality due to severe, non-stop trauma.
Leg Focus: Asuka's legs are often Shinji's focus. In chapter 25, while they are having a serious -and, for once, civil- talk, Shinji has to force himself to not spend the whole time ogling to her legs:
Asuka was waiting for him. Wrapped in a blood-red bathrobe and towel, she was curled up in the bed like a ruby cat, slender fingers tapping gently together as she watched him like a hawk as he carried the tray in. Good gods, she looked hot. Her oh gods long, smooth legs peeking out from the edge of the robe were—‘FOCUS, Ikari!’ He saw her eyebrow rise when she spotted the rose.
Mystical Pregnancy: Although Shinji and Asuka conceived a child in the usual fashion, due the circumstances surrounding the event (they conceiving their baby on Their First Time while they were staying in a Magic Land and under the favour of its divine rulers) the child would be special. Unlike other examples of this trope, the female character is not diminished or turned into a mere superpowered-baby-making machine because Asuka's pregnancy is a very secondary subplot starts late in the story, and the plot and character development does not revolve around it.
Red Is Heroic: She is a redhead who always wears red. Always. Even her newest war mecha is red.
Sour Outside, Sad Inside: Surviving in a post-apocalyptic world had aggravated Asuka’s mental scars. Outwardly she was harsher, angrier and more jaded; inwardly she was utterly broken, depressed and self-loathing.
The "I Love You" Stigma: Although they became a couple after Shinji's Love Confession, Asuka did not tell Shinji she loved him right away because she was unsure of her feelings and she was afraid of loving and getting attached to someone after years of emotional and even sexual abuse.
Took a Level in Idealism: After arriving on Avalon she slowly became more optimistic and hopeful.
Took a Level in Kindness: After getting therapy and counselling, Asuka starts being nicer as she gradually gets over her worst issues and learns she can trust other people (specially Shinji).
Virgin Tension: Asuka was Winthrop and Jinnai's plaything for years. Daniel rewrote the past so she never had actual sex and was free to give her virginity and herself to someone she cared for. It's repeatedly stated afterwards that she was now pure "again".
You Do NOT Want To Know: When Lord Verfico mentions that it takes a decade or two to get promoted, Shinji asks how old he is. Asuka -who aready knows people in Avalon live hundreds of even thousands of years- says he does not want to know. A short while later Shinji asks anyway, and when she tells him, he agrees he did not want to know.
Verfico: “Mmm, a decade or two, if you’re in a very active unit, or if you’re a hot-shot hero like you two were. I’ve seen your records, you two would have made rank quickly given what your war was like.”
Shinji: “A decade or two? But… that’s… How old are you?”
Asuka: “Don’t ask, Third. You don’t want to know.”

Alternate Self Their Analogues

Daniel: "In the continuum of infinite universes, you run into yourself more often than you’d think, though I admit, I didn’t expect to see another pair of you here, Shinji, Asuka."

A fact of life in Avalon, due to all the Time-Travel and Universe hopping, is that you will inevitably run into yourself at some point, or even your descendants. Shinji and Asuka (the pair this story follows) have encountered over the course of the story, Their selves from The Way Out is Through, versions of themselves from 6 months in the future, and even the (or their?) daughter of another Shinji and Asuka who have been in Avalon for a lot longer than they have. And it's been all but stated that there are more of their analogues running around the Empire.

Alternate Self: Meet your future self.
The Cameo:
- Shinji and Asuka from The Way Out is Through fanfic.
- Strypgia also considered giving the Asukas and Shinjis from "Aoi" and "I Knew Him When" cameos as some of the other 'patients' Ching was looking after on the Constellation Island, but he dropped the idea.
Future Me Scares Me: Shinji and Asuka were pretty freaked out after seeing their six-months-older selves. Happy-looking, married and expecting a baby? Unthinkable!
I Hate Past Me: Subverted. Their older selves did not hate them... but enjoyed to poke fun at them. Older Asuka criticised her younger self for refusing opening up to Shinji and admitting she felt lonely and afraid, and admitedly screwed with her head because she knew her younger self needed to snap out of her self-destructive mindset.
In Spite of a Nail: One thing all Shinji and Asuka's alternate selves have in common: they are together.
Marry Them All: "The Way Out Is Through" Shinji and Asuka are told by Daniel that option is legal and available in Avalon if Asuka and Shinji's formerly late fiancée agree to share.
Mercy Kill: Before being rescued by Avalon troops, "The Way Out Is Through" Shinji had been tortured to the point he was dying, forcing Asuka (who had gone to rescue him) to give him a swift death (and then he got better).
"We got to Shinji, but he was, was..." Tears began to drip onto their joined hands. "...dying. We gave him mercy... He died in my arms."
Other Me Annoys Me: "The Way Out Is Through" Shinji and Asuka got them even more freaked out due to their downright miserable pasts.

Avalon

Avalon is a Multiverse spanning empire led by Physical God Daniel.

General

Badass Army: The Avalon Army is vast, comprised of well-trained Super Soldiers, some of them with Psychic Powers, and equipped with all sci-fi imaginable weaponry.
Badass Family: Daniel and his family are the rulers of Avalon. Daniel and Rayana ascended to godhood several millennia ago, and their numerous descendants are Physical Gods or humans with divine blood. All of them have reality-warping, magical and/or psychic powers, have military training and lead their army from the frontlines.
Bizarre Alien Senses: The Avaloni Imperial Tribes have especial senses: Star Borns as Ching can feel when others are close and have aura-reading abilities, whereas Blood Borns can feel physical proximity.
Good Is Not Soft:
- The people of Avalon are pretty nice and kind. Their enemies are the kind of people prone to mistake goodness and compassion for weakness and folly. Every time they have fought them, though, the Avalon folk have proved they are not pushovers.
  - To the point where they give the people who want to attack them Avalon's coordinates and plans for portal generators to get them there. Of course, that is where the bulk of the fleet is stationed, as well as being the center of their rulers' power...
- This is especially applicable to their divine rulers, Daniel and Rayana. They are compassionate, kind monarchs, driven to help everyone in need and committed to protect their subjects. Threaten or hurt innocents, though, and... it is told that Daniel sometimes shows mercy, but Rayana doesn't do it. Whoever harms children finds out why she is the patron deity of Mama Bears.
Mildly Military: When they are off-duty, the army's soldiers and even commanding officers are pretty laid-back and often enjoy quipping or poking fun at each other. When they are on-duty or attending an official ceremony, though, they are downright serious and profesional.
No One Gets Left Behind: This is one of the rules of the Avalon Imperial Army: they never abandon a comrade. Their motto is "Numquam Soli. Semper, Sumus Legio", which means in Latin "Never Alone. Always, We Are Legion".
Outside-Context Problem: To Jinnai and the other warlords ruling the post-apocalyptic world. Jinnai is a military dictator, prepared to deal with other warlords armed with conventional weaponry... and then Shinji and Asuka, disappear and reappear backed by an army of other dimension armed with several Humongous Mecha and Transforming Mecha, Powered Armors... Has it been mentioned a good number of their soldiers have Psychic Powers?
Really 700 Years Old: Aging is not an issue in the empire.
Spotlight-Stealing Squad: Deliberately Averted. The author knew the Avalon characters could take over the fic unless he was careful, so he kept the focus on Shinji and Asuka.
Stationary Wings: Avaloni people are winged humanoid aliens. When they fly, their wings only flap during the take-off and the landing.

Daniel

The God and leader of Avalon. He took a personal interest in Shinji and Asuka's story, and decided to pull a literal Deus ex Machina to give them a shot at a happy ending. He's the Healer to Rayana's Destroyer.

The Atoner: He will readily tell you that he's not perfect; he's made many mistakes in his long life, one of which lead to the creation of Avalon's greatest enemy.
Badass Cape: He wears a dark blue-and-red cape to match his gold-trimmed blue armor.
Benevolent Boss: He cares for all their subjects and does his utmost to look after them and protect them.
Big Good: He approaches the main characters to offer help them as much as possible. He brings them to their world, helps them to heal their scars and puts an army under their command.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He is "quirky" to say the least. It's deliberately invoked, however, since interacting with people in a friendly and lighthearted manner helps him keep in touch with humanity; that, and anytime Shinji and Asuka see him he usually "off duty".
God-Emperor: He is both his people god and emperor.
God Is Good: Daniel, Rayana and their family are real nice and try to be fair and benevolent. They genuinely love their followers and would do anything for them, and they try to make things right if they mess up.
Happily Married: To Rayana for many, many millennia.
Has a Type: His wife is a very hot redhead.
Physical God: Although he is a god he usually wears a humanoid shape to interact with his followers, subjects or people he intends to help.
Pop-Cultured Badass: Daniel is a gigantic, proud geek who loves referencing movies, books, tv-shows or Disney movies.
Pungeon Master: Provoke the lord of Puns at your own peril.
Surfer Dude: No, really. He talked like this when he was mortal.
Time Abyss: Daniel is 452,388 years old.
Asuka’s brain was still refusing to process that number. He was 452,388 years old?! Stone tools weren’t that old! Fire wasn’t that old!
Try to Fit That on a Business Card:
Daniel: “Sir Daniel Joseph O’Brien, Knight of the Crown, Ranger Prime of the Imperial Rangers, Clan Lord of the O’Briens, King of Primastra, Lord of Ten Billion Suns, Ruler of the Shining Realm, His Most Cosmic Majesty, Emperor of Avalon. I am the government here. Welcome to my place. Can I get you anything?”
Rayana: “Pardon my husband’s exploitation of his myriad titles for amusement value. He likes messing with people like that sometimes."
Turn the Other Cheek: During their first meeting, a still angry and embittered Asuka started ranting at Daniel and straight-up decked him. Daniel barely reacted for better or worse.

Rayana

"Neither madness nor death are allowed to you as an escape, Commander, until your sins are redeemed."

Daniel's significant other and witch goddess of the empire. Patron deity of Mama Bears, she's the Destroyer to Daniel's Healer. Provoke her at your own peril.

Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Just as lighthearted and friendly as her husband, for the same reasons.
Even the Girls Want Her: Even heterosexual women find her hot and sexy.
Fiery Redhead: She is a very passionate, emotional redhead.
Hot God: She is a very bustier, long-haired Fiery Redhead goddess. Magic, Love, Beauty and Motherhood are some of her domains. She is so hot even straight women need a cold shower after seeing her.
Mama Bear: One of her titles is: Lady of Mothers’ Fury. In other words, she is the patrón deity of Mama Bears. She does NOT tolerate child abusers.
Time Abyss: She is slightly younger than Daniel, but she has still lived over 400,000 years.
Try to Fit That on a Business Card:
Rayana: "I’m Dame Rayana Kylise Hart-O’Brien, Knight Commander of the Centre for Covert Multi-Dimensional Operations, Avalon Imperial University Mistress of Musical Arcanum, Imperial Sorceress Supreme, Grand Duchess of Narya, Lady of Mothers’ Fury, Her Most Mystic Majesty, Witch Queen of Avalon. Would you like something to drink?”
Daniel: “Good to have you home, love; So hard to pull off that routine properly without you.”

Ching

Junior Flight Lieutenant of the Blue Ching-Hao Leibshott. Assigned to help Shinji and Asuka adjust to life in New Avalon as a guide, counselor, therapist (if requested), and, above all else, friend.

Cool Big Sis: To Asuka after her arrival to the Empire.
Good-Looking Privates: Oh yeah◊, and she knows it.
"I'm a D-cup and easy on the eyes, I know."

Red Oni, Blue Oni: The more enthusiastic Red to Bir's Blue.
There Are No Therapists: Subverted. She actually is a trained therapist. But she won't act as one unless Shinji or Asuka ask her to.
Warrior Therapist: She's both a soldier and a therapist. In fact, she was initially conceived as therapist helping the Shinji and Asuka from "I Knew Him When" recover.

Sergeant Bir

Senior Sergeant First Class Dalren Bir

Beta Couple: With Ching.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The more reserved Blue to Ching's Red.

"T.J." O'Brien

Lieutenant Thaddeus Jayne Ramius O’Brien, Prince Of The Blood (Meaning he's one of Danial's numerous Great-Grandchildren). His friends call him TJ.

Really 700 Years Old: Subverted. He's 19, much to the surprise of Shinji (who's seen way too many examples of this trope at this point).

Returning Friends and Family

Misato Katsuragi

Shinji and Asuka's former guardian and Commander; back from the grave and ready to help her old charges retake their world.

The Atoner: She was the main characters' figure mother, but she neglected them. As a result, Shinji collapsed completely and Asuka wandered off to find somewhere to die. She is trying to atone for it.
Cool Big Sis: Takes up this role now that Shinji and Asuka are grown adults.
Missing Mom: Her mother passed away twenty years earlier before the beginning of the story, when she was a teenager. When she was told her mother had returned too, she demanded to go to see her right away.
Now, Let Me Carry You: When the crew returns to retake their world she insists on taking riskier front-line roles in operations; such as subduing Don Barceló and leading the assault on the UN Fleet command ship. Her argument is that as one of the few natives in the crew with actual military experience, she's the best person for the job especially since Rei cut off their reinforcements from Avalon. Though is seems the real reason she putting herself in danger is so her former charges won't have to anymore.
Parental Neglect: She was Shinji and Asuka's guardian, and the only living mother figure they had, but she neglected them during latter part of the war. She feels quite guilty about it.
Parental Substitute: She was Shinji and Asuka's guardian and caretaker during the Angel War.

Ryōji Kaji

Back from the Dead: Daniel brought him back after he got shot.
Big Brother Mentor: To Shinji for a while.

Hikari Horaki

Asuka's friend from high school.

Break the Cutie: Hikari was part of the crew that rescued survivors from Don Barceló's torture dungeon. She handled it pretty well, all things considered
The Medic: She was offered the chance to become a mecha pilot, but instead chose to become a medic as she felt that it would be a better fit for her, and she would still be able to support her friends.
Missing Mom: Hikari's mother was also missing due to SEELE. When she got her back, she barely could believe it.

Toji Suzuhara

The Big Guy: Compared with his friends he is pretty big and muscled.
Comically Missing the Point: Chapter 69: "Expecting what?". Toji... what are we going to do with you?

Kensuke Aida

Ascended Fanboy: Finally gets to pilot a Giant Robot! And without the trauma!

Gendo Ikari

Shinji's father. The man has a lot to answer for.

Abusive Parents: He put his only son through a lot, abandoning him right after his wife's death and then summoning him ten years later to blackmail him into piloting a war mecha. And that is only the beginning...
The Atoner: Trying to be, but his son isn't really interested in giving him the chance at the moment.
Bumbling Dad: Played for drama. Now that he's able to function, Gendo's been making efforts to reconnect with his son, and it comes across as surprisingly timid and uncertain; clearly he's got no experience with this kind of thing, but he's trying anyways. None of his attempts have worked however, since Shinji loathes his guts and wants nothing to do with him.
Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: He had a reason. Not a good enough reason, mind you, but he had a reason: he was afraid of Shinji and thought he would screw his son if he tried to raise him because he considered that he was an awful human being; in addition he did not want to get Shinji involved in the War (although it happened anyway).
Easily Forgiven: Averted. Because of his long rap sheet in what he did to Shinji and Asuka, including subjecting them to years of abandonment, abuse, and weaponizing them, neither kids want to forgive him, or are willing to.
Love Redeems: He committed all kind of crimes to get his wife back. Now she is back, and she's told him that if he wants her to forgive him, he must earn Shinji's forgiveness. So he's now giving his all to be a decent person and make amends to his son for abandoning him and abusing him.
No Social Skills: Like Father, Like Son, huh? Though Gendo's even more awkward than his son when it comes to interacting with people.
Reformed, but Rejected: After a long talk with his wife, Gendo sincerely wants to turn a new leaf and make amends. However, neither Shinji nor Asuka are willing to forgive him easily for years of abandonment, abuse and being turned into weapons to win a war.
Thicker Than Water: The reason he's still alive. Gendo had been locked away in a gulag for years and Shinji couldn't bring himself to leave him there, if only for the chance to call him out for all the shit he put the Children through. Shinji's word is also the only thing that's protecting him from Rayana. Don't ask Shinji for an explanation; he's not quite sure either.

Yui Ikari

Shinji's long-lost mother.

The Berserker: When she fights she is very aggressive and blood-thirsty.
Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: Gender-inverted. She, her husband, and Professor Fuyutsuki had originally been trying to stop SEELE by sabotaging their plan from the inside. Unfortunately, the Old Men found out and put a stop to their schemes. After that, Yui knew that she didn't have much time left before they went after her directly, so she fused herself with Unit 01 so that something would be left of the Human race after SEELE's plans came to fruition.
Happily Married: Say what you would about her choice of men and her sanity, but she and Gendo were happy together.
Mama Bear: She was not happy with Gendo when she found out what he had done to their son and the rest of the Children.
Relative Button: If you hurt her children, pray for a swift death.

Rei Ikari

The First Child.

A shard of Lilith's soul trapped inside the cloned body of Yui Ikari, Rei merged with Adam and Lilith's bodies, becoming whole again, ascending to godhood and causing Instrumentality. After Third Impact she remained in the Well Of Souls, taking care of all humans did not choose to return to the physical world.

She is exaggeratedly overprotective of Shinji. It is because that she dislikes Asuka and mistrusts Daniel.

Beware the Quiet Ones: Quiet, unemotional, physically unimposing... and with huge godlike power and a willingness to use it if someone gets her pissed off.
Big Brother Instinct: Inverted because she is female and four years younger than Shinji, but Rei does not like Asuka because she believes that the redhead will just end up hurt Shinji again.
Expendable Clone: Gendo treated her as this while she was alive.
Hopeless Suitor: To Shinji. He is fully committed to Asuka, Rei not even owns a physical body, and she is his sister.
No Social Skills: Her nonexistent social skills later pose a problem because she believes Asuka hates Shinji, so she refuses to help when they need her assistance or at least her non-interference. Shinji guesses that she still has a hard time understanding other people's emotions, even after Instrumentality.

Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu

Asuka's mother.

Back from the Dead: Daniel had the most difficulty bringing Kyoko back; he not only had to bring her body back, but also had to knit the two halves of her soul back together.
Damaged Soul: Played with. Kyoko was barely coherent and mentally sound when she returned from Instrumentality because her soul was still split into several pieces. After she got murdered again, Daniel promised Asuka he could bring her mother back, even if he had to fit the pieces of her soul back together. Asuka was skeptical about it being possible or her mother coming back with no nasty aftereffects, but everything went well.
Parents in Distress: She was rescued by Asuka right when she was about to be executed by a death squad.

Antagonists

Jinnai

Current "United Nations Director" after he stole the title from Winthrop in a coup. Not a very nice man.

Bad Boss: The kind of person who enjoys having power over people.
Big Bad: He's the warlord that presents the biggest threat since he's got aspirations of world domination, the remains of the UN Navy, a stockpile of N2 missiles, and even a functioning Eva Unit (though without Shinji and Asuka, it's useless mostly). Shinji and Asuka also have a personal score to settle with him.
Big Bad Wannabe: He's a major threat to the people on Earth. But he's no match for the Avalonian forces Asuka and Shinji now have at their backs despite Rei's intervention. For them , his defeat is not an uncertainty, it's a guarantee. But he's still nothing to sneeze at since they're trying to keep causalities to a minimum, and they know that he will retaliate, violently, once they make their move.
Bullying a Dragon: He also tried to make a pass on Misato by grabbing her ass and asking if she wanted to get drinks later. She "might have almost" broken his wrist, and also gave him "one hell of a black eye".
Drunk with Power: Has become quite the Tyrant since coming to power... and also very Paranoid.
Entertainingly Wrong: After finding out that Misato was leading the troops captured his fleet under the orders of Shinji and Asuka, Jinnai concludes that the Nerv crew returned from Instrumentality several years ago and have spent the whole time plotting against him. It is not a illogical conclusion but it is still completely wrong because he does not know about Daniel.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Why would Asuka turn on him? Is it because she loves Shinji and wants to protect him? Is it because he is a rapist and a bloody tyrant? Nope, it must be because she is a slut.
From Nobody to Nightmare: Misato actually met him once before the Third Impact He was a Junior Vice-President of a company that tried to sell NERV "an overpriced, second-rate knock-off of the Positron Cannon" that they [NERV] were already developing.
Psycho Supporter: Former Big Bad Winthrop was a psychopath, a rapist and a blood-thirsty dictator. His Dragon with an Agenda -and current Big Bad- Jinnai was a paranoid, megalomaniac, power-thirsty, rapist, raving lunatic. And after replacing his former boss, he got worse.
Romantic False Lead: Asuka was his "voluntary" (hah!) toy for two years. When he found out she was enthusiastically bedding Shinji he went ballistic.
Sanity Slippage: He's been loosing his grip since the Coup. Part of it is because he going on a massive power trip, but mostly it's due to his growing paranoia; he's afraid that someone could do to him what he did to Winthrop.

General Winthrop

Former "United Nations Director" and main antagonist of A Throne of Bayonets, he was also not very nice. One of the more brutal and clever warlords in Europe, Winthrop managed to seize the remnants of NERV-Berlin, its MAGI, a stockpile N2 warheads, and even 3 partially completed Mass Produced Evas. Proclaming himself the new head of the United Nations, he started a campaign to bring the rest of the world under his heel, and "acquired" Shinji and Asuka to use in his new EVA project. He was deposed in a coup by Jinnai and was killed by Asuka at the end of the story.

Bad Boss: He was a post-apocalyptic dictator; What else would you expect?
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Why would Asuka turn on him? Is it because she loves someone else and wants to protect that person? Is it because he is a rapist and a bloody tyrant? Nope, it must be because she is a slut and wants to sleep with another guy.
Posthumous Character: As mentioned above, he's dead. But his horrific treatment of Shinji and Asuka, and the scars it left, plays a major role in the story.
Romantic False Lead: Asuka went to him "voluntarily" (hah!) for protection. She spent over one year as his toy until he tired of her and gave her to Jinnai.

Don Barceló

South American Dictator and quite the sadist.

And I Must Scream: Psychic soldiers put him into a mental loop where he relived every torture, rape and murder he had ever committed - including sensory feeds- from the victim’s point of view. And there were a lot of victims; it was estimated that it take months for him to get through one cycle. A medical clip also prevented him from passing out and dehydrating. It was agreed that they leave him like that for a while and then hang him.
Cold-Blooded Torture: He enjoyed doing this as a hobby.

Characters / A Crown of Stars

Shinji and Asuka

Avalon

Returning Friends and Family

Antagonists

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Characters / A Crown of Stars

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