The mistakes of the average human being don't kill off the human race. Furthermore, when every choice is a bad choice how can you honestly counter them?
Any arguments about whether or not a character is meant to be seen as 'good or evil', portrayed positive or negative representation of the audiences bad tendencies tends to be made utterly insignificant when the character is for all intents and purposes singlehandedly guilty of mass destruction.
When the consequences of a human action is multiplied to an apocalyptic level. It ruins or muddles the whole message. The average person can overcome their problems, addictions and connect with others because he lives in the real world, where small actions have small consequences. The average persons problems don't result in billions of people dying because he makes one bad choice.
So we should never mess up at all because the second we do mess up the world will end and everyone else will hate us forever for it? That's a Space whale Aesop, inconsequential when applied to improving the actions and behavior of real people in the REAL WORLD.
If Shinji had never piloted the robot, and just been another average kid with an asshole father and a dead mom. His actions would have never done harm to anyone but himself and those in his community. In time he'd have either gotten over his issues and learned to connect with others through trial and error that would only effect him and those around him. Or he'd have not even tried and become a selfish introverted asshole like his father.
But thanks to those giant robots, the Trial and Error has apocalyptic consequences. So he was better off being a selfish introverted asshole who never even tried to connect with others to begin with, because all his actions good or ill intent can do is cause destruction and misery for everyone else. Not just the people around him, but everyone, everywhere, on planet earth.
Gendo In EOE wrote:Whenever I'm around Shinji all I do is cause him pain. So I thought it was better if I did nothing at all.
Shinji in EOE wrote: I'm incapable of doing anything good for anybody else! I did something terrible! I killed Kaworu! I'm a horrible person. I'm dishonest and a coward! All I ever do is hurt people. So It's better I do nothing at all!
Misato in Q seems to agree with EOE Shinji.
Misato in Q wrote:From now on you won't be doing anything
Ispellnogood wrote:The position of cool and badass guy who has renouced the world is filled by the hairy scrotum known as Gendo.
and who is Gendo but Shinji all grown up? Better to be a Lion than a Sheep. Better to be a killer than a victim of violence. Better to be the cruelest, unempathizing, and most selfish person in a world that outright refuses to genuinely be kind and empathize with you and not just use you to fufill their own selfish ends.
At least that's Gendo's logic. and Shinji's if he ever became evil.
I don't want Shinji to be evil. But if you only had a choice between one or the other would you rather be a Slave? Or one who enslaves? You can be a slave, and still keep your soul. Or a Slaver and not have to suffer under the whip of others.[/quote]