BernardoCairo wrote:Take a look at the session numbers yourself:
2199 ≠ 2200
I appreciate you checking in with Reichu about this, and I will try to sit back and soak up the broader aspects of this theory holistically this weekend, but in this reply I'll focus only on the Simulation Take numbers. I have struggled to understand the difference between Takes 2199 and 2200 for years, and I'm not satisfied that they're meant to identify two different simulation "sessions", such as a first session by Asuka 0278 and a second (whether or not occurring at the same time) by Asuka 0313.
In the simulation sequence, we're shown wireframe action through seven different cameras, CAM:01 through CAM:07, such that each camera shows a six-second scenario in which a red-wireframe Eva 02 defeats two blue-wireframe enemies α and β, the timer resets, and then shows an eleven-second scenario in which Eva 02 defeats eight more enemies. Only four cameras are active in the six-second scenario, but all seven are active in the following eleven-second scenario. We're also shown a nervous Asuka before the six-second scenario, an Asuka's trigger finger during the eleven second scenario, and finally a smiling Asuka after the eleven-second scenario.
There are two reasons I'm not satisfied that the entire simulation sequence, with its Takes 2199 and 2200 and its six- and eleven-second scenarios, is meant to identify different sessions by different Asukas:
1) I'm convinced the wireframe action depicted through all seven cameras is perfectly, totally identical. That is, although we see the action from seven different perspective, each is always showing us exactly the same combat taking place.
Admittedly, I do think it's possible that the simulated blue-wireframe enemies would behave exactly the same way even across multiple sessions with multiple Asukas, because they are probably implemented as computer programs. But I just don't think two Asukas would interact identically with computer-program enemies across every session. Even though they would both be attempting to win the battle royale by behaving perfectly, each clone will still behave a little differently. After all, that's how all but one (or two) are eliminated!
Do we see identical sequences in other parts of the franchise? Sure: In NGE Asuka and Shinji learn to fight in unison to defeat Israfel, and that episode probably show Units 01 and 02 mirrored and acting identically. In NTE, earlier in 3+1 Asuka and Mari might have similar mirrored visuals when their Evas are diving on neo-NERV HQ over the pole. So, I'm happy to look for and recognize mirrored or identical imagery in the franchise where the animators are deliberately showing us "two are one" somehow. But in this simulation sequence, the action is too perfectly identical for me to believe in the two sessions interpretation. It's much simpler to believe that all seven cameras are showing us six- and eleven-second scenarios in a single session by a single Asuka.
2) One of the cameras migrates leftward from Take 2200 to 2199 in the eleven-second scenario. During the earlier six-second scenario, we only see four cameras: CAM:01 and CAM:03 stay on the left side with Take 2199, and CAM:02 and CAM:04 stay on the right side with Take 2200. However, after the timer resets to zero, the eleven-second scenario starts by showing us all seven cameras: CAM:01 and CAM:06 on the left side with Take 2199, and CAMs:02 through :05 and :07 on the right side with Take 2200. We see the trigger pull, and then when we return to the cameras (now reduced back down to four in total) CAM:03 has migrated from Take 2200 leftward to Take 2199. It doesn't make any sense to me that CAM:03 would migrate between Takes if they're actually showing different sessions, especially different sessions happening at the same time. Why would the animators show this camera migration if they wanted to communicate the idea of different sessions with different Asukas?
Six-second scenario, four cameras from start to finish, no camera migration.
Eleven-second scenario before the trigger pull, showing all seven cameras.
Eleven-second scenario after the trigger pull, showing four cameras. CAM:03 has migrated leftward from Take 2200 to 2199.
In summary, I find myself unable to ascribe any significance to the Simulation Take labels in the simulation sequence. They might as well say Left and Right instead, or Previous Page and Next Page as though this is a web user interface. If the animators really wanted to show us different "sessions" with different Asukas, they would have done so in a different way.