Why wasn't Kaworu in the final scene of the anime?

[Princess Asuka]

I was just curious about this I kinda thought he'd be congratulating Shinji too, but I guess I not since he's angel and only appeared for half of 1 episode.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

My take on it is that since he didn't go through instrumentality along with everybody else, he wasn't there in the ending scene. While even the dead go through instrumentality (see EoE), there was nothing to suggest that Kaworu took part in the process.

[NemZ]

The two endings have very different casts of people invited to the instrumentality jamboree once you look past the mains. In that version Kaworu obviously stays dead and is barely mentioned at all.

[Reichu]

While even the dead go through instrumentality (see EoE), there was nothing to suggest that Kaworu took part in the process.

Kaworu was part of GNR, so he went through things to the same extent that Rei did. But it's possible that this hadn't been decided when Anno wrote EoTV, so, like NemZ said, Kaworu stayed dead for that version.

[robersora]

I think the reason is, that Kaworu is an angel and all the angels are defeated. They are dead, and remain dead. Probably the only straight-forward thing about the last Episodes of Evangelion.

[Reichu]

I think the reason is, that Kaworu is an angel and all the angels are defeated. They are dead, and remain dead. Probably the only straight-forward thing about the last Episodes of Evangelion.

Going by NGE2, actually, the Angels' souls participate in Instrumentality.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

But it's possible that this hadn't been decided when Anno wrote EoTV, so, like NemZ said, Kaworu stayed dead for that version.

If I recall, the order goes EoE25 (up to Shinji tripping balls) and then switches to EoTV26. IF that was the case, then Kaworu and Rei may not have done their freaky di-torso thing. Speaking of which, how did GNK get anywhere near GNR?

[Reichu]

Speaking of which, how did GNK get anywhere near GNR?

By sprouting out of her.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Bad phrasing on my part. How was any part of Kaworu in position to become part of GNR?

[Reichu]

Bad phrasing on my part. How was any part of Kaworu in position to become part of GNR?

Either:

(A) following Kaworu's death, Gendo intentionally salvaged Adam's soul back into the embryo, and Rei absorbed both from there

or

(B) Adam's soul was liberated when Kaworu got the crush and just floated around in Terminal Dogma minding its own business; Lilith snatched it when she did her metamorphosis / expansion thing.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Are we fanwanking, or is there evidence for either theory that I've been too stupid to see? Not that I don' like either one; they're both interesting.

[Reichu]

Are we fanwanking, or is there evidence for either theory that I've been too stupid to see?

It's fanwanking by necessity, since Kaworu just kind of ends up in GNR without any explanation whatsoever.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

I would like to think that Theory A is more likely. However, I don't think that Gendo had to put Adam's soul back into his body. I would guess that it may have gone there all on its own.

[pwhodges]

Since Kaworu is killed right there in front of Lilith, I prefer to think his soul found a comfortable lodging on the spot with the nearest thing to a soulmate that there was around. So when Rei merged with Lilith he was already there.

I suppose another option is that his soul went back to the Adam embryo that Gendou had attached, and so when Rei took that she got K's soul as well, and they both went to Lilith.

Either way, I don't see Gendou spending time doing it for himself.

[Reichu]

I would like to think that Theory A is more likely. However, I don't think that Gendo had to put Adam's soul back into his body. I would guess that it may have gone there all on its own.

I'm not sure if a "law of spiritual-corporeal attraction" can really be established for the NGE universe. For instance, when Adam's soul was separated from her body via Second Impact, apparently it never returned to the embryo, and instead Seele salvaged it somehow and put it into Kaworu.

Either way, I don't see Gendou spending time doing it for himself.

Depends on whether Adam's soul is necessary for his plans. Arguably, it is.

[Kendrix]

The two endings have very different casts of people invited to the instrumentality jamboree once you look past the mains. In that version Kaworu obviously stays dead and is barely mentioned at all.

he does get his fair share of mentions in ep 25...

But yeah, he's probably plain not participating, much like any other angel. It would be just a tad inconvenient if they didn't stay dead, wouldn't it?

Either Gendo retained complete control over adam/his physical form here, or Anno simply hadn't hadn't thought of involving adam yet. (Gendo's palm shot only having been added for the DC)

In EoE, it seems to be Kaji who stayed dead/wasn't involved, in contrast to his prominence throughout EoTV, so it's like they kinda switched places.

[Dataprime]

Quick! Someone paste Kaworu's head onto Gendo's body during the final scene.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

When Adam's soul was separated from her body via Second Impact, apparently it never returned to the embryo, and instead Seele salvaged it somehow and put it into Kaworu.

This is taking a really big leap and assuming that Seele didn't salvage it out of Adam in the first place. We can't know if it went back or not. I'm not going to try to fathom what happened after second impact, but I believe that since Adam's body was mostly intact by the end of the series, his soul was fit to return to it.

[thewayneiac]

This is taking a really big leap and assuming that Seele didn't salvage it out of Adam in the first place. We can't know if it went back or not. I'm not going to try to fathom what happened after second impact, but I believe that since Adam's body was mostly intact by the end of the series, his soul was fit to return to it.

It's in the C.I.:

There hasn't been a soul within Adam. At the time of Second Impact, its body was torn apart, and its soul flew off somewhere as a result. Adam's soul was later recovered by Seele and incarnated.

Adam's body was mostly intact by the end of the series? Do you mean in his Kaworu incarnation? The embryo is hardly an intact body.

[Chuckman]

Giant Naked Rei snagged Adam's soul when Shinji popped his top and put it back in the embryo, so she could absorb it and be born later.

It's all about thinking fifth dimensionally.