Theories You Really Don't Like

[Joseph the PRPD]

What are some theories that people have thought about and mentioned that you really don't agree with or like?

For me:

-Episodes 1 through 24 is Shinji's flashback.
-Asuka and Shinji are the new Adam and Eve after instrumentality.
-Asuka being pregnant in the end of EoE.
-Shinji having romantic feelings for Kaworu.
-The sequel theory for Rebuild.

[Orphan Of Darkness]

Virtually anything regarding the contents of Unit 00's 'soul'.

[sean_sean_sean_sean]

"Episodes 1 through 24 is Shinji's flashback"

What!?

[Mr. Tines]

That the whole thing is a long and convoluted path to an S/A happy end.

[thewayneiac]

"Episodes 1 through 24 is Shinji's flashback"

What!?

That theory purports to explain why Shinji is always shown listening to tracks 25 & 26 on his SDAT player. Supposedly he is stuck in Instrumentality the entire series and what we see is just a playback that is part of the proceedings of Eps. 25 & 26. That is, it's Shinji recalling or reliving his days as a pilot while trying to come to a decision about Instrumentality.

Of course the track 25-26 thing is a reference to the ending, but to take it literally that the series takes place in Instrumentality is nonsense. The much more likely explanation is that it represents his desire to run away to a world where he won't be hurt. He walls himself off from the world by putting on his headphones.

The most annoying theory, however, is the infamous "combination theory". There are still people who claim that it isn't really Asuka with Shinji at the end of EOE. Instead they claim that Shinji has created his dream girl by combining Asuka, Rei, and Misato. Their evidence? Her eyes are the wrong color! Except that they aren't. In certain shots her eyes are reflecting the LCL; this is what they are calling the "wrong color". In other shots you can plainly see that they are blue like always. Thus, the evidence to support this nonsense doesn't even exist. Besides, the A.T. fields are back and individuality has been restored. Combining people would not be possible.

The "Adam and Eve" theory ignores the fact that we are explicitly told that anyone can return. Shinji and Asuka are just the first to come back right at that location.

The theory that Asuka's final line, translated in this case as "I feel sick", means that she's pregnant. I.e. she's suffering from morning sickness.

That the whole thing isn't a long and convoluted path to an S/A happy end.

Virtually anything regarding the contents of Unit 00's 'soul'.

Rei 1 as Unit-00's soul isn't a theory; it's a fact demonstrated by the evidence presented in the series.

And of course, the granddaddy of them all, the theory that Shinji accepted Instrumentality in the TV ending, which ignores everything we are actually shown in Ep. 26.

[chee]

Most fanwank

[esselfortium]

For what it's worth, Shinji actually isn't technically always listening to tracks 25 and 26. During the awkward attempted kiss in Dance Like You Want To Win!, he accidentally bumps the rewind button and we hear him listen to a bunch of differently-numbered tracks (albeit sped up and in reverse).

[Vegeta 20XX]

The theory that Asuka's final line, translated in this case as "I feel sick", means that she's pregnant. I.e. she's suffering from morning sickness.

That the whole thing isn't a long and convoluted path to an S/A happy end.

On the first one, where is there ANY proof that Asuka got pregnant (I don't know how such an idea could be supported, likely being fanwankery on the behalf of S/A shippers)? And why didn't I ever see how it happened?

And the second one is grounds for speculation, because of the statement that anyone can come back. And even if no one comes back, they might just murder each other.

[esselfortium]

If I remember right, Matt Greenfield is to blame for the creation of the "morning sickness" theory; in one of the DVD commentaries I think Tiffany Grant mentions it and accredits the idea to him.

[NemZ]

That the whole thing is a long and convoluted path to an S/A happy end.

This.

And of course, the granddaddy of them all, the theory that Shinji accepted Instrumentality in the TV ending, which ignores everything we are actually shown in Ep. 26.

I disagree. EoTV shows the process of Shinji not returning to the world as it was but accepting his role as an active participant in the ongoing process of existence. He's just one of many cogs, but together they have conspired to build a brand new machine around themselves.

[Orphan Of Darkness]

[Rei 1 as Unit-00's soul isn't a theory; it's a fact demonstrated by the evidence presented in the series.

I agree its fact, but it never stopped the whole Naoko/Unit 00 movement and other associated crap.

That the whole thing is a long and convoluted path to an S/A happy end.

That made me laugh out loud. 'Happy' is probably the last word a sane person would use regarding most of Eva's conclusions~ ;)

Oh I cant believe no ones mentioned it yet! The 'Misato killed Kaji' theory has to be my all time most hated. It's like some people didnt even watch that episode. Ugh!

[Eva Yojimbo]

Everything thewayneiac mentioned. I also always thought Duel of the Seeds was silly even before I read the CI.

[The Eva Monkey]

The much more likely explanation is that it represents his desire to run away to a world where he won't be hurt. He walls himself off from the world by putting on his headphones.

Also implausible considering the track 25/26 motif shows up in the fourth episode, which is very early on in the production. It's a known fact that Hideaki Anno had not written or decided on the ending until later in the show's production. Such an elaborate over-arching device in a show that was only half written from the beginning is not likely, especially when the show deviated from the original story structure in the last third of the series.

[Guyver Spawn]

The First Ancestral Race is God which does not make not that much sense to me since the whole idea of Omnipresent is that there exists only one, and in all realities at once. So a race can't be a Omnipotent in my opinion.

Asuka and Shinji are the new Adam and Eve after instrumentality.

[Eva Yojimbo]

Such an elaborate over-arching device in a show that was only half written from the beginning is not likely, especially when the show deviated from the original story structure in the last third of the series.

Actually, this isn't the case. When you spend so much time working on a project it's much easier to pick up on elements from early in its creation and utilize them again later. I've done this myself in my writings where I'll notice a certain accidental concept I've created and I'll decide to develop it further into a motif even if I didn't have any pre-conceived plan to make it one. Just because the creation of art is dynamic and full of "transistatsis" (as Ritsuko put it) doesn't mean that patterns don't emerge and that artists can't utilize them as they recognize them. I doubt Anno consciously intended to utilize many of the over-arching motifs he does throughout the series when they first started production, but along the way he realized the repetition of these things and decided to develop them further; that's highly possible, and given what we know about the series, highly likely.

I do tend to think that people underestimate the ability to create highly intricate patterns through improvisational creativity in art; as if these things can only arise from careful composition and careful considering and planning of every aspect; that's just not the case.

[LiLi]

Well... I guess I personally don't have a big problem with fanwank/cr@cktheories, as long as the people who subscribe to them don't try to push them on everyone else as being CANON TRUE^2.

:EDIT: Regardless, here are some theories that I don't personally agree with/I don't find particularly interesting...

- Rei is de facto Shinji's Mother!

- Kaworu is female!

- Asuka is pregnant! (kimochi warui...)

- The whole series/movie is just a long and winding road to A/S RABU and
- Shinji & Asuka = Adam & Eve

[Guyver Spawn]

I never the idea of the series is part of a Gainax multiverse or something like that.

[Allemann]

I never the idea of the series is part of a Gainax multiverse or something like that.

Jean is Kensuke's and Nadia Shinji's ancestor. Neo-Atlantean forces are that "opposition" SEELE had to crush.

[Holy Diver]

My "SEELE started WWII" theory. What was I thinking?

I also had a theory that I was going to post that would compare and link Eva and the works that inspired it with Satanist philosophy. My main selling point would be the fact that both Eva and Satanism hold individualism in high regard, but this can be found in many other beliefs systems and the connection between the two would be coincidental at best.

[The Eva Monkey]

implausible/not likely

Actually, this isn't the case.

I stated that it was unlikely, as the foundation for such an overarching motif is shaky. It began without an ending, so the insistence that the 25/26 is an allusion to instrumentality is not necessarily true. Considering the source of that theory (Matt Greenfield), you'll forgive me for finding it bogus. I personally like to interpret it as a simple reference to the end of all things. And as the tape player often mirrors his emotional state, I like to think it means he's thinking of ending it all, by means of suicide. But then again, there is nothing in the show that explicitly states what the tape player flashing 25/26 means, so forcing any theory is pointless, it remains a matter of interpretation.