heh, were you guys just TRYING to cast the SSD Summon Spell? ;) Sorry that these aren't exact quotes of what you all were saying, I'm pressed for time.
AEF wrote:Stuff about Asuka laying next to Shinji after returning
I always saw a parallel between this
and
to be honest. But just so you know, both of them have their eyes open in that latter image/they'e awake. It's possible either or both of them were sleeping earlier though.
A/S keep coming back for more despite everything/they want all of each other or nothing.
Exactly, AEF. Personally, I agree with Eric's statement that their relationship is a mixture of honestly need each other as well as codependency but that doesn't mean the former can't win out if they work on it.
I can't remember who didn't think this was the case, maybe it was Nemz. Either way, Asuka had to float (or in her case, swim) back to shore just like Shinji did. She didn't just magically reembody there, and if that were the case it'd take away the importance of people wanting to return for themselves.
Also, while the gravemarker kicking didn't make it into the ending, it most likely was Asuka instead of Shinji. Hell, the script said Shinji made the grave markers while Last A states Asuka's foot kicks it down, so why wouldn't that be the case for the actual final scene? That's like saying the Entry Plug for Eva-01 wasn't ejected before Yui and Shinji went their separate ways just because it's not obvious/directly stated.
Stuff about the N64 ending: Umm why is Shinji reaching out for Asuka's hand a bad thing? Besides, I've heard the game ending was different for the series to be something different as well as the fact the developers probably didn't want the violence of Shinji strangling her.
Reichu wrote:Stuff about fans and fanfics
Screw them if they don't want see things for how they really are. That goes for any extreme viewpoints. Fanfics are just meant to be a creative outlet for how fans want things to be, it doesn't mean that's how things really are.
tl;dr: I don't see what's so bad about those two being able to find happiness together if they can just get their heads out of their asses and do some serious growing up first. Besides, Anno left those "invisible hand cuffs" on them for whatever reason, even though he did NOT have to end it like that (we could have gotten Last B for crying out loud!). Still, Anno chose to end it with showing them together--make of that what you will.