Why doesn't Rei live at HQ?

For serious and at times in-depth discussions only, covering the original TV series, the movies End of Evangelion and Death & Rebirth.

Moderator: Board Staff

Forum rules
By visiting this forum, you agree to read the rules for discussion and abide by them.
AdamMalkovitch
Clockiel
Clockiel
User avatar
Age: 24
Posts: 403
Joined: Jul 23, 2017
Location: Hell
Gender: Male
Contact:

Why doesn't Rei live at HQ?

  •      
  •      
  • Quote

Postby AdamMalkovitch » Sun Nov 21, 2021 1:42 pm

Ep24 shows Kaworu staying in a small bedroom in NERV HQ. Rei II showed no agency until Shinji showed up, she just followed orders, so I doubt she would ask to live independently. Living at HQ would make it easier to keep an eye on her, perform maintenance on her jerry-rigged duct taped body just barely being held together by hopes and prayers, and would make it quicker to get her into an EVA if an emergency came up.
Is it just a facade to fool anyone not named Gendo or Ritsuko into thinking Rei is just a weird girl but still a normal human?
*injects Angel blood* I know what the fuck an EVA is now :)

orcot
Ramiel
Ramiel
User avatar
Posts: 305
Joined: Jul 01, 2020

Re: Why doesn't Rei live at HQ?

  •      
  •      
  • Quote

Postby orcot » Mon Nov 22, 2021 1:32 pm

Theirs enough Rei bodies in HQ to state that she sort of does live there.

She has the soul of lilith in a human body perhaps it's part of the deal she struck with Yui that she get to explore a little and it's Fuyutsuki who enforces it. Whether Rei does anything with that as she can't remember being Lilith is up to her.
Never is it stated that it's Gendo who put her there. Gendo would have put Shinji alone in a appartment if Misato didn't step in but if that appartment is similar to Kaworu's then it's not exactly Rei's living conditions.

sithsauron
Adam
Posts: 57
Joined: Dec 24, 2020

Re: Why doesn't Rei live at HQ?

  •      
  •      
  • Quote

Postby sithsauron » Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:29 pm

I think its a facade as well. Nerve does not want people to know she is a clone designed to pilot Eva's. They try to have her live as any other person would. Also I get the feeling she prefers to be away from civilization as it is a drain in her emotions.

Also, Rei has a high level of manufactured agency. She knows who she is and why she is doing her job as a pilot and what that entails. She displays a strong stoic attitude and grounded objectivity when being spoken to or confronted. However, her sense of normal human emotions has been so compartmentalized and shrunk, she barely understands them or knows they exist, more satisfied to ignore them until later in the series. The reason she is like this could be a mix of drugs and manipulative therapy while growing up at Nerve to engineer her to be the ultimate obedient pilot.


Return to “Evangelion TV Series + EoE Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests