From EOE, we know that dying before being tanged doesn't preclude joining or returning from instrumentality (Misato, Asuka).

We don't really have a canon answer for this, I guess, but couldn't basically anyone who has ever lived return? Furthermore, couldn't this technically be as any incarnation? (i.e., Kyoko could return as an armorless Eva-02 or her original human form). That begs the question, couldn't Mrs. Suzuhara return as an armorless EVA-03 or her original human form?

And finally - it was only humans/Lilans who joined human instrumentality, so wouldn't that exclude the souls of Kawaru, Sachiel, Ramiel, etc.?

Maybe this was all set up as vague so as to make future projects flexible?

Asunji_Yuko wrote:From EOE, we know that dying before being tanged doesn't preclude joining or returning from instrumentality (Misato, Asuka).

That's something to think of, but a possibility is that both were maybe not dead (as in no vital signs) when instrumentality started.

For Misato I think it's easier for that to be true, since she took a bullet and the bleeding would take her consciousness first, and the vital signs would last a bit more. It's different from Ritsuko who also drowned after the shot.

Asuka is a bit harder for that to hold, and the staff at NERV seems to believe she was killed. I'm not entirely sure if that is because of the grotesque scene that was happening or if they know for sure (based on data or something). What makes me think that it is a possibility is that we don't actually see her entry plug being destroyed, and when we see her in the beach scene by the end of the movie the remaining wounds/bandages are on her eye and arms.

I don't think it's a strong possibility though.

Asunji_Yuko wrote:We don't really have a canon answer for this, I guess, but couldn't basically anyone who has ever lived return?

I think we can't rule it out enterely, but I'd place this on the "no evidence" box. I personally believe it's not possible, but I don't think there's a way to know that for sure.

Asunji_Yuko wrote:And finally - it was only humans/Lilans who joined human instrumentality, so wouldn't that exclude the souls of Kawaru, Sachiel, Ramiel, etc.?

Only humans, since Lilith (Lilith's Egg actually) is collecting the souls of the Lilin, as she is their progenitor. The Angels would be more directly related to Adam.

Asunji_Yuko wrote:Maybe this was all set up as vague so as to make future projects flexible?

Although I like to speculate on Eva, I don't think so

sorry if I misremembered anything

Asunji_Yuko wrote:We don't really have a canon answer for this, I guess, but couldn't basically anyone who has ever lived return? Furthermore, couldn't this technically be as any incarnation? (i.e., Kyoko could return as an armorless Eva-02 or her original human form). That begs the question, couldn't Mrs. Suzuhara return as an armorless EVA-03 or her original human form?

At bare minimum, anyone who died a couple of minutes before 3I proper can return; Asuka could, after all. Misato through her cross is implied to not have returned, although there is an argument to be made that it was by choice; personally, I think it's a sensible line to draw at anyone who died within EoE, and no earlier

Blockio wrote:

Asunji_Yuko#941150 wrote:We don't really have a canon answer for this, I guess, but couldn't basically anyone who has ever lived return? Furthermore, couldn't this technically be as any incarnation? (i.e., Kyoko could return as an armorless Eva-02 or her original human form). That begs the question, couldn't Mrs. Suzuhara return as an armorless EVA-03 or her original human form?

At bare minimum, anyone who died a couple of minutes before 3I proper can return; Asuka could, after all. Misato through her cross is implied to not have returned, although there is an argument to be made that it was by choice; personally, I think it's a sensible line to draw at anyone who died within EoE, and no earlier

From her cross - think that was meant as a parallel to Misato's father giving her the cross just before he sends her off to save her life from 2nd impact?

It is, yes; but the in-universe implications of that have quite a bit of reasonable room for interpretation