Fate of Misato

[EvaFan423]

Hello All!

Living in Japan and saw the movie last week. I think this question will be similar to EoE with the discussion of Misato’s fate.

As you may have read, she does a suicide run where she delivers a new final lance/spear to Shinji.]

I got very choked up when I saw her looking at the photo of Shinji and Kaji Jr. Someone on here said basically her two sons. Real and adopted.

Anyway, my main question is do you think Misato is alive at the end of the movie in the “real world” Does she get a chance to be reborn? Or is the new world a continuation on from that point? This is all super-hypothetical at this point and will be forever but I’d like to think in my interpretation that she does get another chance.

Kaworu does mention working in the fields together?

Thoughts?

[DantesInferno]

I saw the movie too, twice

SPOILER: Show

Kaji tells Kaworu that the three of them can work on the fields. Kaworu clearly made it, because he’s in the train platform (unless he and Rei are some sort of “Quantum vision”, but wearing street clothes), so if Misato is alive too, then so would Kaji. Do long-dead people get a second shot too?

I really don’t know... Perhaps it’s left ambiguous on purpose.

[Konja7]

I saw the movie too, twice

SPOILER: Show

Kaji tells Kaworu that the three of them can work on the fields. Kaworu clearly made it, because he’s in the train platform (unless he and Rei are some sort of “Quantum vision”, but wearing street clothes), so if Misato is alive too, then so would Kaji. Do long-dead people get a second shot too?

I really don’t know... Perhaps it’s left ambiguous on purpose.

I was confused about that dialogue in the scrypt. I can understand a lot better if Kaji means the three of them.

That's also could be the connection with Rei, since Rei Q seems develop a taste for the field in 3.0+1.0.


Kaji's soul seems to be in the Instrumentality. Maybe that allows him to return.

[DantesInferno]

I saw the movie too, twice

SPOILER: Show

Kaji tells Kaworu that the three of them can work on the fields. Kaworu clearly made it, because he’s in the train platform (unless he and Rei are some sort of “Quantum vision”, but wearing street clothes), so if Misato is alive too, then so would Kaji. Do long-dead people get a second shot too?

I really don’t know... Perhaps it’s left ambiguous on purpose.

I was confused about that dialogue in the scrypt. I can understand a lot better if Kaji means the three of them.

That's also could be the connection with Rei, since Rei Q seems develop a taste for the field in 3.0+1.0.


Kaji's soul seems to be in the Instrumentality. Maybe that allows him to return.

I don’t remember the exact dialogue, but what I understood is:

SPOILER: Show

Kaji (to Kaworu): Misato, you and me, the three of us together

[Konja7]

I don’t remember the exact dialogue, but what I understood is:

SPOILER: Show

Kaji (to Kaworu): Misato, you and me, the three of us together

Thank you very much. I was very confused about that part when I read the translated script.

[Blockio]

"Katsuragi to issho ni" doesn't mean "with Katsuragi and me", it means "along with Katsuragi". Not sure where you're getting the impression from that Kaji is including himself in that.

[Axx°N N.]

I find that it would be an odd choice to disinclude her from the remade world, given that EoTV included Misato's own Instrumentality, and that EoE gives her an out through the much poited-out freeze-frame moment, just before her death, of quantum Rei standing over her & thus sweeping her ahead of time into the forthcoming tumbling-down sequence just like everyone else.

The only thing I can think of that reneging on this now would add is that it would make her an even more tragic character. But I find that needless in terms of revisionism, and somewhat cruel in a way even old NGE never was.

Maybe in the sequence where CGI-GNR explodes and everyone is floating down glowing white and restored of humanity, someone who looks obviously like Misato can be pinpointed? Might have to wait for the BR for that kind of detail hunting.

[Slowpokeking]

I still think

SPOILER: Show

she simply "abandoned" her son without even telling him her existence was a huge meh to her character.

The boy is already tragic without his father, now without mother, too? Didn't she once hate her father for similar reason?

This is not something the great Misato would do.

[Pluto]

Honestly, I think she died but then again the possibility is open. I think I might have a screen shot from the pamphlet when the people come back so I’ll check for this.

"Katsuragi to issho ni" doesn't mean "with Katsuragi and me", it means "along with Katsuragi". Not sure where you're getting the impression from that Kaji is including himself in that.

I’d translate it as “together with Katsuragi” but that makes sense too.

By chance do you have access the Japanese script? I’d like to check this line/ section out as well

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

I'm assuming that the dead stay dead, since the world seems to be picking up from where it left off at least with regard to the development of our protagonists. Kaworu and Rei being there is an interesting one, though they were never fully human in the same way the rest of the cast were (with the caveat that I am assuming Asuka is a regular, garden-variety human clone rather than angelic soul fucky-wucky stuff.)

I can check Kaworu's line as well. My personal views are it doesn't make sense for the dead to come back, because a) where is the cutoff for 'recently dead', and b) instrumentality doesn't seem to imply revival. I guess you could add c) it gives Misato's death more weight if she actually gets to die. It's terribly sad, but at least we get four whole movies (plus EoE) and an entire TV series to appreciate her if we need more.

[DantesInferno]

"Katsuragi to issho ni" doesn't mean "with Katsuragi and me", it means "along with Katsuragi". Not sure where you're getting the impression from that Kaji is including himself in that.

Like I said, I don’t have/remember the exact words, but that is the overall impression I got. And I could be wrong, but I consider myself quite fluent.
It wold really help to have the surrounding phrases. If there is a verb construct such as やっていきましょう or similar, it definitely includes Kaji. Again, I don’t have the script (just the vague recollection from watching the movie twice).

[Shinji Ikari Expy]

I still think

SPOILER: Show

she simply "abandoned" her son without even telling him her existence was a huge meh to her character.

The boy is already tragic without his father, now without mother, too? Didn't she once hate her father for similar reason?

This is not something the great Misato would do.

She became what she hated in life. It’s dramatic irony.

EoE also played with this idea by drawing visual parallels between her death (putting Shinji on the elevator before the explosion) and Dr. Katsuragi’s death (putting young Misato in the capsule before Second Impact). Shinji in EoE resented her but was grateful to her for saving his life — similar to the way she saw her own father.

So Misato’s character arc is that she becomes the parental figure she resents and then dies like him. Constants and variables.

[Slowpokeking]

She became what she hated in life. It’s dramatic irony.

EoE also played with this idea by drawing visual parallels between her death (putting Shinji on the elevator before the explosion) and Dr. Katsuragi’s death (putting young Misato in the capsule before Second Impact). Shinji in EoE resented her but was grateful to her for saving his life — similar to the way she saw her own father.

So Misato’s character arc is that she becomes the parental figure she resents and then dies like him. Constants and variables.

That's entirely different.

Yes in EOE she did what her father did, I even put thatin my AMV of her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tiwhaC5jIE

But Misato NEVER hated her father for this, her father's sacrifice touched her and kept her as a whole for so many years. She wanted such love which is part of the reason she hang out with Kaiji. In the end she became a great figure like her father.

That's totally reasonable, she wanted such love, and passed such love to others. Even before that she gave Shinji so much care because she saw her own shadow from him. THIS is Misato's character.

So she has ZERO reason to let her own child experience her pain by being a bad parent. Dr. Katsuragi never did that, he was busy but from the details, we could still see that he spent time with his daughter when possible. Now Misato, who was able to understand Shinji and care for him, chose to "abandon" her own son without both his parents to leave shadow in his heart? That's totally OOC.

[Shinji Ikari Expy]

Misato explicitly says that she didn’t like/get along with her father. It’s one of the first things she says to Shinji when she’s driving him to Nerv HQ. And when does anyone say Dr. Katsuragi spent time with her “when possible”? In every continuity, the same story is given — he was so absorbed in his work that he didn’t have time for her and she hated that about him.

I wasn’t saying she hated her dad for saving her. The visual parallel in their deaths is meant to be symbolic of the way Misato ended up like her father (whom she disliked in life). She can feel grateful to Dr. Katsuragi for his sacrifice and still resent him as a parent.

As for why she abandoned her son — the script has her saying multiple times that she feels unworthy to be a mother. Hedgehog’s dilemma, like Gendo in EoE. From a practical standpoint, she doesn’t have much time to be a mom because of her work. Yet another parallel with her dad and Gendo.

Not to say abandoning a child is justified, but there are thematic and in-universe reasons that explain her choices in the context of the story. What she did was wrong, but it’s not a stretch by the writers to say that she might do it given the circumstances. Sorry that a character you like disappointed you, but there are plenty of reasons for this happening.

[Slowpokeking]

Misato explicitly says that she didn’t like/get along with her father. It’s one of the first things she says to Shinji when she’s driving him to Nerv HQ. And when does anyone say Dr. Katsuragi spent time with her “when possible”? In every continuity, the same story is given — he was so absorbed in his work that he didn’t have time for her and she hated that about him.

I wasn’t saying she hated her dad for saving her. The visual parallel in their deaths is meant to be symbolic of the way Misato ended up like her father (whom she disliked in life). She can feel grateful to Dr. Katsuragi for his sacrifice and still resent him as a parent.

She said it, but from what went on, we could see that she loves his father for saving her, kept the cross that he gave to her because of the love he showed her in his last moment and ask for such thing from Kaiji. Yeah she had some problem with his dad but that's mostly due to him being busy.

Dr. Katsuragi bought her to South Pole when he was doing such important research works. I don't think it's not someone who never tried. He is busy but would certainly spend time with her when possible.

Yeah she feel grateful for her dad's love=she chose to let Shinji feel such love, so he would feel better.

But why would, and why should she let her own son experience her pain when it could be avoided? Even doing worse than her dad.

As for why she abandoned her son — the script has her saying multiple times that she feels unworthy to be a mother. Hedgehog’s dilemma, like Gendo in EoE.

Out. of. Character. Dude.

Gendo is a monster, a maniac, who cared only about his wife Yui, using others even didn't mind to wipe out humanity to see Yui. All his love for Shinji also came from "the bloodline of Yui". He is such a dark and twisted figure.

Misato is different. She is a good person who cared about others, was able to realize her mistake and gave Shinji so much care, even became a mother figure which helped him a lot. Her character is pretty much showing how beautiful humanity could be.

It's like comparing angel with demon.

From a practical standpoint, she doesn’t have much time to be a mom because of her work. Yet another parallel with her dad and Gendo.

She has time, even Asuka, who didn't need rest can stay in Kensuke's home for so long. For a parent it's not not about how much time you have, but are you willing to spend time. She could easily find a man to take care of her boy, gave him the father figure and gave him care whenever she has time. It's not so hard and it's what Misato would do.

Not to say abandoning a child is justified, but there are thematic and in-universe reasons that explain her choices in the context of the story. What she did was wrong, but it’s not a stretch by the writers to say that she might do it given the circumstances. Sorry that a character you like disappointed you, but there are plenty of reasons for this happening.

It's just simple. Her son was simply plot device without much characterization and screen time. But in-universe view, he is Misato's son with Kaiji and she should have given him the greatest care, and it could have been solved easily like saying that she lost contact with him and thought he was dead, but in truth the boy was found and raised by others.

[Shinji Ikari Expy]

You lost me when you compared Misato to an angel and Gendo to a demon. The best thing about Eva is the fact that the characters are imperfect but still deserving of our understanding — there are no angels, unless you are talking about the interdimensional beings that attack the planet, and there are certainly no demons.

There are a lot of misinterpretations in your post and I don’t like omnislashing, but I’ll say this: If you see everything in black and white; if you get so attached to one character that you can’t appreciate the work as a whole, you are missing out.

[Slowpokeking]

You lost me when you compared Misato to an angel and Gendo to a demon. The best thing about Eva is the fact that the characters are imperfect but still deserving of our understanding — there are no angels, unless you are talking about the interdimensional beings that attack the planet, and there are certainly no demons.

There are a lot of misinterpretations in your post and I don’t like omnislashing, but I’ll say this: If you see everything in black and white; if you get so attached to one character that you can’t appreciate the work as a whole, you are missing out.

Yes, none of the characters are perfect, but it even made some of them even more beautiful.

Misato has her flaw and limitation, she is very human, but she was able to come over it through her interaction with Shinji, grew up to give him all care and love, even sacrificing her life to do that. Her existence proved how beautiful humanity could be, and why we should continue to have faith in humanity.

I'm not saying Gendo is pure evil, we could see his human side and how did he turn into that. But he indeed fall into his own obsession over Yui and showed darkness of humanity as a man(playing Ritsuko and Naoko's emotion), a leader(manipulate his workers) and a father. Among all the major characters, no doubt he is the darkest one.

They are just entirely different characters which went exactly the opposite route as well as influenced Shinji in opposite way. I'm using the comparison to show it being out of character, not saying either of them are not human/black and white.