Sequel Theory - General

[T. K. Simon]

After watching the last movie, I wondered ... Is the sequel theory true?

EoE and 3.0 + 1.0 are connected, but there is no thematic answer as to what happened after EoE

Sadamoto's manga is his own canon, he has also denied links to rebuild

Kaworu seems to be the only one in a loop

I have come to the conclusion that in any case it is a spiritual or indirect sequel

We don't know when a cycle ends or starts, opinions?

Or this could also be the end, only for rebuilds, their indumenstralization is on a planet that is not earth.

The title could refer that this is the end of the rebuilds, but the anime and eoe are separate, kaworu is the only one who has gone through the 3 because he is an angel, that is, they are different realities

Which one are you going with?

[diwo]

I just finished watching the movie and I am splitted of what to think of it. On it's own, the movie is "nice" and interesting; the rebuild on it's own is okay I would say - but overall, if this movie means the end of the whole franchise - overriding the series and EoE, then it's utterly terrible.

I am eagerly waiting for the opinion of the others, especially if it's linked to the main series or not.

[sephirotic]

No, it is not a direct sequel, but it is connected somewhat by Rei and Kaworu. I'd say it is a "quantum alternative".

[Registration2]

It is a meta/narrative sequel, you get elements from the TV series in the movies, but it may be or may be not a sequel in universe (for example, you see the old evangelion unit 00 as a piece of costume in the movie, which never existed in any point of the movie series).

It is what you want it to be, how do you piece the things together is up to the viewer and I believe that was the intent.

[Blockio]

there's a lot going on in this movie, so I won't say anything with confidence; but my impression is that the events in the negative universe are from an elevated state of consciousness, that they have transcended their own reality and are looking from the top down into different ones (in a similar fashion to how EoE Instrumentality transcends reality and looks into different ones). On a meta/multiverse level, the different versions of Eva are connected, but the timelines are seperate. This is also really the only way that Gendo's whole deal makes sense, as from what I understand of the book of life, souls are permanent through the ages, and since we know that in EoE, Yui and Gendo left the Earth for good in 01, it doesn't make sense for them to be back on it.

[rangure0412]

I mean the last movie give us a lot of proof that they are not. But also the scene where Shinji and Rei talk and scenes from NGE shows up in background make everything so confusing.

[TehDonutKing]

Kaworu and Gendo both pretty explicitly remember the original continuity somehow, and Kaworu is confirmed to be the same character in all Evangelion EU spin-offs, so it's safe to say it's a sequel in a meta sense. Whether this is some kind of time loop or if all Eva continuities are parallel worlds somehow isn't explained, but it doesn't really matter.

At least, not until a new set of Classified Information adds a bunch of information that contributes nothing of value again

[Nightwing]

Kaworu does mention the loop of NGE and the film harkens back to the spot where he and Shinji meet.

[Konja7]

Kaworu and Gendo both pretty explicitly remember the original continuity somehow, and Kaworu is confirmed to be the same character in all Evangelion EU spin-offs, so it's safe to say it's a sequel in a meta sense. Whether this is some kind of time loop or if all Eva continuities are parallel worlds somehow isn't explained, but it doesn't really matter.

I don't think Kaworu is the same character in all Evangelion EU spin-offs (especially if Anno doesn't work on these).

It's just confirmed that Kaworu is trapped in a eternal loop. However, we can't even confirm NGE is part of this loop.

[Axx°N N.]

It seems to swing more in the direction that nods to circles, cycles, repetition and loops is more like hanging a hat on the fact this is the third go-around animation-wise, the fourth ending to the main continuity if you count the manga, and that the franchise has several other spin-off media. A lot of Thrice seems like it's about breaking continuity with the past, and this seems to include not just the characters, but Anno and his relationship with his creation.

[mastafishere]

I interpreted Gendo and Kaworu’s comments as more of they became aware of their other potential selves. It’s kinda like quantum Rei (which has a brief appearance early in the film) just being beyond time and reality.

Personally, I’m trying to make it not fit into a “sequel” narrative, mostly because I hated it when it was done in Final Fantasy VII Remake. Mind you, i felt it was extremely poorly executed in that game, but the concept itself isn’t particularly appealing to me either. I’ll admit though that the Rebuilds being a sequel is a valid theory, based on what we saw, at least at this point in the analysis of the movie

[Jurrasic]

HA HA!

I know, it's petty, immature AF and I haven't even been active on these boards for ages now, but I still remember the fairly bitter and insulting comments everyone who believed that all the previous clues in 1 2 and 3 revealed that the universe was constantly re-cycling and replaying the Evangelion drama over and over until someone finally gets it right suffered under.

So I have to get a 'neener neener neener!!' out of my system before anything else.

Certain people who know who they are may proceed to a second helping of Crow or humble pie as they choose.

K all good now.

[rangure0412]

I dont really know if you can claim this already. My principal problem with this is the Golgotha object.

[rangure0412]

"but it doesn't really matter.

To be honest for me it really matter. Because if Rebuild is actually a direct sequel that means the canon of NGE/EoE is useless. Everthing that Shinji and others live, suffer and learn was for nothing. The congratulations scene, the take care of yourself message, Yui plan for being the eternal proof of the existence of humanity, Shinji rejecting instrumentality and realizing that nobody hates him as he believed, etc.

I mean this completely kills NGE.

[Blockio]

My personal take is that it's a multiverse of different realities that can be connected through an impact scenario, and during one such scenario, Kaworu gained lasting awareness of the other realities; having it be in the same timeline creates more logistical problems than it solves, especially in regards to the whereabouts of souls and the Adams

[Pluto]

I think the answer is yes and no at the same time. It is up to you (the viewer) to decide.

[Blockio]

Ultimately that, yeah. The one thing we can say for certain is that during Additional Impact, the characters were aware of both, while also being aware of their nature as fiction; most notably the scenes and titlecards being projected on to a wall, as well as everything about the Toku stage (and the costumes backstage having both NGE and NTE armor layouts in them); that places everything that we see during Instrumentality in a space of an elevated perspective on reality, a higher plane of existence, which is also in line with how EoE handled 3I having consciousness transcend realities.
Ultimately the thing that tips the scale in favor of it being multiple timelines for me is what Kaworu says about the book of life; it means that souls have permanency, and with that being the case, if it were a sequel, that would mean that Rei, Gendo and Yui left 01 and returned to Earth, which I simply think is not a realistic scenario given everything we know about them.

[Diego]

Yes it is.

[mastafishere]

I feel like Kaworu and the coffins is the most damning piece of evidence suggesting this is a “sequel”. All the other evidence could be explained away but Kaworu has visited Shinji from the same moon multiple times. I don’t know how else to interpret that.

[catinajar]

Ok here is my read...

There is a very well known manga (won’t name, no spoilers) where the characters are all stuck in a time loop but they don’t know it. There is one character who is aware of this but is powerless to change it unless one person makes a decision at one point in time. This decision ends the loop and time then progresses as normal.

I feel like after instrumentality in EOE there was some sort of event where Shinji returns to the start. His name being in the ‘Book of Life’ alongside Kaworu, I feel like he can exist aware of the time loop, but he hasn’t realised. He does, during 3.33 (he tells Kaworu he realises he’s been there before with him).

I think all the usual indicators are signs (red mark on the moon, coffins on the moon with Kaworus in) that perhaps Seele were aware of this time loop? Though perhaps they were hoping for permanent instrumentality would end it all rather than Shinji rejecting Evangelion.

I think Kaworu, being essentially a God himself, was in control of a lot of it. I think Seele thought he was gunning for them but in reality he was gunning for Shinji. He’s made Shinji the centre of each loop, with his decision being the foundation for the next one. As he decided there would be no more Evangelion, this was the final loop.

So yes, I saw it as a sequel and a natural character development in Shinji’s mind. Whereas all the other characters have changed from the first loop *he* is the same. Same age, same body etc. He’s the key to ending it. And Kaworu is a lot more important than just a waifu boy.

JUST MY HOT TAKE