How bad of a captain was Commander Ikari?

[jeffythedragonslayer]

This is a question about the AWinters quote in Blockio's signature (post/920732/NERV-military-ranks/#p920617):

I can see why he hired Misato to do the actual commanding. He tried it once and did an appalling job.

I thought Gendo was overkilling it when he took control of Unit 01 away from Shinji and provoked him to demolish NERV HQ with the remaining battery power (though I think increasing LCL pressure to max after hearing that threat was the right call), but that was well after Misato had been hired.

Were there times he was a bad commander before hiring Misato the show mentions? Or is this an observation based on his behavior while Misato is working under him?

[thewayneiac]

The feeling that Gendo was a terrible commander is based upon what we see of his battle tactics. Misato always sent all three Evas in at once. Gendo sent them in one at a time and they were defeated one at a time. Misato knew Shinji, Rei and Asuka were at their best working together.

[FelipeFritschF]

We have this general idea of Gendo as a master planner, and he had at least some involvement in Seele's overall world domination efforts. I can see how he'd be talented at administration and such, but that doesn't mean he's good as a military commander.

[shinryujimikihiko]

Everything I've seen of Gendo Ikari's skills indicates that he is a cunning and Machiavellian schemer but not a good tactician. The old "Evil Ambassador Gendo" meme is on the money: Gendo is a great schemer but a poor warlord.

[The Killer of Heroes]

Gonna agree with everyone saying that while he’s bizarrely good at personal and social manipulations he’s not quite a military man.

He’s more of a Survivor player than a Fire Emblem player.

[BernardoCairo]

I honestly believe that he's the right person for the job anyway. What he did to the Jet Alone, for example... It was such an easy thing for him to do. He eliminated the competition in a blink, all while making the EVA look better in comparison. He also knows how to deal with Seele and get funds. Heck, we was directly antagonizing Seele and making them pay for his stuff at the same time. Not only that, but he's great at improvising. The way he disposed of the Spear of Longinus was really smart. It was obvious that he was just messing around with Seele. Still, he had a great alibi... Last but not least, he knows how to select the right people to work with him and also, of course, manipulate them. No one person is good at everything. A good leader knows how to bring the best professionals closer.
He's the commander, not the cheif of operations. Gendo chose Misato because he knew she was better than anyone for that particular job. But, at the end of the day, he's still her boss.

[shinryujimikihiko]

A good leader knows how to bring the best professionals closer.
He's the commander, not the cheif of operations. Gendo chose Misato because he knew she was better than anyone for that particular job. But, at the end of the day, he's still her boss.

Exactly. If I could travel back in time to 2003 I would tell Anno that he should make a Rebuild plot where it is Misato and not Ritsuko that Gendo is sleeping with; this also strengthens his Oedipal struggle with Shinji. And of course in the real Rebuild Ritsuko is never with Gendo...