What Did Yui See In Gendo?

[Ray]

It's obvious she loved him enough to marry him. . . but why? While not the bastard who tricked his own son yet, he wasn't exactly the most Moral of people either. The guy got in barfight's for heavens sake! Is there something I'm not seeing here?

[sulla]

Morality has nothing to do with attraction it is completely amoral.

Also he seemed to be a rebellious intellectual type to me. People like that tend to have an intensity that can be very attractive.

Or maybe Yui just likes her bad boys? lolol :p

[TMBounty_Hunter]

There's a reason he put that horn on Eva-01's helmet.

[Gob Hobblin]

There's also the question of Yui's character: did she form a relationship with Gendo because he was the kind of person she could manipulate to help her achieve her own goals? That, of course, depends on whether you think of Yui as being a sort of villain or not (or being just as devious as Gendo).

That being said, while see Gendo is an amoral guy, a lot of that is a front he builds for himself. When we are given glimpses into his mind, it's clear that the person Gendo is most like in the show...is Shinji. He hates himself, and deliberately keeps Shinji away because he thinks he is no good for Shinji. The irony of course, being, that by keeping himself distant like that, he does more damage to Shinji.

Frankly, I think the Gendo that Yui 'has,' and the Gendo that we see, are two entirely different people. Even if you subscribe to the idea of Gendo as being an unrepentant villain, even the worst men alive have people they love, and who love them back.

[NemZ]

Frankly, I think the Gendo that Yui 'has,' and the Gendo that we see, are two entirely different people.

The show directly tells us that in ep21. And from Yui's comments to Fuyu it seems that underneath his gruff exterior Gendo is a big romantic softie... or at least he was.

Also, personal headcanon? I have this theory that Yui is the one that started that fight with some dude who was a little handsy, and Gendo (a complete stranger at the time) backed her up then took the fall while she escaped punishment.

[Wanderlust]

Frankly, I think the Gendo that Yui 'has,' and the Gendo that we see, are two entirely different people.

Pretty much this, Yui did tell Fuyutsuki that Gendo is cute/adorable, although no one else knows that. Either because Gendo himself only shows that side of his to Yui, or because only Yui can see through his tough front. Or because Yui's idea of cute/adorable is different from a lot of people's I guess.

Regardless, despite the hints of warpedness she sometimes gives off, I see Yui as a motherly/healing sort of woman, so her getting together with a hurt and angry guy who gets into stupid fights, whom she might "rescue from the darkness", feels fitting to me.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

Didn't she say something about Gendo's kinder or gentler side?

[Monk Ed]

How does not everyone on this site keep the episode transcripts on their computer like I do?

FUYUTSUKI (MONO):
And back then, seasons and autumn still existed in this country.

FUYUTSUKI:
Are you serious?

YUI:
Yes, I am seeing Mr. Rokubungi.

FUYUTSUKI (MONO):
When I heard that, I wasn't able to hide my surprise.

FUYUTSUKI:
I never would have thought you would share your time with him.

YUI:
Oh, but Professor Fuyutsuki, he's quite a sweet person.
It's just that no one knows it.

FUYUTSUKI:
Maybe it's more blissful not to know.

[Rei IV]

Also, personal headcanon? I have this theory that Yui is the one that started that fight with some dude who was a little handsy, and Gendo (a complete stranger at the time) backed her up then took the fall while she escaped punishment.

You always have such interesting headcanon/theories for Gendo. Would such a scenario/headcanon be the moment Gendo gives his own leash to Yui. Well all know there's something hilariously one-sided about their relationship (to a degree).



BTW, she's SO the top in the relationship. Look at the picture!

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

How does not everyone on this site keep the episode transcripts on their computer like I do?

I keep the whole series in video form on my computer, but I was away and on my phone at the time, so I couldn’t access them.

But yes. That is the whole reason why she likes him. (Or, more accurately, the only one we’re given in the show.)

Honestly, her reasons for liking Gendo aren’t that important to the narrative of NGE. That’s why it’s only referenced in a quick dialogue scene using the broadest and most vague form of a trope possible. The important thing is that she likes him.

[NemZ]

You always have such interesting headcanon/theories for Gendo. Would such a scenario/headcanon be the moment Gendo gives his own leash to Yui.

Pretty much,yeah. Would explain how they met and why she got fuyu's help bailing him out. Plus, it would be another example of his own heroic side... Something dad and son do have in common.

[Gob Hobblin]

I am frankly surprised there isn't more speculation on the topic.

[Chuckman]

I'm starting to think that Yui was the socially awkward daughter of a rich man and Gendo was the also socially awkward but kinda creepy Nice Guy that managed to badger her into marrying him and eventually she realized she'd borne this weirdo's kid and was like "fuck this shit I'm going to space".

Afterwards he was a blank slate that the Akagis projected whatever they wanted onto. Naoko, mostly.Ritsuko just wanted to be her mom's eskimo brother.

[Dima]

There's a reason he put that horn on Eva-01's helmet.

On topic, probably he attracted her with his personality? Not many backround info on that so...

[Stillborn]

She saw someone who she will be able to easily manipulate and who under proper circumstances will be ruthless enough to help her in her messianistic delusions.

[Kendrix]

I'm starting to think that Yui was the socially awkward daughter of a rich man

Socially awkward?
She sure doesn't see that way in any of her appearances.
There isn't a single shot of Yui where she doesn't seem calm and in-control.

The difference between her and Gendo is that between Light and L, except she' the slightly smarter one with the less evil goal, but in terms of outward presentation and thinking strategies, that's it.

She's a better actress than Gendo.

They're not really that different otherwise.

The people you surround yourself with say something about you.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

How does not everyone on this site keep the episode transcripts on their computer like I do? [snip]

This, pretty much. The answer is sitting right there.

[Evangelionfreak]

After watching the tv series and EoE I always thought that Yui had planned everything from the beginning.
Then during Rebuild they pretty much flat out said it.
Ive always believed that she even planned her 'love' to Gendo. In that he was an intelligent man whom she could control and that would carry out her plans even after her 'death'
Im sure somewhere the comments she made about him being sweet and stuff wasn't a lie and she did 'care' about him on some level but in the end he was another pawn on her Eva chess board.

[Kendrix]

^She just needed a pair of working testicles to provide another 23 chromosomes for her messiah, you mean?
I think that's taking it to far.


The only indications of her motives we get, which we can of course doubt, but get no real counterpoint to, is that she turned against SEELE because she had a kid.
Meeting Gendo came first, then came the final incarnation of her plan.
One thing she did keep from her SEELE days is the deterministic mindset ("It will all happen as it must"), that Gendo interestingly subscribed to somewhat less.

Maybe being able to find something cute or loveable about a outwardly rather flawed dude made her see that the world as it is was worthwhile after all?
You could see her relatives telling her to not even bother with procreation since the world is going to end before the kid turns 15, and maybe she didn't like that thought.
Not even 'dark conspiracy priestesses' are immune to oxytocine?

Then again, she seems to have wanted kids to begin with, and maybe she even intended them for conspiracy use (her manga counterpart does seem to, but they're all a tad more psycho in mangaland), but then she thought, "zomfg teh cute baby~~ Don't you worry sweety, mommy is going to get herself superpowers and pwn the bad, bad SEELE/angels/etc so you can live out your life in peace... Then, I will go to space to tell the rest of the universe about that time you pissed in my face while I was changing your diapers and eternally embarass you in front of the future civilizations of the milky way"

[UrsusArctos]

The notion of Gendo being a "Nice Guy" - as in a guy who is good to someone just to trade in goodness for favors in bed - just doesn't seem to be the case. Gendo had quite a bit of jerk/smartmouth to him in the beginning and I don't think he'd be able to act that way towards Yui. I have the impression that he was genuinely good to her in some way, rather than merely being "nice". If he were just interested in banging her, would he have suffered so much from her death?

She saw someone who she will be able to easily manipulate and who under proper circumstances will be ruthless enough to help her in her messianistic delusions.

Difficult to say if she really was that much of a sociopath - the evidence on that is truly ambiguous, although I admit it's still a possibility.