Neon Genesis Evangelion is, well, a lot to take in. More than anything though, it's an introspection into the human condition, specifically how interaction with others shapes who a person is.
Evangelion's characters have personalities shaped by the show's Freudian ideas and are all the more complex for it. The series also denies them the happiness of fantasy, pushing them through the struggle of reality instead. Though this anchors the show's message, it does result in sad deaths for the cast. Which deaths were the most tragic?
10 Gendo Ikari's Death Completely Re-Contextualizes His Character
Gendo Ikari remains an enigma for most of Evangelion -- he receives no introspective scenes and even in the flashbacks of Episode 21, he's mostly seen secondhand through the eyes of Fuyutsuki and Yui. It's only in his last moments that viewers get a peek behind his stone-faced coldness. Confronted by a vision of Yui, Gendo explains, "When Shinji is near me, all I ever do is cause him pain. I thought it was better when I did nothing at all."
With this, Gendo is finally understood: like his son, he suffers from the Hedgehog's Dilemma. Still, Gendo's evil means that the audience can't feel too bad for him. Indeed, he's devoured by Yui in the form of Unit 01, with his last words as an unanswered plea for Shinji's forgiveness.
9 Fuyutsuki, Maya, Makoto, & Shigeru All Dissolve To LCL In The Third Impact
Dr. Fuyutsuki and the NERV "Bridge Trio" are ancillary parts of the Evangelion cast, but they're also some of the only ones left on the mortal plane by the Third Impact. Embraced by specters of their unrequited loves (Yui for Fuyutsuki, Misato for Makoto, and Ritsuko for Maya), they experience seconds of bliss before their bodies explode into LCL and their souls return to Lilith. The most tragic of the bunch is Shigeru -- apparently never having found even a one-sided love, he merely sees a swarm of Rei clones before he dies screaming.
8 Kaji Meets His Death Calmly, But It Has Tragic Repercussions
Kaji is a triple agent simultaneously working for NERV, SEELE, and the Japanese government, but he's in it for himself. Unlike most spies, though, Kaji's motivation isn't greed, but knowledge -- he wants to know the secrets that SEELE and NERV hold.
Kaji's luck runs out after he rescues Fuyutsuki from SEELE. Aware he's about to meet his end, Kaji leaves a last message for his lover Misato: "If I ever get to see you again, I'll say the words I wasn't able to say eight years ago." Of course, Kaji is unable to fulfill that promise. Once Misato hears the message, she sobs and collapses to the floor. In one of Shinji's lowest moments, he hides in his room instead of comforting Misato in her time of need.
7 Naoki Akagi & Rei I Were Some Of Gendo's Most Pitiful Victims
Episode 21 could be titled "Evangelion: Origins" with flashbacks detailing the world before the Second Impact all the way up to the show's present day. Viewers meet Dr. Naoko Akagi, mother of Ritsuko, designer of the MAGI computer system, and Gendo's mistress.
A toddler-aged Rei stumbles into Naoko's office and calls the doctor an "old hag." When Naoko is naturally offended, Rei reveals that she's simply repeating what Gendo has said to her. Heartbroken by Gendo's true feelings and enraged by Yui's visage reflected in Rei, Naoko strangles the young girl. Realizing what she's done, Naoko then takes her own life. A question emerges from this tragedy, however -- if Naoko killed Rei, then how is Rei still alive in the present?
6 Rei II Sacrifices Herself & Only Partially Returns
In Episode 23, Unit 00 and Rei within it are infected by the 16th Angel, Armisael. To protect Shinji, Rei detonates her own Eva Unit, killing the Angel and seemingly herself. Miraculously, Rei is recovered alive from the remains of the battle. When Shinji goes to see her in the hospital, however, Rei does not remember her sacrifice.
This is when Misato and Shinji learn the truth about Rei -- she is actually a series of clones. The Rei they knew is indeed dead, replaced by a copy with only partially-restored memories. A spiteful Ritsuko then ensures that "Rei III" will be the last by destroying the other soulless clones.
5 Kyoko Soryu's Death Is The Series' Most Horrifying Scene
Evangelion Episode 22 is a nightmare in celluloid. The 15th Angel, Arael, invades Asuka's mind and forces her to relive her most traumatic memories. When Asuka was about four, her mother, a Gehirn/NERV scientist named Kyoko, became severely mentally ill after an experiment with EVA Unit 02.
Kyoko's husband began an affair with her doctor while Asuka was unable to understand why her mother had changed. This all culminated with Kyoko's suicide when Asuka walked in on her hanging body. But that's not all. Hanging from a second noose in the same room was a doll which Kyoko had mistaken for Asuka herself.
4 Kaworu's Death Breaks Shinji
In Episode 24, an angel descends in the form of Kaworu. Sent to replace Asuka as the pilot of Unit 02, Kaworu takes an instant liking to Shinji. Shinji, not used to someone showing him interest or affection, is drawn in. Kaworu and Shinji's bond intensifies rapidly, and he becomes the first person to say, "I love you," to Shinji.
Unfortunately, it turns out Kaworu is a literal Angel - the 17th one, true name Tabris. After hijacking Unit 02 and discovering the being in NERV's Central Dogma is not Adam, but Lilith, Kaworu abandons his mission. By sharing time and love with Shinji, Kaworu has gained a new appreciation for Lilith's children. So, he decides to die so that humanity, and Shinji in particular, may live. The task of killing Kaworu falls to Shinji himself, who just barely brings himself to do it and then spirals into depression after.
3 Ritsuko Is Betrayed By Her Own Mother For A Man Who Loved Neither Of Them
Ritsuko Akagi succeeded her mother as NERV's steward of the Magi system. Though determined to not become her mother, she's also sleeping with Gendo, and he has the same level of regard for her as he did Naoko. Ritsuko gradually realizes how Gendo's repaid her love with apathy and, in The End Of Evangelion, attempts a murder-suicide of herself, him, and Rei by blowing up NERV HQ.
However, one prong of the Magi, Casper, rejects the self-destruct command. Each of the Magi embodies one aspect of Naoko, with Casper representing her "as a woman." As Ritsuko disbelievingly reacts to her own mother choosing Gendo over her, the elder Ikari pulls a gun and shoots Ritsuko, though not before offering her some final words. Viewers only get to hear Ritsuko's response: "Liar."
2 Misato's Story Comes Full Circle In Her Last Moments
Episode 12 reveals that Misato's father was the scientist who awakened Adam and accidentally caused the Second Impact. Misato herself was a witness to the event and its sole survivor -- the cross necklace she wears is the last gift her father gave her.
Fifteen years later, during The End Of Evangelion, Misato spends her last moments desperately trying to pull Shinji out of his despair, without much success. With her final words, she implores Shinji to pilot the EVA once more, passes her cross along to him, then says goodbye with a kiss and an empty promise that they'll see each other again. As Misato collapses from her wounds, an explosion destroys her body.
1 Asuka Has Victory Snatched Away From Her At The Last Second
Asuka spends the last leg of Evangelion having her ego demolished. She rediscovers her will to live while NERV is under siege, then regains her will to fight when she discovers the truth of EVA Unit 02 -- it contains her mother's soul. Realizing her mother did and has always loved her, Asuka and Unit 02 spring into action, even defeating the nine Mass Production EVAs single-handily.
At the last second, however, Unit 02's AT Field is pierced by a Spear Of Longinus. With Unit 02's power out, the MP EVAs regenerate and tear apart their downed opponent. Asuka stays a fighter to the end, futilely repeating, "I'll kill you," until her EVA is skewered by the remaining spears.
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