it’s mindblowing how the phrase “the beginning and the end are one and the same” is so deeply entrenched in evangelion’s main narrative. forget about rebuild’s loops (for now), because it’s ridiculously important in the original series, too
take episode 1 for example. the establishing shots of the military attacking sachiel? repeats itself in end of evangelion. misato marching shinji down nerv’s corridors? repeats itself in end of evangelion. emotionally charged peptalks between misato and shinji? repeats itself in end of evangelion. unit-01′s hand moving on its own for shinji’s sake? repeats itself in end of evangelion. even our very first shot of ritsuko, which has her emerging from an LCL pool in episode 1, laterally echoes the very last shot her falling into the LCL tank upon being shot in end of evangelion.
the beginning and the end are one and the same.
ever wonder why asuka’s debut episode takes place in the ocean? because asuka emerges from the ocean, kicking and screaming, in end of evangelion. and to top it all off, rei’s bookend appearances in episode 1 and end of evangelion respectively recapitulate the overarching concept of alpha and omega so perfectly.
