Postby Sachi » Tue May 03, 2011 7:21 pm

katastroff wrote: "Survivor Burden" is a great description of some of Misato's troubles, but the cross does not symbolize that. Misato's cross symbolizes Misato. Why was Shinji holding onto it during the "rehabilitating" parts of instrumentality? Was it his survivor guilt that showed him the way to reject instrumentality? No, it was from Misato's guidance that he found courage. The cross symbolizes her influence, and it is hung as a grave mark as a reminder of her sacrifice.



Perhaps Shinji did not respond well to Misato's final moments initially, but in the end, its clear that he has learned from her, influencing his final decision to return from LCL. "Survivor Burden" is a great description of some of Misato's troubles, but the cross does not symbolize that. Misato's cross symbolizes Misato. Why was Shinji holding onto it during the "rehabilitating" parts of instrumentality? Was it his survivor guilt that showed him the way to reject instrumentality? No, it was from Misato's guidance that he found courage. The cross symbolizes her influence, and it is hung as a grave mark as a reminder of her sacrifice.Perhaps Shinji did not respond well to Misato's final moments initially, but in the end, its clear that he has learned from her, influencing his final decision to return from LCL.

Just to clarify on this point: what you're arguing is correct when interpreted from the perspective of Shinji. Misato's cross does indeed become a symbol of her lessons, as well as acting as a medium for Shinji between Instrumentality and the real world; remember that the cross remained in the entry plug with him from start to finish. However, it's important to note that symbols don't strictly have one or two valid meanings, and that the cross takes on a whole new meaning when taken from a different perspective.And this is the meaning Xard is proposing (which I'm not entirely in agreement with, so I'll just run with my interpretation, which happens to be very similar to Xard's). The cross, when presented to the audience, is a symbol of the survivor.The cross was originally in the possession of Dr. Katsuragi, and was passed down to Misato just before he died during the Second Impact. Over and over again throughout the series the cross is used to emphasize her survival of the tragedy and the burden she carries with it (eg, her vendetta against the Angels).In the same manner as her father, Misato passes the cross onto Shinji before pushing him to safety and meeting her death. The cross is now in Shinji's possession, and, although a symbol of Misato to him, it makes him the new survivor.This interpretation is brought up again just before the final scene. Shinji emerges from his entry plug with the cross that has been with him the entire time, and he is essentially a survivor of Third Impact and his own inner torments; he has come out on top.This is where it becomes very tricky, however, because the final scene throws us a curve ball. Is Shinji an emotional wreck again? Why is Shinji, if he is one, an emotional wreck again? Why is the cross hung upon a grave marker? Is it a symbol of his accomplishment of putting his past behind him, or is it a symbol that he hasn't really survived his inner torments? This is completely up to the interpretation of the audience, and I could never claim to have an answer to this. However, I have my theories, which I may go into once I have more time to flesh them out.