Evangelion 3.0 explained (attempt to) [SPOILER]

Sachyan said:
I always had some mixed feelings about this movie, but after the re-watch I think I understand what is going on now, and even though the movie doesn't necessarily do a a very good job in explaining things, being pretty ambiguous and confusing all the way through, it's not so hard to comprehend it after looking at things more carefully. Anyway, let's point out the most important details:

First of all, in the end of the 2nd movie Shinji is responsible to awake the true nature of the Evangelion 01 and cause the third impact, which is somehow stopped by Kaworu, who's the first Angel, leading to the Near Third Impact. Now this is very important and it's closely related to one of the most relevant plot elements in all of Evangelion; the Human Instrumentality Project: which is basically a project that aims to merge all the human souls in the world into a single and more evolved entity, therefore ending all pain and suffering by eliminating individuality and all the malice and sin that comes with it, reaching the true singularity, where human transcends its sinful and mortal nature and becomes God itself, a single entity and the ultimate stage of existence.

This is the goal of SEELE and, in some way or another, the objective of Ikari Gendo, as head of NERV and king of Lilins (he carries the will to transcend human nature). SEELE believes if they can control Kaworu they can manipulate the events that lead to the Instrumentality Project. But as an Angel, Kaworu's true objective is to prevent the Instrumentality Project, because he wants to preserve humanity's true nature, as well as to protect the original idea of God. That's why he stopped the Third Impact in the 2nd movie. With that in mind, Shinji becomes an important figure in the movie, because he's the only one in the world that has the most important element to either cause the 4th impact and the Instrumentality Project, or to preserve the idea of individuality: Shinji has a bond of love and desire with the Evangelion 01, vessel of the next stage of human evolution, mostly because that's basically Shinji's mother. The most primordial idea of love is the love between a mother and her child, and when Shinji awakened the Evangelion 01 he became one with his mother. Kaworu, as a celestial being, embraces Shinji purely because he can sense all the love in this relationship, true love, and sees Shinji as a beacon of hope for humanity's redemption, but at the same time a critical being, because this kind of love may transcend the very idea of humanity. Ikari Gendo knows about this and tries to use Kaworu, and that's when he acts behind SEELE's plan to manipulate Kaworu and Shinji to pilot the new Evangelion 13 together; an unity that carries the desire of the Lilins. The spears of Cassius and Longinus, which are celestial instruments used to rewrite the nature of the world, are tainted by NERV. Kaworu realizes that in the last minute, and to prevent the 4th impact he sacrifices himself. Ikari Gendo declared this a victory because now there are no more barriers for the Instrumentality Project to succeed.

With all of that in mind, that's why nobody tells Shinji anything, he can't know his true importance to the world, that would drive him completely mad. In the beginning of the 3rd movie Misato clearly says that Shinji ''shouldn't do anything'', and proceeds to maintain him captive, but her true objective is to protect Shinji from Ikari Gendo and NERV, because she knows that Shinji is the trigger for the Instrumentality Project. Also, she resents him for causing the Near Third Impact. Nearly everyone in the movie feels that Shinji is a threat, even Asuka blames him for not saving her and resents him for choosing Rei instead of her, and Misato fears for the fate of humanity. NERV conveniently comes to ''rescue'' Shinji from WILLE, and the whole plot of Evangelion 3.0 is centered around Shinji gradually realizing the truth, with Kaworu using him to prevent the 4th impact, NERV using him to either cause it or to kill Kaworu in order to clear the path for the Instrumentality Project, WILLE trying to act to prevent Shinji from doing anything that might cause the 4th impact, until all of that reach the climax with the Near 4th Impact, Kaworu demise and Shinji mental breakdown.

It's also important to mention some of the concepts used in the movie (if you can think of more you can comment about them above), and here is according to my interpretations of both the original version, the EoE and the Rebuilds:

Dead Sea Scrolls: ancient texts discovered in the Dead Sea that contains the prophecies of the coming of 1st and 2nd Impact and the coming of Angels, as well as how to fight against them and to achieve human next stage of evolution;

Spears of Cassius and Longinus: celestial artifacts capable of destroying the angels and rewrite the nature of the World, they were revelead by the Dead Sea Scrolls;

Doors of Guf: the metaphysical line that separates human individuality from the singular nature of God, as the collective consciousness of the World. Open the Doors of Guf implies that the Human Instrumentality Project is in course;

Lilin: the humans as entities separated from the Angels and tainted by the original sin;

Adam's vessel: the humanoid embodiment of the angels, there are more than one apparently, and I have a feeling that Kaworu is one of the representations of Adam as the humanoid embodiment of the first angel.

I know that was too much, maybe I shouldn't have written all of this shit, but I felt the need to share some of my perceptions about this movie, especially because when I watched the first time it felt like a big mess. Also, I can say I like the rebuilds a lot more now, well, I would like to read some of your thoughts and perceptions about this as well...