I guess that I'm in the very small, third category when it comes to Eva-fans: Those that really enjoyed the "fun" half of the series in the beginning, but when the dark spiral began and the pasts of the characters were revealed, went "Damn! That makes SO MUCH SENSE!" and enjoyed it, despite the suffering the characters went through, all the way through the last episode, with Shinji's cathartic rebirth as an individual (everyone congratulating him was very touching, I felt). Who, after enjoying the series, watched the movies, and spent the next two years avoiding it, all the while writing in IMs to friends "MISATO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" then eventually WATCHED the movie again and, while still sniffling about the death of, well, everyone, enjoyed the story and Shinji's cathartic rebirth as an individual again.
See, the thing of it is, is that unless Doug has a massive therapy song in his arsenal, he can't do THAT MUCH GOOD for them. Sure, would a strong paternal figure help Shinji? Absolutely. But for how long? And when Doug leaves, how would that affect his sense of abandonment?
What I think that nearly all the characters really NEED is to spend many, many, many, many, many years in deep therapy in the countryside or by the sea swimming with dolphins and getting lots of positive reinforcement. Anything else is just a bandaid over a sucking chest wound.
Though I will say this: Doug, being acquinted with horror, could do *something* to help Shinji not go insane at the sight of the mutilated and more-than-half-eaten Eva Unit 002. Though how this would come up without being, you know, *too* forced . . . .that'd take some work.
-murmur
"remember, Shinji, when you see the mutilated corpses of your comrades that you're in a love-hate relationship with, don't freak out.
"don't freak out?"
"don't freak out."
See, the thing of it is, is that unless Doug has a massive therapy song in his arsenal, he can't do THAT MUCH GOOD for them. Sure, would a strong paternal figure help Shinji? Absolutely. But for how long? And when Doug leaves, how would that affect his sense of abandonment?
What I think that nearly all the characters really NEED is to spend many, many, many, many, many years in deep therapy in the countryside or by the sea swimming with dolphins and getting lots of positive reinforcement. Anything else is just a bandaid over a sucking chest wound.
Though I will say this: Doug, being acquinted with horror, could do *something* to help Shinji not go insane at the sight of the mutilated and more-than-half-eaten Eva Unit 002. Though how this would come up without being, you know, *too* forced . . . .that'd take some work.
-murmur
"remember, Shinji, when you see the mutilated corpses of your comrades that you're in a love-hate relationship with, don't freak out.
"don't freak out?"
"don't freak out."