Hi,

I have some questions about the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION conclusions.  The
questions include *huge* spoilers so consider yourself warned!

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I just watched all 26 episodes of the TV series, DEATH & REBIRTH, and END OF
EVANGELION in the past three days.  I followed the story just fine up until the
point in END OF EVANGELION in which Shinji finally launches EVA-01 and sees the
remains of EVA-02 which has been torn to pieces by the white EVAs.  After that,
there was a lot of stunning visuals, but I didn't really know what the hell was
going on.

I know that Rei merged with Lilith and somehow Lilith awoke.  I have no idea
what was going on with EVA-01 and the other EVAs.  They were making some kind
of magical pattern in the sky.  It looks like Rei then dissolved the AT fields
-- what kept everyone's soul incorporated in a body apart from other souls --
and then there was a lot of discussion going on with Shinji mixed with live
footage of Japan.  There seemed to be some discussion going on about him having
the power to choose what happened next although I am not clear on what his
options were and what he chose in the end.

The last thing you see is Shinji and Asuka lying on a beach of what looks to be
a sea of LCL.  Then the whacko -- I am now convinced Shinji is unhinged
although I used to feel sympathy for him -- starts strangling Asuka.  He stops
when she touches his face and then the movie ends.

?!? Can someone please explain what in the world was going on and what
happened?  As poetic and profound as all of that dialogue and visuals appeared
to be, I was unable to conceptualize what the plot of the last thirty minutes
or so actually was.  It was disappointing that the story ended on such an
unclear note.

Thanks in Advance,
Chad