"At it's core, Taking Sights is supposed to be the journey of Gendo Ikari and how he deals with trying to make amends with his life. These tasks range from saving the world from his own plots to convincing Rei of the value of her own life. The MOST important task is repairing his relationship with Shinji. The problem for me, the writer, is that that plot line resolved itself fairly early on. Gendo tried to manipulate Shinji, Shinji sniffed out his father's true intents, and any chance for future reconciliation went down the gutter. End of story."
I should probably check the relevant chapters before talking about this, but IIRC,
1) Gendo tries to manipulate Shinji so that he can be sure his son is dedicated to his duty as a pilot.
2) Gendo's "Well done, son guy" line falls flat and Shinji realizes that his father is trying to manipulate him.
3) Shinji leaves Tokyo-3 relatively soon after that.
4) Gendo, internally despairing of ever making up with his son, thinking that doing so would be "too painful" for the both of them, and absolutely needing Shinji to pilot Unit 01, has Shinji call him and attempts to solidify his son's hatred toward him.
Action 4, although it was a really horrible thing to do, can obviously be seen as a logical move from Gendo's perspective. However, I think Gendo simply rationalized his desire to break himself off from his son through the lens of logical planning. He was unwilling to face the idea of trying to reconcile with Shinji due to a fear that things would turn out badly or be more painful. Thus, he is, in effect, running away from his problems with Shinji by pushing him away. In fact, you might have even mentioned something to this effect in the fic itself, but I can't remember.
Shinji, of course, returned to NERV looking for "answers", as Gendo put it. In the latest chapter (The 22nd one on FF.net), we see that the issue of what Gendo did still occupies some part of his son's dreams. And in prior chapters, I recall Ritsuko (or maybe it was Misato) theorizing that some of the reason Gendo wasn't sleeping well was because he was extremely distressed about not being able to make up with Shinji.
Of course, Gendo's stress and dreams also involved the Third Impact, but I don't remember whether that was before or after Shinji returned to his Uncle's, or both. Gendo also went through that little period of epiphany when he realized that he wouldn't see Yui again, and then strengthened his resolve, but... I also can't remember whether or not it was implied or shown that his nightmares ceased after that. ^_^;
Anyway, as of late, it hasn't seemed that Shinji is dwelling on his father very much, at least not consciously. I would argue, however, that his internal conflict is still there, just buried deep down after the situation had been "resolved" with Shinji "accepting" the fact that he hates his father. And with the second (third?) scene in 22 seeming to foreshadow that Shinji and Fuyutsuki's dinner conversation might involve Gendo as well as Yui (i.e.: Gendo is obviously still concerned about Shinji's happiness, knowing he'd want to know more about his mother, and the "Does that freedom extend to discussing you?", "I don't feel the Third Child will be at all curious as to my personal history." lines). So it seems to me that a renewal of that particular central conflict wouldn't be at all implausible.
What do you think?
P.S.: And was any of my writing incomprehensible? I tend to get carried away with my wordiness.
no subject
I should probably check the relevant chapters before talking about this, but IIRC,
1) Gendo tries to manipulate Shinji so that he can be sure his son is dedicated to his duty as a pilot.
2) Gendo's "Well done, son guy" line falls flat and Shinji realizes that his father is trying to manipulate him.
3) Shinji leaves Tokyo-3 relatively soon after that.
4) Gendo, internally despairing of ever making up with his son, thinking that doing so would be "too painful" for the both of them, and absolutely needing Shinji to pilot Unit 01, has Shinji call him and attempts to solidify his son's hatred toward him.
Action 4, although it was a really horrible thing to do, can obviously be seen as a logical move from Gendo's perspective. However, I think Gendo simply rationalized his desire to break himself off from his son through the lens of logical planning. He was unwilling to face the idea of trying to reconcile with Shinji due to a fear that things would turn out badly or be more painful. Thus, he is, in effect, running away from his problems with Shinji by pushing him away. In fact, you might have even mentioned something to this effect in the fic itself, but I can't remember.
Shinji, of course, returned to NERV looking for "answers", as Gendo put it. In the latest chapter (The 22nd one on FF.net), we see that the issue of what Gendo did still occupies some part of his son's dreams. And in prior chapters, I recall Ritsuko (or maybe it was Misato) theorizing that some of the reason Gendo wasn't sleeping well was because he was extremely distressed about not being able to make up with Shinji.
Of course, Gendo's stress and dreams also involved the Third Impact, but I don't remember whether that was before or after Shinji returned to his Uncle's, or both. Gendo also went through that little period of epiphany when he realized that he wouldn't see Yui again, and then strengthened his resolve, but... I also can't remember whether or not it was implied or shown that his nightmares ceased after that. ^_^;
Anyway, as of late, it hasn't seemed that Shinji is dwelling on his father very much, at least not consciously. I would argue, however, that his internal conflict is still there, just buried deep down after the situation had been "resolved" with Shinji "accepting" the fact that he hates his father. And with the second (third?) scene in 22 seeming to foreshadow that Shinji and Fuyutsuki's dinner conversation might involve Gendo as well as Yui (i.e.: Gendo is obviously still concerned about Shinji's happiness, knowing he'd want to know more about his mother, and the "Does that freedom extend to discussing you?", "I don't feel the Third Child will be at all curious as to my personal history." lines). So it seems to me that a renewal of that particular central conflict wouldn't be at all implausible.
What do you think?
P.S.: And was any of my writing incomprehensible? I tend to get carried away with my wordiness.