watching evangelion for the first time is going into it like ✨fun giant robots✨ and then evangelion hits and it’s like oh,, this is all Not Fun Giant Robots
Okay so I was doing some Skybound AU Research when I got to This Scene, and because Brain Went Really Brr, I decided I might as well make a breakdown of it, so buckle up.
The scene starts with Nahdakhan swooping in and teleporting Kai to the beach, and when he demands where they are claims it’s so they can have some “privacy” so Nahdakhan can do the whole Wish Thing. Kai then immediately responds with “the only thing I wish for is for you to take me back”
Now, a few things stand out to me in this scene
First off, is the way Nahdakhan is interacting with Kai. He’s always getting close to him, just shy of touching him, and whenever Kai tries to pull away he just moves in closer. There’s also how the entire time Nahdakhan is always above Kai, towering over him when he speaks. And for most of it, the camera is down on Kai’s level, looking up at Nahdakhan and making him seem just that much bigger and more intimidating.
Secondly there’s the whole fact they’re on a beach. Now, why this random beach? Why not a plains, or a forest, or a mountain. Hell, why not the cave he used to hide the Misfortune’s Keep. Well, just last season we were introduced to the fact that Kai was afraid of water. Nahdakhan was likely using this against him, just to further sell that feeling of being trapped.
Moving on. Nahdakhan grants Kai’s wish and takes him “back,” but he interprets that as back in time, specifically when Ray was Kai’s age(and seemingly not a part of the Elemental Alliance). It’s also interesting how Nahdakhan skirts around taking direct blame for this, citing how Kai never specified what “back” meant. Yes Kai knows that’s a complete lie, but its less of the impact to has and more of the fact he’s doing it at all.
And then Kai spots his father. His father who he hasn’t seen since he was a child, his father who disappeared one day without warning. Because keep in mind, at this point in time Kai has no idea what happened to his parents.
And Nahdakhan seems to know this.
When Ray falls and asks for help, Kai turns away with his eyes shut and says “this isn’t what I wished for.” His voice is tense, but it waivers a bit. Kai’s afraid.
Of course, Nahdakahn immediately jumps on that, getting back into his personal space even more than he did on the beach. “Won’t You help your poor father. He’sright there. You could spend some quality time.”
It’s only punctuated by Ray asking again. “Please friend. I just need a hand.”
And it’s enough for Kai to look back. To quietly say “dad?” He knows it’s a trick from Nahdakhan, knows this could only end poorly…..but at the same time it’s so real.
But still, he finally turns away, breathing hard before he makes his second wish, which is where things get interesting.
“I wish for you to take me back. Back to when things were good. Back before all this mess when-when people liked us, and bad guys like you were never a problem! Back to the days when girls were crazy for me-”
Now, a lot of focus is put on the last bits of the wish, since after that there’s the whole scene which still makes me angry to this day, but that’s not what I want to focus on.
When Kai first starts talking, his voice audibly waivers, and then there was seconds prior when he took in those deep breaths. In all honesty, Kai looks like he’s not too far from having a breakdown.
And that’s what Nahdakhan was waiting for.
The beach scene was used to catch Kai off guard and alone, to make him angry and reckless and wish for something quickly without too much thought. Seeing his father was meant to make him emotionally unstable and more likely to make another wish, specifically one to get him away from there, only unlike the beach it would be even more desperate. Because when Kai gets to the last part of the wish, he barely has any time to finish before Nahdakhan says “Your Wish Is Yours To Keep” and sends him to the next place.
The whole point was to break him down and make it worth Wishing It All Away.
