I figured this would be hard to put on Twitter so I was hesitant to do it but given this is what has cemented Eva as my #1 anime I might as well. It was the idea that Asuka and Shinji actually had sex in episode 15 and made her pregnant.

This has of course been a running theory for a while and I'd heard of it before but rewatching there's so many parts that just fit perfectly with this interpretation. To start with I guess there is this scene in episode 17 (right after) where Kaji and Shinji have this exchange.

The ED of ep 16 is also very peculiar as it has a lot of very intimate lines coming from Asuka including "Do you love me?" in english, her trademark habit. My idea is that this is where "Why don't you become one with me?" actually comes from and he projects that onto other girls.

Shinji's sense of manhood is also suddenly heightened following episode 15 and Asuka and Shinji interact in uncharacteristically familiar and wholesome ways. Maybe they got a bit closer??

This would of course make sense as a reflection of what Asuka wants, a "real" man like Kaji, which follows since they kissed (and would have had sex) specifically because Kaji was away. This is then brought up again in Asuka's mind where Shinji has now replaced Kaji.

Asuka being probed by Arael is on the whole very sharp as a way to get into this idea.

That isn't even the strongest indicator in that scene once you look at what caused Asuka to break down completely.

As the head of the doll she had as a child is cut off you hear Asuka ask "Do you love me?" accompanied by faint moans in the background.

Even in Shinji's own mind in the part where he talks about how people treat him well now because he's doing well, while most characters deliver the same "Do your best", Asuka says something very special. It's especially intimate and whispering, how is she treating him well there?

In this scene Asuka had been angry with Shinji because he was being "prissy" she softens up when he answers the phone for her, and then he makes a comment that implies a stronger familiarity with Asuka speaking english ("Do you love me") and then an ambiguous remark about mothers

On top of this, in episode 16 when Shinji was sucked in by Leliel, something that happened because of his "Combat is a man's job" attitude mentioned before, he freaks out about how he's "suffocating" and then is saved by the thought of his own mother's warmth, like he realized

And then in the conclusion of Asuka's mental breakdown scene there are some very peculiar words flashed, including "insecurity", "denial", "Dependence", "Attachment behaviour", and of course "mother" which has sort of a dual meaning here.

And then there's the big kicker: End of Evangelion, where we can see Asuka and Shinji together in instrumentality just like how there was a replayed memory of Kaji and Misato, and the iconic choking scene goes above and beyond in paralleling the kiss in episode 15.

And then there's the very last scene with the legendary "Kimochi warui" which is here translated as "How disgusting" but is actually more akin to "I feel sick", possibly referencing morning sickness. It's no coincidence they're the two left & Asuka strokes his face gently.

Of course, all of this is also entirely within character and the overarching themes of the series. It's a brilliant idea I think really brings Asuka around into the completeness of the story and adds a ton to the show's messages, and that's what's now made it my number 1 anime.