I mean kinda? The part about Pontus Pilates “washing his hands” when asked whether or not to crucify Jesus, as a was to say “denying responsibility”. This meaning is felt in episode 1 where Rei falls from the stretcher and Shinji ran to help her and looked at his hands and there was blood. That was when he decides to ride the Eva. He didn’t “wash his hands” and day this wasn’t his business, and that’s the part where he becomes the hero of the story.
The hospital scene is a mirror of that one, and it marks Shinji exiting his role as the hero: He is too broken mentally to take his responsibility and fight on.
I mean kinda? The part about Pontus Pilates “washing his hands” when asked whether or not to crucify Jesus, as a was to say “denying responsibility”. This meaning is felt in episode 1 where Rei falls from the stretcher and Shinji ran to help her and looked at his hands and there was blood. That was when he decides to ride the Eva. He didn’t “wash his hands” and day this wasn’t his business, and that’s the part where he becomes the hero of the story. The hospital scene is a mirror of that one, and it marks Shinji exiting his role as the hero: He is too broken mentally to take his responsibility and fight on.