Problems with Loop Theory
Loop Theory (as I understand it) is based off the idea that after the ending of the Evangelion manga, the anime happened and the Rebuild movies after that. This gained further support with the ending of the manga 2 summers ago when Sadamoto finished Third Impact by somehow causing all surviving characters to lose their memories, and magically repairing the ruins of Tokyo-3(It makes very little sense about what is actually possible, and provides no explanation of whether or not we’re seeing the same characters we just saw during 3rd Impact.)
Regardless of the manga ending, the theory existed before it finished so we can ignore it for now. The concept of Loop theory means that due to unknown events, at the end of the anime/EOE everything reset for the Rebuild movies, characters, environment, and apparently all of human civilization. However, the process of Loop Theory is heavily dependent on the capabilities of Impacts, more specifically the various forms of 3rd Impact. The way Loop theory depicts them makes it seem like Impacts can revive the dead, turn back time, and mess with the human mind, when in fact none of these are true. Impacts are bound by certain rules that make more sense than the casual observer can pick up on, for instance:  Impacts cannot revive the dead, the EOE 3rd Impact only saved people who were still alive when the Anti-AT field appeared. Shinji obviously made it, Asuka made it, Misato might have made it I don’t know she got shot like 8 times, but Kaji, Kaworu, and Rei 2 did not. Those who made it were dissolved into LCL and their souls collected in a pocket dimension inside the Black Moon. With the death of the giant Rei/Lilith, all these people spilled out into the LCL sea where they could reform whenever they wanted. Anyone who’s soul wasn’t collected is permanently dead. The concept of Loop Theory defies this idea, because in every version of Evangelion, Misato, Rei 2, Kaji, all the Angels, and most importantly Kaworu are good as new.
Another marker that Loop Theory didn’t occur can be observed in the fact that each version of Evangelion starts exactly 15 years after their respective 2nd Impacts, something that would be impossible if each version took place one after the other. Impacts can’t mess with time, and each leaves their own respective marks on the world after they occur. The anime 2nd Impact woke up 17 Angels, created Kaworu from Adams soul and one unfortunate researcher, and made the Antarctic sea into alien fruit juice(Angel LCL). The Rebuild 2nd Impact had 4 Adams, permanently opened the White Moon in a wormhole over Antarctica, and turned the world oceans into alien fruit juice.  If Loop Theory was correct than it fails to explain how both of these can happen, Misato can lose her father three times, and the same Angels can wake up and go berserk several times over despite dying in between.
Finally, at the end of EOE and the manga, the Lance of Longinus is broken in 2 to kill Rei/Lillith. The Lance of Longinus is a one of a kind thing (as far as we’re concerned) and is not going to be magically fixed by an Impact, because breaking it is what stops the Impact each time. The fact that it appears in all 3 versions, despite getting broken in the first 2 is further proof that Loop Theory isn’t possible.
In place of Loop Theory, I would like to suggest a slightly more plausible theory that follows the laws of physics, and still allows for the silly “this time I’ll definitely make you happy” comment that sent everyone into hysterics. It’s known as Multiverse/Infinite Universe Theory, and actually exists irl in advanced physics. The concept is that there are an infinite number of parallel universes with slight changes between them, and is also supported by the booklets that accompany each Rebuild disc, explaining the different # and types of Angels that appear, and why Rebuild is so drastically different from the anime and manga. (I’ll reblog that one in a bit.)
Anyway, travel between these parallel universes is entirely possible with Evangelion technology, with high level Angels or FAR being able to do so whenever they please, as alternate dimensions are a key part of how Impacts work. However, travel between them for other beings is not possible due to the sheer strength of an AT field that is required to survive the trip with your soul. With this in mind, Kaworu(from Rebuild) could have traveled to plenty of other dimensions and met plenty of other Shinjis before he became involved with the events of 2.0 and 3.0. Theoretically there is even a universe where they 3rd Impact never happened and they built a life together. This theory also allows for the concept “Quantum Rei” which I believe is meant to explain the momentary appearance of Rei in the anime before Sachiel almost steps on Shinji. There is no evidence to suggest this Rei had a soul, she could have been any one of the thousands of mindless clones from Gendo’s labs, so pushing her through an inter-dimensional portal wouldn’t have affected her in the slightest. All in all, Multiverse Theory is able to explain the Eva Universe in much greater detail than Loop Theory, while still following all the rules of time and space that Loop Theory tends to disregard. As a side note, Japanese forums following Anno’s 3.0+1.0 lantern took special attention to explain to anyone who suggested it how absurd loop theory really is. I feel we’d make much more progress in solving any mysteries left in this fandom if we could collectively abandon Loop Theory, and dedicate more time towards helping others understand the wonders of Evangelion. It’s a beautiful world and I’d hate to see it wasted away by people obsessed with proving Loop Theory.














