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Episode 22: At Least, Be Human/Don't Be
I wonder if everyone in this show will be destroyed, physically or emotionally, by the end. Last episode we lost Ryoji Kaji and this episode lose, at least emotionally, a key character who has been around about as long as Kaji. I can't say it was unexpected, but the way it is executed is brilliant. "The fiction has become the reality. How ironic, that the experiment's advocate became it's victim", says a man who is at a funeral and along with a woman, he discusses how the "contact experiment" caused the woman to commit suicide. The woman turns out to be Asuka's mom, who is so insane that she believes that her doll is Asuka. Asuka watches angrily as her mother talks to the doll, believing it to be her daughter and then we cut to a gravestone: Soryu Kyoko Zeppelin, 1974-2005. 2015 AD: Asuka is performing her synch tests and her rate continues to drop at a staggering pace. Ritsuko is beginning to think there may be a need for a new 02 pilot and hopes to fix 00 soon. Outside, Makato tells Misato that EVA 05-13 are being built around the world and that work is being done outside of official channels. Back at home, Misato finds her dinner with the two pilots is very somber but is interrupted by a call from Asuka's foster parents (though Asuka thinks Kaji was calling at first). After Asuka finishes her phone call, she tells Shinji that talking to her "mother" makes her feel uncomfortable. The next day, after Asuka barely passes her synch tests, she finds herself alone with Rei on the elevator. "If you don't open your mind to her, your EVA will not move", Rei tells Asuka and also says, "EVA has it's own mind." Asuka gets angry at Rei, accusing her of being a doll, slaps her and storms out of the elevator saying, "Everyone. I hate everyone." Soon, the 15th Angel appears, orbiting from high above the NERV attack range. Asuka's 02 is ordered to back up Rei and the 01 but she refuses to be relegated to such a position. She rushes headstrong into battle, knowing this is her last chance as the 02's pilot and Misato says to let her do this (01 is frozen as per Gendo's orders). As Asuka prepares to fire her projectile weapons, the Angel psychically attacks her, and the song "Hallelujah" begins to play in the background. As the Angel mentally rapes her, different words flash on the screen: pain, hatred, menstruation, shame, double suicide, invader and comfortable. As Misato orders Asuka to retreat, the fiery young pilot replies, "I'd rather die than retreat." The 00 tries to penetrate the Angel's AT Field and Ritsuko wonders if the Angels are trying to understand the intricacies of the human mind. We flash again to the past, where Asuka is crying and wonders why, since she promised herself that she'd never cry again. Also, we see a young Asuka rip up a stuffed animal she was given as a child and find out that her mom hung herself, along with the doll she thought was Asuka. The scene flashes back to the present where Gendo says he will not let 01 sortie because he cannot risk it being contaminated. He sends the 00 to get the Lance of Longinus to use against the Angel but Misato objects, saying that if EVA touches Adam there would be a Third Impact. As Gendo fails to respond to her comments, Misato realizes that story was also a lie and that she may not know as much as she thinks. Kouzou is worried the Lance is being used too soon but Gendo says that SEELE is already mass producing EVA's, "The is our chance. We cannot make time run backwords, but we can spur it's own course forward with our own hands." Still, Kouzou worries how SEELE will react to this unnecessary use of the Lance. "The need is the justification", says Gendo but Kouzou believes, "Justification? You're just looking for an excuse." 00 destroys the Angel with the Lance but the Lance goes into lunar orbit, beyond any means of retrieval known to NERV. After the battle, Asuka sits alone and Shinji walks up to her, expressing happiness she is alive. Unfortunately, this same positive outlook is not shared by the red headed pilot Asuka. "That little bitch rescued me", says Asuka, "That little bitch rescued me." Asuka believes her life couldn't be any worse and says, "I hate everyone." This was quite a dramatic episode and helped to explain why Asuka hated Rei so much. But, in classic Evangelion style, as soon as we learn about the character they must be destroyed. And in Asuka's case, her spirit may have been crippled beyond the point of repair. This episode definitely ranks in the top ten and was a masterful piece of characterization and drama.