Opening Credits
Resume scene from Episode IV. Shinji and Utena are looking at each other uneasily. Utena, interestingly, is the taller of the two and this fact obviously isn't making the introduction easier for Shinji. Juri is saying nothing, standing out of the way. Shinji sees Utena's Rose Signet.
Shinji: You...you're the Fourth Children?
Utena nods.
Utena to Shinji: Tenjou Utena.
Shinji to Utena: Ikari Shinji.
She now sees Shinji's Rose Signet as he offers it to her.
Utena: Hey! Your ring looks like mine. Where did you get that?
Shinji: Huh?
Utena points to Shinji's ring. Shinji looks at it, not understanding why she's so intrigued by that. He nods.
Shinji to Utena: Well, all the Eva pilots have them.
Utena: All the pilots?
Utena looks down at her ring again. Shinji nods. Juri watches them, looks down, and begins walking away.
Juri to Utena: I have a few tasks to do for Capt. Katsuragi. I will see you later, Utena-san.
Shinji and Utena turn to watch Juri go.
Utena: Oh...bye, Juri-san!
Shinji: Goodbye, Arisugawa-sempai.
Shinji turns to Utena.
Shinji to Utena: You're on a first name basis with her?
Utena nods.
Utena: That's not normal?
Shinji shakes his head.
Shinji: We've never been particularly close, and as Misato tells me, things between her and the other pilots got bad around the time Asuka was sent to Germany. The only person she seems to be on good terms with is Misato, and even they have been having problems lately.
Utena to Shinji: There's a picture of her with Miki and Asuka in her home. She looks happier then.
View switches, we see Juri walking alone. Her expression changes from solemn, to pained, to recovering, to solemn.
Shinji (off): It must have been taken before I came to NERV. I haven't met Asuka yet.
Utena (off): I wondered what happened to her?
Scene switch: we see nightfall over Tokyo-3 and over the Ohtori Academy.
Scene switch: we are in Misato's home. In Misato's room, we see a huge lump of blanket that begins to move sluggishly as an alarm goes off. A foot appears, reaching out to shut off an alarm clock. We next see her in the bathroom, brushing her teeth, looking at her half-asleep self in the mirror. She then wanders, yawning, in the kitchen, to see Shinji already dressed and eating breakfast.
Misato (yawning) to Shinji: Morning, Shinji-kun.
Shinji to Misato: Good morning, Misato-san.
Misato sits down at the table and lazily looks at Shinji's breakfast. She reaches into the fridge, pulls out a beer and drinks it all at once. Shinji frowns.
Shinji to Misato: Beer for breakfast?
Misato nods.
Misato to Shinji: Shinji-kun, you know this how my day starts.
Shinji doesn't look too happy with that response, but doesn't follow up on it.
Shinji to Misato: Misato-san, I met the Fourth Children yesterday.
Misato to Shinji: Tenjou Utena? What did you think of her?
Shinji to Misato: She seemed very nice...
Misato to Shinji: I think she's in your class.
Shinji to Misato: Oh? I haven't been there in so long I hadn't noticed.
Misato smirks.
Misato to Shinji: But I had noticed. Don't think I'd overlooked this.
Misato holds up a report card. Shinji grimaces.
Misato to Shinji: Just because you pilot Eva doesn't mean you're excused from your schoolwork.
Switch to Juri's home. Juri is changing clothes, and is putting on the uniform of a member of the Ohtori Academy Student Council. (We have previously only seen her in her NERV uniform) As a final touch, she fastens a locket around her neck. There are boxes in the background where there were none the last time; presumably, these are Utena's as she moves in. Utena comes out of her room, dressed as well.
Utena to Juri: You're on the Student Council?
Juri nods.
Utena to Juri: How can you work for NERV and still go to school?
Juri smirks.
Juri to Utena: How can you, Utena-san?
Switch to Ohtori Academy. Shinji and Kensuke are walking together. Students are everywhere as the new day begins.
Kensuke to Shinji: So, you failed a test, Ikari. Don't worry, there are make up exams next week.
Shinji looks uncertain.
Shinji to Kensuke: I'm behind as it is. Always on alert, and with two attacks already...I just don't seem to have the time. Before Miki got hurt, we always used to study together.
Kensuke to Shinji: I'll trade you, Shinji-kun. I'll do your homework if I can pilot the Eva.
Shinji hehs. Then his expression becomes curious as he notices many of the female students paying attention to two figures walking. Kensuke sees it too, and they start walking towards whatever is attraction so much fuss. We then see Utena and Juri walking down the sidewalk. Utena stands out wearing her boy's uniform, but Juri does as well, as her Student Council one allows her to wear slacks and her white tunic is similar is shape but more feminine than Utena's. Both are a far cry from the sailor-style uniforms of the other female students. The clothing is only part of it, though. Utena and Juri walk with the same determination and presence: the two of them together radiate power. The female students are calling to them both, though Utena is getting far more attention than Juri.
Juri to Utena: You seem to have quite the following.
Utena looks around uncomfortably.
Utena to Juri: So it seems. There are more and more each day.
Back to Kensuke and Shinji watching them approach.
Kensuke: Wow...look at them.
Shinji nods. He and Kensuke watch Juri and Utena walk by and into the Ohtori Academy.
Inside the Ohtori Academy, Wakaba comes out of nowhere and hops onto Utena's back. Juri looks curiously at the two of them.
Wakaba: Utena-sama! Where have you been the past few days?
Juri to Utena: Utena...sama?
Utena looks a little flustered and grins sheepishly at Juri. Wakaba is still on her back and holding on tightly.
Utena to Wakaba: Wakaba...you're heavy.
Wakaba to Utena: Deal with it, this is punishment for vanishing and not telling me where you'd be.
Utena looks at Juri nervously.
Utena to Juri: It's not what you think...
Juri smirks at the two of them. Wakaba doesn't seem to be getting down. When Juri uses the "sama" honorific, Utena looks even more embarrassed.
Juri to Utena: Well then, Utena-sama, I shall meet up with you after classes. There are a few tests we still need to run through.
Juri turns and walks off. Wakaba and Utena watch her go.
Wakaba to Utena: You've been hanging out with Arisugawa?
Utena to Wakaba: Yeah. I got paired to room with her.
Wakaba to Utena: Be careful of her.
Utena to Wakaba: Why is that?
Wakaba to Juri: People say if you get to ever see her true face that you'll run in terror. She once looked at a teacher the wrong way and the teacher quit.
Utena to Wakaba: Oh? Is that true?
Wakaba to Utena: Who knows. It's a common story about her though, so there must be some truth to it.
Scene switch: we see the Ohtori Academy hallways as students filter in.
Scene switch: In class. Utena, Kozue, Kensuke, Wakaba, Rei, and Shinji are all there. Several shots of the class in progress. As the teacher speaks, we continue to see different angles and views.
Teacher (off): And so, in the year 2000, a great meteor smashed into Antarctica. The heat from the massive rock as it hit melted the continent's ice sheet, and water flooded the earth. Many thousands of people died as a result of the Second Impact, and for many long years food was scarce and society had to readjust to new ways of living.
This is all said somewhat slow and steady, and it will end with Utena catching Shinji glance over at Rei. Utena will then look over at Rei as well. Rei doesn't seem to notice either of them.
Switch to Rei watering roses in the Rose Garden again. Pan back and we see Shinji watching from a distance again. Utena walks up behind him.
Utena: What are you doing?
Shinji is startled, he didn't realize someone was observing him as well.
Shinji to Utena: She comes here and waters the flowers, but I don't know why she does it.
Utena to Shinji: Ayanami?
Shinji nods, and they both watch.
Utena to Shinji: Maybe she's responsible for them.
Shinji shakes his head.
Shinji to Utena: I don't think so. She's only started to do this recently.
Utena to Shinji: You mean you've been watching her?
Shinji to Utena: It's not like that. Really. I just wonder why she's alone all the time.
Utena to Shinji: It's not polite to spy on people. Why don't you just go and talk to her?
Shinji to Utena: Talk to Ayanami?
Utena nods.
Utena to Shinji: She'd probably like friends. Wakaba told me Ayanami hasn't ever had friends at Ohtori.
Utena takes Shinji's hand and starts pulling him towards the Rose Garden.
Utena to Shinji: Come on, let's go.
Shinji: Um...wait...um....
Utena to Shinji: Come on, don't be afraid.
Utena and Shinji enter the Garden. Rei turns to them as they enter, holding the watering pitcher. Utena puts on a friendly face.
Utena to Rei: Hi!
Rei looks at them blankly.
Utena to Rei: Ayanami-san, we were thinking that-
Rei interrupts her.
Rei to Utena: What do you want?
Utena looks startled, but continues.
Utena to Rei: Well, we were going to have lunch and wanted to know if you'd like to come with us.
Shinji looks surprised at that. Rei still looks at them blankly. She looks at the pitcher, then to the roses, then back to Shinji and Utena.
Rei: Go with you?
Utena nods. Shinji does as well after a moment.
Scene Switch: Top of the Ohtori Academy's tower. Zoom in and we see Ohtori Akio looking out from one of the windows. He looks across the campus, and sees a group of students having lunch on the grass: Shinji, Utena, Wakaba, Kensuke, and Rei. His eyes go wide as he sees this. We see a closer view of the group.
Everyone seems to be having a good time, but Rei is as blank as always. Akio looks a little pleasantly dumbfounded as he leans against the railing.
Akio: Well, isn't this a rather unexpected development.
Black screen, sound of a door closing. We then see Rei coming home to her apartment, which is a bare, frightful place. She lies down on her bed, head turning to her bedside table. On the table, we see a Rose Signet. Her eyes focus on it.
Black Title Screen: 2014.
Evangelion Unit 01 is in the testing cage where we saw Unit 00 last episode. Rei is in a white plug suit, in the pilot's chair. Switch to NERV testing control. We see Shigeru, Maya, Gendo, Mikage, and Ritsuko. During this scene, shots alternate between the characters and the displays.
Gendo: Activate Eva 01.
Ritsuko: Connect main power supply.
Maya: Connected. Activation started. Voltage now passing the critical level.
Ritsuko: Start second phase of activation.
Shigeru: Neural links added. Junction has started.
Maya: Pulses have been transmitted.
Shigeru: All circuits operative.
Maya: Initial contact has no problems. Up to 2500 on the list satisfied.
Ritsuko: Prepare for third connection.
Maya: Pulses beginning to flow backwards! Unit 01 is rejecting the pilot!
Gendo: Terminate the test.
Ritsuko: Stop contacts, terminate all connections up to the sixth.
Shigeru: Terminating connections.
Maya: Unit 01 powering down.
Brief scene of the eye lights on Unit 01 going dim.
Ritsuko sighs, and looks at Gendo.
Ritsuko to Shigeru and Maya: That's it for now, everyone take five.
Shigeru and Maya nod and leave.
Ritsuko to Gendo and Mikage: Same as with Unit 00. Both Evangelions are rejecting Rei.
Mikage to Ritsuko: Do you know why?
Ritsuko shrugs, setting down her clipboard.
Ritsuko to Mikage: Could be any number of things. If you want my gut instinct, I'd say it's mental instability in Rei herself.
Gendo stares at Unit 01 expressionlessly, then he speaks without looking at anyone.
Gendo: We'll continue without Rei for the time being, then. Continue training Kaoru on Unit 00. We will need a replacement for Unit 01.
Mikage to Gendo: Do you want Arisugawa to work with Rei for a while? Perhaps that might help Rei synchronize better.
Gendo to Mikage: No. The others have no need to know about Rei's involvement. Call up our back-up pilot for Unit 01 and begin training him. That will be sufficient for now.
Mikage: Understood.
Mikage walks out, leaving Ritsuko and Gendo alone. Ritsuko walks up next to Gendo.
Ritsuko to Gendo: If we cannot get the Eva to accept Rei, the entire Dummy Plug project might have to be scrapped. Unless we can find a suitable replacement.
Both of them look down through the window at Unit 01, which stares mindlessly back at them. We see Rei being helped out of the Entry Plug by two technicians. She turns and looks at Ritsuko and Gendo blankly.
Back in Rei's room, she picks up the Rose Signet and places it on her ring finger. She stares at it for a few moments, then removes it and sets it back down on the table.
Switch to NERV. Shinji and Utena are riding the elevator down.
Utena to Shinji: More tests? How many of these tests do we have to do a week?
Shinji to Utena: Don't ask. Sometimes I think all they do around here is test the pilots. Harmonics tests, synchronization tests. We barely have time to ourselves.
Utena to Shinji: How can you stand it?
Shinji to Utena: I've gotten used to it. I just expect it now. They'll do a lot more with you, since you just got here.
The elevator stops, the doors open, and Gendo is there. Shinji and Gendo stare at each other, Shinji obviously nervous and startled, and Gendo unreadable as always. Utena looks at each of them once. Then the doors close, and the elevator resumes.
Utena to Shinji: Someone you know?
Shinji to Utena: My father.
Utena to Shinji: Oh. You two must really have great conversations at dinnertime.
Shinji looks down.
Shinji: It's...um...well...he doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with me.
Utena to Shinji: Really?
Shinji nods.
Utena to Shinji: That's too bad. I don't have a father or a mother.
Shinji to Utena: Oh...I'm sorry.
Utena to Shinji: It's okay. They both died when I was very young. I just think it's sad because I can't ever get to know them, and here you have parents and it's just the same for you.
Shinji to Utena: Actually...my mother died. It was right after that my father left me.
Utena to Shinji: Left you?
Shinji to Utena: Yes. I lived with my teacher for the longest time. Until Misato called me here, and I found out my father brought me here to pilot Eva. If I couldn't pilot Eva, I don't think he'd want me around at all.
Utena to Shinji: Oh, how awful. Do you live at the Ohtori Dormitory?
Shinji to Utena: No, I stay with Misato. She's been my guardian ever since I came here.
Utena to Shinji: They had me in the Dormitory when I transferred here. When I agreed to pilot Eva, I got moved in with Juri.
The doors open and they both leave together.
Shinji to Utena: I think I got the better end of the living arrangements.
Switch to Rei. She is in front of Evangelion Unit 00, staring at it curiously as it rests in the cooling fluid. She isn't wearing her Rose Signet. The Eva looks lifelessly back, its one big eye dim.
Switch to Misato and Ritsuko. They are in the control room, having coffee.
Background Voice 1: Unit 01 going into third stage cooling.
Background Voice 2: No problems with latest harmonics test.
Misato to Ritsuko: How are the results on the Fourth Children's tests?
Ritsuko to Misato: Surprisingly high. Still not as high as either Miki or Shinji, but for someone who has only been in the Eva twice, very promising.
Misato takes a sip of her coffee.
Background Voice 2: Report results to Balthazar.
Background Voice 1: Roger.
Background Voice 2: Send the Entry Plug's data to Melchior.
Misato to Ritsuko: Would you send her and Unit 00 into combat if necessary?
Ritsuko to Misato: I'd prefer not to. I'd like to give her more simulation time before throwing her into something real.
Misato to Ritsuko: I agree. But if we had no other choice?
Ritsuko thinks for a moment.
Ritsuko to Misato: Unit 00 isn't ready for battle yet, even if Tenjou-san is. I'd strongly advise against it.
Misato to Ritsuko: Mmm. Would you like to come over for dinner with Shinji and I tonight?
Background Voice 1: Melchior, roger. All circuits connected.
Background Voice 2: Condition of the protein walls is good. Each part has no problem.
Ritsuko looks up, paling.
Ritsuko to Misato: Who is cooking tonight, Shinji or you?
Misato to Ritsuko: Very funny. It's Shinji's night.
Ritsuko makes a playfully relieved look.
Ritsuko to Misato: Then I accept.
Switch to Rei. This time, she is standing before Unit 01, looking almost exactly as she did at Unit 00. Unit 01 is just as silent as Unit 00 was.
Switch to Tokyo 3. The massive geometric form of the Fifth Angel is approaching the city's edges.
Back to Misato and Ritsuko: Sirens begin going off. Both women look up from their conversation. Misato turns to Shigeru.
Misato to Shigeru: Report.
Shigeru: Unidentified object nearing Tokyo-3. I think it's the Fifth Angel.
Maya: Pattern is confirmed blue.
Ritsuko looks at Misato. She looks darkly amused.
Ritsuko to Misato: You should stop saying things that make you a seer, Mi-chan.
Misato smirks back at her, nodding.
Hyuga: The Fifth Angel is moving on a direct path towards us. It has cleared Tonosawa.
Switch to Gendo and Mikage, who are overseeing the control room.
Gendo: Prepare to sortie Unit 01.
Misato looks up at him, then nods.
Misato: Yes, sir.
Mikage to Gendo: Do you want to sortie Unit 00?
Gendo to Mikage: Not yet.
Switch to Unit 01. The Entry Plug is being screwed into position.
Background Voice 1: Entry Plug inserted.
Background Voice 2: Release the first lock bolt.
The shoulder binds release. We see Rei standing a safe distance from it all, watching.
Switch to Shinji in Unit 01's Entry Plug.
Background Voice 1: Unit 01 preparing for launch.
Switch to Utena in Unit 00's Entry Plug.
Misato (off): Hold on stand by, Tenjou-san. Unit 00 will backup Unit 01 if necessary.
Utena: But-
Misato (off): Hold on stand by, Tenjou-san. That's an order.
Utena (reluctantly): Yes, ma'am.
Back to the control room.
Hyuga: Unit 01 ready to launch.
Misato: Sortie!
Unit 01 launches up the railways towards the surface. Outside, energy begins to build-up around the edge of the Angel's surface.
Back to control room.
Shigeru: Its circumferential parts are increasing speed and concentrating.
Ritsuko: That means...
Misato: No, dodge it!
The lift opens on the surface. As soon as Eva Unit 01 is above ground, a particle beam shoots out from the edge of the Fifth Angel. It bores straight through a building and slams into Unit 01, which is still held in place by the lift locks.
Inside the cockpit, Shinji is screaming as the Eva shakes and sirens/warning lights are blaring like mad.
Outside, the particle beam is melting away the torso of Unit 01.
Back in NERV.
Misato: Shinji-kun!
End Credits