Fade into a scene of Asuka and Miki together, sitting in the cooling chambers. In front of them is Unit 00.
Miki to Asuka: You leave for Germany tomorrow.
Asuka to Miki: I know.
Miki to Asuka: Will you be alright, without anyone else there?
Asuka smirks.
Asuka to Miki: I'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about.
Miki to Asuka: Me? I'm surprised you care.
Asuka to Miki: Hey!
Miki to Asuka: You seem to think only of yourself.
Asuka is silent or a few seconds. Miki looks over to her.
Asuka to Miki: You're the closest thing I have to a sibling. A little brother.
Asuka gets indignant.
Asuka to Miki: Anyway, I care about a lot of people!
Miki to Asuka: What about Juri-sempai?
Asuka is silent again. Miki frowns.
Miki to Asuka: She treated you with nothing but respect, and you hurt her badly after Tsuchiya-sensei's death. Do you hurt those that care about you all the time?
More silence.
Asuka to Miki: She's the only person in the world I haven't been able to best at something. My only rival. I have to...
Asuka looks over to see that Miki has gotten up and left. Asuka looks around, but he isn't there. She is alone.
Fade to Opening Credits
Asuka is sitting alone in the Ohtori Courtyard. Her arms are crossed, and she's slumped in her chair. Other students pass by her and look at her occasionally. She's staring at her half-consumed drink. Eventually, Juri walks by with Rei, and Asuka turns to them.
Asuka to Juri: Juri-san?
Juri stops. She turns to Asuka, looking very aloof. Rei turns as well.
Juri to Asuka: Yes?
Asuka to Juri: I was wondering if we could talk.
She looks at Rei.
Asuka to Juri: Alone.
Without even being asked, Rei nods and walks off. Juri stands where she is, getting no closer.
Juri to Asuka: Well?
Asuka to Juri: I just wanted to say...I wished things had turned out differently between us.
Juri (aloof) to Asuka: Is that all you wanted to say? Then, I'll be going.
Juri turns and leaves. Asuka almost calls out to her, but can't find it in her to do so. She sits back into her chair, staring at her drink as Juri walks off. Then she lashes out with one arm and knocks the drink off the table.
Asuka: Even Juri is cold now to me. I'm truly alone...
Touga (off): You don't wish to speak with your friend?
Utena (off): I don't think she wishes to speak with me.
Pan over to another point of the Ohtori Courtyard, where Touga and Utena are together at a table. Utena watches Rei pass by, but says nothing.
Touga to Utena: You never know.
Utena to Touga: Last time I tried, she slapped me.
Touga pauses.
Touga to Utena: Did she say why?
Utena to Touga: Something about me keeping her in a cage.
Touga to Utena: That sounds to me like a fight between two lovers, and not between two friends.
Utena blushes.
Utena to Touga: It wasn't like that...it's really complicated.
Touga smiles.
Touga to Utena: I'm sure it is. When two people are close, it's not always easy to see how the other feels.
Touga reaches his hand across the table, laying his upon Utena's. Utena blushes again, looking at the hands.
Touga to Utena: Barriers between people exist, several layers of protection, to prevent them from getting hurt. Often, these layers blind people to truths that should be obvious.
Utena (quietly) to Touga: You sound like Ayanami.
They are both silent for a moment, looking at each other's hand.
Nanami (off): Hey! Get your hands off my brother!
Both of them turn to see Nanami standing next to them, hand on her hips and looking very cross.
Nanami to Utena: I've heard about you, Tenjou Utena-san. The weird girl who wears boys clothes and wishes to be a prince.
Touga looks stern.
Touga (stern) to Nanami: Nanami. What are you doing?
Nanami to Utena: Troublesome insect. My brother deserves someone better than you.
Utena to Nanami: Now wait a minute!
Nanami to Touga: A girl like her? She isn't worthy of you, brother!
Utena: I think I'll leave the two of you alone.
Utena gets up and leaves. Touga is going to stop her, but then Nanami sits in Utena's chair and he frowns.
Touga to Nanami: That was uncalled for. If I had known you hadn't matured enough yet, I'd have made certain your transfer from Amsterdam was denied.
Nanami looks shocked.
Nanami to Touga: Be serious, you wouldn't have done that. Not for her.
Touga gets up and leaves. Nanami looks confused.
Nanami to Touga: But...it's almost...
Touga doesn't turn back.
Switch now to Juri and Rei as they are walking.
Juri to Rei: You didn't stop to say hello to her. I thought you might.
Rei to Juri: No.
Juri to Rei: You're worried about her.
Rei to Juri: I'm worried about Tenjou-sama?
Juri to Rei: Yes. You are. And you have been since you came to stay with me.
Rei (after a pause) to Juri: Maybe I am.
Juri to Rei: That's fine. It's good that you care. I worry about her, too. I will see you after class, then.
They come to a split in the sidewalk. Each go a different way.
Switch to Nanami walking alone. She is carrying her books with one arm. She looks rather upset.
Nanami: Who does that girl think she is, anyway? First she tries moving in on my brother, and then he yells at me for looking out for him. Can this day get any worse?
Not looking where she is going, she walks into Asuka, who is also not watching wear she is going. Nanami goes down, her books going everywhere. Asuka continues to walk past, not giving any notice. Nanami fumes on the ground.
Nanami to Asuka: Hey! Watch where you're going!
Asuka doesn't turn around. Nanami starts picking up her stuff. Suddenly, a young man kneels down and helps her pick up everything. Nanami pauses at his kindness. She looks up at him, and sees only his silhouette against the sun. The young man, seeming very Prince-like, holds her books in one hand, offering her his other to help her up. She takes his hand as though in a daydream and rises to her feet. As he pulls her to her feet, the sun eventually moves above him, revealing Nanami's rescuer to be Shinji. Shinji hands her the remaining books and smiles.
Shinji to Nanami: Here you go. I hope your day gets better.
Without giving her his name, he walks off. Nanami holds her book to her chest, watching him go with dreamy eyes.
Switch to Touga and Utena in the Rose Garden. Utena looks only slightly upset.
Utena to Touga: Who was that?
Touga to Utena: Nanami, my sister.
Utena to Touga: Does she know that?
Touga laughs.
Touga to Utena: I think she remembers every now and then. She can be overprotective sometimes.
Utena to Touga: Aren't you afraid of incurring her wrath again?
Touga takes Utena in his arms. Utena blushes. He moves in as though to kiss her. Utena relaxes, moving in herself.
Touga (whispered): I'd risk her wrath a million times over. Hers, Saionji's...anyone's.
Utena (whispered): When did you get to be so devoted?
Touga (whispered): That's easy. A prince will always return to his princess, regardless of the obstacles at hand.
Their lips almost touch, when Utena stiffens and holds back. Touga notices and pauses. Utena looks down, smiling.
Utena to Touga: Thank you.
Touga to Utena: Oh? What for?
Utena to Touga: For reminding me of who I am.
She lets go of him, kissing his forehead. She turns and leaves. He watches her go, smiling only after she has left the Garden.
Utena walks into the main building of the school. We see her walking for a few shots until she comes to Juri. The two of them pause as they stand before each other. Juri is silent, then smiles.
Juri to Utena: For Ayanami, right?
Utena nods.
Utena to Juri: For Ayanami. In the Arena of Duels, Fifth Children.
Utena turns to leave.
Juri to Utena: Do you love her?
Utena turns back.
Utena to Juri: What?
Juri to Utena: Ayanami? Do you love her? You must love her to challenge me, knowing that you cannot win.
Utena to Juri: I...well...maybe...but it's not like what you feel for Asuka. It's pure.
Juri frowns.
Utena to Juri: Not that what you feel for Asuka isn't pure...
Juri's cellular rings. She takes it from her book bag and answers it. At the same time, the warning alarms begin sounding all across Tokyo-3.
Juri: Arisugawa. (pause) I'm on my way.
She closes the phone.
Juri to Utena: This will have to wait.
Utena to Juri: An Angel?
Juri nods. Utena smiles softly.
Utena to Juri: Good luck, Juri-sama.
Switch scenes: We see a brilliant halo of white light slowly moving from the sky towards the surface. It is a few hundred meters above the ground, but even from that distance, it looks huge.
Shigeru (off): Target remaining stationary at Oowakundani Valley, rotating in a fixed position.
Hyuga (off) AT-Field active, cycling between orange and blue
Switch to NERV control. Misato, Ritsuko, Gendo, Maya, Shigeru, and Hyuga are there. On the NERV monitor, the picture is zoomed so that we see that the halo isn't a single band of light, but two interwoven ones.
Misato: What does that mean?
Maya: Impossible to tell. We don't have enough information for the Magi to provide us a theory.
Ritsuko: I'm certain, however, that its current shape is not a static one.
Misato nods.
Misato: Send Asuka up in Unit 02 and Juri in Unit 00.
Hyuga: Not Unit 01?
Misato shakes her head.
Misato to Hyuga: After what happened last sortie, Unit 01 is being held for backup for the time being.
Unit 00 and Unit 02 speed toward the surface. Unit 02 is carrying a large rifle, Unit 00 is carrying a Progressive Katana. Once on the surface, they take positions on the outskirts of the city. After a few seconds, the Angel untwists itself, becoming a single, long beam of energy and heading straight for Unit 02.
Asuka: Here it comes!
Unit 02 fires the rifle repeatedly, but the Angel twists its body around the shots and continues to head straight for Unit 02. It moves in so quickly that it's all Unit 02 can do to get out of the way. But the Angel twists around again, ramming into Unit 02 as it tries to dodge.
Juri: Asuka!
Unit 00 is moving quickly towards the Angel, Progressive Katana ready to go in a backhanded slice. The Angel is worming its way into the armor of Unit 02. The area where the Angel has touched is beginning to mutate. Inside the Entry Plug, Asuka's body is beginning to mutate with it.
Asuka: What is...no! NO!
Unit 02 grabs the Angel's body and tries to pull it out, and is only succeeding in keeping it in place. However, now the hands of Unit 02 begins to mutate as well. So do Asuka's hands.
In Control:
Shigeru: Target is physically invading Unit 02!
Misato: Unit 02's AT-Field?
Maya: Developing, but the Angel is still penetrating it.
Ritsuko: Trying first level contact with the Eva?
Back at the fight: Unit 00 is there, slashing with the Progressive Katana. The Angel, sensing the attack, changes its direction and shoots out of Unit 02 and begins focusing on Unit 00. Despite all of Juri's efforts, the Angel is outmaneuvering her. Each slice is avoided, and Unit 00 runs out of room as the Angel twists around her. It begins penetrating Unit 00's armor now, wrapping around Juri's sword arm.
In Control:
Maya: Contamination of Unit 02 has ceased, contact with Unit 00 confirmed.
Back at the fight: Asuka looks at her hands in disbelief. Seeing Unit 00 engaged the Angel, she snaps out of it and picks up her fallen rifle. Aiming, she fires four quick shots at it. Each shot hits, and each shot does nothing.
Inside Unit 00's Entry Plug, Juri's hand and arm and shoulder are beginning to mutate as the Angel invades. Juri's looks at this is in terror and tries ripping the Angel off with the other hand, succeeding only in causing that one to be invaded as well.
Asuka curses, dropping the rifle and picking up Unit 00's fallen Katana. As she takes her first swipe at it, the Angel releases Unit 00 and immediately attacks Unit 02 again. Unit 02 misses with the Katana and screams as the Angel resumes its prior invasion. Unit 02 is mutating rapidly, as is Asuka. Asuka screams.
Back in control: brief shot of Shinji in Unit 01, then back to the Control room.
Maya: Bio-fusion with Unit 02 increasing rapidly.
Shinji (off): Let me go up in Unit 01!
Gendo: No. This Angel is trying to merge with an Eva or its pilot. We must not risk that with Unit 01 again.
Misato looks up at Gendo.
Misato (thought): Is the Commander also protecting Unit 01?
Back at the fight, Asuka is screaming in bloody agony as the Angel is taking over the Eva. Suddenly, it stops, and she opens her eyes to see Unit 00 pulling the Angel off Unit 02 with its bare hands. The contamination of Unit 00 resumes, although the Angel is not letting go of Unit 02 without a fight.
Inside Unit 00, Juri is looking just as bad as Asuka, getting worse. Still, she is trying determinedly to pull the Angel off of Unit 02.
Back to Asuka. She is watching Unit 00 with a sad awe. She looks at her own wounded body, then back to Unit 00.
Asuka (thought): Even after all I've done, Juri will still risk her own life to save mine...
She laughs sadly.
Asuka (thought): Still besting me, even now?
Juri is screaming over the radio now, but is still pulling the Angel off Unit 02. Asuka swallows once, looks up at Unit 00, then back to her wounds.
Unit 02 suddenly reaches up, and takes hold of the Angel.
Juri to Asuka: What are you doing? Let go of it, Asuka!
Asuka flips a switch, and the Angel is sucked completely inside Unit 02. Juri's eyes go wide.
Back in Control:
Maya: Complete inversion of Unit 02's AT-Field!
Misato: What?
Back to Asuka. She looks at Juri on the Entry Plug monitor sadly, smiling weakly the whole time.
Asuka to Juri: Juri? I'm sorry that I could never be your princess.
Juri to Asuka: What are you- NO!
Asuka to Juri: At least, once, I can be your prince.
Asuka pulls a lever. And Unit 02 self-destructs in a ball of white light. There are blank faces throughout the Control room as the explosion ripples outward.
Juri: NO! NO! ASUKA!
Focus on Asuka's sad face as the white light consumes her, and everything else, leaving a blank white screen.
Juri (off): ASUKA!
Begin in the Control Room immediately after the explosion. Everyone is shocked and wordless.
Shigeru: ...target has been eliminated.
Ritsuko: Stand down from level one alert...get the recovery crews out there immediately.
Hyuga: ...yes ma'am...
Switch to Tokyo-3. Rather, what's left of it. The explosion of Unit 02 took out the entirety of the main city. The outskirts (minus the side which is Ground Zero), survived. The Ohtori Academy, on the far side of the city, somehow managed to survive as well. Unit 00 survived Ground Zero. Juri is still in the Entry Plug, looking blankly at the space where Unit 02 once stood. Pieces of the Eva lay scattered, little more than scraps of cooked, armored flesh at this point. The contamination on Juri's body has vanished.
Misato (off): Juri-chan? Juri-chan? Juri-chan?
Juri continues to stare blankly at what's left of Unit 02. She doesn't respond.
Switch scenes: It is later in the day. Shinji is at Ohtori. He comes to a dorm door and knocks on it. Wakaba answers. As Shinji walks in, we see that Utena is there as well. He is barely keeping his composure, and seeing the two of them makes him crumble. Wakaba holds one hand over her lips in an "oh my god" expression, eyes very wide. She throws her arms around him and starts crying. Utena sees this, bites her lip, her expression trembles, and looks away, one fist lightly clenched.
Switch scenes: In NERV, Misato and Ritsuko are sitting across from each other. Neither of them says anything. In the Control Room, Maya, Shigeru, and Hyuga are silent as well. Maya looks more broken up than the other two. She is actually crying. Back to Ritsuko and Misato. A NERV officer enters and whispers something to Ritsuko. She closes her eyes and nods. He leaves.
Ritsuko (quietly): The death of the pilot has been confirmed.
Misato says nothing. Eventually, Ritsuko rises to her feet. She places her hand on Misato's shoulder. Misato places her hand over Ritsuko's. After a few moments, Ritsuko leaves.
Switch scenes: Juri is home, curled up on her sofa. It is dark. She is staring at the picture Ruka took of the three pilots in 2013. She's holding her locket in her right hand. Rei walks in behind her, and with only a slight bit of hesitation, places her hand on Juri's shoulder. Juri doesn't seem to notice, but Rei leaves it there anyway.
Switch scenes. It is now the next day. The sun is rising over the decimated city of Tokyo-3.
Switch scenes: SEELE conference. We see the large, black SEELE monoliths in a circular formation, numbered 01-13. Keel is 01, Akio is 13.
Keel: The promised time has almost come. We have eliminated the Angels up through Sixteen.
Seele 04: Only one Angel remains, as ascribed in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Seele 06: It has been a very long, and expensive road.
Seele 03: One with much loss and many casualties.
Seele 12: First the Spear of Longinus is lost, and now, Evangelion Unit 02 and its pilot.
Seele 09: Either of these reasons is sufficient to remove Ikari from NERV.
Akio: Without the Spear of Longinus, completion of the Human Revolutionary Project will be difficult. Ikari may be working against us. We should take no action that may cause him to act rashly until the Seventeenth Angel is gone.
Switch scenes: Shinji and Utena are talking together. They are sitting on the Ohtori hillside, overlooking the destroyed area of the city.
Shinji to Utena: I can't believe that she...she...I mean, Asuka...
Utena nods.
Utena to Shinji: In the end, we all misjudged her a little...
Silence.
Shinji to Utena: Have you spoken to Juri-sempai? She hasn't wanted to see anybody.
Utena looks uncomfortable.
Utena to Shinji: No...
Shinji to Utena: Oh. She turned you away, too?
Utena to Shinji: No...I haven't been to see her, yet.
Shinji looks curiously at her.
Utena to Shinji: Right before the Angel appeared, I had challenged her...
Shinji to Utena: You? You challenged Juri to a duel?
Utena nods.
Shinji to Utena: I thought you didn't want us dueling anymore. Do you still think Ayanami needs to be protected from the rest of us?
Utena shakes her head.
Utena to Shinji: Not protected, no. It's...I think I want to be the One Engaged, now.
Shinji smirks.
Shinji to Utena: After all of your lecturing, you actually want the power of miracles?
Utena shakes her head again, looking somberly at Shinji.
Utena to Shinji: I don't care about the power to revolutionize the world, Ikari-kun.
Shinji to Utena: Then why...
He pauses.
Shinji to Utena: Oh.
Utena to Shinji: But, I don't know how I can possibly duel with Juri after this.
Shinji to Utena: The rules were quite specific in End of the World's letters. Once a challenge is made, the duel must be fought. It cannot be retracted.
Utena looks down.
Utena to Shinji: But...after Asuka's...how can I expect Juri to duel?
Switch to Juri and Rei at Juri's home. There is tea in front of them both, though only Rei is touching hers.
Rei to Juri: You are the One Engaged. You have been challenged. You must confront your challenger.
Juri says nothing.
Rei to Juri: Those are the rules of the Rose Seal.
Juri to Rei: I'm aware of the rules of the Rose Seal, Ayanami-kun.
Rei to Juri: Oh.
Silence for a while as Rei sips her tea. Juri still does not touch hers.
Juri to Rei: Do you enjoy being the Rose Bride?
Rei to Juri: I am the Rose Bride, I neither enjoy nor-
Juri interrupts.
Juri to Rei: Don't give me that.
Rei pauses.
Juri to Rei: Yes, you are the Rose Bride. Yes, this is the path you have been given. Or have chosen. That doesn't matter. You are the Rose Bride, and either feel you should not or cannot change this. But that isn't what I'm asking you. Regardless of how destiny works, of what was intended for you, you must feel one way or the other about what you're doing.
Rei pauses.
Rei to Juri: It's all I have.
Juri to Rei: Excuse me?
Rei to Juri: It's all I have.
Rei sips her tea, not offering any more explanation than that.
Switch scenes: Now in the dueling Arena. Utena is there with a rapier, waiting as Juri and Rei enter together. Rei begins fixing roses to both of them.
Utena to Juri: We don't have to do this...
Juri to Utena: Still protesting? You are the one who challenged me, Utena. It is by your will that we are here.
Utena to Juri: I just meant that...if you wanted to do this later...
Juri to Utena: You know that the duel must take place now as well as I.
Utena to Juri: I know, but...
Juri to Utena: With an attitude like that, you will never defeat me.
Rei has attached both roses, and walks over to Juri. Rei begins drawing out the Sword of Dios.
Rei: Oh roses of the noble castle...power of Dios that sleeps within me...harken unto thy master and reveal to us...
Juri pulls the Sword from Rei.
Juri: ...the power to bring to the world revolution!
Begin soundtrack: No One Has Anything to Tell
The two stand there, not moving as the duel begins. Simply regarding each other. Then Juri lunges at Utena. Utena barely manages to parry the blade, but Juri doesn't let up. Utena starts backing up under the assault, trying to block all of Juri's strikes.
Rei watches both sides intently.
Juri slashes hard. Utena suddenly executes a perfect parry, and takes a brief offensive slash in return. Juri steps out of the way of it, but it was close. Juri, surprised, takes a step back, regarding Utena for a moment. Utena doesn't press her attack.
Juri smiles softly.
Utena then goes on the offensive. Juri circles expertly, allowing Utena to attack at her whim. Juri easily defends everything Utena throws at her. Despite how skilled Utena is, Juri is more so, and Utena can't seem to get another opportunity like she did before.
Juri blocks Utena and goes back on the offensive. Suddenly, this looks very much like the duel from Episode XIX, with Utena only seconds away from losing.
Brief flash of Asuka speaking to Juri in Episode VII plays over the duel.
Asuka to Juri: Don't worry, Juri-san. You can always hope for a miracle.
In the duel, Juri continues to attack Utena, Utena barely getting through it.
Brief flash of the same conversation continuing after Juri beat Asuka.
Juri to Asuka: There are no such things as miracles.
Juri looks a moment at Rei, who is watching Utena. Then Juri looks back to Utena. Utena is starting to anticipate Juri's attacks. Juri is starting to crack.
Brief flash of Episode XV, Asuka speaking to Juri.
Asuka to Juri: I just want to spend time with someone who isn't going to be cruel to me.
Juri is continuing to attack, but Utena is blocking each strike easier than the last. Utena looks concerned.
Flash of Episode XX. Juri is sitting on the ground after Asuka has slapped her.
Asuka to Juri: I will never be a princess in need of rescuing, Arisugawa-san. Least of all, yours.
Juri is slowing down. Utena looks more concerned, but doesn't attack.
A brief flash of this episode, right before Asuka's death.
Asuka to Juri: I'm sorry that I could never be your princess. At least, once, I could be your Prince.
Juri stops. Utena stops as well, looking at her.
Asuka (off, from Episode VII): If a miracle is what it takes, I will make my own miracle.
Cut to a shot of Juri's hand holding her own rose, then the rose falling to the ground. Then to Utena's shocked expression.
Utena to Juri: Juri...
Juri looks at Rei one last time. Then back to Utena. She holds the Sword of Dios up to Utena as though presenting a prize to her. Utena slowly reaches up and takes it. Juri reaches forward, places her hands on either side of Utena's face. She leans forward, kissing Utena's forehead. She then turns and walks off.
Utena sadly watches Juri depart, Rei walking up next to her. The duel music continues into the next scene.
Switch scenes: Asuka's funeral at the NERV cemetery we saw Shinji visit. Shinji, Wakaba, Utena, Rei, Ritsuko, Maya, Misato, Shigeru, Hyuga, and Juri are there with some faces we don't recognize. It is just getting over. Juri is standing there alone. Misato and Ristuko are speaking alone, looking at her.
Misato to Ritsuko: Maya told me her synch rate has fallen below operational levels. For the moment, she can't pilot Unit 00. Maybe it will return after she's had some time.
Ritsuko to Misato: Maybe...
End with just a scene of Juri standing alone by Asuka's headstone. As the scene fades, the duel music ends.
End Credits