Mr. Tines: Rei Ayanami is, of course, an emotionless doll
K9Thefirst1: It's not that she has no emotions, just that she lacks the knowledge and ability to express those emotions in a coherant manner. She may show instictive reflex expressions, but as we see in the next episode she has to be told to smile when she wants to let people know that she is fine.
Additional Commentary
Cody MacArthur Fett: Wait, Rei takes her card without tanking Shinji for his help, and then slaps him when he says that he doesn't trust his father . . . What a jerk! I'm sorry, but you just can't go around slapping people like that. Besides, that slap would have been much better delivered in some later episodes, and we all know which ones too.
thewayneiac: I don't know. She might not be the audience's surrogate here, but she sure is mine.
NemZ: Rei’s faith in Gendo is the only thing keeping her moving, and he’s trying to undermine it right before she faces another possible failure in the commander’s eyes. Hell yes he had that coming.
Kendrix: "DO. NOT. INSULT. IKARI. GENDO. IN. MY. PRESENCE."