Kensuke, filming with a portable video camera, with one of the helicopter's front seats in the foreground.
KENSUKE:“If not for this I would never have had a chance to fly on one. Man! It's important to have friends, right, Shinji?”
Kendrix: And by this point, he’s gotten to 1st name basis with Kensuke.
I presume Rei wasn’t invited because someone had to stand guard at headquarters.
UrsusArctos: Rei's complete absence in this episode is conspicuous, since she gets neither a mention nor a 2-second cameo like in the previous episode. Rei hasn't had a synchronization test with Eva-01 and Eva-00 doesn't reappear until Episode 11, so Rei can't stand guard by staying back. My guess is either Gendo and Ritsuko refused to let Rei leave Tokyo-3 because they wanted tests on her, Gendo didn't want to risk having Rei leave his sphere of influence/protection, didn't want her to be the spare pilot when he expected an Angel battle (see Cut134 for more), or that Rei simply refused an invitation to come along.
Kensuke turns around to look at Shinji, seeking his agreement, but Shinji can't hear him over the sound of the helicopter.
