The school entrance hall, lined with getabako (shoe boxes). No one is there.
Ritsuko (OFF):“Are you familiar with the story of the 'Hedgehog's Dilemma'?”
Misato (OFF - TEL):“Hedgehog? The things with the spikes?”
Beer Goggles: The Hedgehog's Dilemma originates from the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1866) who used the fable he'd created as a metaphor for his theories on interpersonal relationships between people. It wasn't until Freud adopted the fable later on that it became a figure of speech in psychology.
Soluzar: The whole "Hedgehog's Dilemma" speech seems out of character for Ritsuko to me. It always did. She doesn't seem to have that type of emotional sensitivity.
Reichu: Well, recall the scene last episode, C-161~164. Every once in a while, we see little moments like this from her. I think it may be that Ritsuko's character is, much like the others in NGE, built on opposing, even contradictory, forces. While she normally is cold, scientific, and professional, there is a warmer, perceptive, humanistic side to her that seems to have been beaten down over the years as a result of her work. Not to jump the gun or anything…
