Shinji keeps his eyes averted from Rei’s gaze throughout
REI:“We leave in sixty minutes.”
SHINJI:“Do I... to pilot that thing again?”
REI:“Yes, you do.”
Azathoth: Shape of things to come for Shinji, really: his lack of social awareness driving him to seek comfort from those who won't provide it.
Kendrix: He is looking away because he's ashamed. Something at the back of his mind, probably his male protector's instinct, must be kicking the rest of his brain for more or less telling the pale, fragile looking girl over there to go and fight the horible monster alone.
Shinji buries his face in his knees
He spills words out to comfort himself without thinking.
SHINJI:“I don’t…want to.
Ayanami, you’re only saying that because you haven’t had any scary experiences piloting that thing.
I don’t want to – go through something like that ever again.”
REI (OFF):“Then sleep.”
NemZ: How quickly he forgets that she absolutely HAS been in life-threatening situations because of eva. I'm actually a little suprised she doesn't correct him, but maybe that's because she didn't actually understand the feeling of fear at the time?
Kendrix: Note that he, unlike the many who say that their relationship is "too distanced" would suggest, feels pretty comfortable spilling his inner feelings and fears to Rei. And this is before they were really close.
Shinji responds to that line
He lifts his head a little, opens his eyes and looks at Rei (Shinji was certain she would be sympathetic, so from his point of view, Rei’s words were completely unexpected…)
SHINJI (Back -surprised):“What do you mean ‘sleep’…?”
thewayneiac: The description of Shinji's reaction is unsusally detailed. The writers must have felt it vital for the animators to get this cut exactly right.
Rei, looks at Shinji and speaks bluntly.
REI:“I'll pilot Unit-01.”
Kendrix: Rei says this "just sleep" line because that's simply the way it will be, she doesn't accuse him of sending her to fight the monster alone because she was created to fight it, but this line has a much greater meaning to Shinji: It means he has a choice.
Mr. Tines: Not for a minute wondering how come the first time he met Rei, their positions were revered...
