Episode 05

Episode Information
Episode #05
Title 1: {{{japanese_title_k}}} {{{japanese_title_r}}} {{{japanese_title_e}}} Title 2: {{{english_title}}}
Written By	Akio Satsukawa, Hideaki Anno
Directed By	Keiichi Sugiyama
First Aired	11-01-1995
Video Release Date	{{{video_release}}}
Angel Appearances	Ramiel
Episode chronology
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"Episode 4"	"Episode 6"

Synopsis

As the episode opens, we finaly get a flashback that explains how Rei got her injuries. Just days before Shinji arrived at Nerv, and it must have been immediately before Misato's arrival, Rei is piloting Unit-00 in an activation experiment, when the Evangelion suddenly goes berserk. The Eva holds her head as if she were in agony, and then tries to pound her way into the control room. The power is cut off, but before Unit-00 powers down, Rei's Entry Plug is ejected and starts bouncing around the room. Gendo orders Special Bakelite pumped into the room to cushion the blow, but it's too late. When Unit-00 stops, Gendo rushes into the test room and forces open the red-hot hatch with his bare hands. His glasses fall to the floor and begin to melt from the heat. He's relieved that her injuries aren't more serious than the are, and smiles.

Back in the present, Ritsuko tells Misato that mental instability in the pilot is the suspected cause of the incident. Something else seems to occur to her, but she thinks better of saying it. Misato, Ritsuko, and Shinji are present when Nerv techincians are examining Shamshel's remains. Although they can't analyze the stuff the Angel is made of, they can tell that its "inherent wave pattern" is 99.89% similar to that of humans'. Shinji looks over Ritsuko's shoulder and nods, pretending he knows what she's talking about. While watching Gendo examining the deceased Angel, Shinji notices the burns on his hands, and asks Ritsuko and Misato about them. Ritsuko tells Shinji about the super-heated hatch; Shinji reacts with disbelief.

Some time later at school, Toji and Kensuke notice Shinji watching Rei and tease him about it, but Shinji replies that he was just wondering why she's always alone. Later, back at Nerv HQ, Shinji notices Rei happily chatting with Gendo. It's the first time he's seen her happy and smiling.

That evening, Ritsuko is eating dinner at Misato's place. Misato prepared the food, so it consists entirely of beer and under-diluted instant ramen. Only Misato finds it edible. Ritsuko then asks Shinji to deliver Rei's new Nerv I.D. card. When he looks embarrassed about going to a girls home, Misato teases him.

The next morning, he knocks on Rei's door and receives no answer, but finds it unlocked and walks in. The place is an unspeakable mess, littered with trash and bloody bandages. He notices Gendo's glasses sitting on a dresser top and tries them on. Just then Rei emerges, presumably from the shower, naked but for a towel. She seems more concerned for the glasses than her nudity, and crosses the room and snatches them from his grasp. He trips and they fall in a heap with him on top of her, also somehow upseting a drawer full of Rei's undergarments. After a pause of several seconds, she asks him to please move; only then does he notice that his hand is on her breast. Still seemingly unconcerned, she dresses, takes the glasses and leaves while Shinji is still stammering out an explanation.

When they arrive at HQ and her card won't work, he finally manages to hand her the new one. While riding the escalator, Shinji asks Rei if she isn't frightened of her impending re-activation experiment in Unit-00. When she asks doesn't he have faith in his father, Shinji bitterly denounces him, getting his face slapped for his troubles. Once again, Rei will show some emotion when Gendo is concerned. Rei takes Gendo's glasses aboard the Eva as a good luck talisman, and the Re-activation is successful.

Just then, Ramiel, the 5th Angel attacks. Knowing that Rei isn't ready to fight, Gendo sends out Shinji in Unit-01. As soon as he surfaces from the Eva hanger, Ramiel blasts Shinji with an ultra-power particle beam! End of episode.

Quotes

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