Stage 45 -- A Man's Battle

Cover: Shinji standing in school uniform with determined expression against the background
of Rei's profile

Scene: Command Center -- Everyone looks on in shock
Misato: The dummy...
Gendo: Rei...
(Eva-01 silent in cage)
It won't accept it/her...
(Gendo plants his hands on the desk and stands up)
Gendo: Fuyutsuki, take over for a bit.
(Outside the Nerv Headquarters pyramid, Zeruel's eyes flash and there is a huge explosion.
The Command Center shakes, and the smoke clears to show a gaping hole extending downwards
at the base of the pyramid.)
Makoto: Direct hit on the 3rd foundation! The final armored plate has melted!
Misato: Oh, no! The main shaft... it's wide open!!
(Huge doors slide open in the Geofront floor and Eva-00, minus its left arm, rises out and
rushes at Zeruel with an N^2 mine held under its right arm.)
Misato: Rei!?
Ritsuko: She doesn't have her rifle...!?
(They notice the N^2 mine and kamikaze-style attack)
Misato: An N^2 mine!? It couldn't be...
Ritsuko: A suicide attack!?
(Eva-00 reaches Zeruel and lunges at it with the N^2 mine, but is blocked by Zeruel's
ATField.)
Rei: ATField full deployment!
(Eva-00 deploys its own ATField and presses the N^2 mine through Zeruel's ATField, but
Zeruel closes a protective cover over its core. Rei looks on in shock as the N^2 mine
slams ineffectively against the cover, and then detonates with a tremendous explosion
which rocks the Command Center and blanks out the screens.)
Misato: What's happened to Eva-00!?  Rei!!
(Zeruel stands facing Eva-00, which stands motionless and has now also lost its right arm
from the upper arm down. Zeruel's arm lashes out and passes completely through Eva-00's
head, slicing it in half vertically. Eva-00 crashes to the ground.)
Misato: Rei!! No...
Ritsuko: Rescue Rei and Asuka, quickly!
Misato (thinking): Is Eva-01 still not ready?

Scene: Eva-01 cage -- Console screen shows "REFUSED"
Operator: Dummy plug refused!
Operator: It's no good -- there's no response!
Gendo: Continue! Start over again from step 108!  (slams fist against console) Damn! Why!?
Why is it refusing Rei... the dummy plug... Me?  (thinking/desperate expression) What are
you thinking, Yui...!!
(The monitor screen in front of Gendo changes to show a somewhat fuzzy image of Shinji.
Gendo stares at the screen in shock, and then looks around the observation bay to see that
all of the at least 40-50 screens, big and small, show the same image of Shinji. Gendo
stands helplessly before the screens.
Gendo: This... This is your answer...?
Shinji's voice rings out: Father!!
(Gendo turns with a start and looks down from the observation bay above Eva-01's head to
see Shinji, panting and sweating.)
Shinji: Father, let me pilot Eva-01.
Gendo (quietly): Shinji, why are you here?
Shinji (looking up with a determined expression): Because... because I am the pilot of
Evangelion Unit One.
Gendo: ...

Scene: Main shaft and Command Center.
An explosion occurs in the main shaft, and Zeruel appears.
Shigeru: The target has invaded the main shaft and is descending!
Misato: Destination?
Makoto: It's heading straight for Central Dogma!
Ritsuko: No! It's coming at us!
Misato: All personnel evacuate! Quickly!!
(But before anyone can move, the main screen cracks and then shatters inward as Zeruel
crashes through it. Everyone looks in shock, and Maya screams.)
Maya: Kyaaaaaaaaah!!!
(Zeruel comes directly before the control console and flashes of light appear in its eyes.
Misato stands firm and glares at Zeruel, clutching her cross necklace with her uninjured
hand. Suddenly Eva-01's hand and then Eva-01 itself crashes through the side wall and its
fist slams against Zeruel's face, knocking it down.
Misato: Eva-01!?  Shinji!?
(Shinji yells inside the cockpit, and Eva-01 plants its hand against Zeruel's face and
drives it backwards.)

- End Stage 45