Stage 61 -- The Lance of Longinus

Cover: Rei standing and holding a human-sized Lance of Longinus against
a backdrop of Eva-00

Scene: Command Center -- Arael on the monitor screen
Operator: No change in the target.
Operator: The possibility that the target will move to within Eva-00's
firing range is 0.02%.
Misato (thinking): Could we air-lift Eva-00...and shoot from mid-air?
No, that's no good.  If Eva-00 was fired upon during the approach, it
would be the end.
Shinji: Misato, I'll go out in Eva-01.  (raising voice)  Let me do it.
Even if I can't destroy the Angel, I can at least save Asuka...
Misato: Shinji-
Kaworu: That would be useless.  You'd just end up like her.  Can't you
understand even that?
Shinji (turning/shouting): We don't know unless we try, do we!?
Kaworu (calm): ... Tell me, why are you that desperate?
Shinji: Why?
Gendo: Shinji, it's as that boy says.  The target is the type that
invades (lit: encroaches) the psyche.  At present we must avoid a
situation where Eva-01 is invaded.
Shinji (shouting): Then, are you saying we should just sit and watch
Asuka die!?
Gendo: ... Rei
(Rei standing by in Eva-00 entry plug)
Gendo: Descend to Dogma and use the Lance.
Fuyutsuki: !? Ikari... That's-
Kaworu (thinking): Lance...?  Surely he doesn't mean the Lance of
Longinus?
Gendo: It's the only way to destroy an enemy in satellite orbit where an
A.T.Field cannot reach.  (to Rei)  Hurry!
Misato (shouting): Commander!  Isn't there the possibility that contact
between Adam and Eva might cause Third Impact!?
Makoto: That's right!  It's too dangerous!
Gendo: (silence = no response)
Misato: ... (thinking) It's a lie... a fraud/deception.  Second Impact
was not caused by contact with an Angel.
(Eva-00 descends on a cable down the Dogma shaft)
Misato (thinking): So that won't cause Third Impact.  Then... what was
the real cause of Second Impact?
(Eva-00 reaches the bottom of the Dogma shaft and steps off the cable.
The Eva wades through ankle-, knee- and then hip-deep LCL to the giant
hanging on the cross.  It reaches up and pulls the Lance of Longinus
from the chest of the giant.)
(Back in the Command Center)
Fuyutsuki: Ikari, isn't it still too soon to use that?
Gendo: ... The Committee has started mass production of the Eva Series.
This is our chance, Fuyutsuki.
Fuyutsuki: But...
Gendo: We cannot turn back the hands of the clock, but we can advance it
by our own means.
Fuyutsuki: The old men will not sit still for it!

Scene: Eva-02 stands drooping and listless, transfixed in the Angel's
light beam.  Inside the entry plug, Asuka's eyes are vacant, and a
slight trickle of drool comes from the corner of her mouth.
Operator: The Eva-02 pilot's EEG (Electroencephalograph) has dropped to
0.06.
Operator: Life support at critical!
Operator: Eva-00 passing through the second layer -- coming above
ground.
(Eva-00 emerges holding the Lance)
Misato (thinking): So that's the Lance of Longinus...
Shinji (thinking): What is that?  Can that destroy the Angel?
Kaworu (thinking): Does he really mean to use it... without
permission...?
Shigeru: Eva-00, assume throwing position.
Makoto: Target confirmed.  Error correction okay.
Maya: Starting the countdown! 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, (the forked tip of
the Lance twists together into a single spiral shaft) 3, 2, 1, 0!
(Eva-00 plants its foot forward and hurls the Lance into the sky at the
Angel.  The Lance opens a hole in the clouds and streaks toward the
Angel.  Just before it hits, the Angel deploys its A.T.Field, but the
Lance bursts through it and pierces the Angel, which dissipates in a
burst of energy.)
Shigeru: Target annihilated!
Maya: Eva-02 has been freed!
Makoto: Recover the unit to the No. 2 cage!
Fuyutsuki: What about the Lance of Longinus?
Makoto/Shigeru(?): It surpassed escape velocity and is now moving to a
lunar orbit.
Fuyutsuki: So, recovery is impossible.

Scene: Shinji runs down a corridor toward the medical ward, and bursts
into into Asuka's sickroom
Shinji: Asuka!
(Ritsuko and a male doctor stand silently at the foot of Asuka's bed.
Asuka lies motionless staring vacantly at the ceiling.)
Shinji: Thank goodness, Asuka, you're conscious.  I'm glad you're okay.
(no response)
Shinji: Asuka...?
(no response)
Shinji: Asuka... what's the matter?
Ritsuko (softly): Let her be.  Her psyche was overburdened.  We were a
little too late in saving her.
Shinji (shocked): What do you mean?  She'll be herself again, won't
she!?
Ritsuko: For now we can't say anything.  She took near-critical damage,
down to the very depths of her heart.  Returning to normal will be
difficult.
Shinji (at a loss): That can't be...

Scene: Misato behind Kaworu in Nerv HQ corridor
Misato: Nagisa Kaworu.
(Kaworu turns silently to look at Misato)
Misato: I hereby officially assign you to Nerv Headquarters, and
designate you as pilot of Evangelion Unit 2.

- End Stage 61