Stage 73: The boundary line that has been arrived at*
(*i.e. Reached at last after a long and tortuous journey)

Cover: Close-up of Kaworu in front of the Mask of Seele on the Giant
in Terminal Dogma

Lead-in text: Kaworu and Shinji ultimately face off

Scene: Eva-01抯 prog knife stopped just in front of Kaworu by an
A.T.Field
Shinji: An A.T.Field!?
Kaworu: Why are you so surprised? As if you did not have one, too.
Shinji: (shocked)
Kaworu: A sacred province inviolate to anyone - the light of the
soul. You should also be aware - that the A.T.Field is the barrier of
the heart that everyone has.
Shinji: I don抰 understand those things! The only things with
A.T.Fields are the Evas and Angels!
(Eva-02 lunges with its prog knife and plunges it into Eva-01抯 left
chest. Shinji grimaces in pain as the blade drives deeper.)
Shinji: Uuaa... ku...
Shinji (thinking): Asuka... sorry
Shinji: Uuoooooo!!
(Shinji clutches the induction levers and Eva-01 plunges its prog
knife into the base of Eva-02抯 jaw. The two Eva units struggle
against each other with sparks and blood flying from the prog knife
wounds.)

Scene: Command Center
Announcement: Both Eva units have reached the lowermost level! 20
seconds until the target reaches Terminal Dogma!!
Misato (softly): ... Hyuga
Makoto: Yes.
Misato: If Eva-01抯 signal disappears, and another change occurs...
Makoto: I understand. Then we self-destruct the entire place, right?
Because it抯 better than letting Third Impact occur.
Misato: I抦 sorry.
Makoto: It抯 all right - as long as I can die with you.
(Suddenly a shockwave courses through the Command Center.)
Misato: What抯 happening!
Makoto: An A.T.Field - the strongest ever detected!
Shigeru: Light waves, electromagnetic waves, particles - everything
has been shut out! We can抰 monitor anything!
Monitor display:
TERMINAL DOGMA
A.T.FIELD
GENERATION [DETECTED]
ENERGY LEVEL HIGHEST EVER RECORDED
MAGI - 1𠂻
Maya: Target and Eva-01 both lost! Contact with the pilot also
impossible!
Misato: A complete barrier...

Scene: The two Eva units, still struggling, descend through a hole in
the center of a domed ceiling and fall with a splash into a lake with
scattered white stalagmite-like shapes. Shinji is knocked back by the
shock, but looks up to see Kaworu floating onward.
Shinji: Ku... Nagisa! Wait!
(Kaworu does not look back, and Eva-01 reaches out for him, but is
stopped abruptly.)
Shinji: U...
(Shinji looks back to see Eva-02 grabbing Eva-01抯 ankle. Eva-01
struggles to free itself.)
Shinji: Let go! Damn it!
(Kaworu floats toward a door and glances at the lock, which changes
with a click from LOCKED to OPEN.)
Shigeru: Final safety system released!
Makoto: Heaven抯 Door is opening!!
(The door opens to reveal the giant on the cross, and Kaworu floats
to a position in front of it. The door closes behind him)

Scene: Command Center - All personnel stare at the screen
Misato: So an Angel finally reached it...
(Gendo and Fuyutsuki watch silently)
Misato: Please, Shinji... We抮e counting on you...

Scene: Kaworu floating in front of the giant on the cross
Kaworu: As I thought, this is not Adam. The Black Moon... Lilith... I
see - You have been here from the beginning. This Geofront was
created when you first arrived. And you have been waiting all this
time - for a successor to come this far.
(Kaworu hears a creaking noise behind him, and turns to see Eva-01
smash through the door with the incapacitated Eva-02, which falls
into the chamber with a splash. Eva-01 stands in the doorway, and
Shinji gasps for breath in the entry plug and faces off against Kaworu.)
Shinji: If you go even the slightest bit further... I won抰 hold back.
Kaworu: I wonder... Even if I am an Angel, can you lay hands upon
something with the shape of a person? But, if I make contact with
this, it seems that Third Impact will occur. All forms of life,
including the one that made contact, will perish in an instant. Of
course that includes you Lilim as well. Either way you have a tough
choice.
Shinji: If you stop now we don抰 have to fight. Turn back!
(Eva-01 reaches up for Eva-02抯 prog knife still stuck in its chest.)
Kaworu: Don抰 have to fight... huh, as self-serving as usual.
(pauses) Let me tell you something else interesting. Even if Third
Impact occurs, people will not simply perish. They will be reborn in
a new form - merged into one as a single life form. (Background image
of the Earth) And that will bring about exactly the kind of world you
have been wishing for. (Background image of a large tree) A.T.Fields
also will be unnecessary. Wars and conflicts, the suffering and
sadness of losing people - you will be freed from all of these. And
despite that, you say you will stop me?
Shinji: ... I won抰 let Third Impact happen!
(Eva-01 pulls out and brandishes Eva-02抯 prog knife.)
Kaworu: That knife is not a threat to me at all. You understand that
from earlier, don抰 you? This is my destiny - for I am a fated/
planned child that was born for this time from the very beginning.
(starts to turn slightly)
Shinji: Stop!!
(Eva-01 reaches out to grab Kaworu, but its hand does not close, and
Kaworu floats beside the open palm.)
Kaworu: However, I also have a will. And I can choose by my own will
to defy destiny.
Shinji: .....
Kaworu: Don抰 get me wrong - I'm not saying this for your sake. If I
turn around now, the old men won抰 let it go unchallenged.
Shinji: Old men?
Kaworu: They抣l probably eliminate me at once. After all, they have
virtually held my life in their hands from the outset. Well, whether
I cause Third Impact or not - either way I will cease to exist as an
individual. Truth be told, I really don抰 care either way about
Third Impact. (Glances off to the side) The only absolute liberty
left to me... is that I can choose the form of my death by my own
will. (Looks back at Shinji/Eva-01) So I want you to kill me - by
your own hand.
(Shinji is shocked, but his hand remains on the induction lever.)
Shinji: Want are you saying...?
Kaworu: Didn抰 you hear me? I said I want you to kill me. If you
have even the slightest feelings for me, then kill me with that hand
- like that cat back then.
(Shinji stares with widex eyes, but his hand remains on the induction
lever.)
Shinji (flustered): That抯... not fair (a dirty trick)... If I抦
told like that, there抯 no way I can do it, is there!?
Kaworu (serious): It抯 my final request. And if you like me at all,
you will grant it.
(Shinji = shocked/troubled)

Ending text: How will Shinji respond to Kaworu抯 words...!?

- End Stage 73--