Stage 74: Memories in the Palm of One抯 Hand

Cover: Command Center

Lead-in text: What will Shinji choose in response to Kaworu's words?

Scene: Command Center operators
Maya: It's quiet...
(A low rumbling shakes the Command Center
Makoto: !! It's an A.T.Field!!
Monitor display:
TERMINAL DOGMA
A.T.FIELD
GENERATION [DETECTED]
ENERGY LEVEL HIGHEST EVER RECORDED
MAGI - 1𠂻
Shigeru: An A.T.Field equal to the previous one has been generated
near the barrier around Terminal Dogma!
Misato: It can't be - a new Angel!?
Shigeru: It's entering the barrier! (surprise/shock) No - it's vanished!
Misato: Vanished!? An Angel?
(Gendo and Fuyutsuki look on silently)
Misato (thinking): What's happening? No... What is about to happen?

Scene: Rei appears on a ledge looking down into the Terminal Dogma
shaft. She is still a ways up the shaft, and cannot see or be seen
by Shinji/Kaworu.

Scene: Shinji/Eva-01 and Kaworu in Terminal Dogma. Eva-01's hand is
still open, and Shinji and Kaworu stare silently at each other.

Flashback to Kaworu and the Kitten
(Kaworu squeezes the kitten and breaks its neck, then drops the
kitten's body into the grass. Shinji stares in shock.)
Kaworu: This cat would have died anyway had you left it. It had no
parents and no food. It would have starved and died a slow and
painful death. So it was better that I killed it now.

Back to Shinji in the entry plug
(Shinji closes his eyes and then opens them.)
Shinji: I can't. Even if I'm told like that, I just can't kill a non-
resisting opponent.
Kaworu: Why not? Even though I said it's my final request. You can't
because you are afraid of being tormented by guilt, right? You're not
thinking about me in the least. You hate me that much.
Shinji (crying out): I don't hate you! I never said a word that I
hate you.
Kaworu (smiling): Then, show me your true heart. The next action you
take will be proof of your true feelings towards me.
(Kaworu and Shinji stare at each other, then Shinji grips the
induction lever and Eva-01's hand closes around Kaworu.)
Kaworu: That's right. Don't use a weapon. Leave the feeling of
squeezing me to death in that hand of yours. That way you won't be
able to forget me even if you try, right?
(Images of Lilith on the cross and Eva-02's prog knife stuck in the
floor)
Kaworu: Just like the people you have lost so far.
Shinji: Probably. Without a doubt.
(Shinji looks at Kaworu with an expression that is no longer
troubled, and Kaworu smiles up at Shinji. Shinji moves Eva-01's other
hand to further grip the hand holding Kaworu so that Eva-01 appears
to be standing in the darkened chamber with hands clasped and head
bowed.

Flashback-style scene of the ruined church where Kaworu killed the
kitten, but this time Shinji has his hands around Kaworu's throat and
is strangling Kaworu.

Scene: Command Center
Monitor display:
A.T.FIELD GENERATING
DETECTED on:
CENTRAL DOGMA LEVEL #3
[DETECTED]
Makoto: The monitors have recovered! Eva-01 pilot's vital signs are
clear!
Shigeru: Both A.T.Fields have disappeared!
Maya: No signal from Eva-02!
Shigeru: Eva-01, rising through Central Dogma
(Misato says nothing)
Maya: That means he destroyed it, right? The 12th Angel.
(Gendo looks on silently)
Misato (thinking): Shinji...

Scene: Misato抯 apartment
(Misato knocks on Shinji's bedroom door)
Misato: Shinji, I'm coming in. (Lit: I'm opening (the door).)
(Shinji lies in bed under the covers facing away from the door.
Misato approaches the bed.)
Misato: It's evening now. How about getting up and eating something?
Shinji: ... I'm still sleepy. Sorry.
Misato: ... Do you regret it?
Shinji: No. I don't want to think about anything right now. I'm just
tired.
Misato: I'm sorry... If we had known that he was an Angel sooner...
But, you did the right thing. You protected what should be protected.
(Shinji is silent)
Misato: We're going to be staying at headquarters from tomorrow. Be
sure to pack.
Shinji: Okay...
(Misato turns and leaves the room, looking back over her shoulder. As
she closes the bedroom door, PenPen comes rushing to her.
PenPen: KUEEEE!
Misato (bending down to pick him up): Come here, PenPen. I have to
find somewhere to take care of you. Luckily this place survived even
that last explosion, but who knows what will happen next time.

Back to Shinji lying in bed, thinking
Flashback==Misato: You did the right thing.
Shinji (thinking): The right thing... I protected what should be
protected. I guess that's true in the end, but the things that Misato
says should be protected are different from the things that I want to
protect.
Even though the things I truly want to protect are lost one after
another.
(Images of Asuka, Kaji, Rei and Touji)
The things I have to protect-
(Images of bandaged Rei, Asuka in her hospital bed, Ritsuko and Gendo)
The things I am trying so desperately to protect-
(Image of Kaworu)

Flashback==Kaworu floating in front of Lilith on the cross
Kaworu: Fighting and conflict, the pain of losing people. You will be
freed from all of these. If Third Impact occurs, it will bring about
exactly the kind of world you have been wishing for.

Shinji (thinking): This world that I am trying to protect now...
(Images of damaged buildings and the sun rising over the ruins of New
Tokyo-3)
Is this world really something that I have to protect?

- End Stage 74