Phase 2 - Rage
As Tetsuo gains his bearings inside the 'cockpit' of EVA-Alpha, Ayako attempts to give him a rundown of what needs to be done to properly pilot the unit. Tetsuo snaps at her, telling her he's fully aware of how to handle Alpha. Ayako sweat drops, while Keiko informs Tetsuo of the firearm Alpha was launched with. However, Tetsuo ignores the large machine gun, instead deploying his progressive knife. Keiko is surprised, and demands to know what he's doing. Tetsuo informs her that he's never liked guns, and won't start using them now. Keiko, exasperated, looks to the commander, but the commander simply waves his hand and tells her to let Tetsuo be. Staring the Titan down, Tetsuo prepares himself to attack. Suddenly, EVA-Alpha lunges for wards, it's knife poised to strike. Ayako attempts to warn Tetsuo not to rush into battle so fast, but it's too late. Tetsuo is bearing down on the Titan fast, when suddenly it rushes to the side quickly, avoiding the cutting edge of his progressive knife. Tetsuo grunts, attempting to swing Alpha around quickly, but is too late as the Titan slams it's 'fists' into EVA-Alpha's side, sending it crashing into the ground. Tetsuo is rattled and curses, complaining about being rusty with the controls. He quickly manages EVA-Alpha to it's feet however, narrowly avoiding another attack from the powerful Titan.
Eiko informs Ayako that Tetsuo's synchronization is fluctuating, as if Tetsuo's concentration was broken. Ayako tells him to calm down, that getting too excited in the EVA is only going to hurt him. Tetsuo blows her off, letting out an angry shout as he charges the Titan again, this time landing a direct hit with the knife. Burying the blade to the hilt, Tetsuo rips it up wards out of the Titan, before slashing for wards with it again. However, the Titan is prepared, and catches EVA-Alpha's arm, gripping it tightly. Tetsuo tries to break free, but is unable to as the Titan crushes EVA-Alpha's forearm, causing it to drop the knife. Tetsuo cries out in pain, gripping his own forearm, as if it too was broken. Ayako explains that his arm isn't really broken, and that it only feels like that because of his connection with the EVA. The Titan lands a few more solid hits on the EVA, before whipping it into the air, dislocating it's arm in the process. Tetsuo groans in agony, clutching his arm gingerly as his EVA rises into the air. Before it can fall back down, the Titan then fires a blast of energy at EVA-Alpha, nailing it in the back and burning away it's Umbilical Cable, the EVA's power source, forcing it onto it's limited battery power. EVA-Alpha crashes into the ground and rolls a bit. Amazingly though, Tetsuo manages to pull it back on it's feet, crimson rising up around his face as blood spills out from his mouth into the LCL.
Keiko informs the commander that Tetsuo has suffered internal injuries, and can't last much longer if the Titan continues to assault him. Ayako tries to convince Tetsuo to use the firearms they have built for EVA use, to keep his distance from the Titan while they try to establish another power port for EVA-Alpha. Tetsuo refuses though, saying that he's only underestimated the Titan's power, and didn't expect such a harsh battle. Saying he knows better now, he gathers up a large piece of rubble from a destroyed building, using it as a makeshift club as he throws EVA-Alpha at the Titan again, bringing the cement pillar down onto the Titan's 'face'. The attack seems to have no effect though, and the Titan uses this opportunity to grab EVA-Alpha by the head, it's hand enveloping the unit's face. It squeezes the EVA's head, causing Tetsuo tremendous amounts of pain.
Eiko panics, saying that Tetsuo's vitals are going haywire, while the Titan slams EVA-Alpha into the ground over and over by it's head. Tetsuo's cries of pain echo throughout the control room, before static overtakes his signal. The control room operators can only watch on in horror on the main display as the Titan twists the EVA's neck violently before hurling it's limp form into the ground. Ayako tries to regain contact with Tetsuo, but the control room seems to have lost all contact with him. Even his vitals are no longer showing up, making Ayako fear that Tetsuo has died. Just then, the commander rises to his feet, and orders Yasuo to open a comm link to EVA-Alpha. Yasuo tells the commander that they've lost all contact with the EVA, but the commander is firm. Once Yasuo opens the link, the commander speaks, saying that he knows Tetsuo is alive in there. He calls Tetsuo weak, and that it was a mistake to ever bring him back. He continues, saying that an infant could have piloted EVA-Alpha better. The control room crew seems shocked and appalled over what the commander is saying.
Meanwhile, inside EVA-Alpha, Tetsuo's limp body sits there, his head hanging down as he struggles to breath. The commander's words echo in his ears as he manages to clench his fist weakly. The commander continues his verbal assault, telling Tetsuo that because of him, everyone was going to die. That humanity was doomed. That everything Tetsuo held dear was going to be erased from existence. And this included Haruko. Immediately after the commander says this, the monitors in the control suddenly sparked to life again, Tetsuo's vitals suddenly spiking, his blood pressure dangerously high. His synchro-rate had also gone off the charts, edging beyond 100. Keiko and Ayako are shocked, unable to grasp what is happening, but the commander simply sits back down in his seat, quietly smirking to himself. EVA-Alpha rises to it's feet slowly, it's arms hanging at it's sides limply, and it's head bowed.
Inside, Tetsuo is quietly shaking, his knuckles white as he grips the controls tightly. His chest heaves, the commander's words still ringing in his ears. Then, his mind clears, as only the sound of a gun cocking it's trigger enters his head. Finally, Tetsuo throws his head back and lets out a guttural, feral like roar, his eyes going red. In turn, EVA-Alpha's head snaps back, it's jawpeice snapping open as it too lets out a howl similar to Tetsuo's. Everyone in the NERV control room, save for the commander, watches on in stunned awe. EVA-Alpha whips it's damaged arm out to the side, and with a sickening snap, repairs itself. It then focuses it's glowing eyes on the Titan, which just then fires a blast of energy at it. EVA-Alpha bends it's body back wards, avoiding the blast narrowly before snapping back up and throwing itself at the Titan. The Titan tries to avoid the EVA, but it's speed is too much as the EVA slams into it, sending it skidding back along the ground on it's back. Tetsuo growls angrily, and demands that EVA-Alpha's assault knuckles be deployed immediately.
Eiko wastes no time, sending the pair of massive spiked 'brass' knuckles up a deploy chute nearby EVA-Alpha. The Titan attempts to rise up, but EVA-Alpha lands a stiff kick to it's mask-like face, sending it sprawling back down. EVA-Alpha then slams it's fists into the assault knuckles, clenching them tightly. Standing there, Tetsuo waits for the Titan to get back up, as if wanting it to see what was coming. As the Titan rises, Tetsuo drives the EVA's spiked fist into it's face, sending it stumbling back wards. He continues the pressure, constantly punching it over and over, the spiked knuckles piercing the Titan. It attempts to fight back, swinging it's arms at EVA-Alpha, only to be swatted aside. Tetsuo finishes his assault by uppercutting the Titan, sending it crashing back into the ground. Before it can recover, EVA-Alpha stands over it, slamming it's feet into the Titan's shoulder and grasping it's arms. With a vicious roar, EVA-Alpha rips the Titan's arms clean off, showering the battlefield in odd colored blood.
In the NERV control room, Eiko covers her mouth, feeling sick as the sight of the Titan's blood. Ayako is sickened by Tetsuo's viciousness, wondering where all this anger suddenly came from. Keiko remains quiet, shooting a look up to the commander who doesn't seem to notice. Back on the battlefield, EVA-Alpha continues the carnage, thrashing the Titan with it's own arms before hurling them aside. EVA-Alpha then leaps up into the air, seeming poised to strike down with a vicious knee. However, before the EVA can strike, the Titan throws up an AT Field. EVA-Alpha crashes into the field, Tetsuo letting out a grunt. The NERV operators are surprised by this, Keiko confirming that it is the same sort of protective barrier that the EVAs can generate. Stopping EVA-Alpha only for a moment, Tetsuo cries out angrily as his EVA summons forth an AT Field of it's own. Then, amazingly, it uses it's AT Field to force open the Titan's AT Field. Landing on top of the Titan, EVA-Alpha pins it down with it's knees, and begins to viciously assault it. Driving it's spiked knuckles into the Titan's face over and over, Tetsuo acts as if he's possessed.
Chunks of the Titan's mask like face fly up all around as it's obliterated, as Eiko flees from her position, gagging. Amazing, despite it's face barely being existent anymore, the Titan is still alive. Seeing this, Tetsuo drives his EVA's fist into the Titan's exposed core, cracking it. What's left of the Titan's eyes suddenly light up, and it seems to try to form around the EVA, attempting to encase it. EVA-Alpha blocks with it's hands though, keeping it pried open. As the Titan keeps this attempt up, EVA-Alpha growls, and digs it's fingers into the Titan's flesh. Tetsuo leans for wards in his seat, as if feeding off of EVA-Alpha's rage despite his injuries. As both Tetsuo and the EVA release a horrible roar, EVA-Alpha draws it's arms apart viciously, ripping the Titan in half down to it's core. The core resists for a few moments, before splintering, releasing a tremendous explosion of light. NERV briefly loses contact with the EVA as the explosion engulfs both the angel's remains and the EVA itself. Slowly though, the EVA reemerges from the debris and smoke. Suddenly, it's jaw snaps shut again, and it collapses, as Tetsuo's vitals suddenly become critical again. As he drifts into unconsciousness, the panicked voices from the control operators fade from his ears, until all he can hear is a single voice, a girl quietly singing. He closes his eyes, wondering if this is what death feels like.
When he reawakens, he finds himself in a hospital bed, bandaged up. Slowly pulling himself up, he looks around, finding himself indeed in what appears to be a hospital. Looking up at the TV in his room, he watches a news report which seems to completely gloss over what happens. Tetsuo shakes his head, muttering about how NERV is able to bury everything, before pulling himself out of the bed. He limps outside his room, and looks around. A hospital bed is wheeled past him, and Tetsuo is startled to see Haruko on it. He starts to follow after, but stops after a man in glasses emerges from a elevator. The man in glasses steps over to Haruko's bed, and seems to talk to her. Tetsuo balls his fists up, narrowing his eyes as the man in glasses then briefly looks up to him. Just then, Ayako walks up behind Tetsuo and rests her hand on his shoulder. She tells him that he's been unconscious for a few days, and he shouldn't be up and about so soon. Tetsuo turns to face her, telling her that he feels fine. He then asks where his clothes are, and Ayako directs him to the dresser in his room. Tetsuo steps back inside to change, closing the door behind him. Ayako shakes her head and sighs, wondering how Tetsuo was able to recover so quickly from his injuries.
A little later, Ayako is leading Tetsuo out of NERV, telling him about the nice apartment that's been set up for him. Tetsuo says that he doesn't care about that sort of thing, and that a simple one bedroom apartment would be fine for him. Ayako asks him why he's such a downer, and Tetsuo snaps at her to mind her own business. Giving him a narrow gaze, Ayako calls Keiko up, and tells her that Tetsuo will be transferring to her apartment to live instead. Keiko tries to protest, but Ayako hangs up on her. Tetsuo is furious, demanding that she change things back, but Ayako gives him a look that freezes him then and there, telling him that she's still his superior, and what she says goes. Snorting, Tetsuo rubs his nose and waves his hand in the air, telling her to whatever she wants. As the two climb into Ayako's car, Ayako tells him that she wants to show him something before they head home.
A short drive later, Ayako pulls her car up along a road that overlooks the somewhat barren Tokyo-3. Tetsuo asks her why they're stopping here, and Ayako tells him to look over at the city. As they watch on, buildings suddenly start to rise up from the ground, filling up all the empty space that was once there. Tetsuo, for the first time since coming to Tokyo-3, seems disarmed, showing honest interest in the process. He comments that he thought they'd never be able to make Tokyo-3 work like that. Ayako nods, stating that the city is well protected against Titan attacks by withdrawing the majority of the buildings into the ground. This way, the damage is minimized. Nodding slowly, Tetsuo looks to the side, and asks Ayako when Haruko became a EVA pilot. Ayako runs her hand through her hair, and tells him that she volunteered shortly after Tetsuo left. Tetsuo looks down at the ground, and mutters that it is his fault after all. Ayako rests her hand on Tetsuo's shoulder, telling him that it was Haruko's decision, and she would have done it even if he had been around. Tetsuo sighs and looks up again, saying that all he ever wanted to do was protect her, but he wasn't even able to do that. Ayako shakes her head, and tells him that he can do it now. Tetsuo looks to her, and smiles faintly before looking back over the city. He says that he'll never forgive 'him'. Ayako sighs, and says that that issue is between Tetsuo and 'him'.
Elsewhere, Commander Kazuhiro is standing in a dark room, facing a rather ominous council, held by video conference. The man who seems to be the leader, Lukas Brauer, admonishes the commander for the costs of maintaining the EVAs, as well as fixing the damage done to Tokyo-3. Another unnamed member informs the commander that NERV's tab would bankrupt a small country. A third member then inquires as to why the Human Instrumentality Project has been delayed so much. The commander addresses the committee, admitting that NERV has had a rocky start, but is now back on the track that it fell from three years ago. He continues, defending NERV's high cost, saying that the EVAs are necessary for the instrumentality project to continue. He then informs the committee that 'Alpha' has found it's 'Gekido Trigger', which should make things much easier to maintain as the project progresses. The committee warns the commander that they'll be watching closely, but excuse him from the time being. As the commander walks out of the room, the man in glasses passes him silently. The commander looks behind him, informing the man in glasses that SEELE is growing restless. The man in glasses waves his hand dismissively, saying that they won't dare do anything drastic as long as it appears that NERV is doing their job. The commander shakes his head, telling the man in glasses that it's a dangerous juggling act that they are playing out. The man in glasses chuckles, and carries on.