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"AMBIVALENCE" is an episode of the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.

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Plot

While Eva 03 is being flown to Japan from the USA, the plane transporting it flies through an odd cloud which is actually another microscopic Angel, which infects Eva 03. During Toji’s first synch test, Eva 03 goes berserk and mutates into an Angel, Bardiel. Possessing both the power of an Angel and the form of an Evangelion, Eva 03 rapidly defeats both Eva 02 and Eva 00. With Toji trapped still alive inside of the Angel, Shinji refuses to use Eva 01 to attack it, forcing Gendo to activate Eva 01’s Dummy Plug autopilot system.

Analysis

• Toji points out to Rei that she worries about Shinji; which she herself did not seem consciously aware of before he brings it up. Last episode, he joked about Asuka and Shinji arguing like a married couple. Despite the fact that Toji seems to be the stereotypical "dumb jock", he is actually more perceptive about the relationships between his classmates than they themselves are.
  • Ironically, Toji is capable of seeing the underlying relationships between Shinji, Asuka, and Rei, yet he is totally oblivious to Hikari's affections for himself for much of the series. That said, she was doing a fairly good job of hiding it (i.e. she did not single him out for taunting like Asuka did Shinji, but yelled at him as much as she did the other boys) and when she actually did bring her feelings to the forefront, he does seem to recognize them, he just reacts in a nonchalant manner, handling the situation more maturely than comparatively Shinji would have.
• The Angel Bardiel tried to merge with Rei's Unit 00 but not Asuka's Unit 02.
• Misato half-jokingly (and half-accusingly) points out to Ritsuko that with four Evangelion units under her command, they could end the world if they wanted to. Ironically the actual purpose of the Evas is to bring about the end of the world through The Human Instrumentality Project

Notes

• The scaffolding that Eva Unit 03 is carried on as it is flown from the United States to Japan resembles a crucifix.
• Eva Unit 03's somersaulting dropkick against Eva Unit 01 directly parallels the somersaulting dropkick Eva Unit 01 made against the first Angel it fought, in episode 2.
• In the manga adaptation of the series, Toji is actually killed when Eva Unit 03 is destroyed. In the episode, he survives but loses his leg.
• "Ambivalence" in psychoanalytical theory, referrs to when two co-existing and self-contradictory emotions both arise from a common source. For example, Shinji wants his father's approval and looks up to him, but he also hates and blames him.

• Neon Genesis Evangelion episodes