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"AMBIVALENCE" (命の選択を, Inochi no sentaku wo, "The Choice of Life") is the eighteenth episode of the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Plot
While Unit 03 is being flown to Japan from the U.S., the plane transporting it flies through an odd cumulonimbus cloud which is actually another microscopic Angel, which infects Unit 03. During Toji Suzuhara’s first synch test, Unit 03 goes berserk and mutates into an Angel, Bardiel. Possessing both the power of an Angel and the form of an Evangelion, Unit 03 destroys the test facility and advances toward Tokyo-3. All three Evas are sortied against Bardiel, but it rapidly defeats both Unit 02 and Unit 00. Although Shinji Ikari does not know that Toji is trapped inside Bardiel, he refuses to use Unit 01 to attack it, wanting to try to save the pilot. As Bardiel attacks Unit 01, Gendo Ikari orders that Shinji be cut off from control of the Eva and that Unit 01’s Dummy Plug autopilot system be activated. Under the Dummy Plug's control, Unit 01 savagely attacks Bardiel, literally tearing the possessed Eva to shreds and crushing its entry plug. After the battle, the already emotionally-devastated Shinji is even more horrified as he sees Toji being taken from the wreckage of the entry plug.
Plot notes
Despite his stereotypical jock personality, Toji shows himself to be very perceptive of his classmates' relationships, even more so than they are. He points out to Rei Ayanami that she worries about Shinji, which she herself did not seem consciously aware of. In the previous episode, he joked about Asuka Langley Soryu and Shinji arguing like a married couple. Ironically, Toji is totally oblivious to Hikari Horaki's affections for him for much of the series.
As Bardiel attacks Unit 00, it tries to merge itself with the Eva. It does not try this with Asuka's Unit 02.
Misato Katsuragi half-jokingly (and half-accusingly) points out to Ritsuko Akagi that with four Evangelions under her command, they could end the world if they wanted to. Ironically, the actual purpose of the Evas (to help implement the Human Instrumentality Project) is very close to Misato's description.
The damage Unit 01 inflicts on Bardiel graphically shows the biomechanical nature of the Evas.
While Maya Ibuki is normally composed while witnessing the Evas battle against the Angels, she becomes violently ill as she sees Unit 01's gory assault against Bardiel. Her weakness for blood will show up later.
Notes
Unit 03 is carried on a cross-shaped scaffold as it is flown from the United States to Japan.
Unit 03's somersaulting dropkick against Unit 01 is the same attack that Unit 01 used against the Angel Sachiel and which is shown in the opening credits of the show.
In the manga adaptation of the series, Toji is actually killed when Unit 03 is destroyed. In the episode, he survives but loses his left leg.
In psychoanalytical theory, "ambivalence" refers to when two co-existing and self-contradictory emotions both arise from a common source.
The opening dialog between the American pilots is in English in both the English and Japanese versions, with Japanese subtitles on the bottom of the screen. Rather than re-dubbing the dialog, the same voices were used in the English version of the series.
This episode was rated TV-MA on Adult Swim for graphic violence.
Rated 'PG' in the UK for 'mild violence.'
EVA-03 makes a quivering moan when EVA-01 strangles it in the Japanese version but the US version cuts out the moan.
