Don't Be.

Season 1, Episode 22, Aired
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Episode Summary

A flashback shows Asuka as a child and the death of her mother. In the present her synch ration is faling to the concern of Ritsuko and Misato. She takes out her frustration on Rei in an elevator while her synch ration continues to dropl. Another Angel appears above Earth's atmosphere and begins to attack Asuka in Unit-02 directly through her mind.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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  • simply the best episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A truely epic and amazing episode

    10
    "Perfect"
    By kududoodoo, Apr 24, 2006 Report Abuse
    this episode we really learn about asuka, her mindset, her pain, her sorrow, and how she deals with it. up to about now really everyone just writes her off as a mean, annoying, arrogant, ignorant bit**, but there's something much more to this fragile girl. We learn of her mother's mental illness which left her not even recognizing asuka's existence, not giving her love or anything a little girl needs. this lack of love and comapassion for her results in her emotional wall she builds up to the outside world.

    my favorite episode by far, and most meaningful, very emotional.moreless

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  • The start of a new terror.

    9.2
    "Superb"
    By ZaleIsBackAgain, Aug 12, 2005 Report Abuse
    Asuka has the same nightmare that she suffered when she was a child; she's running through an endless amounts of door, chanting proudly she was chosen as the one to protect the earth, until she reaches that final door, only to find her mother hanged. Asuka's rather upset right now that Shinji surpassed her, and suggests that she's the one to take on the next angel. Though as she's about to fire her weapon, the Angel telepathetically makes contact with her, digging up old and horrific memories that she buried long ago, and making her physchologically impaired. Then Gendou gave the order to Rei to use the Longinus spear, the key to human instrumentality. SEELE was outraged at Gendou's decision, and sensed treachery among him. Meanwhile, Asuka suffered greatly from the last Angel attack, and her synchronizing with her EVA dropped considerably.

    Asuka's one of my all time favourite characters, because there are a lot of characters I can relate to her with. But in the end, she turns out to be the most unique out of all the praised driven minded ones I've seen. I understand her feelings completely when she wants to be noticed by everyone, and it must have been heartbreaking to know that the one she loves the most couldn't receive the news.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Scenes added to the Director's Cut: - All voice-over work redone. - Asuka and Kaji lying on deck under the stars aboard the UN Naval Carrier as it makes its way with EVA Unit 02 to Japan. - Intro ommitted from episode. - Asuka at a train station. - Misato's comment to Asuka when she yells at Shinji after Asuka's phone call with her "mother". - Asuka's bath scene. - Painful expression on Asuka's face during the silent part of her ride on the elevator with Rei. - Violation of Asuka's psyche by the 15th Angel is expanded upon. - EVA Unit 00 pulling the Lance out of Lilith is expanded upon. - Destruction of the 15th Angel is expanded upon. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Japanese Title: 「せめて、人間らしく」- ("Semete, Ningen Rashiku") - "At Least, Be Human" Edit
    • The 15th Angel is called Arael, the Angel of Birds. More information. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Young Asuka: Are you lonely? Are you alone? Asuka: NO! Stay away from me! I can live on my own! Young Asuka: ... Do you love me? Asuka: I won't rely on anyone! Young Asuka: Do you really love me? Asuka: I can live on my own! Asuka Doll: But you're lying! Asuka: NOOOOOOOO!!! Edit
    • Asuka: (about seeing Shinji standing by Kaji) Why are you there, damn you?! You don't do anything! You won't help me! You won't even hold me! You're no one! No one! NO ONE! Young Asuka: Why won't you look at me!? Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The Lance of Longinus is a spear with which a blind centurion pierced the side of the crucified Christ. So the story goes, Jesus' blood fell onto Longinus' hands, and then Longinus touched his eyes and his vision was unimpaired. Constantine and Charlemagne also owned the Lance of Longinus. Today, there are four candidates for the lance of Longinus, but the most popular one, in Vienna, was owned by the Hapsburgs and later the Nazis. Edit
    • The classical music that is featured in the episode is George Friedrich Händel's Oratorio The Messiah. It begins with part #44, "Hallelujah", and is later followed by part #53, "Worthy is the Lamb". Edit
    • Asuka: Maybe tomorrow it will snow. In Japan, if something unlikely occurs, the Japanese normally say that maybe tomorrow it will rain or snow. Due to the Second Impact it no longer snows in Japan, so this is equivalent to saying it will never occur. Edit

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Ep 25
Do you love me?
Ep 24
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Ep 23
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Ep 22
Don't Be.
Ep 21
He was aware that he was s...
Ep 20
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Ep 19
INTROJECTION
Ep 18
AMBIVALENCE
Ep 17
FOURTH CHILDREN
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Ep 15
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Ep 14
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Ep 13
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Ep 12
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Ep 11
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Ep 10
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Ep 9
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Ep 8
ASUKA STRIKES!
Ep 7
A HUMAN WORK
Ep 6
Rei II
Ep 5
Rei I
Ep 4
Hedgehog's Dilemma
Ep 3
A transfer
Ep 2
THE BEAST
Ep 1
ANGEL ATTACK

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