Episode 11: The Day Tokyo-3 Stood Still
Summary
In this episode, a complete power outage hits Tokyo-3, leaving NERV headquarters and the entire city vulnerable. As the pilots and NERV staff struggle to deal with the blackout, an Angel attacks, forcing them to come up with creative solutions to defend the city without their usual technological advantages.
Key Events
- A city-wide power outage occurs in Tokyo-3
- NERV HQ is left vulnerable without power
- The Angel Matarael attacks during the blackout
- Shinji, Asuka, and Rei must manually pilot their EVAs to intercept the Angel
- The pilots work together to defeat Matarael using unconventional tactics
Character Development
- Shinji, Asuka, and Rei learn to work as a team under pressure
- Misato demonstrates her leadership skills in a crisis situation
- Ritsuko shows her resourcefulness in finding solutions to technical problems
- Gendo's calm demeanor during the crisis raises questions about his true motives
Analysis
This episode highlights the fragility of modern technology and the importance of human ingenuity and cooperation. It serves as a metaphor for the characters' need to rely on their own strengths and each other, rather than external systems. The power outage also symbolizes the breakdown of barriers between characters, forcing them to communicate and work together more directly than usual.
Symbolism and Foreshadowing
- The darkness of the power outage represents the unknown dangers that lurk in the series' backstory
- The manual operation of the EVAs foreshadows the importance of the human element in controlling these bio-mechanical beings
- The vulnerability of NERV HQ hints at potential future attacks or infiltrations
Trivia
- This episode's title is a reference to the 1951 science fiction film "The Day the Earth Stood Still"
- The Angel Matarael's name comes from the angel of rain in Jewish mysticism
- This is one of the few episodes where an Angel attack is not the primary focus, but rather a complication of the main plot
Tokyo-3 plunged into darkness during the power outage