[EVA] Eva Manga Stage 72

[M]

Here is the latest Sadamoto Eva manga stage.
This one follows the Director's Cut version for the most part, but  
with the usual Sadamoto modifications.

Doesn't look like there will be a new stage next month again.

"M"

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Stage 72: Saigo no Shisha
           (The Final Messenger/The Last to Die)

Cover: Kaworu leaning back atop damaged/headless winged statue

Lead-in text: Kaworu’s true identity...?

Scene: Misato in her car staring through binoculars at Kaworu  
standing on top of the damaged/headless winged statue
Misato: It’s no good. He seems to be mumbling something, but I  
can’t read his lips from here.
(Misato lowers the binoculars and leans back in her seat, frowning)
Misato: Still, going for a walk this early in the morning just to  
talk to oneself... unstable to say the least.
(Misato glances over at Makoto sitting in the car beside her)
Misato: ... So, were you able to get his data?
Makoto: Yes, I “borrowed” it from Lt. Ibuki without her permission.
(Makoto hands over a data unit that looks like a small video game  
with a screen in the center and buttons on both sides)
Misato: Sorry, for always making you act like a thief.
(Misato’s eyes go wide as she views the data)
Misato: What is this!?
Makoto: That’s why Maya-chan couldn’t release it. Because it’s  
theoretically impossible.
(Background image of Eva-02)
Misato: To be able to freely set his synchro rate with Eva... And of  
his own will, no less... (chews on thumbnail in thought) It’s time  
we got to the bottom of this. We have to find out what he really is.
Makoto: That’s what I thought, so I dove into the Intelligence  
Section’s data a bit.
Misato: That’s risky!
Makoto: But it was worth it.  (I found out) Ritsuko’s location.

Scene: Nerv HQ room where Ritsuko is being detained. Misato stands  
behind Ritsuko who sits despondently in her chair.
Ritsuko: I’m surprised to see you here.
Misato: There’s something I want to ask you.
Ritsuko: The conversation here is recorded.
Misato: I don’t care. That boy -- the Fifth, what is he really?
Ritsuko: Nagisa Kaworu... His date of birth is the same as Second  
Impact. Probably because, on that day, in that place, he was the  
final Angel to be born.
Misato (shocked): You can’t mean... Are you saying that all the  
Angels were born from Adam? What did humans do to Adam on that day?
(Background image of Lancea Longinus)
Ritsuko: Humans tried to return Adam to an egg before the other  
Angels awoke. The result was Second Impact. Among the data from your  
father’s research team that was retrieved just before it happened, I  
have heard that there were indications of an attempt to use human  
genes in some way. If that was actually done in secret, if the Angel  
born at that time took human form, and if the Committee got their  
hands on it, then according to MAGI everything adds up.

Scene: Kaworu standing before Eva-02 with hands in pockets
Kaworu: It’s time. So, let’s go... child of Adam, and servant of  
the Lilim.
(Kaworu steps off the bridge and floats mid-air. Behind him Eva-02’s  
eyes light and it activates.)

Scene: Alert indicators light and alarms blare in the Command Center
Makoto: Eva-02 has activated!!
(Misato appears rising up on the lift)
Misato: What!? Is it Asuka!?
(Live monitor shot of Asuka lying expressionless in her sickbed)
Shigeru: Confirmed in hospital room 303.
Misato: Then is it the Fifth?
Maya: Negative! It’s unmanned! An entry plug is not inserted into  
Eva-02!!
Monitor display:
      EVA-02 IN OPERATION
      ENTRY PLUG NOT PRESENT
      UNMANNED
      CHECKED BY MAGI-1•2•3
Misato: That can’t be...
Makoto: A.T. Field generation confirmed in Central Dogma!
Misato: Eva-02!?
Makoto: Negative! Pattern Blue! Unmistakably an Angel!
Monitor display
      BLOOD TYPE: BLUE
      12th ANGEL  [Trans note: *12th* Angel? Big typo by Sadamoto :P]
      IDENTIFIED
Misato (thinking): So as expected, the Fifth is...

Scene: SEELE monoliths
SEELE 01: Humans forget their foolishness and repeat the same mistakes.
SEELE: Humans will not change unless they perform their own atonement.
SEELE: Our only path is to change toward the future by our own hands.
SEELE 01: Ikari, fulfill your duty with Eva-01.

Scene: Kaworu and Eva-02 floating down the Central Dogma shaft /  
Panic in the Command Center
Makoto: Target passing Level 4... and still descending!!
Shigeru: It’s no good! We can’t cut off the power to the linear  
lift!
Makoto: Target passing Level 5!
Fuyutsuki: Close all partitions leading to Central Dogma at once! Do  
anything to gain even a little time!
(Shots of cylinders and partitions slamming shut)
Fuyutsuki (to Gendo): Who would have thought that SEELE would send it  
directly to us.
Gendo (to Fuyutsuki): The old men intend to advance the schedule - by  
our hands. But we won’t give them their way.
Gendo (to Command Center staff): Have Eva-01 pursue!
Misato: Yes, sir!
(Shot of Eva-02 stomping through a partition)
Shigeru: Eva-02 is breaking through the armored partitions!
Makoto: Target passing Partition No. 17!!
Misato: Shinji! You must stop the target from entering the lowermost  
level! By any means!
Shinji (in entry plug): The target... Is Eva-02 the Angel?
Misato: No. What you really must stop is what is controlling Eva-02.  
You must destroy the human-shaped Angel known as Nagisa Kaworu.
(No response from Shinji)
Misato: Okay? Did you hear me!?
(Shinji grips the induction handles with a dark expression)
Shinji: Damn it... Why...
Misato: There’s no time to think about unnecessary things! At this  
rate Third Impact will occur!
Shinji: Why!? Why!? WHY!?
Shinji: I’m sick of this sort of thing! WHY!! (strikes induction  
handle with fist)

Scene: Eva-01 descending down Central Dogma shaft on a cable
Operator: Eva-01 descending via route No. 2 in pursuit of target.
Operator: Eva-01 has reached Level 9! Contacting the target!
Shinji (thinking): There!!
Shinji (calling out): Wait! Nagisa Kaworu!
Kaworu (looking up at Shinji/Eva-01): You’re late. I was thinking  
you wouldn’t come.
Shinji; Why!? You’re an Angel! An enemy! So why did you approach me  
in such a friendly manner!?
(Eva-01 reaches out at Kaworu, but Eva-02 moves to block, and the two  
Eva units lock grips and strain against each other as Kaworu looks on.)
Shinji: If we were just going to fight, then why do something  
unnecessary like that?
(Eva-02’s pauldron opens and its prog knife flips out)
Shinji: !!
(Eva-02 grabs its prog knife and swings it downward in a clenched- 
fist grip towards Eva-01, but Eva-01 grabs its own prog knife and  
blocks the strike. The Eva units continue to struggle against each  
other.)
Shinji: *grunt (=Ku!)* There shouldn’t be anyone piloting it. Are  
you doing this?
Kaworu: Eva and I are made of the same body - For both Eva and I were  
born from the same Adam. If I did not have a soul, we could join.  
Because the soul of Eva-02 has shut itself away.
Shinji: Then stop! I don’t want to fight with you!
Kaworu: Why not? You don’t like me. You don’t think of me as a  
friend, do you?
(Just then Eva-02’s prog knife blade snaps, sending Eva-01’s prog  
knife plunging at Kaworu. However, the knife is stopped just before  
Kaworu by a hexagonal A.T. Field.)
Shinji: An A.T. Field!!
Kaworu: Why are you so surprised?

Ending text: How will the battle end...!?

- End Stage 72