History Recap / NeonGenesisEvangelionEpisode04HedgehogsDilemma

* PromptingNudge: Kensuke has to literally push Toji into giving his apology to Shinji. Not Toji doesn't want to apologize, but because he has a hard time finding the words and the courage to say them.

* PromptingNudge: Kensuke has to literally push Toji into giving his apology.

* TenMinuteRetirement: Shinji goes on one throughout this episode.

It is a rainy morning in Tokyo-3 as Misato is woken by her clock's alarm. Wondering if Shinji is planning on skipping school again--as he has done for the last five days--she knocks on his door, but gets no answer. She opens the door and sees nothing but Shinji's NERV ID card and a letter addressed to her; this doesn't surprise her, though.

Some time later, the door bell rings, but Misato is greeted by Toji and Kensuke, who want to check up on Shinji and hand him printouts of his school assignments since he has been absent for so long. Misato puts on a pleasant face and tells them that Shinji is training at NERV. After saying goodbye, Toji and Kensuke talk about Misato, calling her "a real babe." On the other side of the door, Misato loses her nerve and curses Shinji for his stupidity.

The runaway Shinji is riding in a constant loop in Tokyo-3's metro, listing to his SDAT. Several hours pass as he rides the train, but when it makes its last stop late in the evening, Shinji realizes that he has to go back eventually. He wanderers through Tokyo-3's entertainment district before settling down in a cinema, where he watches a late-night flick about Second Impact before going to sleep in the lobby. The next morning, he walks the streets again, but the sound of cicadas freaks him out and makes him want to get away from Tokyo-3. Shinji takes a bus towards the mountains, then wanders around for a spell in the picturesque landscape before resting on a cliff overlooking the city.

Inside the Geofront, Rei is attending a medical check-up. Misato talks with Ritsuko, telling her that she considers it cruel to put so heavy a burden on the shoulders of fourteen-year-old children. Ritsuko says NERV doesn't have a choice since those children are the only ones capable of piloting the [=EVAs=], then asks Misato if she has heard from Shinji. Misato says she thinks that he might never come back, but she doesn't plan on doing anything about it because she believes Shinji is better off staying away.

At the debriefing six days prior, Misato tries to reprimand Shinji for disobeying orders. Shinji smiles at her scolding, saying he won the battle regardless. Misato yells about how that attitude will get him killed and how he shouldn't expect praise for it. Shinji says that he doesn't care--he will continue piloting Unit-01 because he is the only one who can. Misato later realizes that Shinji's rebellious attitude that day was just a front; he actually felt trapped and scared by the circumstances. "If piloting an EVA means nothing but pain to him, he shouldn't get in it," she tells Ritsuko. "Otherwise, I'm sure he'll be killed." Ritsuko points that, regardless of those feelings, NERV still needs pilots.

As evening is setting on Tokyo-3, Kensuke is out in the mountains playing wargames with a replica rifle as he spots Shinji walking by, so he invites the runaway for dinner at his nearby camp. While the two of them sit by the campfire, Kensuke explains to Shinji that Toji is sorry for what he has done -- and that his sister gave him quite the earful for beating up the hero who saved the city -- before saying he envies Shinji for living with a beautiful woman like Misato and piloting an EVA. Shinji tells Kensuke to give up on wanting to pilot an EVA, as it would make his mother worried, but, much to Shinji's surprise, Kensuke says he never really knew his long-dead mother, something he and Shinji have in common. Before turning in for the night, Shinji asks Kensuke if his camping is some sort of training for guerilla warfare; Kensuke says it's just something he does for fun.

The next morning, Shinji and Kensuke wake up to see the tent surrounded by NERV agents, who have come to take Shinji in.

Back in class, an angry Toji asks Kensuke why he didn't resist, but Kensuke points out that he was a kid and they were government agents. Inside the Geofront, Misato visits Shinji in his holding cell; she asks him if he wants to pilot Unit-01 again. Putting on his rebellious front again, Shinji says he feels obligated to pilot the EVA, but he hates doing it, so Misato snaps at him: she tells him to leave and go home if he doesn't like it, then leaves him in the dark, shocked by what happened. Ritsuko meets with Gendo to tell him that Shinji has chosen to leave Tokyo-3--so Gendo, in his typical matter-of-fact manner, says Rei will pilot Unit-01, despite her injures, until the Marduk Organization can find the Fourth Child.

Two NERV agents escort Shinji to the train station. He asks them if it could be possible for him to say a proper goodbye to Misato, but the agents tell him that since he is no longer part of NERV, he can't do that. Toji and Kensuke, who want to see Shinji off, meet up with him at the train station, and after some prompting by Kensuke, Toji apologizes to Shinji for hitting him--and asks for a retaliatory punch from Shinji so they can be even. Shinji reluctantly agrees and punches Toji in the face. With things square between them, Shinji asks how they knew he would be at the station. Toji and Kensuke say they've already seen some of their friends leave from there...and that the two of them will probably be leaving someday soon, too. Toji says he doesn't blame Shinji for quitting NERV after seeing first-hand what being an EVA pilot really means; he also says he'll fight anyone who would hold anything against Shinji for quitting. The agents tell Shinji his time is up, and the duo wishes him well. As the agents escort him away, Shinji runs back towards Toji and Kensuke; the agents drag him back, but as they do, he yells out, "I'm the one who deserves to be hit! I'm mean, cowardly, dishonest, weak, sneaky, and a sissy!"

In the EVA's holding cage, Ritsuko asks Misato if she still thinks Shinji's departure was for the best. Misato remembers what Ritsuko said about the Hedgehog's Dilemma, finally understanding that Shinji was trying to reach out to her all along, but he didn't know how. The train meant for Shinji arrives at the platform, but before boarding it, he remember Misato's sincere words from the night after his first battle: "Hang in there." He then realizes that she was trying to connect with him.

Misato arrives at the train station as the train disembarks; thinking for a moment that she has seen Shinji for the last time, she turns to see him on the platform, just as he sees her. Hesitant but happy, Shinji says, "I-I'm home!" Smiling, Misato answers: "Welcome home!"

* TenMinuteRetirment: Shinji goes on one throughout this episode.

Kensuke is playing wargames with a replica rifle as he spots Shinji walking by, so he invites the runaway for dinner at a nearby camp. He explains to Shinji that Toji is sorry for what he has done--and that his sister gave him quite the earful for beating up the hero who saved the city--before saying he envies Shinji for living with a beautiful woman like Misato and piloting an EVA. Shinji tells Kensuke to give up on wanting to pilot an EVA, as it would make his mother worried, but, much to Shinji's surprise, Kensuke says he never really knew his long-dead mother, something he and Shinji have in common. Before turning in for the night, Shinji asks Kensuke if his camping is some sort of training for guerilla warfare; Kensuke says it's just something he does for fun.