Summary:
The episode begins with scenes from a city; people in a coffee shops. There's a mild tremor, then we hear the sound of a Dolem aria. Underneath the people, the floor starts to flow, and objects and people begin to sink into the glowing ground...

On the ferry boat, we seem an adult woman listening to music. Ont eh same boat, Ayato and Megumi are arguing about food preparation, with Megumi telling Ayato that soy sauce on the food in question is weird, while Ayato insists that years ago, it was probably the fashion out "here" too. The woman walks up to them and implies that they're like a couple, to which Megumi says it isn't like that. The woman introduces herself as Kim to Ayato. when he tries to do the same, she already knows his name. Kim works at TERRA with Megumi and knows all about him, including that he is the pilot of the RahXephon. He insists he won't pilot the RX anymore.

On the mainland, TERRA has a press conference to discuss events in the world. Some in the press imply that people don't see the need for TERRA, with some hinting it should be dissolved. One reporter, a Mr. Futagami from Yamato News, is exceedingly persistant that TERRA must have a new weapon, saying that the same day that a transport that came to Nirai, it came and left empty, yet oddly, it had a military escort. Terra denies any such weapon and most of the press laughs it away. Back in Nirai-Kinai, the TERRA staff debates what will happen. Just then an alarm sounds.

On the mainland and in TERRA, there are reports of a D1 that no one can find, but it has devastated an area and left what looks like a Nazca line drawing. Meanwhile, Mr. Futagami is still suspicious. Kunagi calls Souichi to tell him that Souichi will have to command the action, as he cannot make it back in time to Nirai-Kinai.

The signal from this new Dolem matches the D1 Aria from 14 years ago in Australia, where several cities were devastated. As Haruka is giving a presentation on what happened 14 years ago there, she mentions that back then, 6 million people died. Ayato comments on the loss to Kim, and he makes the comment that until a few days ago, he thought there were only 23 million people left in the world, so for him, that's as if 1/4th of all the people just died. Kim is thinking of other things though, remembering the events of 14 years ago and growing angry. As her anger grows, Quon is somehow aware something is wrong. Kim responds angrily to Ayato, insisting that he has a lot of work to do. He responds that he will not pilot the RX; that he didn't want to do it the first time. Kim fires back that Terra needs him and he says he doesn't care what Terra wants. She asks what he'll do then, and he says he'll work, but not fight. She questions what he could possibly do that could be of use to them. He says she knows nothing about him; she says she knows how the world works - "What the hell did someone like you have to be the pilot?" The argument interrupts the meeting. Megumi, Haruka, and Itsuki try to stop the argument, with Itsuki implying they're both acting like children.

In the hall, Megumi explains to Ayato that Kim's parents were in Australia 14 years ago and were killed. She also tells Ayato that is why Kim works for Terra.

Kim appeals to Souichi to do work related to translating Mu signals. Souichi refuses, implying that revenge isn't a proper reason. Itsuki arrives in the office, notes the discussion, and asks Kim if she'll take somethign to intel for him. He says it's the latest D1 Aria file.

Back on the mainland, Kunagi and two other characters obscurely talk about how "It's taken 40 years to make this a reality." A lot of unclear talk occurs about "the proper application" and "the plan". (basically, if you've seen any old X-Files eps where the suited people talk about the conspiracy, you'll get the idea of what this scene is like). The older of the trio says he hasn't seen Kunagi since "that incident", and Kunagi comments "And yet we're still both in good health, right Lord Babhem?" Lord Babhem asks about the Federation Council's decision, which is apparently to leave the RX in Terra's hands for observation and to only use it in emergencies of the highest order. The other man (whom I'll call Eyepatch - he seems to be a TERRA higher-up) insists that this decision was due to the Foundation's support. We're left to wonder what this means.

On the train (mass transit), Kim is remembering her parents leaving on vacation before they died. There is a thought that is hard for me to explain - It appears Kim is thinking of two identical "child" Kims - one is standing over a box, crying, while the other (identical) walks away from the crying one, with a determined look on her face. I can only surmise that this might be Kim, leaving her childhood behind and becoming resolute in what she'll do.

At this point, Quon comes up and asks her why she is crying (she was only crying in the vision in her head, not in reality). As Kim doesn't answer, Quon says "That's a very pretty music box, may I listen?" and takes Kim's headphones on her ipod like device. Apparently Kim was listening to the D1 aria on her ipod, and she admits that she took the data. Quon however says crypically "A city that overlooks a strait, it is prepared with an enclosure of a star."

Meanwhile, Ayato gets inside the RX. Itsuki talks to him via a radio, saying that Ayato should tell him if anything happens. Apparently, Ayato is only cooperating on doing tests, not to fight. Itsuki says he understands Ayato's decision not to fight, insisting he's a pacifist like Ayato. Sayoko says that Ayato would be angry to know that Itsuki is not telling the whole truth, that he is a guinea pig of sorts. Itsuki says he hasn't lied, but if Ayato won't ask, he won't mention it.

At home, Kim remembers when her parents died - at the time, she was staying with relatives until her parents return. As notification of the death comes, the relatives talk to each other about how they didn't sign on to keep her forever. They talk about shipping her off to another relative, which she overhears. Just then, a package arrives from Australia. It's a music box from her parents that they sent before they died. Inside, there's also a picture of them and a note that they'll have lots of presents for her when they return for her birthday. She cries. Back in the present, Kim thinks about how it was their last message, and thinking of "message" makes her remember what Quon said on the train. She overlays the Aria pattern on a map of Australia, and it matches the Australia city destruction exactly, which means she knows where the new Dolem will be next now, since the pattern is the same as the one 14 years ago. She tells Souichi, who tells her of the cost and such of mobilization insisting the USDF wouldn't do it, but since he's in charge, he'll order the mobilization. She kisses him on the cheek and they discuss the planning.

The USDF, under TERRA, gathers tanks and such at the next location. Haruka and Elvy are flying overhead to observe. When Elvy mentions that Haruka is only doing this for "that kid", Haruka responds "Who was it that was draped all over him before?" then mentions that she heard about Elvy's transfer request.

Back at the base, Megumi asks Souichi how he got the USDF to mobilize, and he says that he told them the D1 was after the RX. Ayato is sitting outside, but there is no mention of his role. That night, the D1 arrives. Ayato (for some odd reason that isn't explained at this point) is in the RX, as Kim mentions it is coming right towards the trap. The tanks fire, but fail as it sucks them into the ground. The RX attacks the D1 and starts beating on it, but Ayato hears Kim's voice in the RX saying "Do you want revenge?" as he remembers Mishima's scarf falling as she disappeared. He stops attacking the Dolem, and it starts singing, causing the ground to glow and making the sinking thing happen to the RX. Inside the cockpit, the situation with the RX is mirrored as Ayato begins to sink into a blackness. Kim reports that the RX is being sucked down into Mu-Phase space. Ayato struggles to free himself but keeps sinking. Kim prays for Ayato, remembering that just before the operation, she talked to him and asked him why he changed his mind. She asks him "Do you want revenge? I mean.. like me?" He says not exactly: it's because he can, that there must be a reason he has this ability. As she remembers this conversation, she drops his sketchbook, which she was holding onto for him, and it falls open on a drawing of Mishima.

Inside the RX, Ayato is blacking out, but then sees a vision of Mishima walking towards him, singing.

He says "Reika" several times, and she reaches out to pull him up. As she does so, Quon (with eyes closed) opens her eyes, seemingly aware of the change. Ayato and the RX emerge from Mu-Space, flying out and finishing off the D1.

We flash back to Kunagi and Eyepatch, talking about how the operation was a success and they wish they had on-site decisions "back then". Kunagi insists that "is all in the past, dead and buried"

Kim seems to have found a measure of happiness, as she is cleaning and lightening her apartment. On the ferry, Ayato is paging through his sketchbook when he notices little note on one of the pages: "Thank you... -K" Meanwhile, Kim looks at herself in the mirror and says "Happy birthday..." and smiles.

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It's nice that all the problems in RX don't center on Ayato as a character. This episode is clearly about Kim, as the series attempts to flesh out some of the people in TERRA. Kim's backstory is told, and we get some idea of her relationships to people in TERRA, specifically Ayato, Souichi, and Megumi.

Kim is an interesting character because her pain is believable - it has a personal element. Her questions to Ayato are spot on - if he will not pilot the RahXephon, what good is he to TERRA? At the same time, Ayato's problem is understandable - is he to be defined solely by his pilot role? Does his opinion matter? We can sympathize with both characters, and that is important in the series. Far too many times in NGE, they gave us too many personal problems and I could feel no sympathy for one of the conflicting characters - one would have a lesser problem and as such, I picked sides. Here, Kim and Ayato both have problems that are reasonable for their motivations, and I didn't feel that one was more "right" or "wrong" than the other.

Kim really does save the day in this episode by figuring out the pattern, although its debatable if she would have if Quon had not made her cryptic comments to remember. Quon's role hasn't yet been fully established, but she definitely has an interesting ability to know what people are thinking and feeling. The imagery in Kim's head seemed to be readily apparent to Quon, and there was a lot of possible double entendre given in discussions with Kim, specifically the "music box" comment and the asking of why Kim was crying.

We also get a little bit of information on the conspiracy aspect of the show as Kunagi, Bahrem, and the Eyepatch guy (whom I can't remember if he was introduced prior to this)discuss the events of the past in vague terms. They only give tiny bits of the puzzle - there was an incident many years ago, possibly related to the RahXephon and the ruins on Nirai-Kinai. Much like in NGE, we'll have to see in later episodes what all this means. Something apparently went wrong at this event and obviously it had an effect on the events of today (or they wouldn't even have it, and this would be one poor drama series).

My only complaint about the episode (other than the need to have "the mysterious conspiracy" angle) is that I hope it doesn't fit a pattern. Ayato obviously helps to fix Kim's self-image and help her into a better world - I hope he won't be the solution for each person. I want to see character interaction between people other than Ayato, and that these other people are capable of helping each other out. Ayato cannot merely be the convenient cure for all ailments, or the episodes will become too formulaic.