Finally, we get to see a flashback into the past, mainly from Fuyutsuki’s point of view. And what a very interesting episode.
So finally Shinji’s mother, Yui, makes her appearance. And she sounds like Rei. Her hairstyle is similar to Rei’s too. But I also can’t comprehend what she saw in Gendou, or what’s cute about him. Perhaps he’s just too good at concealing his ‘other’ side. My impression of Yui is that she was a good person. However, it doesn’t stick too long since she has connections with SEELE. Or maybe she’s just only concerned with her research? Or does she like playing god or reshaping humanity deep in her heart?
It seems to me that the Second Impact was planned (or predicted, by the SEELE’s Dead Sea scrolls). The SEELE that spoke to Fuyutsuki spoke of Eva 01 as becoming a god, but I’m baffled. Just because it’s that powerful doesn’t make it a god. More like a force of nature or something. God-like would be a more apt description.
So Shinji really saw an Eva way before he became a pilot of one. On that day, Yui disappeared in an accident in the experiment they were performing. (But I’m having second thoughts if that really was an accident.) This must be what Ritsuko was talking about in episode 20. From Ritsuko’s mother’s observation, Gendou changed. But I don’t know, I only think he turned for the worse. So sometime after that accident, Gendou started the Human Instrumentality Project. The way to become a god. It’s not shown what Gendou really thinks, but I sure do want to know what his vision of a ‘new era of humanity’ looks like from his point of view, or narration. Who will become god? Only the priviliged few, perhaps of Gendou’s choosing?
A younger Rei also appears. But mysteriously all files about her have been deleted. But that encounter with Rei and Akagi (Ritsuko’s mom, for convenience) after Ritsuko left was at first amusing. Rei looked like a little devil. Rei was merely echoing Gendou’s description of Akagi as a hag, but the latter was not amused and strangled Rei. So who shot her? My guess is it’s probably Gendou. But I don’t know why she said there are substitutes even if Rei dies.
Before I watched this episode, I was actually already spoiled about Kaji’s death. I got curious about an Evangelion thread in one of the forums I occasionally visited. I was thinking maybe they were talking about the new movies but then somebody casually asks who killed Kaji. Bang! Spoiled. Thankfully it wasn’t that big of a spoiler to me.
Now, off I go to finish Blood+…
Cute Proxy's Anime Rants 
Regarding substitutes… you’ll find out soon enough. 😛
I would just ignore those types of Evangelion threads until you have seen the whole series. It will mess up your view of the series before you have seen it. And it will just confuse you which seems to be the case. Ritsuko’s mother was not shot in this episode; she committed suicide.
[rei’s death] and [rei + eva 00] are linked in a way
“My impression of Yui is that she was a good person. However, it doesn’t stick too long since she has connections with SEELE. Or maybe she’s just only concerned with her research? Or does she like playing god or reshaping humanity deep in her heart?”
Yui intended to use her skills to help people. The Angels were coming, whether she want them to or not. She wanted to make sure… no, I won’t mention her motivations yet.
“It’s not shown what Gendou really thinks, but I sure do want to know what his vision of a ‘new era of humanity’ looks like from his point of view, or narration. Who will become god? Only the priviliged few, perhaps of Gendou’s choosing?”
You are not asking the right questions. It isn’t “who is becoming god”, but “WHY would Gendo want to become god?”
You already have the clues to that question.
I think I have two probable reasons in mind, but was he already contemplating on becoming a god when he first approached Yui?
To be accurate, he approached Fuyutsuki. But no, he just want to be important and powerful back then. He want to be god-like for a specific reason later on.