Episode 2 leads off right away with Shinji going into action against the Angel. He doesn't do so hot, due to it's his first battle, and when it seems like he's about to die, he wakes up mysteriously ina hospital bed. This is a gerat way to build suspence, not knowing what really happened out there. This episode did a good job in starting to turn the series to a more serious point already, although Misato acted kinda crazy at her apartment. At the end of the episode, it shows what actually DID happen on the battlefield. It's pretty cool.