Watch the Year Hand (Japanese: Jibun no Tokei - His own Watch) is the fourth episode of the series and Threshold Orchestration.
Sypnosis[]
Arriving at Nirai-Kanai on the Lilia Litvyak, Ayato Kamina is taken for a check-up on board the ship. As his blood is drawn Haruka Shitow is apprehensive; however, she is relived to see his blood is red, not blue.
At the same time, on the ship's deck, Buchi encounters Quon Kisaragi examining the RahXephon. Buchi's presence on board is against the Washington Treaty;[1] however, Jin Kunugi instructs Haruka to take responsibility and off board him when she departs. Jin also instructs Ayato to change this watch to correct time.
As the craft with RahXephon pulls into the dock, Soichi Yakumo is overseeing its entrance from the bridge. At a similar time, the Ulysses is also arriving with Makoto Isshiki to take custody of the RahXephon. Although Jin was seeking to use the RahXephon (referred to in the conversation as a OOPART) as part of military operations, the crew of the Ulysses are to take it for research. Jin inquires about their intentions for Ayato and they confirm they have no interest in taking him with them.
Ayato and Haruka on the ship's deck search for Buchi, when Ayato asks about the instruction to set this watch to correct time. Haruka shows him her watch that displays both current time and Tokyo Jupiter time. Elvy Hadhiyat who is in her craft at this time, targets Haruka to get her attention. Realising the Elvy is present, Haruka dismisses Ayato so she can deal with a matter "woman to woman". Following the loss of her squadron in Tokyo Jupiter to the RahXephon,[2] Elvy is seeking answers as to how much of Operation Overlord Haruka knew.
Below deck, Ayato finally meets Quon outside the ship's barbershop. Assisting her with putting her life module on, Quon takes his hand leading him through the ship. Observing the RahXephon being moved by crane, Ayato wonder's where it is being taken, for Makato to state that the "spoils of war are none of his concern".
Returning to the ship's bridge, Makato officially introduces himself to Ayato as a member of TERRA, explaining that the Earth Federation his right of ownership to the take the mecha for research; Soiuchi asks about the injury on Haruka's face at the time of information being divulged.
Taking Ayato to his room, Haruka apologises for everything, however Ayato feels those from the outside are pushy and don't see those from within as human. Soichi and Jin confirm that Ayato has the MU-phase and call for Haruka, removing her from the room in order to seal Ayato within the room; an anti-Mulian chamber that requires voice pattern recogition (Jin's specifically) in order to unlock. Haruka's pleads for his release, even after discovering the MU-phase in his blood as he is "red blooded human like the rest of them."
Jin makes the observation that Ayato, although locked in the room with the means to understand the situation chooses not to; instead he is drawing Reika Mishima. Quon, entering the bride with Buchi in her arms with a warning that a dolem is approaching. SOSUS on detecting the dolem identifies it as a D-1, infitiating a Defcon-3 status. Taking out the U-07 submarine first and coming the surface, the Lilia Lityvak's main weapons are unable to penetrate the dolem or even slow its approach. With Elvy grounded, the decision is made to launch the Eidolon; unmanned aircraft with manoeuvrability that reflects their lack of pilot; even these are unable to halt the attack, being completely outclassed and promptly destroyed.
As a final line of defense the arrival dock gate is closed; however, the D-1 is lost, coming from underneath the ship, piercing it and using its tendrils to pentrate the ship, coming close to Quon and Buchi. This strike finally receives Ayato's attention, finally realising he is locked in; resulting in a feeling that even Haruka tricked him. In this moment, his drawing of Reika appears to be moving and the RahXephon awakens whilst aboard the Ulysses, calling out and elicting a response from Quon. Pilotless, the RahXephon returns to the Lilia Lityvak, placing its hand on the ships deck to reach out for Ayato. Quon and Ayato can be seen in ruins with Reika present before Ayato takes her hand; entering the RahXephon.
Drawing the dolem into the air, Ayato tears the dolem in two before heading to rest in the research center before Itsuki Kisaragi.