In response to assertions that Asuka's dispatching of Clockiel is unrealistic...

It is my view that Evangelion is very much a story of Humankind overcoming seemingly impossible challenges. How many times in NGE were ridiculous figures laid down, expressing how minuscule of a slim chance NERV had against the Angels?

To overcome such ludicrously long odds, Man must rise and perform unbelievable deeds. The Angels are so fast, so bizarre, so lethal, that unparalleled precision and swiftness must be employed against them before they can destroy all of Humanity.

I would say the single biggest exterior reason why things are Cranked Up to 11 in Rebuild is simply that it is now possible for Anno to portray such things. He did not have the budget or the technology before, and in a greater sense, appreciation for what anime is capable of had not reached the level necessary, either, for those tools to be made available to him.* And likely his vision has been further refined... one might say honed. He is a living human being, and humans are nothing if not dynamic. (refer to the discussion of Homeostasis and Transistasis in episode 15, at approx 13mins 51secs.)

And of course, there is the simple fact that Asuka is undeniably a prodigy, in every sense of the word, who has fairly single-mindedly set herself to be #1 inside an Evangelion. I would say that having a clear mind and strength of will are already demonstrated as having an impact when one is piloting an Evangelion, and I see no reason to believe she was not possessed with such on this sortie.

But if I may put forth my own wild opinion and speculation, it seems to me that this is Asuka finally getting the intro she would really want. Her Great Debut. Notice how ungainly Eva-02 collapses on its face in Episode 8 when its power runs out. No such thing here. It stands with hands on hips, a total badass, and knowing it. And no annoying baka Shinji in the plug, muddying things up and stealing her thunder.

Oh, did I just say thunder? well... hahaha...

I also love that it is, what appears to me, a clear reference to the Inazuma Kick of Gunbuster. It's well understood that Asuka draws a lot from Jung Freud. That she has incorporated Jung Freud's rival's signature maneuver seems somehow poetic to me. Anno is clearly a man who loves to bury all kinds of subtle things in his work, particularly in Evangelion. I suspect that the propaganda that Rebuild is the "newer, simpler Eva" may be hiding untold depths... but that is a vigorous debate for another day, or perhaps never.

This is my view and my interpretation. I hope that sharing it has, if not convinced you of my opinion, at least given you new things to think about. Even better, perhaps some new thoughts generated in your minds (within your AT Fields).

Footnotes
*whereas the level of interest in a product has a clear relation to the profit it can be expected to make, producers and financiers will only dole out so much dinero.

Inazuma Kick is a reference to Rider Kick, which makes Eva-02's kick a reference to both. But mostly to the original. Considering the Double Rider Kick that finished off Israfel, a movie adaptation of the Action Arc wouldn't be complete without such an obligatory dorky nod.

Also, dropping TVTropes lingo and linking to the relevant page makes people hate TVTropes. You don't want people to hate TVTropes, do you?

Also also, Eva-02 doesn't have the hips to pull off the "hands on hips" pose without looking more silly than badass.

I'm not familiar with the assertion that referring to TV Tropes makes people hate it. I'm merely in the habit of referring to it because my friends and I regularly do. If there is some precedent for this, I'd love to be referred to it. I will say that I don't see the point of a reference site if you can't reference it.

Your assertion that Eva-02 doesn't have the hips is a personal interpretation and a matter of one's own aesthetic taste. When I saw this scene for the first time, it struck me purely and cleanly as 100% badass. It did not do the same to you, I see. I prefaced that paragraph overtly as my opinion, but you do not do so. Am I also to state my opinions as fact? I am accustomed to clearly declaring them for what they are. Let me try it out.

Rider Kick is ludicrous. The physical action is unbelievable to the extreme. While some instances have him jumping high enough to connect it in a visual artistic way to Inazuma Kick, the final shot of the kick landing, as I can see it, has too much lateral action to be much of an analogue. It also wastes the benefit of gravity and inertia from jumping so high, and thus looks very silly and stupid.

Of course, not debating the impact Kamen Rider had culturally.