Angels in Neon Genesis Evangelion
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In the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, Angels are the beings which attack Tokyo-3 over the course of the story.[1] They take no common form, but their common origin seems to be that they are all progeny of Adam, though the nature of this relationship is left largely unexplained, as are many of the details surrounding the Angels. All of them have AT Fields of varying strengths, all pattern type "blue." All Angels contain an S² engine. The Angel's core, the red sphere in the Angel's torso, contains the soul and the S² Engine; sufficient damage to this core is fatal for the Angel and can sometimes (but not always) cause huge, destructive explosions. The Angels are closely related to humans, having 99.89% of the same DNA as humans. Contrasted with Homo sapiens, Adam's natural offspring (Angels #03 through #16) are said to be "another possibility, a race of humans that abandoned human form".
In the series, the arrival of the Angels is predicted in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are possessed by SEELE.
The Japanese word used to refer to the Angels is shito (使徒, messenger, apostle, one who is dedicated to a holy cause). The word usually used for "angel" is tenshi (天使, messenger of heaven). The translation to "angel" was specified by Gainax. It is somewhat fitting, in that the English angel is derived from the Greek for "messenger" (ἄγγελος, angelos), which is also the source of the word "evangelion". Many of the Angels are named after certain angels in Judeo-Christian lore. The word "Angel" appears during the opening sequence and on video screens in NERV headquarters in the original Japanese release.
Sandalphon, Matarael, Ireul, and Leliel do not appear in Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's manga adaptation of Evangelion, and Gaghiel's appearance is limited to a few pages as well.
Following is a list of Angels appearing in the series. Most of this list is universally accepted, but there is disagreement on some elements. Some reverse the first two Angels while some start the list with a zeroth Angel or have other objections. Particularly controversial is the designation of mankind as the "eighteenth Angel" (as mentioned by Misato in The End of Evangelion); nevertheless, it is included for the sake of completion.
Most of the characters in the series are not aware of the Angels' names. However, Adam is known by several characters, and Kaworu (who is later revealed to be Tabris) refers to Lilith by name.
Adam
The First Angel is designated Adam, and best known from the mysterious photographs where it appears as a "Giant of Light". It bears a resemblance to its copies, the Evangelions. The act of containing Adam retroverted it into an egg and caused the Second Impact. Later, Ryoji Kaji delivers Adam, restored to an embryonic state and encased in dura-bakelite, to NERV Commander Gendo Ikari, who implants it into his right hand. Adam is the Angel of Life, from which the Fruit of Life is born.
In the videogame Neon Genesis Evangelions 2's Classified Information (which is considered canon to the series' plot), Adam's origin is explained as a Seed of Life created by an ancient extraterrestrial species (known only as "First Ancestral Race") for unknown purposes along with Lilith, the Second Angel. The descendants of Adam, the Angels, all carry a Super Solenoid (S²) Engine, known as "the Fruit of Life", which is the source of their power and regenerative abilities.
The designation of "Adam" implies a male or masculine being. However, Kaworu, the 17th Angel, refers to Adam as "the entity who is our (the Angels') mother". This does not prove for a fact that Adam is female (as we know it), but it seems to negate the possibility of maleness, and suggests that Adam be viewed as a "mother being" along the lines of Lilith or the Evas.
In the manga, Gendo Ikari eats the embryonic Adam instead of fusing it into his right hand.
Adam's name originates from the recount of the story of Adam and Eve from Genesis in the Bible.
Lilith
The second Angel (in order of identification) is Lilith. Lilith is the mother of mankind (which is why Kaworu refers to mankind as "Lilim"). She is secured to a giant cross in Terminal Dogma by nails and by the Lance of Longinus. Kaji and Misato mistake this figure for Adam, only to have Kaworu reveal her true identity in episode 24. Rei Ayanami and her clones are possibly made from the same matter as Lilith, and Kaworu implies in episode 24 that Rei hosts Lilith's soul. Unit 01 is also said to have been born from Lilith instead of Adam(as opposed to the other Eva units); this explains the high regard held for Unit 01 by Gendo Ikari and NERV. The LCL fluid used to oxygenate pilots while inside their entry plugs is actually Lilith's blood, which flows from an unhealing wound. Her legs are missing, though numerous human legs protrude from this location. In the Director's Cut of episode 22, Lilith's legs regrow (though still with human legs protruding from them) when the Lance is removed. Her face is concealed by an enormous mask depicting the seven eyes of God. The mask's design also serves as the logo of SEELE.
Like Adam, Lilith was created by the First Ancestral Race as a Seed of Life for purposes unknown and sent into space inside a vessel (moon) which was caught by Earth's gravity and crashed into the planet's surface, planting Lilith and the GeoFront inside the planet and creating Earth's natural satellite from the remains of Lilith's vessel. This became known as First Impact. In addition, according to Neon Genesis Evangelions 2, Lilith was never supposed to arrive to Earth, as two Seeds of Life were not supposed to coexist in the same planet.
Lilith's descendants (humanity) possess the "Fruit of Knowledge," the source of human intelligence and science.
In the film The End of Evangelion, Rei absorbs Adam into her body and merges with Lilith, resulting in an ever growing, winged figure of Rei that serves as the center and key for the events of the Third Impact by neutralizing the AT Fields of every human being, reducing their physical bodies to LCL and merging their souls together. This being, however, dies after Shinji Ikari rejects Instrumentality and accepts individual existence over the collective consciousness it implies.
Note: A translation error in the North American release of The End of Evangelion occurs with a statement by Misato in which she mentions Adam as being born from Lilith, implying that she, not Adam, is the first Angel. What she is meant to say is that mankind was born from Lilith in the same way the Angels were born from Adam. Official sources classify Lilith as the second Angel identified by NERV.
Sachiel
Sachiel is the third Angel and the first Angel to attack Tokyo-3. After easily defeating UN military forces sent to attack it, it is briefly stopped by an N² mine, but repairs itself and later engages and defeats Unit 01. However, Unit 01 goes "berserk," re-engages Sachiel, and inflicts massive damage to the Angel's core, leading it to attach itself to Unit 01 and self-destruct in a final attempt to kill its assailant. Sachiel is equipped with a powerful long-range energy blast, and was successful in penetrating the GeoFront using this attack. When this attack detonates, it forms a distinct shape of a Christian cross. It is also equipped with two energy-nails protruding through each of its hands which have a medium to short range and can be turned on and off at will. When retracted, the energy nails (otherwise known as "lances of light") make up the Angel's ulna, a bone in the forearm. Its core is located prominently in the center of its chest. It is named after the angel of water, Sachiel, meaning Covering of God.[2] Sachiel was also Shinji Ikari's first Angel opponent.
Despite being a relatively weak Angel, Sachiel is arguably one of the most popular among fans, possibly because it is the most human-looking (excluding Tabris) or because it is also the most identifiable Angel.[citation needed] Its bird-like face (or mask) is frequently used as a symbol in Evangelion-related imagery, and has even been placed on t-shirts (there is also a second "face," which is notably missing the beak-like feature of the first, behind and slightly to the side of the first face, and is revealed when the N2 mine is dropped on it).
Sachiel was one of the Angels (along with Lilith, Zeruel, Tabris and Armisael) to be depicted as a female in a series of tenth-anniversary action figures created by Gainax, designed by Keroro Gunso artist Mine Yoshizaki.[1] But Tabris (who is canonically male) is also depicted as female in this manner. On the contrary: In a short, erotic manga called "Angel Kiss", Yoshitoh Asari — the designer of Sachiel, Shamshel, and Zeruel — depicts Sachiel as a male.
Shamshel
Shamshel is the fourth Angel and the second Angel to attack Tokyo-3. It remains horizontal during flight and during combat it raises itself upright by 90 degrees while the "head" remains perpendicular to the body. There are two markings akin to eye spots on the head. The core is tucked up into the "throat" region, beneath which lie eight retractable arthropod-like limbs. It possesses a pair of energy whips which are able to easily slice through objects, but can also act as tentacles and grab objects.
Shamshel is defeated by a fatal wound to its core inflicted by Shinji using Unit 01's progressive knife. During the battle, Unit 01's umbilical cable is severed by Shamshel's energy whip, and Shinji defeats the Angel with only seconds of active time to spare. Shinji also allows his classmates Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida refuge inside the entry plug during the fight after discovering the two near the scene of the Eva's struggle. The minimal damage to Shamshel allows NERV to obtain a complete Angel specimen, although no report is submitted or published. Part of the core was recovered, the contents of which allowed the Third Branch to later produce an S² Engine for Unit 04.
Some fans of the show argue that this Angel's shape and design are phallic in origin, reflecting some Freudian references said to be found in the series.[citation needed] (Shamshel's character designer, Yoshitoh Asari, actually depicts the Angel as female in an erotic manga short called "Angel Kiss".) It may also represent a Caduceus, with its shaft-like body and two serpentine whips.
Shamshel literally means "Lonely Conqueror of God."[3]
Ramiel
The fifth Angel, Ramiel, is a translucent (and apparently hollow) octahedron. Ramiel is a formidable Angel, capable of defending itself with a positron beam that automatically targets any object within a certain radius. It also bears an AT Field so powerful that it visibly warps light passing through it. (For the aforementioned reasons, most fans consider Ramiel to be one of the stronger Angels to attack Tokyo-3 and the Geofront.)[citation needed] It attempts to drill through the armor above the GeoFront, in the first credible attempt to reach Terminal Dogma.
Ramiel was defeated by Rei and Shinji (while it was boring into the Geofront's armor). It was the two pilots' first operation together. Shinji used a positron cannon appropriated from the JSSDF and powered with the entire Japanese power grid, and Rei protected Shinji using a special shield constructed from the heat shield of an SSTO spacecraft. Ramiel reacted and fired at the same time as Shinji. The path of each shot met the other, warping the beams and causing both to miss. Ramiel fired a second shot before the positron cannon could recharge; Rei blocked the beam, but Ramiel did not let up, melting through the shield. After the cannon finally recharges, Shinji fired a second time, killing Ramiel. (Heavy repairs are made to Unit 00 after this encounter; its armor color is changed from orange to blue and shoulder pylons are added to the Eva's armor.)
Like Shamshel, Ramiel's body remained after death and was shown over the next several episodes gradually being deconstructed.
Its core (if it has one) is not shown, but it appears to be inside the Angel somewhere, since the positron beam killed it by passing through its center.
Ramiel literally means "Thunder of God."[3] It is named after the angel of divine visions, who also guides the souls of the faithful to Heaven. [citation needed]
Gaghiel
The sixth Angel, Gaghiel, has the appearance of a prehistoric fish-like creature. Gaghiel appears to possess no armament beyond its incredible strength and razor sharp teeth; its AT-Field never physically manifests. It also has a small "face" similar to Sachiel's on its forehead, and its core is located in its mouth.
Gaghiel attacked the UN Pacific fleet as it was delivering Unit 02 and (secretly) the preserved embryonic Adam to Japan (the latter carried personally by Ryoji Kaji). Gaghiel was searching for the Adam embryo, but because the presence of the embryo was secret (apparently even from SEELE), NERV officially reported that Gaghiel was drawn by Unit 02. It managed to damage or destroy almost one third of the UN's combined fleet.
Gaghiel fought with Unit 02, piloted jointly by Asuka and Shinji in their first battle together. Asuka brashly challenges Gaghiel in Unit 02 wearing only B-type equipment (unsuited for marine combat). Gaghiel knocks Unit 02 into the ocean, where Asuka and Shinji find themselves immobilized by the water. The Angel bites down on them, trapping them in its jaws. Misato hatches a plan, and Unit 02 forces the Angel's mouth open, allowing a pair of scuttled Iowa-class battleships (the Illinois and Kentucky) to lodge in its mouth and fire (via remote) at the Angel's core, then self-destruct inside the Angel.
Gaghiel literally means "Roaring Beast of God,"[3] possibly due to its size, strength, and monstrous appearance. It is named after the angel of fish. [citation needed]
In the manga, Gaghiel is killed offscreen, with Asuka piloting Unit 02 alone.
Notes
- Illinois and Kentucky were the only two ships of the Iowa class not completed (cancelled in 1945 and 1947, respectively), yet when shown in the series with the combined UN fleet these two battleships appear as they would have had they been modernized in the 1980s under the 600-ship Navy program, but without the bow-mounted "Christmas tree" antennas.
Israfel
The seventh Angel is Israfel, named after the angel who is to blow the trumpet on Judgement Day, and therefore the Angel of Song and Resurrection.[citation needed] This Angel has the ability to split into two twins, each with its own core, that use synchronized attacks to overwhelm an opponent. When first attacked by Shinji and Asuka, respectively, Asuka hastily cleaves Israfel through the center, prompting the Angel to split and quickly defeat the surprised pilots. At this, UN Secondary Command orders a N² Mine dropped on the Angel, destroying 28% of the Angel at the cost of massive damage to the surrounding landscape. Eventually, it is killed through a coordinated attack by Shinji and Asuka, concerted via a musical score and the memorization of numerous dance moves.
Israfel has a pair of razor sharp claws and a weak energy beam. Its AT Field appears to be weaker than that of a standard Angel, and it was heavily damaged by the N² Mine. Like Sachiel, Israfel's face is a bony mask, resembling a yin-yang symbol. The two halves of the angel are referred to as Kou and Otsu (in the original Japanese) and Alpha and Beta in the English version. Each one's face is a bony circle with three holes laid out in a triangle. Israfel's core (and the cores of its halves) is located in the center of its chest, like Sachiel.
Note: Though the music was said to be 62 seconds in the anime, the actual music piece is not the same length. The countdown on screen is different from real time.
Sandalphon
The eighth Angel, Sandalphon, named after the Angel of Tears and Master of Heavenly Song[citation needed], is found in an embryonic state deep inside the Mount Asama volcano. Asuka is sent to capture it with a special electromagnetically-generated cage. For this mission, Unit 02 is equipped with the D-type Equipment. Unfortunately, the Angel awakens and rapidly develops into a mature form. It features no special attack powers, but rather it is built for speed in magma. It is able to open its mouth in molten lava and seems to be unaffected by pressure. It is defeated by Asuka using coolant (inspired by an earlier conversation with Shinji regarding thermal expansion) and Unit 01's Progressive Knife (which Shinji hurls to Asuka after her Prog Knife's sheath gets severed from her Eva's Type-D suit).
Sandalphon, in theory, is named after the Angel whose duty is to deliver prayers to God, or the Angel of unborn children, possibly referring to the fact it was in embryonic form when it was found. [citation needed]
According to the Platinum Edition DVD commentary[2] for Episode 10, Sandalphon was modeled on the aquatic Cambrian predator Anomalocaris.
Its core does not appear anywhere, and it is possible it never had one, since it was defeated by a randomly placed stab with a progressive knife.
Note Despite its inhuman adult form, Sandalphon's embryonic form, like that of Adam, bears strong resemblance to a human embryo, strengthening the claim that Angels are alternate paths for humanity and that humans are the 18th Angel.
Matarael
The ninth Angel, Matarael, has the appearance of a massive opilionid-like creature with numerous eyes, which secrete a strong solvent. The Angel appears to possess no armament beyond this solvent; its AT-Field never physically manifests. (Matarael is generally considered one of the weakest Angels.) It attempts to burn a tunnel directly into the Geofront using its solvent.
Matarael appeared during a near-total power failure in Tokyo-3 (caused by an unnamed individual or party). It was defeated through the coordinated efforts of Units 00, 01, and 02, in the first simultaneous deployment of all three. (Due to the power outage, the Evas ran on battery power.) The Angel was killed using standard-issue Eva firearms, the only successful attempt at doing so.
Matarael first appeared in the ocean. Its core is either concealed or nonexistent.
Matarael literally means "Premonition of God."[3] It is named after the angel of rain.[citation needed]
Sahaquiel
The tenth Angel, Sahaquiel, named after the angel of the skies, [citation needed] makes its appearance in a low-earth orbit. It drops pieces of itself down to earth, continuously refining its aim, and finally attempts a kamikaze run utilizing its entire mass as a massive falling bomb on Tokyo-3. The blast would be so powerful that it would completely destroy NERV HQ and turn Tokyo-3 into an extension of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, it has an ability to jam communications, much like an EMP. During its kamikaze attempt, it is intercepted by a combined A.T. Field generated by all three Evas and is destroyed, its AT-field being physically cut from its body by Rei.
The official spelling of the name is "Sahaquiel" (with "qu" pronounced as "kw", according to the katakana). Sahaquiel literally means "Ingenuity of God,"[3] possibly referring to using its body parts as a targeting system, and using its A.T. Field to jam incoming signals. The Angel's core is located in the "pupil" of the central "eye".
Ireul
The 11th Angel's name is officially spelled "Ireul", although its intended pronunciation is "i-ro-ool". Ireul literally means "Fear of God."[3]
The eleventh Angel is a nano-scale entity. It initially appears in the Pribnow box deep in the GeoFront and later spreads to where the pilots are taking part in tests on simulation bodies (partial Evas). It demonstrates an ability to rapidly adapt to new conditions. Ritsuko and Misato discover that the virus is vulnerable to oxygen and so pump large amounts of ozone into the area of infection. The tactic temporarily stops the infection, but after only a few seconds, it adapts to the oxygen, and even absorbs it to increase its strength. In a short period of time, it evolves into a figure resembling electronic circuitry and penetrates the MAGI's defense systems. While inside, it reads many critical files and initiates a self-destruct sequence before being slowed down long enough by Ritsuko to allow her to initiate the Angel's own destruction.
It is not revealed as to whether or not Ireul has a core.
Leliel
The twelfth Angel, Leliel, named after the angel of the night[citation needed], has a misleading and bizarre appearance. It is a two-dimensional object with a three-dimensional shadow: its form consists of a floating black-and-white striped sphere which is actually its shadow, and a black circle on the ground which is mere nanometers thick but covers a wide area which is actually its body (the characters initially mistake its body for its shadow and vice versa). It moves its body underneath Unit 01 after Shinji tries to attack its shadow, causing Unit 01 to sink into Leliel. Leliel's body is speculated to be a Dirac sea linked to another universe. NERV scientists postulate that there is no possibility of escape for Unit 01 and Shinji. It is decided that the only valid strategy for defeating Leliel is to drop the remaining 992 N² Mines currently in existence on it – a plan which NERV believes would destroy the Angel along with Unit 01 and Shinji. Fortunately, just as Shinji's life support shuts down, Unit 01 goes berserk and violently bursts from inside Leliel's shadow, killing the Angel.
Leliel means "Jaws of God,"[3] possibly referring to its ability to consume anything. Its core (and a red glow beyond) can be seen beneath the thin black "shadow" of Leliel's body when the Angel breaks open; due to Leliel's unusual properties, the core (normally a sphere) appears as a plane.
Bardiel
The thirteenth Angel, Bardiel, infects Unit 03 as it passes through a cloud formation during its flight from the United States to Japan. This infection first manifests itself during the initial activation test at Matsushiro Secondary Test Facility; the Angel seizes control of Unit 03 and destroys the facility, severely injuring Misato. This prompts NERV to designate Unit 03 itself as an Angel. Bardiel is armed with the strength, form, AT Field, and so on of Unit 03 (perhaps to enhanced degrees), but its most notable weapons are its extendable arms. The altered Unit 03's arms can rapidly extend themselves a large distance, almost like a rubber band (a distance equal to roughly twice Unit 03's own height). Ejection of the Entry Plug is also impossible due to a web-like growth upon the Unit's back.
All of the Evas are sent to stop Bardiel, but it disables Unit 02 and severely damages Unit 00 after unsuccessfully trying to infect it (the Eva's arm was severed to prevent contamination). Shinji, piloting Unit 01, is reluctant to destroy it himself because it contains a human pilot, even though he is unaware of the pilot's identity. Frustrated by Shinji's hesitation and more concerned with the destruction of the Angel and the progression of his scenario than the pilot's life, Gendo Ikari orders the activation of Unit 01's Dummy Plug system. Unit 01, under the Dummy Plug's control, savagely tears Bardiel apart, which not only destroys the Angel but also nearly kills the pilot of Unit 03 when the Entry Plug is crushed. Upon learning that the pilot of Unit 03 was his best friend, Toji Suzuhara, a distraught Shinji promptly resigns from NERV for the second time and begins to hate his father rather than harboring hopes of reconciliation with him.
Bardiel's core (if it has one) is not depicted.
Bardiel literally means "Humiliated Son of God,"[3] referring to being forced to possess an Eva instead of appearing in physical form. It may also be referring to some Angels bearing the bodies of demons in order to pass through hell unscathed.[citation needed]
- Note: The events of this battle differ slightly between the anime and the manga. In the anime, Shinji finds out that the pilot of the Eva is Toji only after Unit 01 has crushed the Entry Plug, but in the manga, Shinji already knows the pilot is Toji before the fight begins. In the anime, after the battle Toji wakes up in the hospital having lost his left arm and part of his left leg, with Hikari by his side, and asks where Shinji is. In the manga, Toji is killed when the Entry Plug is crushed.
Zeruel
The fourteenth Angel, Zeruel, named after the angel of fire and strength[citation needed], is one of the Angels best suited for combat. It appears as a vaguely humanoid floating creature, as large as the Evas but lacking humanoid limbs, with folding foil-like "arms" that it uses as extendable cutting weapons. It also uses a very powerful beam attack (which forms the image of a cross as displayed in Christianity, similar to Sachiel) to make its way to NERV. After entering the GeoFront, Zeruel is initially confronted by Unit 02. Asuka's artillery attack is completely ineffective, and Zeruel cuts off Unit 02's arms and then decapitates the Eva (on a side note, Asuka felt the pain of losing her arms after Unit 02's loss, but did not die since NERV cut off her connection to her Eva before it was decapitated). Rei attempts to stop Zeruel with a kamikaze attack using an N² Mine; however, the Angel covers its core with a protective membrane which the mine fails to penetrate. Zeruel promptly defeats Unit 00, penetrates the command center, and is confronted by Unit 01. Zeruel severs Unit 01's left arm in the fight, but Unit 01 forces the Angel into an Eva launch tube. Both are sent to the surface to continue the fight. Unit 01's battery power runs out, and Zeruel slices open the Eva's armor, revealing an Angel-like core which the Angel tries to penetrate with its razor arms. However, Unit 01 "goes berserk" and rips off one of Zeruel's arms, which it converts into a new left arm. Zeruel then attacks Unit 01 with its other arm, which is ripped apart and sent back at the Angel by Unit 01's use of its AT Field as a weapon, piercing through Zeruel's AT Field and, in turn, mutilating its body. Unit 01 then proceeds to devour the fallen Angel's corpse, absorbing its S² engine, giving the Unit an independent power source.
Like Sachiel and Israfel, Zeruel's "face" is a bone-like mask. Zeruel's resembles a malformed skull with an 'H' shaped "mouth". The black marking on its body roughly resembles a human face's profile, with the core acting as an oversized "eye". Like Sachiel, Zeruel is another popular Angel, due to its combat abilities, unusual appearance, and the sheer amount of damage it caused during its attack.
Zeruel means "Arm of God,"[3] a name that can either refer to its exceptional ability in combat or Unit 01's use of its arm. Also: In Japanese, the words 'God' (神), 'Paper' (紙), and 'Hair' (髪) share the same reading (かみ kami), which may explain its paper-like appendages. Its core is in the center of its chest.
Arael
The fifteenth Angel, Arael, named after the angel of birds,[citation needed] attacks from outer space and outside the range of conventional military weapons. It bears a glowing white form and appears to have wings that are very large compared to the body. It attacks Unit 02 with an energy wavelength similar to an AT Field that manifests itself as a beam of bright, white light. The beam directly affects Asuka's mind, causing her to experience a nightmare centered around the death of her mother as well as her own conceited and antisocial façade (while this is happening, the songs 'Hallelujah Chorus', and 'Worthy is the Lamb' are played for ironic effect). This throws Asuka into such mental distress that Unit 02 ceases to function. Gendo orders Rei to use the Lance of Longinus to defeat Arael; she removes the lance from Lilith's chest inside Terminal Dogma and, after returning to the surface, hurls it at Arael. The Lance does indeed destroy the Angel but also escapes Earth's gravity, achieving a lunar orbit and eventually landing on the moon, where it remains until the events of The End of Evangelion.
Arael means "Vision of God,"[3] possibly referring to its effects on Asuka. Arael also means "Light of God,"[3] possibly referring to its means of attack.
Notes
- The Director's Cut version of episode 22, which features Arael, includes several new animation sequences, such as additional scenes in Asuka's nightmare (in which there are strong references to her concealed feelings for Shinji) and a shot in which the pole section of the Lance unravels into a spiral-like shape before piercing the Angel.
- The Platinum edition Volume 6 DVD booklet shows that Arael's core is held outside of its body by what appear to be hands (they are the bottom appendages/limbs on the Angel).
- In the anime Asuka suffered no apparent physical aftereffects of the beam, but in the manga she is reduced to a vegetative state due to mental shock.
Armisael
The sixteenth Angel, Armisael, named after the angel of the womb,[citation needed] initially appears as a glowing floating torus. It reveals a double-helix structure before combat, but then returns to a single glowing thread and splits apart to form a snake-like line. It has no visible external features but appears to look at Unit 01 with the tail end when it is deployed. The Angel attempts to physically merge with Unit 00, physically deforming the Eva. Rei is similarly affected as she is synchronized with the Eva. The Angel also appears to telepathically communicate with Rei. Rei self-destructs Unit 00 to prevent the Angel from merging with Unit 01.
Armisael literally means "Mountain of Judgement of God."[3]
Notes:
- This is the second time an Angel has tried to merge with Unit 00, the first time being in the fight against Bardiel.
- The Director's Cut version of episode 23, which features Armisael, includes several new animation sequences. One shows a mass growing from the back of Unit 00, parts of which resemble previous Angels. Another depicts Unit 00 shifting into the image of a giant nude Rei just before exploding. This extended footage is reflected in the manga version. While the end result is the same, the fighting is quite different due to the presence of Kaworu in Unit 02. The weapon used by Kaworu in the manga is a double bladed chain saw which first featured in Evangelions (Evangelion 2), the PS2 game.
Tabris
Tabris, the seventeenth Angel, named after the angel of free will and alternatives[citation needed], takes the form of a 15-year-old boy named Kaworu Nagisa. He is said to have been born from Adam himself, and is sent to NERV by SEELE under the pretense of a replacement pilot for Unit 02 after Asuka's synch ratio drops below functional levels. During this time, Kaworu forms a very strong, deep friendship with Shinji. He has the unique ability to set his synch ratio at any level he wishes, as long as his soul is more dominant than the Eva's. He is also shown to have powerful psychokinetic abilities, allowing him to fly, among other things. Finally, he, along with Ramiel, have the strongest AT Fields of any of the Angels encountered by NERV.[citation needed] He activates Unit 02 externally, without a power source, and takes it with him as a guardian when he infiltrates Terminal Dogma in an attempt to reach Adam. Pursued by Shinji in Unit 01, Kaworu discovers that Lilith, not Adam, is crucified on the cross, and asks Shinji to destroy him, to keep him from initiating Third Impact. After a long hesitation (64 seconds in the anime to be exact), Shinji reluctantly agrees and crushes Kaworu.
Notes
- The Director's Cut version of episode 24 includes several new animation sequences, such as Kaworu conversing with the SEELE monoliths. This also brings up an interesting plot hole, in that SEELE reveals to him that Adam's body is bonded to Gendo. However, later in the episode, he is still surprised that the being on the cross is not Adam. He should know this already. There are also fifteen monoliths visible, the only time that more than twelve are shown. Also, the conversation between Kaworu and Rei is longer; he states that he is "the container of Adam's soul." He then proceeds to tell Rei that they are "the same." Just as Rei is an artificial body and contains the soul of Lilith, Kaworu is an artificial body and contains the soul of Adam.
- It also should be noted that the back of the DVD containing episode 24 (24–26) says his name is Kaoru. This is not a typo. The character in the Japanese spelling of his name can be interpreted as either "wo" or "o". However in The End of Evangelion, his name is written as "Kaworu" on the mass-production Evas' dummy plugs.
- In the manga of Evangelion, Kaworu appears much earlier in the story. He is briefly seen in the end of volume 7 and appears in Tokyo-3 just before the battle with Arael. Sent to spy on NERV, he attempts to befriend Shinji though without much success as of the end of volume 9. His presence earlier in the series changes a number of scenes; notably, Kaworu is a participant in the battle against Armisael. Armisael even attempted to merge with him. Kaworu noted that he could use his AT field to repel Armisael, but opts not to do so to protect his identity. Armisael later ceased its attack against Kaworu.
Lilim (Mankind)
Mankind is referred to as Lilim by Kaworu – i.e. they are beings born from Lilith rather than Adam. Since the Angels are humans who rejected the human form, or in other words are alternate incarnations of humanity, humankind can be considered the eighteenth Angel. This may conflict with the theory that the Angels were those that ate from the Tree of Life (thus their impressive physical abilities, such as rapid regeneration, incredible fortitude, and immortality) while the original human(s) ate from the Tree of Knowledge (thus their technological superiority). In The End of Evangelion, Misato mentions that the other Angels were merely other directions that human evolution may have taken, and that humanity is the 18th Angel. It is uncertain if this is literally true, or if she was merely commenting on the destructive nature of Angels and humans.