'Neon Genesis Evangelion' explained: 'Angel Attack' thru 'Rebuild'

NOTE: SPOILERS.

Now that the entire of 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' is now streaming, the inscrutable 'Evangelion' has never been more accessible than ever before. The original 1995 anime TV and ‘The End of Evangelion’ is now streaming on Netflix and all four follow-up ‘Rebuild of Evangelion’ films are now streaming on Amazon Prime. 'Eva' has been labeled esoteric and confusing, but all the pieces are there for the audience to understand 'Evangelion' - creator Hideaki Anno simply spread the pieces of the puzzle and didn't leave the audience much handy exposition to put everything together.

Here's everything you need to know about 'Evangelion' - the plot and the meaning of the original TV series 'Neon Genesis Evangelion,' the follow-up OVA 'Death & Rebirth,' the feature-length conclusion 'The End of Evangelion' and the follow-up reboot 'Rebuild of Evangelion.' This information is culled from the series, video games and various other media from the past two decades.

'Neon Genesis Evangelion' is ostensibly the story of human-made machines (known as Evangelions) battling beings known as 'Angels' to decide the fate of humanity. For as confounding as 'Eva' can be at times, Neon Genesis Evangelion essentially boils down to: “who will control the Third Impact?”

Just to get some quick questions out of the way:

• What are the Angels?

• Are the Angels literal angels? No - they are not angels in the Judeo-Christian sense.

• What is Adam? The First Angel - all the attacking Angels are actually children of Adam.

• What is Lilith? The Second Angel who is unrelated to Adam - all humans (the ‘Lilin’) are children of Lilith.

• What’s Human Instrumentality? A plan to unite of all humanity into a singular being.

• What’s an AT Field? A force field Evangelions use to protect themselves when a human is piloting it.

• What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? Secret documents detailing the Angels and an incomplete prophesy.

• What is SEELE? A secret cabal attempting to orchestrate Human Instrumentality.

• What do the Angels want? To destroy humanity, retake Earth.

• What is NERV’s stated agenda? To destroy the Angels, save humanity.

• What does Gendo Ikari want? To control Human Instrumentality so he can be reunited with his dead wife, Yui.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Perfect Collection

THE FIRST IMPACT

The series starts 14 years after the 'Second Impact,' an event that nearly wiped out humanity ... but what was the 'First Impact'? Long before the series began, there was an ancient, extraterrestrial civilization known only as the First Ancestral Race. Facing extinction, the First Ancestral Race launched Seeds of Life across the galaxy - as a means to preserve their legacy and ensure life would continue in the Milky Way. Because each seed has immense power to create or destroy life, each seed was also packaged with two items: a Lance of Longinus and Dead Sea Scrolls. The Lance is a fail-safe - a means of neutralizing the 'A.T. Field' (more on that later) of any being, including incapacitating a seed in case of emergencies. The Dead Sea Scrolls describe the history of Seeds, the Lance and their ultimate potential. The Seed, the Lance and the Scrolls were all sent across the galaxy inside a Moon, (also known as an Egg). Think of the Scrolls as the user’s manual for the Seed and the Lance.

The First Ancestral Race intended for each Seed to create life on distant planets - but they never intended for any one planet to become home to more than one Seed. Billions of years ago, a White Moon containing the Seed of Adam landed on Earth at Antarctica - yet, the Black Moon containing the Seed of Lilith violently crashed into Earth (Japan) soon after: this was the First Impact. This First Impact occurred approximately 4 billion years ago and impacted with enough force that the debris actually created the Moon (mirroring the real-life Theia hypothesis of the Moon’s creation).

Lilith's spear was destroyed in the Impact - leaving no way to incapacitate Lilith. So now there was a problem: one planet became the home for two Seeds and only one Lance remained, which was used to put Adam into suspended animation to avoid having two active angels on Earth. Adam is a Fruit of Life seed. Lilith is a Fruit of Knowledge seed. If any one being in the galaxy possessed both Fruits, that being would have god-like power - which is why no one planet was to house two Seeds: it created the possibility of catastrophic destruction. With Adam incapacitated, the Egg of Lilith was free to create life on Earth using her own blood: what we know as the primordial ooze that created all life on Earth, 'Eva' also calls this liquid as LCL.

Lilith’s Black Moon, as exposed during the Third Impact (‘The End of Evangelion’).

THE SECOND IMPACT

For billions of years, life on Earth flourished. Adam was contained and Lilith created life of all variety on Earth. In the shadows, a mysterious group known as SEELE discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls and amassed global power in secret for years. By the beginning of the series SEELE has more influence than any single nation or international organization. Their awareness of the Dead Sea Scrolls enlightened SEELE about the Seeds, the Lance and what could happen if the Fruits of Knowledge and Life were combined. While SEELE amassed power, everything changed when humans - the Children of Lilith - discovered the White Moon buried in Antarctica in 2000. The Katsuragi Expedition (secretly backed by SEELE), led by Dr. Katsuragi, discovered Adam and its Lance inside the White Moon. A young Gendo Ikari and Misato Katsuragi (Dr. Katsuragi's daughter) accompanied the expedition.

The ‘Giant of Light’ Adam during Second Impact

Puzzled by Adam's source of apparently limitless energy, Dr. Katsuragi develops the Super Solenoid (S2) theory - he did not know he had discovered the Angel's Seed of Life - an infinite power source. Scientists also learned about the AT Field, an apparent force field or non-physical shield that protects Adam and all Angels. He intended to recreate this S2 as a power source - but only after coming up with the ill-fated Contact Experiment, wherein Katsuragi would attempt to merge human DNA with Adam.

Shortly before the Contact Experiment, Gendo Ikari collected the research data collected and left Antarctica. While the specifics of this Contact Experiment aren't fully known, it's aftermath is known: contact between a human (a child of Lilith, who possessed the Fruit of Knowledge) and Adam (who possessed the Fruit of Life) reawakened Adam, causing a massive Anti-AT Field explosion that wipes out all life in Antarctica. In short: combining the Fruit of Life with the Fruit of Knowledge creates an Impact event. Scientists somehow incapacitated Adam - now known as a glowing Giant of Light - using Adam's own Lance, reducing Adam to an embryonic state. But the damage was done: half of the human population is destroyed in the ensuing calamity. In his final act, Dr. Katsuragi saved his daughter - leaving Misato Katsuragi as the expedition's sole survivor and the only living witness of the Second Impact. ... Elsewhere, Kaworu Nagisa is born - the human vessel for the Soul of Adam, created during the Contact Experiment - so Adam's soul was separated from its now embryonic body. It’s assumed SEELE knew the Contact Experiement would result in the Second Impact, but deemed its destruction as collateral damage in their effort to reduce Adam to an embryo and make Adam easier to control.

NERV

The years following the Second Impact were tumultuous for the survivors. Two billion people in the Southern Hemisphere were killed from destructive tsunamis immediately caused by the Second Impact and subsequent melting ice. Wars broke out - Tokyo is destroyed by a nuclear bomb during the fighting. SEELE discovers the location of the Black Moon (which carried Lilith to Earth) just below the town of Hakone in Japan. SEELE also orchestrates a cover-up: telling the public that the Second Impact was caused by a meteor. In the immediate year following Second Impact, many of the main characters are born, including Shinji Ikari (the son of Gendo and Yui Ikari), Toji Suzuhara, Asuka Langley Soryu and their various classmates. While Yui Ikari was pregnant, she and Gendo mused what they would name their baby: if the baby was a boy, then he would be Shinji ... if the baby was a girl, then she would be named Rei.

SEELE forms the secretive organization known as Gehirn to oversee the Adam Revival Project, also known as Project E. This project, born from the research saved/stolen by Gendo Ikari from Antarctica, had one stated goal: create Adam clones to defend Earth from the Angels - these clones would be dubbed Evangelions. Gendo is named the project's chief and his wife was named the project's chief biologist. Gendo also recruits Yui's college professor Kozo Fuyutsuki to Gehirn. While Fuyutsuki is suspicious of Gendo, he has a special fondness for Yui, one of his former students. At one point Fuyutsuki threatens to expose Gehirn's lies to the public - only for Gendo to show him an Eva in development. From this point on, Fuyutsuki works closely with Gehirn - and in turn, with Gendo Ikari.

From afar, SEELE had orchestrated the creation of the Evangelions - while they also kept an eye on the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Scrolls weren't just manuals for the Egg and the Lance - they also foretold the arrival of Adam's 15 children - dubbed "Angels," these monster-like enemies are the most obvious antagonists to the Evangelions. It’s unclear if these Angels had always been seeded across the planet since the arrival of the White Moon - or if this happened as a consequence of the Second Impact. Once the arrival of the Angels (children of Adam) is foretold by the Dead Sea Scrolls, there becomes several different agendas:

• Humanity: The survivors of the Second Impact want to destroy the Angels to prevent the Third Impact. Misato, the United Nations and the JSSDF believes this is what NERV was created to accomplish: use large robots to defeat enemy Angels and save the world.

• The Angels/Adam's offspring: The Angels want to cause the Third Impact in order to reclaim Earth from the children of Lilith: the ‘Lilin’ (aka humans). Adam's White Moon arrived on Earth first, yet it was Adam who was prevented from create life on Earth after Lilith's Black Moon arrived.

• SEELE: Once humanity defeats all 15 "Angels" (children of Adam), then SEELE will have no competition to create the Third Impact on their own terms. SEELE seeks to gain the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of Knowledge to use God-like powers to merge all of humanity into one entity. As revealed in ‘The End of Evangelion,’ every human being has a weak AT Field - and individuality from all other humans is the result of human beings subconsciously generating AT Fields that separate human souls. An Anti-AT Field eradicates the AT Fields of life (as happened in Antarctica during the Second Impact), reducing human back to their original state: the LCL blood that originated from Lilith. Believing that separate individuality creates emotional pain, SEELE intends to reunite all of humanity into a single LCL mass, which would return all of Lilith's LCL (and all of humanity) back to her Black Moon. This is the Human Instrumentality Project.

The entirety of 'Evangelion' is a battle to decide who will control the Third Impact.

After the Second Impact, scientists learned Adam was a lifeform made up of three main parts: a body, a soul and an S2 engine. While Gehirn could genetically create the body, they could not replicate the S2 engine and the Eva (although an organic being) did not have a soul. Gehirn armored each Evangelion in advanced plating, but it's main shield - its AT Field - can only be achieved when the Eva is piloted by a human. Although Evas at first appear to be robots - in fact, Evangelions are organic clones of Adam, modified with cybernetic enhancements. Gehirn scientist Dr. Naoko Akagi begins designing the Magi bio-organic supercomputer system - with its OS being her three personas: her as a woman, her as a mother and her as a scientist.

Unit-01’s battle against the Third Angel.

Gehirn failed numerous times before finally creating the first successful Evangelion: prototype Unit-00. Not long afterward, Gehirn successfully created Unit-01, designated a "Test Type" - a "Test" because only a small group know Unit 01 is the first and only genetic clone made from Lilith - not Adam. Although Evangelions initially lack a soul or S2 engine, they do include a core - destroying the core of an Angel or Evangelion will destroy it.

Yui Ikari: Mother of Shinji Ikari & resident soul of Unit-01.

Yui Ikari volunteers for a second Contact Experiment - this time testing human contact with the core of Evangelion Unit 01. During the test, something apparently goes very wrong: Yui Ikari simply vanishes. Four-year-old Shinji witnesses his mother just disappear. However, this may not have been an accident on Yui's part: her body dissolved into LCL and Yui’s soul was absorbed into the core of Eva Unit-01. The closing moments of ‘The End of Evangelion’ includes a flashback scene between Yui and her mentor Fuyutsuki, discussing that the Evangelion (built in God’s image) can live forever … as can the soul that lives within the Eva. This Evangelion will remain as proof that humanity once existed long after humanity ends. She is aware of this lonely existence. This one moment would prove critical in Shinji's lonely life and Gendo Ikari's sole mission in life: to reunite with Yui.

Gendo then proposes the Human Instrumentality Project to SEELE. While Gendo plays as if he is working with SEELE, his agenda is personal and selfish: Gendo Ikari wants to cause and control the Third Impact so the can be with Yui again. It's unclear what he plans for the rest of humanity - but it's clear that he doesn't care much for the rest of humanity. Gendo wishes to elevate himself to god-like status, merging Adam and Lilith to make himself the focal point of the Third Impact: to decides the fate of the world - with little care for the world, wanting only to be reunited with his wife. And because Yui’s soul is trapped within Unit-01, he is driven to use Unit-01 to enact Instrumentality.

Rei Ayanami-II: The second clone of Yui Ikari, pilot of Eva Unit-00.

Unable to care for Shinji on his own, Gendo abandons his young son to be cared for by others - he would only see his son a few times in the following decade. Gendo uses Yui's salvaged remains to create a clone of Yui Ikari - he eventually creates Rei Ayanami, a genetic clone of Yui and a human vessel for the soul of Lilith. The Gehirn branch in Germany successfully creates Unit-02, considered to be the first official or "Production" Evangelion Unit. Gehirn scientist Kyoko Zeppelin Sohryu volunteers for a Contact Experiment between herself and Unit 02. Although Asuka's mother survives the experiment, the part of her soul that loves her daughter Asuka is absorbed into Unit-02. Kyoko becomes mentally unstable and she is institutionalized. Kyoko becomes detached from reality, believing a doll to be her daughter and Asuka to be some “other girl.” When Asuka is selected to be an Eva pilot, she runs to tell her mother the good news - only for Asuka to discover her mother has committed suicide.

The Japanese government begins construction on Tokyo-III in the town of Hakone. The futuristic city has buildings that can retract into the ground. It serves as a futuristic city for millions - but unknown to the citizens, the armored city is the surface layer and last line of defense for Lilith's egg. The Black Moon, which carried Lilith to Earth, is a massive sphere 14km in diameter. When the buildings of Tokyo-III retract below the surface, they are actually retreating in the hollow cavity of Lilith's Moon. The public only knows this structure as the GeoFront.

Gendo begins an affair with Dr. Naoko Akagi. Young Ritsuko Akagi has befriended Misato Katsuragi and Ryoji Kaji at Tokyo-2 University before joining her mother to work for Gehirn. Both Akagis are caught off guard when Gendo introduces Rei Ayanami as an "acquaintance's child" who he is taking care of. After Dr. Naoko Akagi completes the Magi system, she encounters young Rei alone, wandering Gehirn headquarters. Naoko offers to help Rei, but the young girl rejects the offer and calls her "old hag" - saying that's what Gendo calls Naoko in secret. Rei also tells Naoko that Gendo says Naoko is "pushy" and "no longer needed." In a fit of rage, Naoko sees the resemblance between Rei and Yui - and strangles the child to death. Horrified by her actions, Naoko commits suicide in the Magi room. The first Rei clone, Rei I, is dead - she is replaced by Rei II (the Rei the audience meets at the beginning of the TV series). The Magi supercomputer would eventually run the Japanese government. The day after Naoko's suicide, SEELE disbands Gehirn and reorganizes Gehirn into NERV.

Entry plug being inserted into Unit-01.

PREPARATIONS

Rei-II is designated 'The First Child,' or the First Eva Pilot. Shinji sees his father for the first time on the anniversary of Yui's death. Gendo has destroyed all pictures of Yui (likely to hide her resemblance to Rei). NERV creates Unit-02 - the first "Production" Eva built specifically for combat against the Angels, however, it takes years before they develop the entry plug system (tubes that pilots enter and control the Evas). NERV scientists have not solved the power source problem - so Evangelions depend on an "umbilical cord" (large power cable) for its main power - if that cable is damaged, they only have a few minutes of battery life. As mentioned earlier, young Asuka is selected as 'The Second Child' under traumatic circumstances.

In 2015, Rei begins attempting to "synchronize" with Unit-00. In order to pilot an Evangelion, a pilot must board an entry plug flooded with LCL. The plug, with the pilot inside, is then inserted into the Eva Unit. The pilot establishes a neural connection with the Evangelion and forms a synchronization rate: if the rate is too low, the Eva will not respond to the pilot or move - but if the rate is too high, the pilot risks psychological trauma or even dissolving into the entry plug's LCL. Even if the synch rate is ideal - the pilot risks feeling pain when the Eva is damaged: if the Eva's arm is broken, the pilot feels as if their arm is broken.

The 'First Child' Rei finally achieves a synchronization rate after 7 months of attempts. Three weeks before the events of the first episode of the TV series, Rei is grievously injured during an activation test gone terribly wrong. Unit 00 goes "berserk," a state wherein the Eva goes out of control and appears to savagely act on its own. Unit 00 force ejects Rei's entry plug, badly injuring the pilot. Gendo Ikari uncharacteristically risks his own safety to save her - opening her super-heated entry plug with his hands, damaging his glasses in the process. Rei is injured and Unit 00 is badly damaged - she would later keep Gendo's damaged glasses as a memento.

With Unit-02 in Germany, Unit-00 damaged and its pilot injured, NERV only has a pilotless Unit-01 ... just as the Angels arrive as planned ...

THE ANGELS

[Episode 1] Three week later, Shinji Ikari (summoned by his father) is en route to Tokyo-III when the Third Angel 'Sachiel' emerges from the ocean and is headed toward Tokyo-III. (The first two Angels being Adam and Lilith.) The military's attempts to defeat the Angel is futile. They even attempt to use an N2 mine (a non-nuclear weapon with the power of a nuclear bomb, but none of the radioactive fallout), but they only injure the Angel. Gendo and Fuyutsuki are unsurprised by the military's impotence - but Gendo manages to surprise even Fuyutsuki when he announces that Unit-01 will be deployed against the Third Angel.

Gendo ordering Shinji to pilot Unit-01.

Gendo tells Shinji that he is the 'Third Child' and Shinji will pilot Unit-01 - Shinji objects. But when he sees the seriously injured Rei will have to take his place, Shinji reluctantly pilots the Eva. Without any training, Shinji achieves a solid synch rate - but is soundly thrashed by the Third Angel. [Episode 2] Apparently defeated, Unit-01 enters "berserk" mode - and utterly defeats the Third Angel. Shinji is able to able to achieve such a high synch ratio with Unit-01 because Unit 01 houses the soul of Yui Ikari - so the resident soul of Unit 01's berserk mode could be seen as a maternal instinct to protect her son.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Shinji can pilot an Eva without any training - he can effortlessly connect to Unit-01 because his mother’s soul inhabits Unit-01.

[Episode 3] Shinji, thought shaken, volunteers to pilot Unit-01 again. He begins to live with NERV field commander Misato Katsuragi. Shinji cannot adjust to life in Tokyo-3 and is beaten up my fellow classmate Toji Suzuhara, whose little sister was injured in the previous Angel attack. During the battle with the Fourth Angel Shamshel, Unit 01's umbilical cable is severed - leaving only 5 minutes of operational battery life. Shinji disobeys Misato's direct order to retreat, choosing instead to protect Toji - he manages to shove his blade into the Angel's core. But rather than explode, Shamshel merely stops moving - becoming the first intact Angel corpse for NERV to study. They focus on the damaged but intact core - intending to realize Dr. Katsuragi's plan to create an S2 engine.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: NERV & SEELE take first step toward artificially create the Seed of Life.

[Episode 4] Overcome with stress after two brutal battles, Shinji runs away. He escapes the city and finds a classmate in the woods. Eventually NERV agents bring Shinji back - but he resigns from NERV. Misato realizes Shinji, who was abandoned by his father as a child and lost his mother, only agreed to live with Misato because he was looking for a family - she then tries to catch Shinji before he leaves. Rather than board the train leaving Tokyo-III, Shinji declares he is "home" and reunites with Misato.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: First evidence of Shinji’s repeated tactic of running away from problems.

[Episode 5] Unit 00 is finally repaired and NERV begins savaging Shamshel's remains. During a test, Shinji notices Rei and his father talking - and they are both uncharacteristically smiling. During her reactivation test, Rei brings Gendo's glasses as a good luck charm - just then the Fifth Angel Ramiel appears.

[Episode 6] Ramiel badly damages Unit 01 almost immediately. Unable to directly attack Ramiel at close range, Misato comes up with an audacious plan: use Unit 01 as a long-range sniper, with Unit 00 offering back-up protection. The Angel positions itself over Tokyo-III and begins drilling directly down into the GeoFront - toward NERV HQ. Just before the start of their mission, Rei says "goodbye" to Shinji. Unit 01's first shot at Ramiel is deflected. Unit-00 sustains serious damage defending Unit-01 - but Shinji's second shot succeeds. Shinji mirrors his father's actions when he saves Rei - and admonishes her for saying "goodbye."

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Shinji would risk his life to protect Rei.

[Episode 7] To this point, the threat of the Angels is vague. Gendo finally states that the fate of humanity depends on defeating the Angels - which is why other nations have approved construction of additional Evangelion units. Ritsuko finally tells Shinji the truth about the Second Impact - and the whole point of NERV and the Evangelions is the prevent the predicted Third Impact (as foretold by the Dead Sea Scrolls). NERV and Ritsuko sabotage a private company's attempt to build a mech capable of fighting the Angels - to eliminate any potential competition in the battle against Angels.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Misato states what she believes NERV’s goals are: save the world.

The First Angel Adam, in its embryo form.

[Episode 8] Misato brings Shinji and his classmates along to a UN naval fleet carrying precious cargo: Evangelion Unit-02 and its pilot, the 'Second Child' Asuka. Misato's old college flame and NERV agent Ryoji Kaji appears, gently making fun of Misato. Just then the Sixth Angel Gaghiel appears - unlike the previous Angels, this one is not targeting Tokyo-III. While Shinji and Asuka pilot Unit-02 together to fight the Angel, Kaji commandeers a fighter jet and makes his escape. Unit-02 is victorious - and Kaji deduces that the Angel's real target was the cargo Kaji was carrying: Kaji hands the Embryo Adam over to Gendo Ikari.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Gendo now possesses Adam - the First Angel - the first step toward a human becoming a god-like being.

[Episode 9] Asuka quickly forms a rivalry with her two fellow Eva pilots, but she is forced to move in with Misato and Shinji. Shinji and Asuka must learn to work as a team to defeat the Seventh Angel Israfel. [Episode 10] NERV goes on the offensive after they discover an Angel in a chrysalis-like developmental stage inside a volcano - but an attempt to recover the adolescent Angel fails when the Eight Angel Sandalphon hatches and attacks. Unit-02 defeats the Angel and Unit 01 saves Asuka from certain death. [Episode 11] A power outage renders NERV HQ inert - just as the Ninth Angel Matarael arrives. It's unknown what caused this outage - or if this was sabotage. The three Eva pilots make their way to the Evangelions - and eventually destroy Matarael.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Shinji, Asuka and Rei define their relationship dynamics. Shinji is the reluctant hero. Asuka must prove herself as the best pilot. Rei is dutiful, seemingly without a personal goal.

[Episode 12] Misato is promoted to the rank of Major - Gendo and Fuyutsuki have left her in charge of NERV HQ while they travel to Antarctica, the site of the Second Impact. They have recovered Adam's Lance and are bringing it back to NERV using a battleship fleet. Meanwhile the Tenth Angel Sahaquiel is detected in space - the massive Angel is intends to land directly on Tokyo-III to destroy NERV HQ. The three Eva units catch the falling Angel, and use their respective AT Fields to catch and destroy the Angel. Misato admits that even though she had a difficult relationship with her distant father, she joined NERV to avenge his death during the Second Impact. Gendo praises Shinji - and Shinji admits he pilots to hear praise from his father.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Gendo takes possession of the Lance of Longinus, Shinji finds his purpose.

[Episode 13] While the three Eva pilots are locked in entry plugs during a test when the Eleventh Angel Ireul attacks - but unlike the previous Angels, this is essentially a computer virus attacking the Magi system. Ritsuko "hacks" the Angel, counter-programming it to self-destruct. [Episode 14] The SEELE committee is disturbed by reports of the Eleventh Angel infiltrating NERV - but Gendo denies this attack ever happened. He convinces SEELE the events are still happening as foretold by the Dead Sea Scrolls -- revealing that Gendo's plan is separate from SEELE's plan. Gendo has Rei take the Lance of Longinus (formerly used to incapacitate Adam) deep into the lower bowels of NERV HQ.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Gendo and SEELE are not on the same exact plan.

Angel in Terminal Dogma crucified with the Lance of Longinus. Kaji misidentifies this as Adam - this is Lililth.

[Episode 15] Kaji is revealed as a Triple Agent currently investigating NERV. He discovers the Marduk Institute - the supposedly independent body that selects Evangelion pilot candidates - is a sham. Misato deduces her former lover Kaji is working for the Japanese Ministry, SEELE and NERV. She follows Kaji down to Terminal Dogma - the most secretive and highest security level of NERV. Kaji tells Misato that Ritsuko and Gendo are lying to her - and he shows her the First Angel Adam, crucified on a large cross, impaled with the Lance of Longinus. However, this is shown to be a misdirect and a key misdirect: it is, in fact, Lilith being kept in Terminal Dogma and NOT Adam. NERV recovered Adam's Lance in episode 12 and Rei used the Lance in episode 14 to crucify Lilith. NERV HQ was constructed within Lilith's Black Moon. To this point, Adam had been reduced to an embryonic state and transferred to Gendo (in Episode 8). Terminal Dogma is the "main production plant" for the LCL used in Evangelion entry plugs - as LCL is literally Lilith's blood, which has formed an entire lake of LCL in Terminal Dogma. Terminal Dogma is also revealed to be the location of the Eva Graveyard - where all previous, failed Eva attempts were disposed.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Misato becomes suspicious of NERV’s true intentions.

[Episode 16]: During a synch test, Shinji scores the highest sync rate - displacing Asuka. The Twelfth Angel Leliel appears as an orb above Tokyo III - however, when Shinji attacks the orb, he is suddenly absorbed by the orb's shadow, which was the real target. Ritsuko reveals a plan to recover Unit 01 at any cost - even if it means killing Shinji. Inside the Angel's abstract zone, the Angel psychologically attacks Shinji. As Unit 01's internal power begins to fail, Shinji accepts his fate - when he has a vision of his mother touching his cheek. Shinji recognizes his mother's touch and with her encouragement, Unit 01 violently erupts from Leliel, raining blood all over Tokyo-III. Ritsuko warns Gendo that Misato is suspicious of them and the true purpose of NERV.

[Episode 17] Misato stands in for Shinji during the Instrumentality Committee's interrogation - Gendo warns SEELE time for the plans is running out. NERV's second branch in Nevada completely vanishes. Ritsuko and her team deduce the event happened just when the Nevada branch was installing an experimental S2 engine into Eva Unit 04. Not wanting another disaster, the US branch sends Eva Unit-03 to Tokyo-III. Ritsuko shows Gendo the Dummy Plug prototype. Evangelions require a human pilot - but humans are subject to psychological instability and emotional states. The Dummy Plug system, based on Rei's personality, would trick an Eva into thinking a human pilot is inside the entry plug - allowing NERV to remotely control an Eva. It's revealed that Ritsuko knows Rei is a clone and based the Dummy Plug on Rei. With Unit 03 arriving in Tokyo soon, Gendo and Ritsuko elect to recruit a new pilot - the Fourth Pilot - rather than use the newly developed Dummy Plug. The "Marduk Institute" selects Toji Suzuhara, Shinji's classmate who punched him in Episode 2, as the Fourth Child and pilot of Unit 04.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: The Dummy Plugs offer NERV or SEELE a means to control Evas without needing their human pilots.

[Episode 18] Misato arrives in Matsushiro, NERV's second facility for the activation test of Unit 04, with Toji as its pilot. The activation immediately goes wrong and the Thirteenth Angel Bardiel reveals that it has infected Unit 04, taking control of the Eva. Field commander Misato is hurt in an explosion - Gendo assumes command. NERV personnel cannot force eject the dummy plug, trapping Toji inside the Eva's plug. The Eva Units are deployed to fight the Angel. Asuka and Rei are easily dispatched - leaving Shinji alone. Shinji hesitates to fight the Angel-infected Eva, especially after he notices the entry plug is trapped. As the Angel strangles Unit 01, indicating Shinji would rather die than kill another Eva pilot, Gendo orders the Dummy Plug system to be activated. Shinji loses control of Unit 01 - the Eva than brutally defeats the Angel, dismembering it while Shinji is helpless and can only watch as Unit 01 crushes the entry plug. Although the Unit 03 pilot survives, Shinji is distraught when he sees that the pilot was Toji.

[Episode 19] Enraged by Gendo's order to use the Dummy Plug, Shinji threatens to use Unit 01's remaining power supply to destroy NERV HQ. Gendo has Shinji incapacitated and removed from Unit 01. In one of Toji's visions while hospitalized, Shinji voices his rage while Rei berates him for not trying to understand Gendo. Toji survives - but his leg has been amputated. Shinji elects never to pilot an Eva again - Gendo and Rei reprimand Shinji for running away from the situation. As Shinji prepares to leave Tokyo-III, the Fourteenth Angel Zeruel appears - the destructive Angel easily destroys Nearly all 22 armor layers of the GeoFront. In Shinji's absense, Rei is assigned to Unit 01 - however, the Eva rejects her and blocks attempts to use the Dummy Plug. Zeruel easily breaks into the GeoFront, where Unit 02 is awaiting with various weapons - but Asuka's volley fails. The Angel easily cuts off both her arms and decapitates Unit 02 - Asuka's life is spared only because NERV HQ cut her synchronization at the last moment. Rei appears in Unit 00 - but her attempt to use an N2 mine fails - injuring Rei-II in the process. After the shelter Shinji was hiding in is compromised, he comes across Kaji peacefully tending to his watermelons. Kaji explains the Angels have been trying to breach Terminal Dogma and come into contact with Adam. He warns if they are successful, the Angels will start the Third Impact - which will end humanity. Realizing he is the only obstacle stopping the Angel, Shinji pilots Unit 01. Shinji has Zeruel on the ropes - but his internal battery runs out. The Angel nearly kills Unit 01, when Shinji suddenly achieves a 400% sync ratio with Unit 01 and the powerless Unit 01 goes into a savage berserk mode. In this animalistic state, Unit 01 doesn't merely kill the Angel - it becomes feeding on the Angel, ingesting the Angel's S2 engine.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: By eating an Angel’s core, Unit-01 is nearer to a god than a mere physical being.

[Episode 20] After Unit-01 ingested Zeruel's S2 engine, Unit-01 was now has a limitless energy source and is no longer limited by power constraints. SEELE is disturbed by this event, which deviates from their plan. SEELE is suspicious of Gendo's intentions and Gendo asserts "everything begins now." Adam ate from the Fruit of Life and Lilith ate from the Fruit of Knowledge. The Angels are children of Adam - and their limitless power source, the S2 engine, is their Fruit of Life. While virtually every other character believes Unit 01 is a clone of Adam, Gendo and SEELE know Unit 01 was constructed from the material of Lilith ... who was discovered in the Black Moon beneath Tokyo-III. Unit-01, constructed from Lilith and holder of the Fruit of Wisdom, now has the Fruit of Life, effectively acquiring a living God-like status forbidden by the First Ancestral Race.

After Unit 01 is brought back into the Eva cage, Misato discovers Shinji has disappeared - only his entry plug suit remains floating. They believe this is what happens when 400% sync ratio is achieved: turning to LCL. While assimilated with Unit 01, Shinji has visions - pondering why he pilots the Eva and why he runs away from conflict or pain. Shinji makes contact with the soul living in Unit-01 - his mother. Shinji then re-emerges from the LCL, his physical form reconstituted. Later Misato tries to get answers from Kaji about the Human Instrumentality Project - but he gives her one last present: a pill.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Shinji’s deeper psychological fear of pain becomes more evident.

[Episode 21] Kaji orchestrates the abduction of Fuyutsuki, where he is interrogated by SEELE. The episode reveals the relationships of the characters prior to 'Evangelion.' Fuyutsuki escapes with Kaji's help - Fuyutsuki warns Kaji that he will likely die for betraying NERV. Kaji notes that SEELE will also probably be after him once they figure Kaji gave Gendo a sample of Adam (the embryo). Kaji restates that his triple agent work has only been in pursuit of the truth. Kaji is killed by an unseen assailant. Before his death, Kaji left a voicemail for Misato - saying goodbye to Misato before his imminent death.

Rei removing the Lance from Lilith.

[Episode 22] Asuka's sync rate has dropped since being easily defeated by the Fourteenth Angel Zeruel. The episode flashes back to Asuka's troubled childhood. NERV technician Hyuga lets Misato know SEELE has rushed production on additional Eva units around the world. With Asuka's disposition and mood worsening (as her self-worth is connected to her sync ratio), the Fifthteen Angel Arael appears. Unit 01 is on indefinite standby (due to its ingestion of the S2 engine) and Asuka is demoted to backup for Rei. Asuka ignores the order to be Rei’s support and she rushes to attack the Angel - only to be caught in a psychological attack. The Angel attacks Asuka's deteriorated psyche. Unit-00 attempts to use a sniper rifle - but this fails. As a last resort, Gendo instructs Rei to retrieve the Lance used to crucify Lilith in Terminal Dogma. Rei throws the Lance at the Angel in Low Earth Orbit - killing the Angel, but losing the Lance in the process. The Lance was integral to SEELE’s plan and the only object SEELE could use to stop Gendo from completing his plot.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: With the Lance out of play, SEELE cannot stop Gendo.

[Episode 23] The Sixteenth Angel Armisael appears. Unit-00 is deployed to engage the Armisael - but the Angel attempts to fuse with Unit 00. As the Angel fuses with Unit-00, Unit-02 is deployed - however Asuka's recent defeats have lowered her synch ratio to near zero - Asuka cannot operate her Eva. In order to prevent the Angel from fusing with Unit-01, Rei confronts the Angel and self-destructs - saving Unit 01 but killing Rei in the process. Ritsuko's recovery team find Rei's charred and dismembered remains inside her entry plug - they discretely dispose of the evidence. Misato and Shinji are elated when they see Rei in the hospital, apparently having survived the battle. "Rei" realizes she cannot remember anything - because she is the third Rei clone.

Prior to his death, Kaji tried to send all the information he discovered to Misato. The pill Kaji gave Misato contained the information and truths Kaji had discovered before his death. Ritsuko secretly summons Shinji to Terminal Dogma, where they meet up with Misato. Ritsuko shows Shinji and Misato where Rei's clones were created and the Eva Graveyard. Ritsuko then shows a horrified Shinji and Misato where the "parts for the Dummy core" are made - they are Rei's cloned bodies. Ritsuko then reveals that Evangelions are human clones created from Adam - and the Evas themselves are soulless vessels. Ritsuko then destroys all the Rei clones.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: The soul of Lilith inhabits Rei - with her clones destroyed, this third Rei is now vitally important for Gendo’s plan.

Kaworu, the Fifth Child - also the last Angel Tabris.

[Episode 24] Asuka is despondent - her sync rate has dropped to zero. Her replacement, the Fifth Child, arrives: Kaworu Nagisa. With no one left "to call a friend," Shinji laments his isolation - when he meets Kaworu on the shore of a lake. The two immediately make a connection, with the two Eva pilots spending time together. Kaworu ponders humanity's fear of others and fear of being alone.

SEELE decide Gendo Ikari has betrayed them (by misleading SEELE, stealing the Embryo Adam and disposing of the Lance of Longinus). Gendo was supposed to execute their plan, but SEELE realizes Gendo only seeks Human Instrumentality for his own personal agenda (which they do not know). SEELE communicate with Kaworu, affirming that Kaworu's human body houses the Soul of Adam (while Gendo literally has the Body of Adam, now grafted into his right hand). Ritsuko, now under arrest for destroying Rei's clones, tells Misato that Kaworu is likely Tabris, the Seventeenth and Final Angel.

Kaworu easily takes control of Unit-02 - because they are both genetic clones of Adam - and Kaworu himself Adam's soul reborn in a human body. Shinji feels completely betrayed that his only friend is also an Angel. Kaworu prevents NERV from self-destructing (to avoid Third Impact), however Kaworu pauses when he realizes his error - the Angel crucified in Terminal Dogma is Lilith and not Adam. Seizing this opportunity, Unit-01 grabs Kaworu. The Final Angel says he would rather choose death at Shinji's hands rather than cause the Third Impact - he is thankful for meeting Shinji allows himself to be crushed by Unit-01. With no other choice, Shinji kills the only friend he has left in the series.

Shinji Ikari is at his lowest. Shinji had to kill the only person who showed him any affection. Gendo abandoned him. Asuka is near catatonic. Kaji is dead. Rei is a shell of her former self. But the battle against the Angels is over.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Shinji is alone.

[Episodes 25 & 26] A little behind-the-scenes background is needed here. These last two episodes are very abstract in nature, with a narrative that seems ambiguous at first. These two episodes also recycle a lot of animation from the previous 24 episodes and there’s no mech action. This occurred for two reasons: the first being the practical reality that Eva’s production budget was very limited by this point. But from a creative standpoint, these two episode’s very introspective nature makes sense: the character-centric series now entirely relies on the motives of its main characters.

Shinji is bitterly conflicted with his decision to kill Kaworu, begging for help. His innermost thoughts reveal his fear of rejection - Shinji was rejected by his father (after Yui’s death) and fears rejection for everyone. Lost in a fog, he feels alone and abandoned. Shinji declares he pilots Unit-01 for praise and to help humanity.

Asuka points out Shinji’s claim (of piloting Eva for others) deflects from his selfish agenda: to make himself feel less alone and make him feel needed. Rei appears, telling Asuka she does exactly the same thing. Asuka feels useless because she cannot get Unit-02 to move at all - and she fears being rejected if she’s seen as useless. Rei confronts the reality that she is a clone created by Gendo Ikari. She declares that her experiences, interactions and connections shape who she is - not how she was created. The Rei-I clone tells Rei-III that she is afraid of “who she really is” deep inside - because Rei houses the soul of Lilith … and if Rei-III embraces that truth, it might mean the soul of Lilith might “overwrite” Rei altogether. But Rei-III says she wants to return to nothingness - but whenever she dies, another clone just takes her place … because Gendo will not let her go. And she fears he will abandon her once she’s no longer useful to him.

Gendo appears and tells Rei ‘her time has come.’ Instrumentality has started.

‘Evangelion’ posits that people feel sad and lonely because they are incomplete - that emotional sadness is the result of people feeling incomplete. To ‘NGE,’ each human is a singular puzzle piece in a puzzle that has 7 billion total pieces. Each puzzle piece has unique sides but doesn’t fit with most other pieces. Human Instrumentality takes all these pieces and puts them all together - forming one complete puzzle, but at the cost of no more individual pieces.

Shinji feels strange. Human Instrumentality was the plan to transform all the individual human souls into one singular entity - with Shinji as the focal point of Instrumentality. All souls united as one. No more sadness. No more incompleteness. Ritsuko describes Instrumentality, which Misato rejects - as it is forced upon humanity.

As Instrumentality begins, all souls begin to intertwine. To understand the process, Shinji begins a self-reflection … and because souls are intertwined, this also means understanding others. He first tries to understand Misato’s conflicted feelings about her hatred for her father and her love for Kaji. She initially says she wants to drop the façade of being clean and pretty - yet she recoils when Shinji sees a vision of Misato and Kaji having sex. Misato has difficulty reconciling her outward appearance with her inner loneliness.

Shinji asks Asuka what she wishes for. She overheard her adopted mother say she could abandon Asuka. Her mentally unstable birth mother (who was hospitalized after a Contact Experiment with Unit-02) treats a doll as if it is Asuka. Feeling she was abandoned by everyone and fearing that no one wants or can protect her, Asuka believes she desires total self-sufficiency - itself a lonely endeavor.

Misato then reveals to Shinji that Human Instrumentality has begun - and Shinji is in control. And he has decided to end humanity.

As Shinji continues his self-reflection, parallels are drawn between the fear of rejection and feeling worthless several character feel. Characters point out that humans are inherently social beings - but because they are individuals, they are, in some respect, inescapably alone. Shinji is forced to accept that he has spent his life running away from pain - which ultimately culminates in his apocalyptic wish during Instrumentality. Shinji wished for Instrumentality because he feels worthless and hated.

While Instrumentality is the stripping away of identity and individuality, Shinji ponders what makes him, him. No one can fully understand him and he cannot fully understand anyone else.

Confronted with the nothingness of Instrumentality - a world devoid of others - Shinji feels alone. In this abstract space he has ultimate freedom but nothing firm to grasp on to. As he creates firm ideas, the void becomes less overwhelming, but he loses freedom. Shinji’s “shape” - what makes him, him - is entirely dependent on him, not the world around him. Furthermore, Shinji cannot truly grasp or define what makes him, him without the context of others - in this lonely void, Shinji has nothing to separate his existence from the existence of the void. Shinji’s realizations during Instrumentality mirror an infant’s mental development - with infants progressing from lack of self to gradual self-awareness, marked by separation anxiety.

Shinji becomes aware that other people become a part of who he is. He envisions an alternate reality where he’s just a normal kid living a normal life with his mom and dad. He imagines a world where he’s not an Eva pilot. Shinji is still full of self-loathing, but he becomes open to the possibility of redefining who he is - and what makes him, him. This is Shinji rejecting Instrumentality - and undoing everything Gendo and SEELE sought. Various characters tell Shinji that a person determines their shape - so in reversing Instrumentality, all the individual souls will be freed to once again define who they are.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Episodes 25 and 26 complement ‘The End of Evangelion’ - they do not contradict one another. Neither happens before the other - they are parallel stories. They are two sides of the same basic idea: traumatized Shinji wishing for everyone to die, then regretting it and rejecting Instrumentality. Episodes 25 and 26 are more psychological in nature, while ‘The End’ what the horrific and brutal lead up to the Third Impact looked like outside of the abstract.

Episodes 25 & 26 include moments that will fully revealed in ‘The End of Evangelion.’ Unit-02 is shown, curled up in the fetal position, underwater. Ritsuko is floating face down in a pool of LCL (presumably in Terminal Dogma) with a bullet hole in her chest. Misato is slumped on the ground, also clearly shot and either dead or dying.

THE END OF EVANGELION

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion

Taking place just after Kaworu’s death, NERV HQ remains in red alert despite defeating the all 15 prophesized Angels.

SEELE originally planned on using Lilith to initiate Human Instrumentality - however, that plan was abandoned after the Lance was thrown into space (in episode 22). Gendo knew removing the Lance from the equation meant Unit-01, a genetic clone of Lilith, was now the only medium left to initiate a human-controlled Third Impact. Misato declares humanity as the Eighteenth Angel (as humans - the Lilin - are the progeny of the Angel Lilith). With the "prophesized time at hand," SEELE demands NERV turn over Unit-01. Gendo does not comply. With the threat of the Angels gone, SEELE decides to remove Gendo Ikari by force. SEELE orders the JSSDF military to infiltrate and destroy NERV. JSSDF soldiers brutally dispatch NERV staff, taking no prisoners - their targets are the Eva pilots.

For the safety of the pilots, Misato orders the Rei, Asuka and Shinji be put into their Evas. Shinji is shell-shocked and unable to act. Rei is missing. While a catatonic Asuka is put into Unit-02 and hidden at the bottom of a lake (hinted at in episode 25), Misato leaves NERV command center to rescue Shinji and get him to Unit-01. After saving Shinji, Misato has to practically dragging him toward Unit 01 - meanwhile JSSDF naval ships have found Unit-02. Just as Unit-02 is bombarded with explosives, Asuka finally realizes that the mother she's missed her entire life has been with her, protecting her as the resident soul of Unit-02. With this newfound zeal, Asuka destroys the JSSDF forces - however the Mass Production Evas that were rushed into production around the world (mentioned in episode 22) show up: this Eva series is powered by a synthetic S2 engine and piloted by Dummy Plugs (based on Kaworu).

Dummy plugs, modeled after Kaworu, inserted in to the nine Mass Production Eva series.

Just as Misato gets Shinji to Unit-01, she is mortally wounded by JSSDF forces. With her final moments, Misato implores Shinji to pilot Unit-01 and shoves him into an elevator that will take him to Unit-01. She is killed in a violent explosion. Asuka valiantly battles the Eva series - brutally defeating all 9 Eva units. However, just as Unit-02 runs out of power, all nine mutilated S2-powered Eva series monsters reanimate (as Asuka failed to destroy their cores). They disembowel and completely destroy Unit-02, killing Asuka. Shinji arrives on the battle field just in time to see Unit-02 mutilated and crucified by the Eva series' man-made Lances. This proves too much for Shinji's already frail psyche.

Adam's Lance - which had been seemingly lost and sent to the moon (in episode 22) - suddenly returns to Earth, stopping short of impaling Unit-01. SEELE sees their plan - Human Instrumentality - is coming together. The Eva series grab Unit-01 and take it into the sky. The Eva series, equipped with S2 drives, overcharge their S2 engines to artificially create an Anti-AT field, causing an immense explosion similar to what occurred during the Second Impact. This physical blast reveals the GeoFront as the Black Moon of Lilith.

The Embryo Adam grafted into Gendo’s hand.

Gendo enacts his plan: with the Embryo of Adam grafted into his hand, he attempts to merge with Rei, who carries the soul of Lilith. Ritsuko tries to stop him by self-destructing NERV - but the Magi supercomputer stops her. Gendo shoots and kills Ritsuko, leaving her face down in the lake of LCL. With Adam and Lilith merged, Gendo would assume god-like powers and start Third Impact for his own ends: to reunite with Yui. However, Rei feels Shinji's immense pain and agony, and she resists Gendo - and absorbs Gendo's right hand into her body (cutting off his hand, leaving him powerless). Gendo has plotted to be the focal point of Third Impact - he wanted to decide what would happen during Third Impact. Rei decides Shinji, not Gendo, would be the focal point.

Rei, whose human body houses the Soul of Lilith, now possesses the body of Adam. Rei merges with the crucified body of Lilith within Terminal Dogma. The body and soul of Lilith have been reunited - she grows into a large, human-shaped being ... and she falls into SEELE's trap. The 9 Mass Production Evas surround Lilith-Rei - and use their S2 engines to create another Anti-AT Field around Lilith-Rei. The Mass Production Evas use Dummy Plugs based on Kaworu - so Kaworu corrupts Lilith-Rei. As Shinji's dwindling sanity rapidly loosens, he struggles against Lilith-Rei ... Lilith-Rei transforms into Kaworu, and this pacifies Shinji. Adam's Lance then contacts Unit-01's core - transforming Unit-01, which now possesses the Fruit of Knowledge and Fruit of Life, into the Tree of Life. Lilith-Rei asks Shinji, now possessing power equivalent to God, what he wishes for.

Shinji alone will now decide the fate of humanity.

INSTRUMENTALITY - THE THIRD IMPACT

As Third Impact begins, Shinji feels the "outline of his body" going away (also mentioned during episode 25). When Lilith created life on Earth, all the life that sprang from her blood/LCL maintained individuality - but at a cost. Humans feel the lack of being whole. Only other people can complement these empty spaces. So individuals feel alone - but develop psychosis or coping mechanisms to deal with existential loneliness and the fear of rejection. Instrumentality, caused by the Third Impact, would reduce all human life back to its fundamental LCL. Humanity would cease to be a mass of individuals - all the LCL of Earth life would return to Lilth's Black Moon, to exist as a whole. The many become one.

As Shinji ponders the fate of man, he is confronted by his own deep-seeded rejections and sense of betrayal and abandonment. He examines his own failings and his perceived failings of those around him. He perceives relationships as just abandonment waiting to happen. He feels ignored, misunderstood and impotent. He begs for help, but his calls go unheard. This pain turns to anger.

Shinji decides everyone should die. Shinji decides he shouldn't exist - so he should die.

Lilith’s Black Moon rises above the Earth. Lilith-Rei's Anti-AT Field spreads across the Earth. Anti-AT Field counter AT Fields and each human’s weak, passive AT Field keeps their body from collapsing into LCL. But as the Anti-AT Field expands, every human is reduced to LCL. No more individuality. As each and every human being melts into LCL, the nine Mass Production Evas impale themselves using their fake Lances - destroying their cores. All the LCL of every living thing on Earth returns to the Black Moon - humanity has coalesced into a singular consciousness. Shinji and Unit-01, inside the Tree of Life, enters Lilith-Rei's forehead.

Shinji has visions of the real-world as he ponders what dreams are. Although Shinji now exists in a world without borders - he realizes that he misses his friends and other people. Rei tells him, he can wish for the return of other people - but it will mean getting emotionally hurt again. He acknowledges his happiness may be temporary - but it's worth the emotional pain for people to return.

Shinji rejects Instrumentality. Unit-01 reemerges from Lilith-Rei's body. The Black Moon releases all its LCL and explodes, pouring the liquid over the decaying Lilith-Rei body, which deteriorates. LCL returns to the Earth - with Rei stating that humans can eventually rediscover their forms, because they have the will to live. Rei and Kaworu make sure Shinji is OK with humans becoming individuals again.

A sea of LCL covers the Earth - so life can one day return to Earth. Yui Ikari's soul remains inside Unit-01, as proof that humans existed. Shinji reclaims his human form. He wakes up to see Asuka, now bandaged up, is laying beside him. In this lifeless planet of ultimate potential and with no one else in the world, Shinji strangles Asuka ... until she gently touches his cheek.

1.11: REBUILD OF EVANGELION - A TIME LOOP

During the ‘End,’ as Shinji contemplates the inevitability that he will be emotionally hurt again if people revert to their individual bodies, he accepts that he will be betrayed again. Rei notes that imagination can help humans shape their own future, while Kaworu warns that humanity will not change on its own.

‘Rebuild’ is not simply a reboot of the ‘Evangelion’ franchise - it is a sequel series seemingly set in a universe where humanity is in a time loop. Kaworu seems to be one of the only beings aware of this time loop - Shinji becomes aware of this truth at the end of ‘Thrice Upon a Time.’ Kaworu awakes from one of many caskets on the moon during ‘Rebuild: 1.11.’ The moon also features a distinct red stain across it - much like the red stain that splashed the moon when Shinji rejected Instrumentality in ‘The End.’ At the conclusion of ‘Rebuild,’ he refers to the Book of Life, which lists Kaworu and Shinji as seemingly locked together in a story doomed to repeat itself over and over again. During his awakening in ‘1.11,’ Kaworu notes that ‘The Third One’ (referring to the Third Child Shinji) has not changed at all - indicating Kaworu is familiar with Shinji, even though he hasn’t met him before (at least in this cycle of the time loop).

Kaworu awaking from a seemingly endless loop of caskets on the moon.

Whereas the original series followed protagonist Shinji Ikari’s reconciliation with pain and agony, ‘Rebuild’ follows the same beats to come to a wildly new conclusion. Creator Hideaki Anno famously created the original series and 'The End’ during a bout with depression. While the original series is deeply rooted in active depression, ‘Rebuild’ seems to be written from a place of healing and growth.

Many of the story beats from the series remains. ‘Rebuild 1.11’ faithfully recreates the first six episodes of the TV series. ‘Rebuild 2.22’ follows most of the general story beats of episodes 7-19. SEELE still wants to control Third (and eventually Fourth Impact), however, the mysterious group fades into the background in the final two ‘Rebuild’ films. Rei is still a clone. Adam doesn’t exist as he did in the original series - he’s not a rival Angel as he was in the original series, but Kaji still gives Gendo the key of Nebuchadnezzar, an artifact that seems to stand in place of Embryo Adam (from the TV series).

SEELE create the “True Evangelion” - Mark-06. It’s seen under construction during ‘1.11’ and ‘2.22’ and finally takes action in the final moments of ‘2.22,’ piloted by Kaworu Nagisu to end the Near Third Impact.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: ‘1.11’ is a nearly faithful recreation of the first six 'NGE’ TV series episodes - which seems like an incidental choice at first, but this first ‘Rebuild’ movie firmly establishes the Time Loop theory. Everything is similar at first - nearly beat for beat from the series. The most important takeaway is Kaworu noting the Third Child is the same - but this time, SEELE has created Mark-06, which plays a critical role in future films (despite its limited screentime).

Mari Makinami Illustrious, The Fourth Child and pilot of Unit-08. Referred to as Mary Iscariot.

2.22 - NEAR THIRD IMPACT

‘Rebuild’ introduces a new, mysterious character who did not appear in the TV series in any capacity: Eva pilot Mari Makinami Illustrious. Not much is known about her background - it’s unclear who she worked for in the beginning of ‘Rebuilt: 2.22.’ The manga apparently has more clues about Mari’s past history and her possible previous connections with main characters - it’s clear she is intimately aware of the Evangelion’s full, untapped potential as she willfully forces Unit-02 into ‘berserk’ mode and can absorb other Evas into her own using an ‘Overlapping’ mode.’

The first action sequence pits new pilot Mari against a skeletal Angel at NERV’s arctic Bethany Base - Ryoji Kaji makes his first ‘Rebuild’ appearance here. While the Eva and Angel battle, Kaji makes his escape - once again smuggling the ‘Rebuild’ equivalent of the First Angel Adam to Gendo: the key of Nebuchadnezzar.

Much of ‘2.22’ similarly follows the original series (following episodes 7 through 19), however, some major deviations begin to show - such as the aforementioned introduction of Mari and the key of Nebuchadnezzar. In the TV series, it’s Toji who pilots Unit-05, however, in the ‘Rebuild’ series Asuka pilots Unit-03, which was relocated from the United States and brought to Japan. She is in the entry plug when the Ninth Angel infects Unit-03 and turns it into the Ninth Angel. This is a critical moment with an easy-to-miss detail. Much like episode 18, Shinji decides not to fight the Angel because there’s a human pilot in it - so Gendo orders the Dummy Plug to take over - resulting in Unit-01 brutally destroying Unit-03. The infected entry plug, with Asuka inside, is crushed.

Asuka’s body survives - she’s kept in quarantine in a room surrounded by Sealing Pillars (see ‘3.0+1.0’). While her body doesn’t show any traces of Angel infection, Ritsuko openly wonders if the Angel infected her mind. But ‘3.0+1.0’ reveals Asuka was indeed infected with the Ninth Angel - and her body did not survive. ‘Thrice’ reveals Asuka is a clone in the Shikinami series - it’s not clear if Asuka was always a clone or if she became a clone after the Ninth Angel infected Unit-03. But after ‘2.22,’ Asuka’s body became a host for the Ninth Angel - with only a Sealing Pillar under her eye patch keeping the Angel from taking control of her body.

The biggest departure ‘Rebuild’ takes from the original series is having the Third Impact begin to occur at the end of ‘Rebuild: 2.22.’ This occurs after the Tenth Angel devours Unit-00, with Rei inside - the Angel begins to take Rei’s human form (because the Angel and Rei are fused together). Unit-01 enters “berserk” mode, powered by Shinji’s intense desire to save Rei - to become more powerful, Shinji descends deep into Unit-01’s core - making Unit-01 more powerful, but at the cost of Shinji’s humanity. Unit-01 defeats the Angel and accesses its core hoping to save Rei. But to pull Rei from inside the Angel’s core, Shinji must descend lower into his entry plug: fusing Shinji with Unit-01. In crossing this barrier (fusing with the Eva), Shinji unintentionally evolves Unit-01 into a god-like being - a divine entity.

This combination of Unit-01’s core, Shinji and the Tenth Angel inadvertently elevates Unit-01 into the trigger for the Third Impact. Kaji mentions that SEELE will not be pleased - so it’s not surprising when SEELE dispatches Kaworu in Eva Mark-06, who impales Unit-01 mid transformation into a god, using the Lance of Cassius. This stops the Third Impact, relegating it to a Near Third Impact - but devastates Earth all the same.

In ‘3.0+1.0,’ a flashback shows Mark-06 holding Lilith’s decapitated head, standing in Lilith’s neck. It’s unclear who is piloting Mark-06 (if anyone, as Kaworu notes that Mark-06 was ‘autonomous’) or what Mark-06 was attempting to accomplish. Best guess: SEELE - which had constructed Mark-06 - tried to use an autonomous Mark-06 to initiate an impact event and complete their Instrumentality plan. What is known: Ryoji Kaji sacrificed himself to prevent another Impact event - this could be how Mark-06 and Lilith ended up crucified by the Lance of Longinus - but there’s no clear answer here.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: Shinij jump-started the Third Impact all on his own. If Shinji had completed Third Impact, he may or may not have desired for Human Instrumentality as SEELE intended - which is why SEELE intervened. Impact events - the forbidden combination of human and Angelic entities into godlike - open the Doors of Guf and grant the trigger godlike powers to realize their wish. In this instance, Shinji only wanted to save Rei - at any cost … even if that meant unleashing Third Impact on the Earth. This intense guilt for the damage he caused plagues him in ‘3.33’ yet allows for his personal growth during ‘3.0+1.0.’

3.33 - 14 YEARS LATER

Unlike the original series, the ‘Rebuild’ series takes a 14 year time jump between ‘2.22’ and ‘3.33.’ It’s evident Misato and several NERV personnel are still committed to saving humanity and avoiding a fully-realized Third Impact, so they desert NERV and create WILLE. This new group’s only goal is to defeat NERV’s doomsday plan.

Much of what happens during this 14 year gap is left unexplained in ‘3.33.’ The preview at the end of ‘2.22’ (see video below) hints at some events that appear to be canon, just unproduced in ‘3.33’ - such as the arrest of any NERV personnel, Shinji and Rei trapped within Unit-01 (after Near Third Impact), Mark-06 heading down to Central Dogma toward Lilith and the emergence of Unit-08. At some point, WILLE steals the airship Wunder from NERV … later, in ‘3.0+1.0’ NERV is shown to have several other airships similar to the Wunder. Virtually none of these story points are shown in ‘3.33’ - but their effects are still evident. Mari just shows up at the beginning of ‘3.33’ piloting Unit-08 - but much like Mari herself, her Eva gets little in the way of backstory. Near the end of ‘3.33,’ Shinji and Kaworu discover Mark-06 in Central Dogma, impaled by Lances atop a beheaded Lilith corpse. Gendo now wears a visor - but ‘3.0+1.0’ reveals that Gendo has forsaken his humanity during the time gap - he has already merged with the key of Nebuchadnezzar before the start of ‘3.33.’ Much of the planet is now a deep-red color - part of a mysterious process known as core-conversion. While not much is known about core conversion (how much of the Earth was core-converted after the Near Third Impact), what is known is humans (the Lilin) cannot survive long in coreified land. It’s not explicitly stated what will happen if exposed to core-radiation for too long - however, Fuyutsuki’s fate in ‘3.0+1.0’ strongly hints that prolonged, unshielded exposure to core-energy reduces living beings to LCL. For some reason, Eva pilots are immune to the effects of core-conversion radiation - so they can freely travel on coreified Earth.

‘3.33’ starts with Unit-02 and Unit-08 on a upper atmosphere mission to reach a Tesseract orbiting Earth. Asuka and Mari fight waves of Nemesis-class Evangelion units protecting the Tesseract - which contains Unit-01 in stasis. After Mari is forced to retreat, Asuka makes it to the Tesseract - but with the situation looking bleak, she calls out to Shinji to do something — when Unit-01 suddenly awakens and destroys all the Nemesis series, before Unit-01 goes back into hiberation.

WILLE recovers Unit-01 (with Shinji still trapped inside). He is outfitted with DSS collar around his neck - which will detonate if Shinji ever pilots an Eva again. He’s remanded to WILLE custody - and Unit-01 is reconfigured into the power source for the Wunder: with an Eva as a power source, the Wunder can fly.

Soon after NERV sends Mark-08 - which closely resembles Unit-00 - and is piloted by a Rei Ayanami clone. Although Mari succeeds in decapitating Mark-08, the NERV Eva doesn’t fall and manages to help Shinji escape before Misato can detonate his DSS choker.

Shinji learns WILLE is at war with NERV and 14 years have passed since he tried to save Rei. Although Shinji returns to NERV, there’s no one there except Gendo, Fuyutsuki, Rei and Kaworu. Shinji tries to reconnect with Rei - but she is distant and aloof. Gendo is colder than usual - only telling Shinji that he will pilot Unit-13 with Kaworu.

Increasingly isolated, Shinji finds a genuine connection with the friendly and kind Kaworu Nagisa. This friendly face reveals what Shinji did during the Near Third Impact. Not only did Shinji almost wipe out humanity in the Near Third Impact, but he’s horrified by what he’s done. Kaworu shows This proves vital for the rest of ‘Rebuild.’ Kaworu shows Shinji what he did during the Near Third Impact (albeit unintentionally) - which disturbs Shinji. This will narrative choice will later give Shinji time to grow beyond his pain in ‘3.0+1.0.’

As Shinji wrestles with his role in the Near Third Impact, Fuyutsuki offers to play a game of Shogi with him — as a pretense to tell Shinji the truth about his mother. Fuyutsuki tells Shinji his mother disappeared - becoming the soul of Unit-01. And Rei Ayanami is merely a clone of Yui Ikari.

While the TV series only featured the Lance of Longinus, ‘Rebuild’ features two - the new weapon known as the Spear of Cassius. Kaworu and Shinji conspire to use Unit-13 to steal both the Lance of Longinus and the Spear of Cassius from Central Dogma, where they have been used to impale Lilith. As Shinji and Kaworu descend into Central Dogma, Shinji notices countless, contorted human-shaped bodies frozen in place - Kaworu says they are the Failures of Infinity: human remains left behind after the failed Human Instrumentality of Near Third Impact. These headless Failures also freely-float around Earth as well.

Unseen during ‘Rebuild,’ at some point Lilith was beheaded - her head taken to NERV HQ (where Gendo can monitor it), while her corpse remains impaled by the two Spears - with Mark-08 frozen where Lilith’s head should be. Distraught after almost destroying the world in the Near Third Impact, Shinji seeks to use the Spears to restore the world - but Kaworu senses something is wrong. He knows he needs both Spears to restore the world - but the two Spears used to crucify Lilith are not Longinus and Cassius - they are two copies of Longinus. When Shinji removes the Spears, Lilith’s petrified body explodes into LCL.

Reducing Lilith to LCL frees Mark-06 - which had been frozen - which appears to have been Gendo’s plan all along. Mark-06 reanimates - revealing it contains the Twelfth Angel. Rei, under Gendo’s orders, decapitates Unit-06 and releases the swarm-like Twelfth Angel, which quickly surrounds Unit-13. Kaworu reveals he was the first Angel - and becomes the Thirteenth Angel. Gendo enacts his plan: he has the SEELE committee members eliminated, assuring them that he will carry out their plan for Human Instrumentality - but he alone will become the god-like focal point of Instrumentality.

‘Golgotha Object’ as depicted in the manga.

As Kaworu becomes an Angel at the helm of Unit-13, the now supercharged Eva-13 overpowers the Twelfth Angel. Unit-13 ingests the Twelfth Angel, meaning Unit-13 has the core of an Angel within an Evangelion. This “awakened,” god-like Unit-13 starts the Fourth Impact - opening the Doors of Guf, a gateway to an Anti-Universe. It’s worth noting at the Golgotha Object is visible on the other side of the Doors of Guf - this object (as later described in ‘3.0+1.0’) exists in a Minus or Anti Universe (an abstract dimension) and is related to the Evangelion Imaginary (featured in ‘3.0+1.0’).

Kaworu, who was created by SEELE, was installed by SEELE to fulfill SEELE’s plan for Human Instrumentality. But rather than be used for Human Instrumentality, Kaworu uses the two Lances to impale Unit-13 and Kaworu allows himself to die. But this doesn’t end Fourth Impact. Shinji is still inside Unit-13, and as long as a living being is inside an Evangelion, it will remain active to some degree. Mari yanks Shinji’s entry pull out of Unit-13, ending the Fourth Impact. Although Fourth Impact failed, Gendo remains optimistic: Kaworu, who worked on behalf of SEELE, has been removed and Unit-13 has been “awakened,” meaning Unit-13 retains a god-like status. He sees this as a temporary setback - but Gendo’s vision for Human Instrumentality is not thwarted yet.

WILLE salvages the remains of Unit-02 (mainly just head) and Unit-08 (now armless) and the Wunder escapes. Asuka, Shinji and Rei were forced to eject their Evas during the battle - and they find themselves crash landed in the “core-converted” world. And like the beginning of ‘The End of Evangelion,’ Shinji is despondent - needing to be dragged by Asuka. She decides they must travel by foot for a while before making it to non-coreified Earth, where humans can help them.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT: SEELE’s pieces have been removed - but their only goal was Human Instrumentality - so long as Gendo accomplishes Instrumentality, SEELE appears to approve of Gendo’s selfish plan to become a god-like entity himself. Unit-13, which Gendo refers to as the ‘Final Executor,’ still has god-like status.

‘3.0+1.0’ THE END

WILLE restores Paris from being coreified Earth - so it can once again be hospitable to humans.

Taking place seemingly immediately after ‘3.33,’ WILLE goes on a daring mission in Paris, which has undergone complete core-conversion: no human can live in core-converted Paris. The now-armless Unit-08 fights off an army of NERV Evangelion units used as weapons, protecting Ritsuko’s effort to restore a Sealing Pillar — but they only have a few minutes because core radiation is higher than they expected. This large pillar uses Anti-L technology - which can restore core-converted Earth back to normal. The European NERV branch team died trying to reactivate the pillar - Ritsuko’s team succeeds and restores Paris back to normal. WILLE scavenges European NERV’s old Evangelion replacement parts to repair the badly damaged Unit-02 and Unit-08. Mari notes the replacement parts will allow Unit-08 to access its Overlapping state — which allow Unit-08 to absorb Evangelions to become more powerful.

Asuka leads Rei and a despondent Shinji toward a friendly ‘Lilin’ village - and they are saved by their former high school classmates Kensuke Aida and Toji Suzuhara (both of whom are now fully-grown adults). Kensuke leads the three Eva pilots back to a small village, where Impact survivors live a quaint life, protected from the core-converted Earth by a Sealing Pillar (which holds back core radiation). Shinji and Rei are accepted and taken in by the friendly village.

After some coaxing, Shinji leaves his despondent state - and takes part in daily life in the village. Rei, who is a clone without memories of a normal life, enjoys an ordinary existence. But she is a clone - previous scenes show Rei in a tank of LCL. It becomes clear that her continued existence relies on this mysterious LCL tank treatment. She is aware that her time is limited. Rei says goodbye to her new friends, including Shinji, before her clone body “loses its form” - and she collapses into LCL.

Shinji decides to return to WILLE with Asuka - she promptly incapacitates him and takes Shinji into WILLE custody. With Shinji held in a cell armed with explosives, WILLE prepares for their final battle. As a fail safe, Misato prepares to realize Kaji’s dream: preserving life on Earth and send these seeds of life out into space … paralleling the First Ancestral Race sending seeds out into space billions of years prior to the TV series timeline.

Gendo moves the Black Moon from Japan - and moves it back to Antarctica, to the site of the Second Impact. Gendo prepares to launch Unit-13, and leaves command of NERV HQ to Fuyutsuki. WILLE repairs and rebuilds Units 02 and 08 as best as possible ahead of the final battle. Just before boarding their Evas, Asuka confronts Shinji - and confesses that she liked him when they were children … and Shinji admits he is aware that he has been paralyzed by indecision. She admits he has grown up.

Wunder embarks on the decisive battle against NERV. The ship encounters the L Containment Barrier Surface - when one of the Wunder’s sister ships (commanded by Fuyutsuki) attacks. WILLE radar specialist Midori Kitakami notes the L Containment Field rejects all life stained by the original sin. In the TV series, the Original Sin is that humanity should not have existed. Adam was the first Angel and arrived on Earth first - but Lilith, the Second Angel, also arrived on Earth and created humanity and all life on Earth. Humanity found a way to breach L Containment Fields, using Anti-L Systems (like the Sealing Pillar) using science and knowledge.

The Wunder dives into the Second Impact site - now faced with another NERV battleship and fighting off swarms of Eva Infinities. Wunder targets NERV HQ and fires several missiles. Units 02 and 08 flight through waves of NERV Eva units, targeting Unit-13, which has yet to launch. Unit 02 fights its way to Central Dogma where Asuka encounters the motionless Unit-13. She intends to use a Shutdown Signal Plug to immobilize Unit-13 and prevent it from launching. However, just as Asuka is about to plunge the Shutdown Signal device into Unit-13, an AT Field unexpectedly stops her … however, Unit-13 lacks an AT Field (as Asuka and Mari discovered during the climatic battle of ‘3.33.’) Unit-13’s AT Field is too strong for Asuka - she knows she must become stronger.

Asuka, who has sported an eye patch since ‘3.33’ removes her eye patch … revealing a Sealing Pillar hidden within her body. Asuka removes it, letting the Ninth Angel take over her body and turning Unit-02 into the Ninth Angel, turning Unit-02 into a Giant of Light. But this was all part of Gendo’s plan - Unit-13 easily overcomes even the superpowered Unit-02/Ninth Angel. Asuka’s Eva is easily defeated - Unit-13 absorbs Unit-02/Ninth Angel - transforming Unit-13 into a fully-awakened, god-like being. Asuka is now trapped within Unit-13.

Gendo reveals that he has absorbed the Key of Nebuchadnezzar within his body, granting him powers nearing a god. With his newfound powers, Gendo approaches the Wunder - WILLE’s airship powered by Unit-01. Ritsuko tries to kill Gendo - but because he has transformed and forsaken his humanity, he cannot be killed with conventional bullets. He tells them either the Angels will exterminate humanity or humanity will exterminate the Angels, taking their place in eternity. (The Dead Sea Scrolls are shown, depicting the Angels appearing in ‘Rebuild’ and a final, multi-winged Angel surrounded by people.) Gendo affirms the Human Instrumentality Project was the human plan to kill the Angels. Misato and Ritsuko maintain a third option is possible - humanity’s will power can overpower the will of the gods.

Gendo takes Unit 01 from Wunder - before he leaves, he is momentarily confronted by Shinji before entering Unit 13. Gendo takes Unit 13 and Unit 01 into the “Anti Universe” - a place where no human can enter in a conventional vehicle. He possesses both spears - the Lance of Longinus and the Spear of Cassius. The weakened Wunder cannot enter the Anti Universe - all hope seems lost.

Shinji decides to pilot Unit-01 again - and face his true enemy: Gendo Ikari. In its Overlapped state, Unit-08 can fuse with other Evangelions. After it ingested Mark-09, Unit-08 gained the ability to enter the Anti-Universe. Shinji boards Unit-08, with Mari telling him their only hope is for Shinji to regain control of Unit-01. Her last request is Shinji recover Asuka’s soul.

They enter the abstract space of the Anti Universe, a dimension on the other side of the Doors of Guf where human senses cannot comprehend the Anti Universe. In this bizarre space, Shinji retakes control of Unit-01 from Rei (who has been trapped inside Unit-01 since the Near Third Impact of ‘2.22’). Shinji confronts his father - Shinji using Unit-01 armed with the Spear of Hope against Gendo in Unit-13 using the Spear of Despair.

As two Evas approach the mysterious Golgotha Object, WILLE consider how Gendo will start the Final Impact. Ritsuko notes Gendo used Black Moon material to create a new Spear to start the Fourth Impact (in ‘3.33,’ which Kowaru thwarted) - while she’s not sure how Gendo will use the last two remaining spears, she knows they must be important to starting the Final Impact.

Within the Anti-Universe, Gendo gives Shinji one last chance to give him Unit-01. But Shinji decides to fight his father. In the abstract battlefield, Shinji and Gendo battle in various battlefields across space and time - including Tokyo-III, Misato’s apartment living room, Rei’s bedroom and the Brechtian set they’re apparently on.

This is fight that cannot be resolved with violence or fear. Realizing that he cannot defeat Gendo, Shinji puts down the Spear of Cassius to try to understand his father. Gendo took possession of both Spears (representing Hope and Despair) as a sacrifice to awaken the Evangelion Imaginary (aka Black Lilith) - a being that does not exist in the real world. He notes that only humans - capable of grasping fantasy and reality - can conceptualize the Evangelion Imaginary. The main takeaway here is: a spear can defeat an Angel or Evangelion … and Gendo used the last two spears in existence to awaken Evangelion Imaginary - and start the final Additional Impact. With the last two spears used to trigger Black Lilith, no one can possibly stop Gendo’s plan: recreate reality — a complete re-imagining of reality.

Fuyutsuki and Mari share a brief conversation - he sees the Additional Impact has started. They share a moment of familiarity - with Fuyutsuki referring to Mari as a name not heard through the series yet. Mari notes that Fuyutsuki commanded a ship without Anti-AT shielding. This is why he explodes into LCL: his AT field has failed. Mari “overlaps” with the remaining Evangelions - returning Unit-08 to full power.

Gendo reveals his plan: to use the Additional Impact using Imaginary Evangelion to begin the Instrumentality of humans as physical and mental beings. The Third Impact from previous TV series and ‘The End’ only referred to the physical Instrumentality of humans. Once again hinting at a time loop, Gendo refers to the “Instrumentality (Shinji) refused” during ‘The End of Evangelion,’ using past tense verbs indicating he’s aware in a previous timeline that Shinji rejected the reunification of all individual humans into a singular being. In the ‘Rebuild’ series, Gendo explicitly states he wants all souls to become one - so that he can finally be with Yui. However, every soul he perceives in this new world is Rei - and none of them are Yui.

Ultimately Shinji defeats Gendo not through might - he restores Gendo’s humanity. Gendo realizes that, like Shinji, he has spent his life running away from what scared him - in Gendo’s case, it was Shinji. Gendo voices his life of self-isolation and how Yui filled his life with love. He drafted the Human Instrumentality Plan to SEELE after losing Yui. Only in his last moment does he realize that Yui lived within his son this whole time.

After Ritsuko analyzes how NERV created a new Spear for the Fourth Impact, Misato has the WILLE crew create a new Spear - and she sacrifices her life to get this new Spear of Gaius - the Spear of Humanity’s Knowledge and Willpower. This new Spear allows Shinji to stop Gendo’s plan. Misato orders a complete evacuation of the WILLE - Misato stays behind to make sure the mission is complete. On a suicide mission, Misato delivers the Spear of Gaius to Shinji - so he can end Gendo’s plan.

The key difference between ‘The End of Evangelion’ and the ‘Rebuild of Evangelion’ is Shinji’s state of mind. His pain and agony pushed him to destroy the world in ‘The End’ - but the events of ‘3.33’ and ‘3.0+1.0’ have given Shinji the time to heal and accept the world as it is and himself. And unlike the ending of the original TV series or ‘The End,’ Shinji is more concerned with helping his friends than making himself feel better.

Asuka voices the same feelings that Shinji had during ‘The End’ - that living is painful. But in this timeline, Shinji consoles Asuka, letting her know that she is loved as she is. Kaworu notes that this time around, in this timeline, Shinji is different - Shinji’s sadness isn’t self-involved. Kaworu functions the same in every timeline: to bring Shinji happiness. But in this timeline, it’s Shinji who wants to help Kaworu find happiness and contentment. Shinji gives Kaworu absolution - letting Kaworu step down from his role as an Angel - in the new world, he would live out his days farming with Kaji and Misato. Rei had wanted to pilot an Eva so Shinji would not have to pilot an Eva - a duty that brought him pain and torment. She wanted him to find happiness without Eva. So in return, Shinji wants the same for Rei - that should would not have to pilot an Eva. So Shinji rewrites reality - reimagining a world where Evas simply do not exist: Neon Genesis literally meaning a New Beginning.

Shinji begins the process of sacrificing himself and Unit-01 using the Spear of Gaius - but he saved at the last moment by his mother, whose soul has inhabited Unit-01. Gendo and Yui take Shinji’s place as the sacrifice of the Impact. Their sacrifice allow Shinji and humanity the possibility of a new beginning.

THE TRUE END OF EVANGELION

Episode 26 of the TV series sees Shinji imagine a world where he’s not an Eva pilot. But in this time loop continuity, he’s fated to piloting an Eva so long as Evangelions exist. Shinji’s wish during the Final Impact sacrifices every single Eva for a world where Evangelions do not exist.

If the original series tracked Shinji’s existential despair and loneliness, ‘Thrice’ allows Shinji to move beyond his own feelings - and focus on feelings of his friends. This growth breaks the cycle that even surprised Kaworu, who was resigned to an infinite loop. The entire conclusions of both episode 26 and ‘The End of Evangelion’ are focused entirely on Shinji’s emotional state - ‘Thrice’ inverts this and focuses on healing all the characters, and not just the Third Child.