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17
Oct
Welcome back to our spotlight on the Angels of Evangelion! These unique enemies helped the original TV series stand out from the pack. With a variety of tactics from physically powerful attacks to assaults on the human psyche, the Angels always presented new challenges for the Eva pilots to overcome.
Keep reading to find out more about the Angels that appeared in the second half of the original TV series!
Click here for Part One.
Angel Number 10 - Sahaquiel
Taken from the official YouTube channel
Even with the constant Angel battles, the fight with the tenth Angel Sahaquiel is one that stands out. This Angel with overwhelming speed and resources came down to earth from outer space, like a manmade satellite or asteroid falling to earth. This science fiction-like creature presented an immense amount of danger, which led to an urgent battle with annihilation as the goal.
The chance of winning the battle was low, with a possibility of casualties that far exceeded any previous fight. Even so, the speedy battle in this episode that leaves no room for dramatic scenes is awe-inspiring. Be sure to watch for the scenes where all three Evas work together, and when Sahaquiel falls to earth without mercy.
Angel Number 11 - Ireul
Taken from the official YouTube channel
Ireul, the Angel that appears in episode 13, is a virus-like creature, so we never see its true form. It slipped in with a package that was sent to NERV.
Ireul hacks MAGI, NERV’s main super-computer, and bypasses the security system. The Evas cannot fight as may become infected by Ireul, so the battle is left entirely to Dr. Ritsuko Akagi.
Ritsuko’s mistrust towards NERV and her feelings towards her mother are on display in this episode, as well as the first signs of doubting the Angels’ intentions.
Angel Number 12 - Leliel
Taken from the official YouTube channel
The fight with this red sphere decorated with stripes surely left a strong impression on many viewers. Leliel appeared in Episode 16, and the true form of this mysterious Angel was actually not the sphere, but its shadow.
As there wasn’t much time to prepare for the battle with Leliel, Shinji panicked and attacked from close range. When he did that, he ended up trapped in the shadow’s body. It was there where Leliel attempted to communicate with humans rather than attack them, a pattern very different from the other Angels.
With the limits of the Eva’s capabilities drawing near, Shinji’s life was in danger, which prompted Eva-01 to attack Leliel from within the shadow.
Angel Number 13 - Bardiel
Taken from the official YouTube channel
The thirteenth Angel Bardiel is a cult favorite, and this battle is one that certainly left some viewers with trauma. This slime-like creature that appears in episode 18 infects Eva-03 like a parasite while it is being shipped to Japan. Shinji’s good friend and confidant Toji Suzuhara was selected as a candidate to pilot Eva-03, and it’s during a trial run that Toji is infected by Bardiel. When it’s confirmed that Bardiel is indeed an Angel, that’s when the extermination mission begins.
Bardiel unlocked the potential that the Eva held and viciously attacked, but Shinji couldn’t bring himself to fight back while Toji was inside. Gendo, who couldn’t afford to lose Eva-01, overrode Shinji’s will with a Dummy Plug and used Eva-01 to exterminate Eva-03.
The sunset glistens over the rural landscape while one Eva eats another. What’s more, the pilots are best friends. Shinji’s ear-piercing scream left an impact on viewers of this episode.
Angel Number 14 - Zeruel
Taken from the official YouTube channel
Zeruel was the name of the powerful Angel that appeared in Episode 19. He is the most physically powerful Angel in the series. Like the Angels that appear in the movies, Zeruel uses only his sheer strength to infiltrate NERV.
Shinji is in a fragile mental state after his fight with Bardiel, so he’s left NERV, which means that Asuka and Rei have to fight Zeruel on their own. In the face of the Angel’s brute strength, the only thing they can do is stall for time. Zeruel has a stronger attack, a tougher body, and is far beyond the other Angels. There is nothing that NERV can do.
Shinji feels guilty that his actions led to the injury and potential death of someone, so for that reason, he ran away from his responsibilities at NERV. However, with NERV being decimated, and with his and other’s lives in the balance, Shinji makes the decision to once again pilot Eva-01. The Eva responds in kind to Shinji’s intentions, leading to the defeat Zeruel and the subsequent feast on his remains.
Either you alone survive or you face the Angels. There’s an almost zero percent chance of victory, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to save everyone, and there’s a possibility you could lose your life. With all of that in mind, Shinji’s huge gamble is awe-inspiring. It may be heroic courage, but it almost looks like a death wish.
Angel Number 15 - Arael
Taken from the official YouTube channel
Arael, an Angel with a phoenix-like appearance, arrived in Episode 22. This Angel was observing earth like a satellite in orbit, and did not make a direct attack. Since Eva-01 was frozen, Asuka and Eva-02 went out and were shot with Arael’s mysterious light, which started his attack that goes deep into the human psyche.
As Asuka was already in a fragile mental state, she couldn’t withstand Arael’s attack and was taken out of commission. Afterwards, Eva-00 used the Spear of Longinus to eliminate Arael.
Arael was an Angel that was able to infiltrate a human’s mental state through inference. Though we usually see them as the enemy or a monster, we can start to see a side that shows the brilliance of these lifeforms. When it was able to infer that Asuka was in a weak mental state, a famous classical song starts to play, showing off a trademark “Anno-ism” that the director is known for.
Angel Number 16 - Armisael
Taken from the official YouTube channel
Armisael appeared as a loop of light. Looking at it up close, it appears to have a double helix-type construction. It arrives in Episode 23 and fights Eva-00.
Just like Leliel and Arael, Armisael is an Angel that goes for human’s mental state, and it was able to detect the fragility of Rei, the pilot of Eva-00. When it seemed as if he would devour Eva-00, Rei made the decision to self-destruct in the Eva.
In the second half of the series, the Angels seem to take on the role of attacking the pilot’s mental state. This angle paints a different psychological picture, which is one of the appeals of the series and shows how important the Angels were.
Angel Number 17 - Tabris
Taken from the official YouTube channel
Kaworu Nagisa is an immensely popular character who’s been showing us a previously unseen side of himself in the new movies. In the TV series, he appears as Tabris, the final Angel.
He was sent by SEELE as the fifth child, but he was actually Tabris, the manmade Angel. He was the manmade host for Adam’s soul, which made him the same kind of vessel as Rei.
Without knowing that Gendo has Adam’s body, Tabris went to Central Dogma where he found Lilith impaled on a cross. Sensing danger, Tabris wished to die by Shinji’s hand, and he was indeed killed by Eva-01. This was traumatic for both Shinji and the viewers.
In both the new movies and TV series, Kaworu is a character that begs fans to dig deeper into the Eva mythos, and his relationship with Shinji is one that people enjoy. Akira Ishida does an excellent job voicing Kaworu!
Angel Number 18 - Lilin
Taken from the official YouTube channel
You’ve probably heard the name Lilin thrown around in the new movies. It’s the name for the lifeforms that were based off of Lilith – that is, Shinji and the rest of humanity. This name was said by the seventeenth Angel, Kaworu himself.
If we look at it from a different stand point, you can say that this is a story of a battle between Angels and humanity, fighting between parents that are different lifeforms over where they can live. The plan to stop this fight was SEELE’s Human Instrumentality Project.
Stay tuned for part 3!
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