The 15 Angels These are the 15 Angels that attacked New Tokyo 3 or other NERV installations.	3rd Angel: Sachiel	4th Angel: Shamsiel	5th Angel: Ramiel
6th Angel: Gaghiel	7th Angel: Israphel	8th Angel: Sandalphon	9th Angel: Matariel
10th Angel: Sahaquiel	11th Angel: Iruel	12th Angel: Leliel	13th Angel: Bardiel
14th Angel: Zeruel	15th Angel: Arael	16th Angel: Armisael	17th Angel: Tabris

The 15 Angels

3rd Angel: Sachiel

The first Angel seen in the TV series, Sachiel attacked New Tokyo 3 in Episode 1. It was defeated by EVA-01 when EVA-01 went into a Berserker mode and forced it to self-destruct. Sachiel's self-destruction was an interesting phenomenon in itself; it looked like it morphed into a ball around EVA-01's head and then exploded. This Angel was the first to exhibit an ability to regenerate (it regenerated itself after an N2 bomb was dropped on it) and its S2 Engine is very visible on its torso. Sachiel in tradition is referred to as an Angel of Water.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

4th Angel: Shamsiel

In tradition, Shamsiel is the name of one of the Angels of the Day, and Shamsiel is the Angel of the Sun. In Episode 3, an Angel with tentacles looking like a cross between an insect and an orchid appears in the middle of the day. When EVA-01 was running low on power after its Umbilical (its power cable) got cut off, Shinji went into something like a Berserker mode of his own, disobeyed Misato's orders to retreat, and stabbed Shamsiel's S2 core with EVA-01's Progressive Knife. EVA-01 ran out of power before Shamsiel could be destroyed, leaving Shamsiel in a preserved state to be captured and studied by NERV scientists.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

5th Angel: Ramiel

Ramiel is believed to be the Angel of Thunder. In Episode 5, a giant diamond-shaped Angel armed with a very powerful particle beam that could shoot long distances made its way to New Tokyo 3. It was impossible for an EVA to get close enough to defeat it because of its long-ranged beam attack. It went into the city and used a drill to bore a hole into the Geofront under New Tokyo 3. It was defeated by Misato's daring plan, Operation Yashima, to use the two EVA units (EVA-00 and EVA-01) in tandem. This was the first time we saw an Angel defeated using two EVA units.

Misato's plan echoes the real Yashima Battle where the samurai Nasu no Yoichi shot the fan of his enemy from a long distance, thus proving his prowess in battle and deciding the outcome of the war. EVA-01 was to be the sniper using a high-powered positron rifle "borrowed" from the JSSDF. Power to feed the rifle would come from all over Japan, forcing a nation-wide blackout. EVA-02, meanwhile, would hold a shield made from the heat shield from the an experimental space shuttle just in case the Angel retaliates. Misato's plan was successful at Shinji's second shot. The Angel was immobilized without self-destruction and the Angel could still be seen in the next episode being slowly dismantled for study.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

6th Angel: Gaghiel

Gaghiel is the Angel of Fish. In Episode 8 when we first meet Asuka, Kaji, and the Adam embryo, a fish-like Angel begins sinking the fleet that was transporting EVA-02 from Germany to Japan. Both Asuka and Shinji (wearing a spare girl's suit lent to him by Asuka) copilot EVA-02 and defeat Gaghiel under the water (a miracle of sorts because EVA-02's Type B configuration should not have operated in underwater conditions, but because of the two pilots' high Sync Ratios, EVA-02 responded). Victory was possible thanks to another of Misato's daring plans. She ordered that two battleships in the fleet be abandoned and sent sinking towards Gaghiel while EVA-02 holds Gaghiel's mouth open and in position. When the two battleships rammed into the mouth, all guns were fired via remote control. Gaghiel's weak AT Field was no match.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

7th Angel: Israphel

In Episode 9, an Angel that could split itself into two halves easily defeated an arrogant Asuka and an overconfident Shinji, embarrassing NERV before the international community. Misato used music to train the two pilots to perfectly synchronize their actions, and Israphel, the Angel of Music, was defeated by a synchronized attack.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

8th Angel: Sandalphon

Sandalphon is known as the Angel that watches over pregnancies, unborn babies, and pregnant mothers. In Episode 10, Asuka pilots EVA-02 (covered in special anti-heat and anti-pressure equipment) deep into the bowels of a volcano and then into the magma beneath. The goal was to capture an Angel that was still in embryonic form. Unfortunately, the Angel began to develop quicker than expected and then attacked EVA-02. Using the principles of thermal expansion (it was established earlier in Episode 10 that Asuka knows her physics), Asuka used one of the coolant tubes that was supporting EVA-02 to weaken Sandalphon's armor and then kill it. In the battle, however, the cables that were supporting EVA-02 broke, and Asuka looked up only to realize that the last cable was about to snap. Just when EVA-02 was about to sink forever into the depths of the Earth's molten magma, Shinji in EVA-01, with EVA-01 wearing no protective heat suit, rescues Asuka and EVA-02.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

9th Angel: Matariel

In Episode 11, when New Tokyo 3 and the Geofront shut down due to what appeared to be sabotage from NERV (or Gendo's) human rivals, Matariel appeared and crawled above New Tokyo 3. It dripped acid from an eye-like membrane on its lower side and started to corrode a way into the Geofront. The Children, who were up on the surface in New Tokyo 3, had to walk and crawl their way through air vent shafts to get to their EVAs. Gendo led in launching the EVAs by hand using pulleys and an emergency diesel generator. The three EVAs, following a plan by Asuka, defeated Matariel.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

10th Angel: Sahaquiel

Known as the Angel of the Sky, Sahaquiel appeared in orbit around the Earth in Episode 12. It started to plummet towards the Earth, aiming right for New Tokyo 3 and NERV HQ. If it fell unhindered, the strength of its AT Field and its fall would turn the entire area into an "extension of the Pacific Ocean." The three EVAs were able to catch it using deployed AT Fields and Asuka delivered the death blow, causing it to explode. What was interesting was when Shinji got to the Angel's drop zone first and deployed such a strong AT Field to catch it that nearby buildings were also pushed aside.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

11th Angel: Iruel

This Angel of Fear from Episode 13 was composed of billions of virus-sized particles that operated as if it had a single mind. It was a lot like the Andromeda alien in Michael Crichton's Andromeda Strain. It could evolve almost instantaneously. For instance, when the NERV deck bunnies found that the particles were not present in ozone-rich sections of NERV HQ, they were ordered to flood the area around Iruel with ozone. At first it worked but then Iruel evolved and started to feed off the ozone. Iruel managed to infiltrate the Melchior and Balthasar supercomputers. Thanks to fast reprogramming on Caspar done by Ritsuko and Maya, with the help of notes from Ritsuko's mother, Iruel was tricked into attacking Caspar only to suffer from a programmed trap that commanded Iruel to die out.

This Angel was like the Lilim in that it wasn't one individual but billions of individuals. Also, this was an Angel that was defeated without the EVAs. The EVAs had already been jettisoned to safety. What was interesting, too, was that Gendo commanded that EVA-01 be brought to safety first, not EVA-02, foreshadowing the importance of EVA-01 to Human Complementation.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

12 Angel: Leliel

This tricky Angel from Episode 16 managed to trap and capture EVA-01. The black orb with white designs is not the Angel but its "shadow." The "shadow" under the orb is the real Angel, a dark shadow-like thing only 3 nanometers thick. The Angel absorbed EVA-01 and suspended it in a void known as the Sea of Dirac, a warped reality that only abstract mathematics can come close to describing it.

Ritsuko devised a plan to use the other two EVA units to project AT Fields that would force open a void into the Sea of Dirac. Then all the remaining N2 bombs in the world (about 992 or so) would be dropped inside to kill the Angel. This might also hurt Shinji, but perhaps EVA-01 could still be salvaged and repaired.

Shinji, meanwhile, was suffering hallucinations about his miserable life. Furthermore, the life-support system within the Entry Plug had only a limited time left before running out of power. Suddenly Shinji is contacted by his mother's soul. EVA-01 reawakens and tears its way out of the Angel. Blood and pieces of organs spew forth and cover the city.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

13th Angel: Bardiel

The United States handed over EVA-03 to Japan following an accident in which the entire Second Branch of NERV in Nevada (and EVA-04) disappeared into the Sea of Dirac. In Episode 18, Bardiel, the Angel of Hail and Storms, infected EVA-03 while it was being flown through a cloud. When EVA-03 was activated at the NERV testing facility in Matsushiro, the Bardiel takes control of EVA-03 with Toji still trapped inside EVA-03.

EVA-00, EVA-01, and EVA-02 were deployed to fight the Angel. Asuka and Rei knew that Toji was the pilot, but Shinji did not. After EVA-02 and then EVA-00 were disabled in the battle, it became up to Shinji to defeat the Angel. Unwilling to fight because this would injure a fellow pilot inside EVA-03, Gendo activated a Dummy Plug autopilot system. EVA-01 goes to work on EVA-03, literally ripping it into small pieces and then crushing the Entry Plug. When Shinji saw the broken body of Toji being pulled out of the Entry Plug, his mind snapped.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

14th Angel: Zeruel

In Episode 19, emotionally broken after witnessing what happened to Toji in the hands of EVA-01 and unwilling to continue work for his father, Shinji threatened to use EVA-01 to destroy NERV. Gendo responded by ordering that the LCL pressure in the Entry Plug be increased to its maximum, seriously incapacitating Shinji. NERV personnel then pulled Shinji out of the Entry Plug and placed him under arrest. Shinji chose to quit NERV and to never pilot again.

Zeruel, the Angel of Strength, arrived and quickly tore up EVA-02 and EVA-00. Kaji, in one of my favorite scenes in the series, started watering his watermelon garden in the middle of the battle. He and Shinji had a talk and Shinji decided to pilot EVA-01 again.

In the battle with Zeruel, EVA-01 was incapacitated. Zeruel blew open a cavity in EVA-01 torso to reveal a power core of some sort. As Zeruel started to mercilessly pound away at the core, EVA-01 went into a Berserker mode, tore off one of Zeruel's arms, used that arm to replace its own missing arm (in an amazing feat of instantaneous tissue assimilation and regeneration), and then ate (yes, ate) Zeruel's organs, especially the S2 Engine. EVA-01 roared into the flames and darkness as its plates began to fall off to reveal the Angelic beast within.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

15th Angel: Arael

Arael appeared in orbit around the Earth in Episode 22. According to tradition, Arael is the Angel of Birds and is an Archangel, the highest class of Angel. EVA-01 and Shinji were under observation in NERV. Rei was ordered to take EVA-00 to attack Arael. Asuka, in her arrogance, took EVA-02 in an attempt to show her superiority. Asuka got exactly as she deserved when Arael rapes her mind. EVA-00 first tries to use the positron rifle "borrowed" from the JSSDF in Episode 5 (apparently it was never returned, and this time it has a "Property of NERV" sign on it). After this failed, Gendo ordered Rei to take the Lance of Longinus from Lilith in Terminal Dogma. Of course Kouzou argued against this because SEELE would not be happy. Rei threw the Lance and destroyed Arael, but the Lance kept on going and went into orbit to land on the Moon. We would not see the Lance again until the End of Evangelion movie.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

16th Angel: Armisael

In Episode 23, Asuka had still not recovered from her self-inflicted ordeal in Episode 22. EVA-01 was in cryostasis and under observation. Rei was sent to battle Armisael. Armisael moved very quickly and broke itself from being a ring into something like a long worm or snake. It fused with EVA-00 and Rei on a physical level and on a mental level. EVA-02 and Asuka are sent up to help, but Asuka still could not synchronize with EVA-02 and Armisael took no notice of this sitting duck. EVA-01 was taken out of cryostasis and sent to do battle. Armisael quickly responded and started to move towards EVA-01. Rei, in a last desperate effort to save Shinji and EVA-01, self-destructed EVA-00, destroying EVA-00, Armisael, parts of New Tokyo 3, and herself. This was the end of Rei II.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]

17th Angel: Tabris

In Episode 24, SEELE sent Kaoru Nagisa, the Fifth Children, to NERV. Kaoru was actually the 17th Angel, Tabris, the Angel of Free Will. He seemed to be a good replacement for Asuka, performing too well in synchronization tests with EVA-02. Shinji also found his one true friend in Kaoru. Kaoru then infiltrated Terminal Dogma. Shinji in EVA-01 chased after him, and caught up with him in front of Lilith. Kaoru put up an AT Field to disable all sensors in the area, preventing NERV from finding out what was going on. Rei, however, was standing nearby and used her own AT Field to restore the sensors. When Kaoru realized that it was Lilith who was on the cross and not Adam, he realized his mission was a failure and allowed Shinji and EVA-01 to kill him. Shinji used EVA-01's hand to crush Kaoru, his one true friend, until the pressure forced Kaoru's head to pop off.

Back to top of page and [ Photo Index ]