FGC:Episode 21 Scene 01

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Screenshots	Cut #	Description/Dialogue	Commentary
	305	TEXT:“Year 2000, Antarctica”	Dr. Nick: So, here is the dedicated backstory / lore dump episode. Obviously, with Evangelion the real meat is in the psychologically introspective character work and general mindfuckery, and the deeplore exists to prop those things up. Consequently, a certain subset of fans chooses to ignore the superficial science fiction trappings wholesale, but for my money that's a bit extreme of an attitude. Classic-era Gainax was the consummate otaku studio (they literally made a mockumentary spoof about themselves highlighting what massive geeks they are), and it shows in the finished product - a lot of thought and care was put in the lore, and although the full picture remains tantalizingly fragmentary even with this episode, it's a worthwhile aspect of Evangelion to engage with.
	306A	The inside of a research facility. There is a basic table placed in a corner. KEEL:“Scientists put too much faith in their own ideas.” IKARI:“They're a self-righteous kind.” KEEL:“They become fixated too easily. They're incapable of accurately assessing reality.” IKARI:“And they are the ones seeking to find the truth.” IKARI:“It's quite ironic.” KEEL:“They are not so noble.” KEEL:“Discovery is joy and understanding is dominance.” KEEL:“All they seek is self-gratification.” MAN A:“You mean the super solenoid theory that Dr. Katsuragi proposed?” OLD MAN B:“That theory is just too radical!” OLD MAN C:“It's nothing more than a hypothesis at this point.” MAN A:“But only the S2 theory can explain that giant's power.” WOMAN A:“Mr. Ikari and his team are apparently leaving on the 11th.” MAN E:“I wish they'd set up the smoking area a bit closer.” MAN D:“We don't even need to measure it to know it's true.” WOMAN A:“I heard there was talk of making the entire facility smoke-free.” OLD MAN E:“In fact, it existed in our reality, so we have no choice but to acknowledge it.” WOMAN A:“You should be glad there is one.” MAN E:“If they'd done that, I wouldn't be here.” OLD MAN B:“I'll accept it when all the data's been verified.” OLD MAN C:“What about the Lance of Longinus?” MAN A:“It's been sitting there since it was shipped here last week from the Dead Sea.” OLD MAN B:“It will be treated before it's sent underground, won't it? Are we okay on that?” MAN E:“The contact experiment with the donor is scheduled for the 13th of next month.” MAN E:“We'll be able to make the adjustments in time.” OLD MAN C:“Today's experiment is on the ego threshold signal of that field, was it?”	Dr. Nick: Kiel's voiceover provides a brief window into his nihilistic worldview. If everyone is just out for themselves for egoistic reasons, isn't Seele perfectly justified in pursuing immortality and almost-godhood for their small clique? UrsusArctos: Absolutely. He really is projecting his own flaws and warped worldview onto these soon-to-be-obliterated scientists. Interestingly, Kiel seems to be critical of the idea that discovery and understanding construe joy and power, quite opposite to the classic German expression "Wissen ist macht" (Knowledge is power). Much like Francis Bacon, who used the term "for knowledge itself is power" as a criticism of those who accorded God the power of knowing but not the power of acting, Kiel seems to think of scientists as obsessive and blind heretics who can't bring mankind towards his personal occult truth unless they're turned into useful sacrifices along the greater scheme.
	307	Several pipes in front. Iron plates outside flap about wildly. MAN F:“Suppress the surface radiation! It's over the projected limit!” FEMALE ANNOUNCER:“Emergency situation! Emergency situation!” WOMAN B:“The DNA that was inserted into Adam is already physically fused!” FEMALE ANNOUNCER:“All staff, get in your protective gear. All workers in Level 2 and below, immediately evacuate to the upper area of Central Dogma.” There is a white light outside. WOMAN C (RADIO):“All AT Fields are being released.” The camera is shaken. Heavy noise.A board goes flying.	Mbryo: The dialogue mentions DNA fusing('diving' is the expression used in the original dub) with Adam. This is probably the point when Tabris was 'conceived', though it isn't stated outright anywhere in the anime itself. The manga adaptation is much more blunt about it though, stating that the Lilin DNA used on Adam led to the birth of a new Angel with the appearance of a human. The donor of the DNA is left in mystery, with no clear answer is given. Why they would attempt to do do this is even more of a mystery. Ritsuko's dialogue in Episode 23 hints that this was part of an attempt to use Adam's power, but it's rather strange that the Katsuragi team believed that they could control an alien giant by inserting human DNA into it.
	308	Illuminated scene. OLD MAN G:“The Spear! Pull the Spear back!” A hand railing in front. The camera filming it is shaken, producing noise. MAN H (SPEAKERS):“It's no good! We can't maintain the magnetic field!” MAN I:“It's sinking in!”
	309	A glove caught on a piece of iron flutters about. The camera captures severed cables, etc. OLD MAN J:“I don't care if it only makes a small difference! Keep the damage to an absolute minimum!” With noise and flickering, the camera drops and switches over to a steel tower. MAN K:“The atomic components are breaking up at the quark level! Hurry!” WOMAN D:“Begin thermal dampening treatment as soon as the Door of Guf opens.” MAN N:“I don't care if it's only for point one seconds!” Blasts of hot wind pull upwards against it. The image is jumbled. MAN L:“Amazing! It's begun to walk!” MAN N:“Get it to use up as much of its anti-AT Field energy as possible!” WOMAN E (RADIO):“The conversion system has already been set!” WOMAN F (SPEAKERS):“Countdown commencing!” MAN P:“It's spreading its wings! It's breaking towards the surface!” Then, deeper in, two glowing hands enter. The picture cuts off. The mark of the United Nations and a warning appear.	Mbryo: Here the Door of Guf(ガフの扉) is mentioned for the first time in the series. The term itself is borrowed from Judaic lore, referring to the 'resting place' or 'treasury' of souls known as Guf, meaning "body" in Hebrew. Guf is mentioned again later in the series, and seems to represent the same thing in the NGE universe as well. It's also worth noting that in Jewish mythology, Guf is merely a place that the soul resides in until it is conceived; the actual source of souls is the Tree of Life, which is also directly referenced in EOE when Unit 01 herself becomes the Tree by fusing with the Spear of Longinus. This particular dialogue seems to imply that Adam is capable of opening the Door of Guf just like Lilith, which is natural since he's a progenitor of life, as well as the one who bestowed souls upon his children, the Angels.

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