Theory and Analysis:Evangelion "2.5"

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Evangelion "2.5" is the title given by the fanbase for the events that take place between Evangelion 2.0 and Evangelion 3.0, in the Rebuild of Evangelion continuity.

When Evangelion 3.0 came out in 2012, there was a lot of discussion about the absence of preview scenes in the film itself, this being much more focused on events 14 years after the final film ended. Statements by Khara staff over time have made it clear that these are discarded ideas for a movie, one which might not even have had Shinji present. This article aims to theorize and discuss the events of the time-skip, which may also explain the origin of Wille, Village-3, Kredit and the other organizations featured in 3.0 and 3.0 + 1.0.

The Preview

"Eva-01 is frozen with Shinji and Rei still trapped inside. The fortress city is abandoned. Nerv personnel are held in confinement. Eva-06 is dropped into Dogma. The quickening Eva-08 and its pilot. And finally, the children fated to meet are gathered at last. Where will this story of people wishing to live lead?" 

Preview from 2.0

(under construction)

Thrice upon a Time

In a scene of Evangelion: 3.0 + 1.0 that is indicative of what happened during the 14-year timeskip, Kaworu and the elder Kaji speak to each other. Kaworu is dressed in the same Nerv commander uniform as Gendo and the Bethany base commander, with Kaji in the same vice-commander uniform as Fuyutsuki and the Bethany base vice-commander. Kaworu, whom the elder Kaji calls "Commander Nagisa", agrees to go to the settlement where the younger Kaji farms. Indicating that they supposedly became friends during this period.

(under construction)

The Time-Skip period

The information below is indexed by Szmitten, and is an exercise of logical imagination about a chain of events consistent with the universe presented in the films. It is subject to change.

After 2.0

Immediately after Near Third Impact, Gendo and Fuyutsuki disappear. Seele promotes Kaworu and Kaji to Commander and Vice-Commander believing them to be their agents, but both of them are actually working independently against Seele, whether already as individuals or by gradually becoming allies to each protect the people they care about. They are able to simultaneously feign loyalty and protect Nerv personnel by having them rounded up by UN/JSDF/Seele-proxies and confined to aircraft carriers located at the Marine Research Institute, which Kaji has close ties with. Hex pillars and an exclusion zone is put around Eva-01, and Tokyo-3 is abandoned.

Kaworu and Kaji are able to negotiate the release of Nerv staff by allowing deeper UN/JSDF/Seele-proxy military supervision, strict measures including banning Kaworu from being both pilot and Commander (the DSS choker is invented initially for use on him), the autonomous or dummy plug conversion of Mark.06, completion of a dual entry Eva-08, low priority on repairing Eva-02, and no attempts to revive or recover the triggers of Near Third Impact: Eva-01 and Shinji.

With the situation relaxed somewhat, Kaji quietly founds Wille and uses his position to find secrets and reroute Nerv and EuroNerv assets to it. Kaworu learns of Kaji's watermelons. Four Rei (Tentative) clones are introduced by SEELE, and have one-on-one private meetings with at least Kaworu and Mari. Kaji and Misato's romance rekindles in earnest and they become intimate. Asuka recovers and is released with a hex pillar in her eye to contain the 9th Angel.

The 11th Angel appears and is dealt with in some capacity. Misato becomes pregnant and tells Kaji at some point of time after this.

Insurrection and Third Impact

The 12th Angel appears, and Eva-08 is made inactive or unavailable in some way so that it can't prevent the Angel's merger with Mark.06 and its subsequent descent into Dogma. During or prior to this, Kaji mobilises Wille's insurrection against Nerv, which is now operating completely under Seele's will. Violence erupts with gunfire, the lake outside headquarters is filled with bakelite, and Wille members wear blue armbands to identify themselves. Wunder is either hijacked here or prior.

After Mark.06 descends, it removes the Spear of Longinus from Lilith, reviving her soulless body. Mark.06 merges with and beheads Lilith. This causes the Doors of Guf to open and rain giant skulls into the bottom of Dogma. Crucifixes appear on the land and coreification begins, and humans start turning into headless red Evangelions. Lilith's head, somehow now appearing with Rei's face, ends up above in the command center. Nerv headquarters rises into the sky, and the headless red Evas assemble towards it, plugging Dogma's shaft. The Moon approaches Earth and begins to bleed along newly-formed gridlines.

Meanwhile, Kaji, who has been shot in the arm in the crossfire, acquires the Spear of Cassius from Eva-01 (which remains dormant) and a VTOL aircraft. With no Evangelions to stop Mark.06, Kaji decides to sacrifice himself to stop Third Impact before it wipes all life on Earth. At some point, Kaji "saves" Kaworu, literally or figuratively, but Kaworu never sees Dogma's interior. Kaji bids Misato his goodbyes, and she, Ritsuko, and the other survivors leave (probably by air to avoid becoming Failures of Infinity. Future Village-3 inhabitants need a method of survival too).

Kaji enters Dogma and sacrifices himself in a crash. Somehow, this results in the Spears of Cassius and Longinus being forced through Lilith's and Mark.06's cores in an unknown configuration or order of entry, but which ultimately stops Third Impact.

(Since Near Third Impact and Third Impact are both referred to as having occured 14 years ago, and that Kaji Jr is nearly 14, and the discovery of pregnancies typically being in the first trimester, all of the above has to happen within 3-9 months (probably 6) after the end of Evangelion 2.0.)

Aftermath

Later, Gendo and Fuyutsuki rebrand Neo-Nerv and constructs three ships and Evangelions: the Mark.04 Nemesis Series, the Mark.07 series, and Evangelions Mark.09-12 and 13. Dogma is sealed. Kaworu remains at Nerv with at least one surviving Rei (Tentative) as the coreified limbless Eva-01 is launched into orbit. The next 14 years consist of battles between Wille and Nerv and the support of Village-3 via Kredit.