Sandalphon: Difference between revisions

	Angels
	Angels (general)
	First and Second Angels (Seeds of Life): Adam \| Lilith
	Third to Seventeenth Angels (Adam's Children):
	Sachiel \| Shamshel \| Ramiel \| Gaghiel \| Israfel \| Sandalphon \| Matarael \| Sahaquiel
	Ireul \| Leliel \| Bardiel \| Zeruel \| Arael \| Armisael \| Tabris
	Eighteenth Angel: Lilin
	Rebuild of Evangelion: ?Adams? \| Lilith \| 3rd Angel \| 4th Angel \| 5th Angel \| 6th Angel \| 7th Angel \| 8th Angel \| 9th Angel \| 10th Angel \| 11th Angel \| 12th Angel \| 1st/13th Angel
	Other: Extracanonical Angels

	Sandalphon
	{{{katakana}}}
Number	8th
Appearance(s)	{{{appearances}}}
Defeated by	EVA-02

Revision as of 03:40, 11 August 2007

Sandalphon (サンダルフォン) is the 8th Angel, discovered in an embryonic state, and annihilated, within the magma of Mount Asama.

Biology

Sandalphon's "adult" form is flattened, finned, and overall fish-like. The Cambrian Era aquatic predator Anomalocaris has been cited as conceptual inspiration, and a couple of features carry over directly: the ring-shaped, ventrally-positioned mouth and the large eyes positioned atop stalks. Sandalphon has long, sinuous arms that terminate in human-like hands, each with four fingers and a thumb; the spines on the digits mimic those of Anomalocaris' feeding appendages. What appear to be mock eyes lie on the left side of the head, bringing to mind the image of a flatfish. The Angel's core apparently lies beneath the left-hand "eye" (in battle, it is consistently the target of Asuka's Progressive Knife attacks).

Sandalphon's physical constitution is specialized for the intense conditions within the volcano, to the point that even internal structures are uncompromised (indicated when it opens its mouth without adverse effect). As a result, a weapon such as the Progressive Knife is, normally, incapable of afflicting damage.

The Angel is initially discovered in a humanoid state, vaguely resembling a human embryo and encased within a dark, elliptical object. When the Angel prepares to hatch, it vocalizes in the same manner as a human baby (however distorted) and proceeds to rearrange its mass into a new form. (The transformation is obscured by a blurry distortion, a convention in the show typically used to indicate the employment of an A.T. Field.) According to Ritsuko, Sandalphon's emergence occurs "much earlier than ... predicted", although no further elaboration is provided. To deepen the mystery, Sandalphon is larger than its own mother (in being larger than EVA-02) even in a subadult state.

Ritsuko also comments on the ovular object, "It's something like a chrysalis prior to reaching the adult stage". However, this is potentially misleading. A chrysalis, or pupa, is a stage in the developmental cycle of some insects:

ovum (egg)
larva (worm)
pupa (chrysalis)
imago (adult)

For the comparison to be meaningful, Sandalphon would have needed to be in a free-roaming "larval" state (independent of the "chrysalis") at some point. However, what is known about Adam's offspring (however sparse) makes this concept difficult to justify. Accordingly, the casing is typically equated with an egg. See: Theory & Analysis: Origin of the Angels.

Battle

After the Mt. Asama Earthquake Research Laboratory discovers the embryonic Sandalphon, Nerv undertakes an operation with the intention of capturing a live Angel. EVA-02 is deployed in D-Type Equipment -- specialized for protection against extreme heat, pressure, and radiation -- with a "catcher" capable of generating an electromagnetic cage. EVA-01 remains at the surface of the volcano as backup.

Although EVA-02 needs to be lowered further than the predicted depth to find the Angel, and loses her utility belt (together with the Progressive Knife) along the way, the Angel is sucessfully intercepted and captured. However, it soon rouses, transforms, and breaks free of the cage. With Sandalphon designated a target for annihilation, Shinji throws EVA-01's knife down to Asuka to replace the one she had lost. After briefly breaking away, Sandalphon engages EVA-02.

Sandalphon plants its mouth over EVA-02's helmet and clutches her left leg with its free hand, eventually damaging the suit and causing the leg to be detached below the knee. Due to the Angel's heavily reinforced physical constitution, the Progressive Knife is completely ineffective. At length, Asuka -- recalling an earlier interchange with Shinji about thermal expansion -- severs one of the suit's coolant hoses and forces it into Sandalphon's mouth. This, together with a renewed knife assault, eventually kills Sandalphon. No more than a couple of minutes after hatching, it dissolves into the magma without a trace.

Other

Whether Sandalphon's actions are belligerant in nature is unknown: Although it appears to tear off EVA-02's left leg at one point, the script ascribes this to a blasting bolt; and whether or not it intentionally damages EVA-02's support line before dying is ambiguous. The "baby sounds" the Angel makes before hatching may imply that Sandalphon's mindset is actually that of an infant. See: Theory & Analysis: Angel Psychology.

Sandalphon is named for the angel who, according to Kabbalists, plays a major role in determining the sex of a human embryo.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 }}
-'''Sandalphon''' is the 8th Angel, discovered in an embryonic state, and annihilated, within the magma of Mount Asama.
+'''Sandalphon''' (サンダルフォン) is the 8th Angel, discovered in an embryonic state, and annihilated, within the magma of Mount Asama.
 ==Biology==
-Sandalphon's "adult" form is flattened, finned, and overall fish-like. The Cambrian Era aquatic predator [http://www.trilobites.info/anohome.html ''Anomalocaris''] has been cited as conceptual inspiration, and a couple of features carry over directly: the ring-shaped, ventrally-positioned mouth and the large eyes positioned atop stalks. Sandalphon has long, sinuous arms that terminate in human-like hands, each with four fingers and a thumb; the spines on the digits mimic those of ''Anomalocaris'''. What appear to be mock eyes lie on the left side of the head, bringing to mind the image of a flatfish.
+Sandalphon's "adult" form is flattened, finned, and overall fish-like. The Cambrian Era aquatic predator [http://www.trilobites.info/anohome.html ''Anomalocaris''] has been cited as conceptual inspiration, and a couple of features carry over directly: the ring-shaped, ventrally-positioned mouth and the large eyes positioned atop stalks. Sandalphon has long, sinuous arms that terminate in human-like hands, each with four fingers and a thumb; the spines on the digits mimic those of ''Anomalocaris''' feeding appendages. What appear to be mock eyes lie on the left side of the head, bringing to mind the image of a flatfish. The Angel's [[core]] apparently lies beneath the left-hand "eye" (in battle, it is consistently the target of [[Asuka Langley Soryu|Asuka]]'s [[Progressive Knife]] attacks).
-The Angel is initially discovered in a humanoid state, vaguely resembling a human embryo, encased within a dark, elliptical object. When the Angel prepares to hatch ("sooner than anticipated"), it vocalizes in the same manner as a human baby (however distorted) and proceeds to rearrange its mass into a new form. The transformation is obscured by a blurry distortion, a convention in the show typically used to indicate the employment of an [[A.T. Field]].
+Sandalphon's physical constitution is specialized for the intense conditions within the volcano, to the point that even internal structures are uncompromised (indicated when it opens its mouth without adverse effect). As a result, a weapon such as the Progressive Knife is, normally, incapable of afflicting damage.
-Ritsuko comments on the ovular object, "It's something like a chrysalis prior to reaching the adult stage". However, this is potentially misleading. A chrysalis, or pupa, is a stage in the developmental cycle of some insects:
+The Angel is initially discovered in a humanoid state, vaguely resembling a human embryo and encased within a dark, elliptical object. When the Angel prepares to hatch, it vocalizes in the same manner as a human baby (however distorted) and proceeds to rearrange its mass into a new form. (The transformation is obscured by a blurry distortion, a convention in the show typically used to indicate the employment of an [[A.T. Field]].) According to [[Ritsuko Akagi|Ritsuko]], Sandalphon's emergence occurs "much earlier than ... predicted", although no further elaboration is provided. To deepen the mystery, Sandalphon is larger than [[Adam|its own mother]] (in being larger than EVA-02) even in a subadult state.
-# ova/egg
+Ritsuko also comments on the ovular object, "It's something like a chrysalis prior to reaching the adult stage". However, this is potentially misleading. A chrysalis, or pupa, is a stage in the developmental cycle of some insects:
-# larva/worm
-# pupa/chrysalis
-# imago/adult
-For the comparison to be meaningful, Sandalphon would have needed to be in a free-roaming "larval" state (independent of the "chrysalis") at some point. However, the little information provided makes this concept difficult to justify. Accordingly, the casing is often equated with an egg. ''See'': [[T&A:Origin of Angels| Theory & Analysis: Origin of Angels]].
+# ovum (egg)
+# larva (worm)
+# pupa (chrysalis)
+# imago (adult)
+For the comparison to be meaningful, Sandalphon would have needed to be in a free-roaming "larval" state (independent of the "chrysalis") at some point. However, what is known about [[Adam|Adam's]] offspring (however sparse) makes this concept difficult to justify. Accordingly, the casing is typically equated with an egg. ''See'': [[Theory & Analysis: Origin of the Angels]].
 ==Battle==
-''This section requires clean-up.''
+After the Mt. Asama Earthquake Research Laboratory discovers the embryonic Sandalphon, [[Nerv]] undertakes an operation with the intention of capturing a live Angel. [[Evangelion Unit-02|EVA-02]] is deployed in D-Type Equipment -- specialized for protection against extreme heat, pressure, and radiation -- with a "catcher" capable of generating an electromagnetic cage. [[Evangelion Unit-01|EVA-01]] remains at the surface of the volcano as backup.
+Although EVA-02 needs to be lowered further than the predicted depth to find the Angel, and loses her utility belt (together with the  Progressive Knife) along the way, the Angel is sucessfully intercepted and captured. However, it soon rouses, transforms, and breaks free of the cage. With Sandalphon designated a target for annihilation, [[Shinji Ikari|Shinji]] throws EVA-01's knife down to [[Asuka Langley Soryu|Asuka]] to replace the one she had lost. After briefly breaking away, Sandalphon engages EVA-02.
+Sandalphon plants its mouth over EVA-02's helmet and clutches her left leg with its free hand, eventually damaging the suit and causing the leg to be detached below the knee. Due to the Angel's heavily reinforced physical constitution, the Progressive Knife is completely ineffective. At length, Asuka -- recalling an earlier interchange with Shinji about thermal expansion -- severs one of the suit's coolant hoses and forces it into Sandalphon's mouth. This, together with a renewed knife assault, eventually kills Sandalphon. No more than a couple of minutes after hatching, it dissolves into the magma without a trace.
-Sandalphon was discovered inside the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Asama Mount Asama] volcano, while still in a cocoon-like form in which it vaguely resembled a human embryo.  NERV decided that valuable research data could be gained if they captured a live Angel, and for the first time went on the offensive against the Angels.  Eva Unit 02 was outfitted with a special diving suit, D-type equipment, so that it could survive being lowered hundreds of feet beneath the magma's surface, and lowered down to Sandalphon's position along with a special electromagnetic cage devise which could restrain Sandalphon's cocoon.  Eva 01 waited at the surface of the volcano as support (Eva 00 was left at Tokyo-3 to be on standby in the event that another Angel attacked NERV HQ).
+==Other==
-However, soon after Asuka activated the cage around the cocoon, Sandalphon awoke, and hatched into a bizarre, Cambrian-era lifeform-like creature which could survive even inside the heat and pressure of the surrounding magma, and attacked Unit 02, biting off its left leg below the knee.  Asuka dropped Eva 02's progressive knife with her utility belt, but Shinji threw Eva 01's progressive knife down to replace it.  However, because Sandalphon could survive the heat and pressure inside of a volcano, the prog knife could not puncture the Angel.  Remembering a previous discussion with Shinji about "thermal expansion", Asuka then blasted the Angel with one of her Eva's coolant hoses to weaken it, then stabbed it with the prog knife, killing it.
+Whether Sandalphon's actions are belligerant in nature is unknown: Although it appears to tear off EVA-02's left leg at one point, the script ascribes this to a blasting bolt; and whether or not it intentionally damages EVA-02's support line before dying is ambiguous. The "baby sounds" the Angel makes before hatching may imply that Sandalphon's mindset is actually that of an infant. ''See'': [[Theory & Analysis: Angel Psychology#Sandalphon|Theory & Analysis: Angel Psychology]].
-Eva 02's support line had been damaged and was just about to snap, resulting in Eva 02 being lost to the volcano, when Eva 01 briefly plunged into the magma to hold the two sections of the cable together and save Asuka.
+Sandalphon is named for the angel who, according to Kabbalists, plays a major role in determining the sex of a human embryo.
-{{stub}}
 {{Angel List}}
 [[Category:A to Z]]
 [[Category:Angels]]

Sandalphon: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:40, 11 August 2007

Biology

Battle

Other

Navigation menu

EvaWiki

Personal tools

Namespaces

Variants

Views

Search

Navigation

Tools