Gaghiel

Gaghiel
ガギエル
Number	6th
Symbol	Fish
Appearance(s)	Episode 08
Defeated by	Evangelion Unit-02
Design	Mahiro Maeda

Gaghiel (Hebrew: גגיאל) is the Sixth Angel, resembling a giant prehistoric fish-like creature or possibly a strange variety of mosasaur, and the only aquatic Angel.

Biology

Gaghiel is the only angel truly adapted for aquatic environments alone, as opposed to Sachiel, who was amphibious. Unlike most Angels, it has a massive mouth with multiple rows of teeth, like a shark. The Angel's core is located in the back of its throat, behind its tongue. Gaghiel also has a small bony "face" plate similar to that of Sachiel located on its dorsal surface.

Gaghiel's touth-filled mouth; note the core in the back

Gaghiel's "body core" alone, from the tip of its jaws to the base of its tail, appears to be slightly larger than a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, which is itself 317 meters long (well over 1,040 feet).

Battle

Gaghiel attacked the UN Pacific Fleet's naval convoy transporting Evangelion Unit-02 and its pilot, Asuka Langley Soryu, to Japan. Gaghiel severely damaged the fleet, but appeared to be searching for something (actually, Adam, secretly being transported with the convoy by Kaji). Thinking fast, Asuka launched Eva-02 manually, with Shinji Ikari along for the ride in the Entry Plug. With limited battery power, Asuka then played "hopscotch" with the UN fleet by jumping from one ship's deck to another to avoid Gaghiel and reach the nuclear aircraft carrier Over the Rainbow, so Eva-02 could switch to external power from the carrier's reactor. Gaghiel then bore down on the carrier, while Asuka tried to stab it with Eva-02's progressive knife. However, Gaghiel was so massive that it ended up knocking the Eva into the ocean. Eva-02 was unable to move underwater with B-type standard equipment, and Gaghiel bit down on it and swam around the ruins of a flooded city with the helpless Eva in its jaws, taking the Eva's umbilical power cable to its maximum length. Misato Katsuragi then came up with the idea of intentionally sinking two battleships on a course for Gaghiel, then having Eva-02 force open the Angel's mouth to allow the battleships inside. The battleships were then remote activated to fire all of their guns and then self-destruct, killing Gaghiel.

Notes

• Gaghiel's has a bony "face" on its dorsal surface, almost identical in shape to Sachiel's long-beaked "face".
• Gaghiel's core is located in the back of its throat, and the Angel's mouth must be open for the core to be vulnerable.
• According to Episode 14, Gaghiel destroyed one third of the UN naval fleet it engaged in Episode 08.
• Gaghiel's design is rather similar to that of a Shark or a Ray. Also, the battle with Gaghiel is vaguely evocative of events in the movie Jaws, as both monsters attack human vessels, are reeled in similar to fishing, and are destroyed by explosions set off inside their mouths.

References

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