Throughout the series, Rei Ayanami is associated with the recurring visual motif of the Moon. In fact, the Moon is rarely shown in NGE without Rei in the foreground. Exceptions would be the shots of The Spear of Longinus heading towards the moon, and the "Moon's eye view" of Second Impact from Episode 21'.
Rei's left eye is specifically associated with the Moon. In Rei's monologue in Episode 14, this relation is brought up symbolically by a cut of Rei's eye blinking, followed by a cut to the moon.
Rei is a "vessel" for the soul of Lilith, and during First Impact 4 billion years ago, the Black Moon transporting Lilith collided with Earth, and Earth's Moon formed from the resulting debris. Thus, in a sense, Rei (or the soul of Lilith she carries) actually created the Moon.
The crater-like markings on Lilith's mask associate her with the Moon, and thus with Rei.
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| Rei is prominently seen in front of the moon in episode Episode 06
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| Rei in front of the moon, from the Opening Credits. The Rei-Moon association is brought up from the very start.
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| Rei in front of the moon in the ending. "Fly me to the Moon" is directly associated with Rei and Rei alone.
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| Rei-Lilith in the LCL sea in EoE, in front of the moon.
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| Lilith's mask bears an obvious resemblance to the moon and its craters.
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