Matarael

Matarael
マトリエル
Number	9th
Symbol	Rain
Appearance(s)	Episode 11
Defeated by	Eva-01, with assistance from Eva-00 and Eva-02

Matarael (Hebrew: מטראל) is the Ninth Angel, which attacks when Tokyo-3 is in the middle of a power blackout.

Biology

Matarael is a gigantic opilinoid-like entity, with four immensely large legs (which are taller than most skyscrapers) and a relatively small body core. The many "eyes" on Matarael's central body are not actual eyes, but a camouflage pattern using mimicry to confuse its enemies, although the central eye appears to be real and functional. The Angel secretes orange-colored corrosive acid from its central "eye", which can burn through anything.

Matarael does not have a visible core; it appears to be hidden internally, as per Ramiel and Sandalphon.

Battle

With Tokyo-3's electrical power sabotaged by an unknown human party, Nerv was incapable of detecting Matarael's landfall or receiving any information about it, thus giving it no opposition from Evangelions or surface defenses. Matarael moved into a position above the Geofront and began to secrete corrosive acid from its central eye to breach the armor below.

Nerv eventually learnt of the Angel's presence and launched the Evangelions manually, fitted with extra battery backs. The Evangelions climbed through access shafts, reaching an access shaft directly under the Angel's position. Splashed with corrosive acid, the Evas dropped their weapons and fell down the shaft.

Asuka Langley Soryu took charge and devised a battle plan in which Eva-02 would neutralize the Angel's A.T. Field and protect the Evas below from the acid, while Eva-00 would jump to the bottom of the shaft, retrieve a weapon, and pass it on to Eva-01. Eva-02 would move out of the way while Eva-01 fired directly upwards at the Angel. The plan was executed perfectly, and Matarael was killed in a prolonged burst of rifle fire.

Notes

• Matarael resembles an opilionid (also known as a harvestman or daddy longlegs), a type of arachnid related to but distinct from spiders.

• The JSSDF generals debating what to do about Matarael without Nerv refer to it amongst themselves as the eighth Angel, even though Nerv refers to it as the ninth Angel; it is possible that they do not count Lilith, because Nerv keeps Lilith's existence a secret.
• The "eyes" on Matarael, as well as those on Sahaquiel, resemble the emblem of the Neo-Atlantean forces from Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (directed by Hideaki Anno)[1]

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