Gaghiel
| Gaghiel | |
| |
| ガギエル | |
| Number | 6th |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Fish |
| Appearance(s) | Episode 08 |
| Defeated by | Evangelion Unit-02 |
| Design | Mahiro Maeda[1] |
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 "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, and 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 swarm around the ocean floor (ruins of a flooded coastal city) with the helpless Eva in its jaws, as the Eva's umbilical power cable reached 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.
- The battle with Gaghiel is vaguely evocative of events in the movie Jaws. Gaghiel's design rather similar to that of a Shark or a Ray, and both monsters attack human vessels, are reeled in as in 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 |
