Sachiel

Sachiel
サキエル
Number	3rd
Symbol	Water
Appearance(s)	Episode 01, Episode 02
Defeated by	Evangelion Unit-01

Sachiel is the Third Angel and the first to appear in the 15 years since Second Impact.

Biology

Sachiel has a fairly humanoid appearance, compared to later Angels, and has a characteristic bony plate/face-like structure shaped like a crow's skull. A second, slightly more rounded bony-face forms underneath the first after an N² land mine is detonated under Sachiel, partially damaging it and forcing the Angel to regenerate; the second face-plate forms out of the torso and pushes the first up and to the side. Sachiel possesses "energy-lance" weapons inside of each arm, which can extend outwards to destroy targets (it is not an energy "beam", but almost a retractable spear, the other end of which extends out beyond its elbow when retracted). Each of the Angel's arms are tipped with three claw-like fingers (two facing up, one facing in the opposite direction). Sachiel's core is located prominently in the front of its chest. Sachiel first appeared from under the sea, making landfall east of Tokyo-3 before proceeding on foot; apparently the Angel functions equally well on water and on land.

Sachiel's respiration system is somewhat unusual; this is made more clear in production sketches, but apparently it "breathes in" through the gills on its thighs, and "breathes out" through what is apparently a large "nostril" in the center of its crotch. Its gills apparently function equally well under water or on land.

Sachiel demonstrates the ability to adapt and enhance its own biology, as the need arises

Battle

Sachiel first appeared out of the ocean, coming ashore just east of Tokyo-3. The JSSDF tried to stop Sachiel's advance, sending in a force of Heavy Fighter Jet-VTOL craft, but they fail miserably.

At first, Sachiel is knocked back slightly by the JSSDF's missile barrage, possibly simply in surprise, but quickly it apparently gets used to the missiles and doesn't even flinch from direct hits.

Sachiel actually does not seem to behave like a stereotypical "rampaging giant monster"; it destroys a few VTOL craft almost as if it were swatting flies, but generally Sachiel seems to ignore the ineffectual attacks of the JSSDF, as it proceeds on its march to Tokyo-3. Sachiel even tilts its bony "face" slightly as if puzzled by what it is experiencing, and blinks in confusion. Sachiel also seems to avoid the VTOL craft by leaping away from its current position using an energy wave of sorts, almost like limited flight.

The JSSDF eventually uses their "last resort" by luring Sachiel to the region of Mt. Takanosu, and then detonating a planted N² Mine underneath its feet. However, this only results in slight damage to Sachiel, melting some 18% of its mass, but it is not long before it regenerates the damage. In the process of regenerating from the N² Mine attack, Sachiel's original bony "face" structure is pushed towards the upper right of its torso as a new slightly more rounded bony "face" grows from the center of its chest. While this does not stop Sachiel, it does slow down the Angel long enough for Nerv to prepare Evangelion Unit-01 to be sent into combat against Sachiel.

Sachiel appears to be capable of learning from its environment and upgrading its physical capabilities in response to external threats. After the Angel regenerates from the N² Mine attack, it develops a new ability: a long-range energy blast (which results in crucifix-shaped spikes of energy) which it fires from its eyes (on its new, more rounded face).

Sachiel does begin to attack surrounding buildings when it gets to Tokyo-3 itself (possibly because it was trying to get to Nerv HQ below).

Finally, Eva Unit 01 is launched against Sachiel, but the Eva promptly falls flat on its face. Sachiel then grabs Eva by the head, and breaks its left arm. During this, Sachiel again displays its ability to adapt, by instantly increasing the muscle mass of its own arm to increase its physical strength. While holding Eva 01 by the head, Sachiel then shoots out its energy lance from its palm, impaling Eva 01's head and flinging it against a building.

However, Eva 01 then goes into "berserker" mode, making a somersaulting drop-kick against Sachiel ending in Eva 01 ripping off half of Sachiel's bony "face" plate. Sachiel fired its energy-lance at the Eva again, but to no effect. Eva 01 then broke through Sachiel's A.T. Field, broke the Angel's arm, then kicked it into a building, and followed up by charging into it. Eva 01 then broke off pieces of bone from Sachiel's exterior ribs and repeatedly drove them into the Angel's core. Realizing it was on the verge of defeat, Sachiel once more adapted itself to give its body a whip-like consistently then jumped onto Eva 01, wrapped itself around the Eva, and self-destructed. However, this failed to destroy Eva 01.

Notes

• The "ch" in "Sachiel" is pronounced as a hard "K".
• Sachiel's core begins to glow when it first encounters Unit-01.
• Sachiel is capable of either limited flight or making unusually large jumps, possibly through some use of its A.T. Field.
• Sachiel's original, long-beaked bony-face was able to turn, and the eyes could visibly blink. This should not be possible because the masks are actually made of layers of ossified tissue, as seen when Eva-01 damages the second mask.

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