Activation Test
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"We've seen it. The proof of its construction was very useful." |
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They say a picture is worth a thousand words... |
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"You told me that you returned the day before the incident. Was it also good luck that you returned with your research aswell?" |
The activation test is a diagnostic performed the first time an Evangelion unit is activated. The outcome of the test will determine if the Eva is ready to be out on the field. If successful, then the Eva and it's pilot are ready to fight. If a failure - which can happen for a multitude of reasons - further testing must be done before another test is set. There is no need for a future activation test if one is already successful.
Contents
Procedure
The Evangelion is hooked up to an umbilical cable, and its internal batteries are charged. After this process is complete, the signal plug is ejected and the entry plug is inserted into the body of the Evangelion. As opposed to a standard activation, the optic nerves are not activated[1]. Power is supplied to the Evangelion unit until it reaches an internal threshold, at which point the Evangelion is deemed to be activated and fit for future re-activations.
Evangelion Unit-00
Main Article: Episode 05
In what also the very first activation test of an Eva, Eva 00's first test was a failure, going berserk, punching the glass window of the control room and banging it's head on the wall in pain. It was cut off from power and allowed to exhaust its internal batteries, stopping it from causing further damage. After it lost power, a signal plug was inserted, effectively rendering the unit useless. The unit's second activation went without problems.
Evangelion Unit-01
Main Article: Episode 01
It is not specified when Eva-01 underwent its first activation, but it is a possibility that the unit never had a proper activation test and was sent directly into combat against Sachiel with Shinji Ikari as its pilot. It is also possible that Rei Ayanami may have been the pilot used for Eva-01's activation test, but the pilot-swap test seen in Episode 14 suggests this was not the case.
Evangelion Unit-02
Asuka activated and trained with her Evangelion in Germany, long before it ever made an appearance.
Evangelion Unit-03
Main Article: Episode 18
During the activation test in the testing facility in Matsushiro, Eva-03 was infected by Bardiel, which entered the Eva during transit and lay dormant until its activation test. An explosion is triggered, causing the facility be obliterated. After escaping the wreckage, Eva-03 is reclassified as the 13th angel and destroyed by Nerv.[2]
Evangelion Unit-04
The activation test of Eva-04 is shrouded in mystery. The only known fact is that its S2 engine was activated, before enveloping Nerv's Nevada branch in a Dirac Sea. Since no pilot is ever mentioned in connection with the Eva and the test was specifically an engine test, it would probably have undergone activation testing later.
Mass Production Evangelions
All the MPEs were most likely activated at Seele before appearing in End of Evangelion. Because they are clearly piloted by dummy plugs, it stands to reason that they must have been activated with the plugs as well.
In Rebuild
Evangelion Provisional Unit-05
It is assumed that Eva-05 finished its original activation test seconds before it appeared on-screen. The text characters covering the walls of her entry plug suggest that some sort of internal diagnostic occurred following its first (and only) activation.
Evangelion Mark.06
Nothing is known about the Mk.06's activation or if it even needed an activation test. Since this Eva was built in utmost secrecy on the moon and sent down to earth in a hurry following Zeruel's attack, it probably never went any sort of testing.
Evangelion Unit-08
Eva-08 was presumably tested sometime during the 14 year timeskip.
Evangelion Mark.09
Nothing is known about the Mark.09, or whether it underwent any sort of activation test.
Evangelion 13
No testing seen onscreen, apparently sent directly into operation.
