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[[Image:OP angel sachiel face clean.jpg|thumb|right|"Angel face".]]
'''Angel''' (使徒, ''shito'') is an ambiguous term that has various meanings within the ''Evangelion'' mythos depending on context.  
'''Angel''' (使徒, ''shito'') is an ambiguous term that has various meanings within the ''Evangelion'' mythos depending on context.  


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:"[This is] the bringer of life to this planet, and the agent of its extinction. The Second Angel, Lilith."</ref><ref>[[Episode 26']]. Misato: "Shinji-kun, we humans were born from the one called Lilith -- a source of life, just like Adam. We are the 18th Angel."</ref>), the natural progeny of Adam (3rd~16th), the human-shaped vessel of Adam's soul (17th: [[Kaworu Nagisa]]), and ''Homo sapiens'' itself (18th: Lilin).  
:"[This is] the bringer of life to this planet, and the agent of its extinction. The Second Angel, Lilith."</ref><ref>[[Episode 26']]. Misato: "Shinji-kun, we humans were born from the one called Lilith -- a source of life, just like Adam. We are the 18th Angel."</ref>), the natural progeny of Adam (3rd~16th), the human-shaped vessel of Adam's soul (17th: [[Kaworu Nagisa]]), and ''Homo sapiens'' itself (18th: Lilin).  


This conflict between the heavily-reinforced concept of "Angel" (god-like beings antithetical to human life) and the more inclusive version rightfully raises the question of what an Angel is actually intended to be. ''Evangelion'' plays a similar game with terms related to humanity (''hito'', ''ningen'', and ''jinrui'').  
This conflict between the heavily-reinforced concept of "Angel" (god-like beings antithetical to human life) and the more inclusive version rightfully raises the question of what an Angel is actually intended to be. ''Evangelion'' plays a similar game with terms related to [[human|humanity]] (''hito'', ''ningen'', and ''jinrui'').
 
===Analysis===
 
One possibility is that "Angel" actually refers to all beings whose origin is ultimately traceable to the [[First Ancestral Race]]. This species, the prototypical humans of NGE, produced the Seeds of Life in order to propagate new lifeforms on distant worlds, into which the F.A.R.'s souls would be reincarnated.<ref>Neon Genesis Evangelion 2: Another Cases. Kaworu's Scenario: Good Ending.</ref> Consider also that both "angel" and "apostle" (the literal meaning of Angel's Japanese equivalent, ''shito'') inherently mean "messenger". Furthermore, the F.A.R. are stated to be esteemed as gods by Adam's children and the Lilin.<ref>''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion 2]]''. [[Classified_Information_(Translation)#First_Ancestral_Race|Classified Information. First Ancestral Race.]]</ref> (On a perhaps related note, Rei muses, "What is a human? A creation of God? Is man a human creation?")<ref>''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''. [[Episode 14]]. Platinum subtitles.</ref> "Angels", then -- which we know to refer to both Seeds of Life and their progeny -- could be thought of as "messengers" for their "God(s)". The "message" to be disseminated is humanity itself.
 
==Translation==
 
{{expand}}
 
The characters in NGE are actually calling the Angels "shito", which means "apostle", while the Japanese word normally used for the western concept of Angel is "tenshi".  However, this isn't a translation mistake on the part of NGE's U.S. distributors. The "Angel" designation is clearly seen in the show's opening and at various times within the show itself, and the word "Angel" was retained in the English version of the show at the request of the show's Japanese creators{{fact}}.  


One possibility is that "Angel" actually refers to all beings whose origin is ultimately traceable to the [[First Ancestral Race]]. This species, the prototypical humans of NGE, produced the Seeds of Life in order to propagate new lifeforms on distant worlds, into which the F.A.R.'s souls would be reincarnated.<ref>Neon Genesis Evangelion 2: Another Cases. Kaworu's Scenario: Good Ending.</ref> Consider also that both "angel" and "apostle" (the literal meaning of Angel's Japanese equivalent, ''shito'') inherently mean "messenger". Furthermore, the F.A.R. are stated to be esteemed as gods by Adam's children and the Lilin. (On a perhaps related note, Rei muses, "Is man something created by man? Is man something created by God?") "Angels", then -- which we know to refer to both Seeds of Life and their progeny -- could be thought of as "messengers" for their "God(s)". The "message" to be disseminated is humanity itself.  
[[Neon Genesis Evangelion Proposal|At one point in the show's production]], the term "Apostolo" was going to be used as a counterpart to "shito" instead of "Angel".  


==Adam's Children==
==Adam's Children==
Unleashed from Adam's [[White Moon]] during [[Second Impact]] and unaccounted for until their sequential pilgrimages to Tokyo-3 fifteen years later, starting with the 3rd Angel, Sachiel. Should any of the Angels succeed in reaching Adam or Lilith, mankind would be destroyed in a destructive [[Third Impact]]. It is the task of the [[Evangelions]] and their pilots to defeat Adam's children, in accordance with both [[Gendo Ikari]]'s and Seele's plans.  
"Angels" as they are most often regarded. Unleashed from Adam's [[White Moon]] during [[Second Impact]] and unaccounted for until their sequential pilgrimages to Tokyo-3 fifteen years later, starting with the 3rd Angel, Sachiel. Should any of the Angels succeed in reaching Adam or Lilith, mankind would be destroyed in a destructive [[Third Impact]]. It is the task of the [[Evangelions]] and their pilots to defeat Adam's children, in accordance with both [[Gendo Ikari]]'s and Seele's plans.  


'''See''': [[Angels (Adam's Children)]]
'''See''': [[Angels (Adam's Children)]]
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| [[Image:Eva2-22 C0026B crop.jpg|175px]]
| [[Image:Eva2-22 C0026B crop.jpg|175px]]
| [[Third Angel]]
| [[Third Angel]]
| Discovered in permafrost prior to Sachiel's attack. Fought [[Evangelion Unit-05]] at [[Bethany Base]] in ''[[Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance|Evangelion 2.0]]''.  All subsequent Angels in Rebuild continuity have been shifted up one ordinal.
| Discovered in permafrost prior to Sachiel's attack. Fought [[Evangelion Unit-05]] at [[Bethany Base]] in ''[[Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance|Evangelion 2.0]]''.   
| -
| -
| -
| -
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| [[Image:Eva2-22 C0124 ticktock.jpg|175px]]
| [[Image:Eva2-22 C0124 ticktock.jpg|175px]]
| [[Seventh Angel]]
| [[Seventh Angel]]
| An incredibly tall clock-like Angel. The opponent in [[Evangelion Unit-02]]'s debut battle in ''[[Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance|Evangelion 2.0]]''.
| An incredibly tall clock-like Angel.  
| -
| -
| -
| -
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| ?
| ?
|}
|}
==Note on Translation==
{{expand}}
The characters in NGE are actually calling the Angels "shito", which means "apostle", while the Japanese word normally used for the western concept of Angel is "tenshi".  However, this isn't a translation mistake on the part of NGE's U.S. distributors. The "Angel" designation is clearly seen in the show's opening and at various times within the show itself, and the word "Angel" was retained in the English version of the show at the request of the show's Japanese creators{{fact}}.
At one point in the show's production, the term "Apostolo" was going to be used as a counterpart to "shito" instead of "Angel".


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 17:56, 5 March 2011

"Angel face".

Angel (使徒, shito) is an ambiguous term that has various meanings within the Evangelion mythos depending on context.

Usage

As most commonly used in the show and elsewhere, the word "Angel" refers to any of Adam's fifteen children, who Nerv must systematically destroy over the course of the story. Adam itself, the designated "First Angel", is occasionally included with its offspring when speaking of Angels collectively.[1]

However, considering Seele's list of designated "Angels" in full, it includes entities as disparate as the Seeds of Life (1st: Adam and 2nd: Lilith[2][3]), the natural progeny of Adam (3rd~16th), the human-shaped vessel of Adam's soul (17th: Kaworu Nagisa), and Homo sapiens itself (18th: Lilin).

This conflict between the heavily-reinforced concept of "Angel" (god-like beings antithetical to human life) and the more inclusive version rightfully raises the question of what an Angel is actually intended to be. Evangelion plays a similar game with terms related to humanity (hito, ningen, and jinrui).

Analysis

One possibility is that "Angel" actually refers to all beings whose origin is ultimately traceable to the First Ancestral Race. This species, the prototypical humans of NGE, produced the Seeds of Life in order to propagate new lifeforms on distant worlds, into which the F.A.R.'s souls would be reincarnated.[4] Consider also that both "angel" and "apostle" (the literal meaning of Angel's Japanese equivalent, shito) inherently mean "messenger". Furthermore, the F.A.R. are stated to be esteemed as gods by Adam's children and the Lilin.[5] (On a perhaps related note, Rei muses, "What is a human? A creation of God? Is man a human creation?")[6] "Angels", then -- which we know to refer to both Seeds of Life and their progeny -- could be thought of as "messengers" for their "God(s)". The "message" to be disseminated is humanity itself.

Translation

"Making something... Nurturing something is really great. You can see and learn so many things from the process."
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The characters in NGE are actually calling the Angels "shito", which means "apostle", while the Japanese word normally used for the western concept of Angel is "tenshi". However, this isn't a translation mistake on the part of NGE's U.S. distributors. The "Angel" designation is clearly seen in the show's opening and at various times within the show itself, and the word "Angel" was retained in the English version of the show at the request of the show's Japanese creators[Source needed].

At one point in the show's production, the term "Apostolo" was going to be used as a counterpart to "shito" instead of "Angel".

Adam's Children

"Angels" as they are most often regarded. Unleashed from Adam's White Moon during Second Impact and unaccounted for until their sequential pilgrimages to Tokyo-3 fifteen years later, starting with the 3rd Angel, Sachiel. Should any of the Angels succeed in reaching Adam or Lilith, mankind would be destroyed in a destructive Third Impact. It is the task of the Evangelions and their pilots to defeat Adam's children, in accordance with both Gendo Ikari's and Seele's plans.

See: Angels (Adam's Children)

List of Angels

This is a breakdown of all numbered Angels according to the three main Evangelion continuities.

Seele is thought to obtain the Angel names and ordinals from the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls. It is unclear why entities such as the Evangelions (copies of the Seeds) and Rei Ayanami (Lilith's "answer to" Tabris) are not included, since they would seem to possess all of the required qualifications, under the more expansive definition of "Angel".

According to a statement made by Gendo in Evangelion 1.0, seven Angels remain to be defeated after the Sixth (Ramiel).

Thumbnail Name Description Ordinal
NGE Manga Rebuild
Adam The first human on Earth. Progenitor of all "Angelic" Angels. 1st 1st ?
Lilith Progenitor of mankind (Lilin) and all other LCL-based organisms on Earth. 2nd 2nd 2nd
Third Angel Discovered in permafrost prior to Sachiel's attack. Fought Evangelion Unit-05 at Bethany Base in Evangelion 2.0. - - 3rd
Sachiel First Angel to be encountered in the series. An amphibious humanoid Angel. 3rd 3rd 4th
Shamshel Arthropod-like Angel with deadly "whips of light". 4th 4th 5th
Ramiel Extremely powerful octahedral Angel with deadly particle beam and immensely strong A.T. Field. 5th 5th 6th
Gaghiel Aquatic Angel the size of an aircraft carrier. 6th 6th -
Seventh Angel An incredibly tall clock-like Angel. - - 7th
Israfel Angel capable of merging into one body and acting in concert even when separate. 7th 7th -
Sandalphon Rapidly matured while still in embryonic stage in volcano. Capable of withstanding extremes of temperature and pressure. Resembles the Cambrian predator Anomalocaris. 8th - -
Matarael Four-legged spider-like Angel that secretes acid from its ventral eye. 9th - -
Sahaquiel Monstrous Angel that threatens to destroy Tokyo-3 by falling on the city from low earth orbit. 10th Unnumbered[7] 8th
Ireul Microscopic Angel that appears deep inside Nerv Headquarters. Capable of hacking into computer systems. 11th - -
Leliel Angel with a black hole-like shadow body that exists in higher dimensions. 12th - -
Bardiel Has a physical structure similar to a slime fungus. Parasitizes and gains control over Evangelion Unit-03. 13th 8th 9th
Zeruel Extremely powerful Angel with strong A.T. Field and no shortage of destructive power. Meets an especially brutal fate. 14th 9th 10th
Arael Glowing suborbital bird-like Angel that probes minds with a beam of light. 15th 10th -
Armisael First appears as a glowing double helix. Capable of changing form and fusing with an Eva. 16th 11th -
Tabris Ostensibly a fifteen year old human male. Vessel of Adam's soul. 17th 12th ?
Lilin Humans -- as we tend to think of them. 18th 13th ?

References

  1. ↑ Episode 12:
    • Misato: "Destroying Angels is my duty."
      Ritsuko: "Your duty? Don't make me laugh. This is for your own sake, isn't it? Your revenge against the Angels!"
    • Misato: "The only thing that was clear to me was I wanted to destroy the Angels who caused the Second Impact. So in order to do that, I joined Nerv."
  2. ↑ Lilith's designation as the Second Angel is never provided in-show, although it can be reasonably deduced due to the fact that no Second Angel is ever named, and Lilith is never assigned an ordinal. Its status as Second Angel is stated outright in several supplemental canonical sources (including Bandai's collectible card game, the Classified Information, and Evangelion Chronicle). It is also stated directly in the Rebuild canon:
    Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone. Misato (showing Shinji the giant in Central Dogma):
    "[This is] the bringer of life to this planet, and the agent of its extinction. The Second Angel, Lilith."
  3. ↑ Episode 26'. Misato: "Shinji-kun, we humans were born from the one called Lilith -- a source of life, just like Adam. We are the 18th Angel."
  4. ↑ Neon Genesis Evangelion 2: Another Cases. Kaworu's Scenario: Good Ending.
  5. ↑ Neon Genesis Evangelion 2. Classified Information. First Ancestral Race.
  6. ↑ Neon Genesis Evangelion. Episode 14. Platinum subtitles.
  7. ↑ Sadamoto skips from 7th Angel (Israfel) to 8th Angel (Bardiel), despite having the Evas sortie against Sahaquiel in between.



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


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