UrsusArctos: Eva-00 turning into a glowing, Eva-sized giant Rei is an addition to the Director's Cut version, in the original the Eva simply blew up with Armisael still attached. The armor and even the umbilical cable mysteriously "phase out" into complete nonexistence as the transformation happens. Notice how she's still reaching out to Gendo in her last moments - and he's nowhere to be seen or heard.
