Difference between revisions of "Human Instrumentality Project"

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The '''Human Instrumentality Project''' (occasionally "Human Complementation Project") is [[Seele]] and [[Nerv]]'s secret goal; the forced evolution of humanity through bringing about a version of [[Third Impact]] under their own control. As a result, all [[Lilim]] [[soul]]s would be gathered into [[Black Moon|Lilith's Egg]] and united as one being. This would create an existence where nobody existed singularly, but merely as part of the whole. In Instrumentality the flaws in every living being would be complimented by the strengths in others, thus erasing the insecurities in people's hearts.
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The '''Human Instrumentality Project''' (人類補完計画, ''Jinrui Hokan Keikaku'') is [[Seele]]'s secret goal: the forced evolution of humanity through bringing about [[Third Impact]] under their own control. The [[Human Instrumentality Committee]] oversees [[Nerv]]'s work to bring about completion of the project.
  
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This is loosely analogous to how many musical instruments played together harmonize with and "complement" each other.
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==Basics of Instrumentality==
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Human Instrumentality would arise as a result of the Third Impact, resulting in all [[Lilin]] [[soul]]s being gathered into [[Black Moon|Lilith's Egg]] and united as a single existance. This would create a state of being for humanity where no individual existed; even identifying this being as a conglomerate would be incorrect, since there would be no such concept as an individual. To achieve this extreme homogenization, the flaws in every living being would be complemented by the strengths in others, thus filling the gaps and erasing the insecurities in people's hearts.
  
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The goal of achieving "Instrumentality" is reflected in the fig-leaf logo of Nerv:  essentially, Instrumentality is  elevating mankind to a higher evolutionary plane by forcibly re-entering the "Garden of Eden". Thus it is actually something of a step backwards, but in the same sense that going back to a time before Original Sin and the Fall of Man is a "step backward".
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==Seele's Plans==
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While the above explanation is given repeatedly throughout the series and ''[[End of Evangelion]]'', a scene in the latter suggests there is more to Seele's plan for Instrumentality. However, Seele's objectives are greatly expanded upon in the game ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion 2]]''. The [[Classified Information]] and the Seele ending of the game discuss a very different form of Instrumentality than seen in the series - Seele intend for Instrumentality to only be for ''their own council members''. Rather than forming a sea of LCL, Seele wish to be merged inside an Evangelion unit with its own {{S2}}, after destroying the [[Spear of Longinus]]. By placing their own souls within the body of a godlike being, and destroying the only weapon that can harm the body, they would effectively create an immortal God with human soul which would represent the pinnacle of human existence, and live through all of eternity. Seele's plan as presented in the game is unconcerned with the rest of humanity. While the council members are to be joined in the Godlike being, all other humans will cease to exist.
  
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Life in the galaxy began with the [[First Ancestral Race]], god-like progenitor aliens who spread life on many planets using [[Seed of Life|Seeds of Life]].  There were two kinds of Seed of Life:  those whose progeny benefited from the "Fruit of Life" (like [[Adam]], which created the [[Angel]]s) and those whose progeny would benefit from the "Fruit of Knowledge" (like Lilith, which (indirectly) created humans).  Two Seeds of Life were never meant to land on the same planet, as the fusion of Adam-type and Lilith-type life is forbidden by the First Ancestral Race. Such a union of the "Fruit of Life" with the "Fruit of Knowledge" would create life on the same god-like level as the First Ancestral Race. This is in essence similar to how in the Book of Genesis in the Bible, after Adam and Eva ate the apple from the Tree of Knowledge God exiled them from the Garden of Eden, lest they also eat from the Tree of Life and become like God himself.  Instrumentality, therefore, is an attempt to forcibly move the species back to the state it was in the "Garden of Eden": to forcibly re-enter the unified state of existence that life existed in before the First Ancestral Race split it into two halves of Life and Knowledge, Angels and Humans. Life would thus exist as a unified, complemented superorganism, in many ways (from a psychological and thematic perspective) like actively fighting to reenter the "womb".
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In the [[Rebuild of Evangelion|New Theatrical Edition]], Seele's plans are different from the original series : according to Kaworu, it is now a "rite of artificial evolution" brought upon mankind in which "old life"(the Lilin) is sacrificed to create a new race of being blessed with the Fruit of Life. Still according to him, it has been programmed "since time immemorial".
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==Gendo's plans==
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[[Gendo]] allows Seele to believe he is following their plan, but actually sticks to his own: he wishes to use Instrumentality to reunite with his wife [[Yui]]; while he mentions to Seele that "death creates nothing", the series never goes into more detail on what plans he had for the rest of humanity during Instrumentality. His plans go awry when Rei rebels against him, starting Third Impact.
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In the ''Neon Genesis Evangelion 2'' game, Gendo's plan culminates with all souls merging inside [[Eva-01]]. Gendo, and Shinji, are at last reunited with Yui.
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==In Popular Media==
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* The Dead Space franchise features a similar event known as ''Convergence'', wherein all humans infected by a certain virus are brought into a collective body. The video game series centers around fighting the source of this virus, in a manner not dissimilar from the Evangelions.
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==Notes==
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In English, ''Instrumentality'' is a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrumentality_of_Mankind Instrumentality of Mankind], from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordwainer_Smith Cordwainer Smith's sci-fi novels.] In the original Japanese, however, it is referred to as ''補完 (Hokan)''. [https://jisho.org/search/%E8%A3%9C "Ho"] translates literally to "supplement, supply, make good, offset, compensate, assistant, learner" and [https://jisho.org/search/%E5%AE%8C "kan"] to "perfect, completion, end". translate literally to "complete" or "completion". In many early fan translations, it is referred to as "Complementation". This nuance can be understood as the separate, individual egos of humankind being complemented by others. Alternatively, it can also have a nuance of "perfecting" humanity into a superior being. The "tuning" metaphor present in [[Death & Rebirth]] is also appropriate.
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==Related Articles==
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* [[Third Impact]]
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[[Category:A to Z]]
 
[[Category:A to Z]]
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[[Category:Terminology]]
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[[Category:Events]]

Revision as of 20:04, 5 April 2021

The Human Instrumentality Project (人類補完計画, Jinrui Hokan Keikaku) is Seele's secret goal: the forced evolution of humanity through bringing about Third Impact under their own control. The Human Instrumentality Committee oversees Nerv's work to bring about completion of the project.

Basics of Instrumentality

Human Instrumentality would arise as a result of the Third Impact, resulting in all Lilin souls being gathered into Lilith's Egg and united as a single existance. This would create a state of being for humanity where no individual existed; even identifying this being as a conglomerate would be incorrect, since there would be no such concept as an individual. To achieve this extreme homogenization, the flaws in every living being would be complemented by the strengths in others, thus filling the gaps and erasing the insecurities in people's hearts.

Seele's Plans

While the above explanation is given repeatedly throughout the series and End of Evangelion, a scene in the latter suggests there is more to Seele's plan for Instrumentality. However, Seele's objectives are greatly expanded upon in the game Neon Genesis Evangelion 2. The Classified Information and the Seele ending of the game discuss a very different form of Instrumentality than seen in the series - Seele intend for Instrumentality to only be for their own council members. Rather than forming a sea of LCL, Seele wish to be merged inside an Evangelion unit with its own S² Engine, after destroying the Spear of Longinus. By placing their own souls within the body of a godlike being, and destroying the only weapon that can harm the body, they would effectively create an immortal God with human soul which would represent the pinnacle of human existence, and live through all of eternity. Seele's plan as presented in the game is unconcerned with the rest of humanity. While the council members are to be joined in the Godlike being, all other humans will cease to exist.

In the New Theatrical Edition, Seele's plans are different from the original series : according to Kaworu, it is now a "rite of artificial evolution" brought upon mankind in which "old life"(the Lilin) is sacrificed to create a new race of being blessed with the Fruit of Life. Still according to him, it has been programmed "since time immemorial".

Gendo's plans

Gendo allows Seele to believe he is following their plan, but actually sticks to his own: he wishes to use Instrumentality to reunite with his wife Yui; while he mentions to Seele that "death creates nothing", the series never goes into more detail on what plans he had for the rest of humanity during Instrumentality. His plans go awry when Rei rebels against him, starting Third Impact.

In the Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 game, Gendo's plan culminates with all souls merging inside Eva-01. Gendo, and Shinji, are at last reunited with Yui.


In Popular Media

  • The Dead Space franchise features a similar event known as Convergence, wherein all humans infected by a certain virus are brought into a collective body. The video game series centers around fighting the source of this virus, in a manner not dissimilar from the Evangelions.

Notes

In English, Instrumentality is a reference to Instrumentality of Mankind, from Cordwainer Smith's sci-fi novels. In the original Japanese, however, it is referred to as 補完 (Hokan). "Ho" translates literally to "supplement, supply, make good, offset, compensate, assistant, learner" and "kan" to "perfect, completion, end". translate literally to "complete" or "completion". In many early fan translations, it is referred to as "Complementation". This nuance can be understood as the separate, individual egos of humankind being complemented by others. Alternatively, it can also have a nuance of "perfecting" humanity into a superior being. The "tuning" metaphor present in Death & Rebirth is also appropriate.

Related Articles


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