When the Second Impact almost destroyed the Earth inNeon Genesis Evangelion, what was left of humanity turned to the eponymous Evangelion Units as their last line of defense against the extraterrestrial Angels. Similar to the alien Angels that used technology beyond society’s comprehension, the EVA Units were eventually revealed to be using a similar power source to that of their sworn enemies.
However, with the many EVA Units featured inNeon Genesis Evangelion, some stand out as superior to their brethren. While the mecha all serve as Earth’s last defense against the Angel threat, certain Evangelion Units have a more powerful arsenal and toolkit than viewers expect.
Rei Ayanami
Skillset
Prototype EVA; Upgraded to fit combat conditions; Incompatible with standard equipment
Status
Destroyed; Self-destructed to destroy 16th Angel Armisael
Designated as a Prototype Unit, theEvangelion Unit 00is the first fully functional Evangelion. Derived from First Angel Adam, Unit-00 initially boasts no special features until it is upgraded with better armor. Pilotedby Rei Ayanami, Unit-00 is most notable for wielding the Enchanted Shield of Virtue against the Sixth Angel, capable of withstanding the Angel’s targeted laser blasts while Unit-01 sniped and destroyed its core.
Despite being a Prototype Unit, Unit-00 is extremely durable. Not only did it go berserk during its first activation, but Unit-00 experienced significant damage against the Eighth Angel. Moreover, Rei initiated Unit-00’s self-destruct sequence against the Tenth Angel, which it survived while sustaining heavy damage.
Presumed Destroyed during Additional Impact
Unlike other Evangelions in theNeon Genesis Evangelionfranchise, theEvangelion Unit 08is designated as a Custom Unit. In turn, Unit-08 has quite an unconventional appearance compared to its other Evangelion unit counterparts.
However, while it’s an exclusive in theRebuild of Evangelionfilms, not much is known about its full capabilities. In the films, Unit-08 was deemed capable enough to aid the Tesseract-captured Unit-01. However, even when Unit-08’s Mari recommends Unit-02’s Asuka to lead the op, Unit-08 is seen as capable of providing excellent sniper support.
Toji Suzuhara
Standard Anti-Angel combat abilities; Angel-infected mutations such as arm extensions, infectious ooze
Destroyed by berserking Unit-01
Being a Production Unit in the series,Evangelion Unit 03bears a striking resemblance to its sibling Unit-02 save for the black color scheme. On top of Asuka piloting the unit once, not much is known about its full capabilities. However, what made Unit-03 dangerous throughout theevents of theEvangelionseriesis ironically not due to its own abilities, but rather the fact that it housed the Ninth Angel, a being it’s built to destroy.
Upon full infection, the Angel-controlled Unit-03 is seen easily destroying the Matsuhiro Test Facility. Its Angel influence also quickly manifested all over Unit-03, showcasing a blue ooze that prevented its entry plug from being removed, the capability of growing extra limbs for various purposes, and movement patterns normally not done by Evangelion units.
Presumed Destroyed during Third Impact
Officially designated as a Production Model, theEvangelion Unit 02in theRebuildfilmswas created specifically to handle high-intensity combat. Compared to Unit 01 and Unit 00,Unit-02 piloted by Asukais customizable to accommodate different combat equipment. In turn, the Unit-02 has two Progressive Knives instead of the usual one as well as the ability to use high-powered weaponry.
What makes Unit-02 stand out among the rest of its counterparts is its special Beast Mode. Built into the unit as a special command, Beast Mode heavily alters the physical state of Unit-02 to accommodate extreme combat situations. Such is the strength of Beast Mode Unit-02 that it’s able to penetrate several layers of the Tenth Angel’s nigh-impervious AT-Fields.
Kaworu-type Dummy System
S2 Engines; Standard Anti-Angel combat abilities; Flight; Spear of Longinus Replicas
Helped start Third Impact; Presumed Destroyed during Third Impact
Launched during the Third Impact, theMass Production Evangelionsare autonomous EVA units designed to contain the power of Lilith (this time, Unit-01) for control over instrumentality. In the plot, this process easily backfires as the Mass Production Evangelions are easily subdued by the empowered Unit-01.
However, at base, the Mass Production Evangelions remain some of the fiercest threats the ordinary units faced in the series. Similar to Angels, these units are powered by nigh-limitless energy from S2 Engines. Not only that, each of them is capable of flight and wields replicas of the Spear of Longinus capable of disabling both Evangelion and Angel alike.
Damaged by a self-destructing Unit-02y; Destroyed by Additional Impact
Considered a successor of Unit-00 in terms of design, theEvangelion Mark 09easily dominates most existing EVA units in theRebuild of Evangelionseries. Its original mission was to secure Shinji from WILLE, an organization developed to stop NERV and destroy the Evangelions - a mission it succeeds flawlessly.
On top of possessing traditional EVA functionalities, the lack of plugs implies that Mark 09 is powered by an S2 Engine. It’s also capable of self-propelled flight and combat function even after decapitation. Moreover, the Mark 09 is capable of using its AT-Field to attack offensively such as explosions,similar to Angels. It took Asuka realizing Mark 09 itself is its own core and having to self-destruct Unit-02 as the only way to stop it.
Stopped Third Impact; Presumed Destroyed during Additional Impact
The Moon-basedEvangelion Mark 06is aRebuild of Evangelionexclusive, initially piloted by Kaworu Nagisa with the intent of uniting with Second Angel Lilith as “the true Evangelion.” Implied to be powered by an S2 Engine, Mark 06 is seen capable of traveling Earth’s orbit.
What makes Mark 06 interesting is how it’s used to seal the mysterious Twelfth Angel. While not given actual physical form in the series, it’s hinted that the Twelfth Angel’s destruction could cause some form of catastrophe. It’s unknown whether this sealing is the source of the Mark 06’s abilities. During the death of Mark 06 and the Twelfth Angel’s premature appearance, Evangelion 13’s consumption of the beinginitiated the Fourth Impact.
Unknown; Started the Fourth Impact; Presumed Destroyed during Additional Impact
The mysteriousEvangelion Unit 13makes its debut in the thirdRebuildfilm, appearing first as a similarly-colored Unit-01 of a larger scale. Capable of wielding two Spears, Unit-13’s immense power capacity necessitates two entry plugs. Not only that, its lack of an AT-Field is compensated by man-made RS Hoppers that can also be used in a variety of means. The implication that Unit-13 needs an S2 Engine means it may have been derived from First Angel Adam’s body.
Initiallypiloted by Kaworu Nagisa and Shinji Ikariin their attempt to cause the Fourth Impact, Unit-13 is eventually piloted by Gendo Ikari to go to the Minus Space and reunite with Yui. Such was the power of Unit-13 that it was able to penetrate a completely incomprehensible version of reality, as well as facilitate the means of recreating the world in its pilot’s image.
Unknown; Started the Third Impact; Presumed Destroyed during Additional Impact
On top of being the most iconic Evangelion unit in the series,Evangelion Unit 01piloted by Shinji Ikariis perhaps the most powerful EVA in any of its iterations. Formally designated as a Test Type, Unit-01 has the same physical makeup as an Adam-based EVA but is in fact an experimental unit created from Lilith’s body. On top of Yui Ikari’s soul merging with the unit during a Contact Experiment, Unit-01 is the closest the series has to a Lilith substitute.
This reality was also immediately recognized in the plot when Unit-01 was designated the best means of achieving the Human Instrumentality Project. Such is the raw power of Unit-01 that Yui’s soul overtaking the unit has saved Shinji Ikari multiple times in combat. Moreover, Unit-01 eventually devouring an S2 Engine united its Lilith body with Adam’s genetic makeup, creating a “forbidden” god-like unity that facilitated the Third Impact and put the fate of the world in Shinji’s hands.
Exists in the Minus Space, between fiction and reality
Unknown, Started the Additional Impact
When Shinji and Gendo Ikari’sconflict in theRebuildfilmsbrings them to the incomprehensible Minus Space, the latter shows the former his plans of executing his version of the Human Instrumentality Project through theEvangelion Imaginary. This “theoretical” Evangelion unit is perceivable only to humans, the only beings capable of experiencing both reality and fiction.
According to Gendo, the Spears of Longinus and Cassius are meant to “fuse” and pierce Imaginary, forcing reality and imagination to blend together into “homogenized” information via the Additional Impact. Theoretically, this should let Gendo rewrite reality and be reunited with his wife and Shinji’s mother, Yui Ikari. However, Imaginary is sucked back into Minus Space when Shinji uses it and the fused Spear to destroy theEvangelionuniverse.
