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Rei the Second Angel?

spoiler[Anyway NERV used Lilith to create the dummy plug system which is Rei.]

spoiler[So more or less, Rei is a part of Lilith from what I was able to gather. Anyway in End Of Eva Gendou uses Rei and Adam to initiate the 3rd Impact but in that process I believe Rei becomes Lilith. So basically, Lilith is the second Angel and not Rei, but Rei is a part of and eventually becomes Lilith.]

spoiler[ and it's also why just before Rei enters Lilith in EoE, the on-screen text says
(okaerinasai) or
"Welcome Home".]

Is there an English "Guide Book" to understanding the series for people like me who see much of the deeper story in Eva as just plain "out there"?

When do they hint, or do they straight out tell you, about spoiler[humans being forms of Lilith?] [snip][spoiler] I always thought that spoiler[humans were the 18th Angel. Well I don't remember what number exactly but the number after the last angel who was human, was he gay?]

on Platinum volumes 5 and 7, there is a two part commentary by Matt Greenfield and Sean McCoy that helps illuminate the theme of the series, as well as some of the deeper points of it.

There is a really good commentary about "Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis" in the insert for Platinum DVD 2 in which it asks, spoiler["[W]hy does the caption "ANGEL" appear after the scene of the boy's face and the scene of Rei Ayanami?" Now, every time I watch the opening I make it a point to catch that part.]

joel_s95387 wrote:

When do they hint, or do they straight out tell you, about spoiler[humans being forms of Lilith?] [snip][spoiler] I always thought that spoiler[humans were the 18th Angel. Well I don't remember what number exactly but the number after the last angel who was human, was he gay?]

spoiler[Kawouru was the 17th angel, and no he was not gay. He also is the one who talks about humans being Lillim (the offspring of Lillith), although it may have been mentioned earlier, I don't remember. Humans are the 18th angel. Much like the offspring of a cat is another cat, the offspring of an angel are other angels. That's why they are all given numbers, but all angels came from Adam, and we came from Lillith.]

Just something to elaborate on, spoiler[The Angels from my understanding evolve throughout the show. While their actual forms don't neccessarily become more complex, each Angel has a different approach to reaching Adam. Anyway the different forms of the Angels symbolize a form of evolution, until at the end of the series the Angels finally evolve into their final form which just so happens to be...man.]

The Angels

All of the angels in Evangelion are genuine named ones (if you missed their names, rewatch the recap episodes more closely), and most of them bear the names they do for a reason. Here's a breakdown:

Adam: the first Angel, whose significance comes from the kabbalistic tradition that the Biblical Adam was the 'ultimate man' and a mystic symbol of wholeness and completion. As an aside, the design on the floor of Gendou's office is essentially a kabbalistic map of the universe, culminating in God in his aspect as the Unknowable... right at Gendou's desk.

The Second Angel's identity is never really spelled out, but it's a good guess that it's Lilith, who in Jewish tradition was Adam's first wife, who left him and bore legions of demons to bedevil his children. This is very interesting in light of some of the Seventeenth Angel's dialogue.

Sachiel: Third Angel and first one seen in the series. Sachiel is one of the cherubim, and is specifically noted as being a servitor of the princes of Hell.

Shamshel: Fourth angel, the guardian angel of Eden (that is, the angel charged with keeping humans out once they'd been evicted from it), and yet another fallen angel according to the apocryphal book of Enoch. This is the Angel some refer to as the 'naughty tentacle' Angel; I kindly suggest that these people calm down a bit.

Ramiel: Angel number five, chief of thunder who presides over true visions (appropriate for a show like Eva, even if his appearance doesn't have anything to do with that) and is depicted in the show as a giant blue octahedron.

Gaghiel: the aquatic sixth Angel, who I couldn't find much on. The Eva Sage (see the Further Investigation section) calls him the angel of fish, but I can't find a reference for that.

Israfel: Angel seven, the splitting one. In Arabic lore, Israfel is the angel who will blow the final trumpet on Judgement Day, and is also destined to be destroyed then (in other words, a harbinger of Apocalypse). Also the only Angel from Evangelion to be mentioned in the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Sandalphon: the eighth Angel, who was found in a larval state in a volcano. Appropriately, he is said to be 'instrumental in bringing about the differentation of sex in the embryo'. Also said to be the same being as the prophet Elijah by some sources.

Matarael: Ninth Angel, the spidery weeping one. The aforementioned Book of Enoch calls it one of the rulers of the world, and angel of rain (chosen because it weeps a rain of acid? That's my best guess...)

Sahaquiel: this descending Tenth Angel is said to be ruler of the sky in Enoch.

Iruel: the viral Eleventh and called Angel of fear (which is appropriate, but not moreso for this one than any of the others).

Leliel: Angel Twelve is actually another demon, which rules the night and is called prince of conception (appropriate for its womblike nature).

Bardiel: Thirteenth in the series of Angels and the angel of hail (watch all the clouds in episode 18 closely).

Zeruel: Chief of the principalities, angel of strength, and Angel number Fourteen. This one is the strongest of the Angels that engages in physical combat, and also helped David kill Goliath.

Arael: The Fifteen Angel is the prince of birds and resembles one vaguely.

Armisael: Angel Sixteen is shaped like a glowing double helix (you know, DNA) and called the angel of the womb; make what sense of that you will.

Tabris: The final Angel seen, number Seventeen is said to be the angel of free will and that turns out to be a very appropriate choice of name.