| Within Evangelion religious and metaphysical theories play around the series. Here are some of the references made in the series. | |
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ADAM Adam was the First Angel, and also the first human. That means that the Angels and Humans are related. ANGELS In Japan, these were called Shitou (which means disciples or prophets). Over here they translated it to Angel. Each Angel has a name which corresponds to the names of the Angels described in medieval science (back in medieval time everything had to involve angels). Dead Sea Scrolls The Dead Sea Scrolls refers to a set of manuscripts discovered in the ancient ruins of Judea. Shepherd boys found the first in 1947. They have been said to originate from a library of an ancient Jewish community. Over 500 manuscripts have been found in the vicinity. DOGMA Dogma is the tenet of religious faith. In Evangelion "Dogma" is the name where NERV underground base is and "Terminal Dogma" is where Lilith is kept crucified to a huge red cross. Evangelion Back in medieval days the Judeo-Christians categorize and named all the angels and demons of the afterlife. The barons of hell are very important to the series. One baron was said to have a featureless face except for one large eye. (EVA-00) The baron of darkness had a large singular horn and numerous great gnashing teeth. (EVA-01) Another baron was described as blood red and a face with four eyes and two mouths. (EVA-02) The fourth baron was said to be black as pitch and had unnaturally long arms. (EVA-03) LANCE OF LONGINUS Longinus was the Roman soldier whose spear pierced the side of the crucified Christ, in Christian lore. In Evangelion, the Lance of Longinus is about 20 meters long, and pierces Lilith's side. LILITH In Jewish lore, Lilith was Adam's first wife. Lilith gave birth to the demons of the world. In Evangelion, Lilith is the mother of humanity. NERV has her nailed to a cross and the Lance of Longinus piercing her side. MAGI Three supercomputers that run NERV (and Tokyo-3) are named after three biblical names: Caspar, Belthasar and Melchior, the three wise men who brought gifts to Christ. MARDUK This institute selects candidates to become Eva pilots (who are 14 years old, and who have a dark past). The group is named for a Babylonian god to whom children were ritually sacrificed. NERV/SEELE/GEHIRN NERV is German for "nerve," SEELE mean "soul" and GEHIRN is "brain". The secret organization run by the Japanese government, which Kaji worked for, was called PITUITARY. Ode to Joy Ode to Joy is from the final movement of Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. He wrote this in a time when he was ironically a sad period of his life, his becoming completely deaf,he never heard what his music sounds like. Beethoven turned to God for inner joy durring this time. TREE OF LIFE The Kabbalah, shows up as both the mystical Tree of Life and a Jacob's Ladder being displayed during the opening theme. German priest Athanasius Kircher drew the Sephiroticum System, for the tree, in 1653, it appears on the ceiling of Gendou's office. In End of Evangelion, Unit-01 evolved into the Tree of Life, completing the link between God and Man. |