So, yeah. The new Evangelion movies are quite complex/complicated, just like the original series, but since it differs from that at least partially, I´d consider it its own canon - but still this imho does not conflict it to be some sort of sequel, which I think it might be. And for this I thought some kind of summary would be helpful - and I´d like your help as well to expand/complete/correct it :) I don´t have all dates in mind. Watched the movies now again a few times with german dub and took notes so I hope I didn´t forget anything.
The 1st Impact (speculative)
Billions of years ago a black orb hit the earth. It´s surface resembles the moon and it, being some kind of an egg, contained Lilith.
The 2nd Impact
At an unknown date (unconfirmed September 13th 2000) there was an expedition to the South Pole. There happened to be an incident with 4 white creatures - made of light? - probably called the Adams. Half of the world population died. The worlds oceans became red, everything died. 4 giant crosses still can be seen.
Near 3rd Impact
15 years after the 2nd Impact Evangelion 01 awoke and merged with the 10th Angel containing Evangelion 00/Rei Ayanami. This event created a new lifeform. This process was eventually disturbed by Evangelion Mark.06/Kaworu Nagisa with a huge unidentified lance.
SEELE
An Organization called SEELE was created. Their plan is to realize the Human Instrumentality Project - in german - Plan zur Komplementarität der Menschheit. To do so, they follow the predictions of the Dead Sea Scrolls. For this they also created NERV. SEELE consists of 7 members.
NERV
NERV is an organization under the command of Gendo Ikari. They "build" and train special children to control the so called Evangelions to fight the Angels. NERV has several bases around the globe.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls were special texts with lots of extremely detailed predictions about upcoming events, like the defeat of certain angels, the finding of the children as well as the activation of Evangelion 01. They were considered as apocrypha. SEELE apparently did keep parts of the content a secret, NERV was unaware of that. Their origin is unknown.
Contract with Lilith
SEELE has some sort of pact with the 2nd Angel - Lilith. To fulfil the contract:
1. - Lilith has to be protected
2. - The angels have to be defeated
The aim of the pact is the creation of the one true Evangelion - Mark.06 -, and the resurrection of Lilith. All other Evangelions, including 01, are just the means to this end. Because of this, NERV is trying to speed up the awakening of Evangelion 01 to achieve their own aim.
Key of Nebukadnezar
The Key of Nebukadnezar is refered to as a signpost for the union of the human soul with god. It is supposed to open the gate of the instrumentality of mankind. It is also refered to as the lost number as a substitute. Its physical form resambles a human nervous system.
Serial Number: 0000-0000-xxxx
Speciman name: Nebukadnezar
Evangelions
The Evangelions are huge human-like creatures that can be controlled by some special children as well as a so called dummy plug system.
Dummy System
The Dummy System DMSYS is an artificial pilot to replace the pilots.
Vatican Treaty
According to the Vatican Treaty every nation is just allowed to use 3 Evangelions at once. If there are more, they have to be shut down.
Evangelion construction sites
NERV branch 01 - Golgatha
The first branch is also the main NERV headquarter. It´s located in Japan and run directly by NERV.
Construction site of Evangelion 00 and 01
NERV branch 02 - name unknown
The second branch is located in the USA and run by the american division of NERV.
Construction site of Evangelion 03 and 04
NERV branch 0X - Bethania
Bethania is located at the former North Pole and run by the european division of NERV.
Construction site of Evangelion 05.
NERV branch 0X - name unknown
Located in Germany.
Construction site of Evangelion 02.
SEELEs secret base - Tabgha
Tabgha is located on the moon and directly run by SEELE.
Construction site of Evangelion 06.
Evangelion 00 - Proto Type - Zerogoki
Evangelion 00 (Japan) is the first prototype. Its pilot is Rei Ayanami.
Evangelion 01 Test Type - Shogoki
Evangelion 01 (Japan) is a test type Evangelion and the most important one to NERV. Its pilot is Shinji Ikari. It´s also implied that 01 contains Yui Ikari, Gendos wife.
Evangelion 02 - Production Model - Nigoki
Evangelion 02 (Europe) is the first real Evangelion. It´s able to enact a so called Beast Mode. Its pilot is Asuka Langley.
Evangelion 03 - Production Model
Evangelion 03 (USA) is another Evangelion. NERV was "forced" to take over 03 after an incident with Evangelion 04. Its test pilot is Asuka Langley.
Evangelion 04
Evangelion 04 (USA) is another new prototype which was supposed to get a new unlimited energy source. It simply disappeared including the whole base.
(Pictures of Unit 04 are taken from a commercial and are for presentation purposes only)
Evangelion 05 - Provisional Unit
Evangelion 05 Provisional (USA/Russia) was another prototype and the only Evangelion having 4 legs. Its pilot is Mari Illustrious.
Evangelion Mark.06
Evangelion Mark.06 is the supposedly one true Evangelion. It was build on the moon. NERV had no knowledge regarding that and got their intel about that from Kaji. According to Fuyutsuki there wasn´t supposed to be another Evangelion after Unit 05. Its pilot is Kaworu Nagisa.
Evangelion 07
No information given.
Evangelion 08
No information given.
Evangelion Weapons
The Lance of Evangelion Mark.06
More to be added.
The Children
The children are the pilots of the Evangelions.
1st child / 1st girl - Rei Ayanami
Origin: Japan. No official background given. She is a clone of Yui Ikari. Her medical status is often checked due to this - she also has to take some pills.
2nd child / 2nd girl - Asuka Shikinami Langley
Origin: Germany. Ritsuko described her as a pretty valuable research object.
3rd child / 3rd boy - Shinji Ikari
Origin: Japan. The son of Gendo and Yui Ikari. He was born after the 2nd Impact, but mentions that the oceans were still blue when he was born.
No assignment - Mari Makinami Illustrious
Origin: England. No background given. She has a huge intel. Works probably for SEELE and is undercover in Japan - also has access to the Evangelions. Kaji knows her - NERV apparently has no knowledge about her.
No assignment - Kaworu Nagisa
Origin: awakes from one of at least 9 coffins on the moon. Fuyutsuki was surprised by his existence on the moon - Kaworu called Gendo father. He also seems to have some special perception and knows Shinji.
Neo Tokyo III
Neo Tokyo III is a huge city/fortress located beyond earths surface in the so called Geofront which was erected in the black orb.
Central Dogma
The Central Dogma is a place deep below the NERV HQ. Lilith is kept there under massive protection.
The Angels
1st angel - 4 Adams (not confirmed)
2nd angel - Lilith
3rd angel
4th angel
5th angel
6th angel
7th angel
8th angel
9th angel
10th angel
11th angel
-no information
12th angel
-no information
13th angel
-no information
misc
Japan Marine Ecosystem Preservation Research Organization
The JMEPRO is an organization with the aim to recreate new habitats for the animals since the oceans "died" after the 2nd Impact.
Shinjis SDAT-Player
An audio-player given to Shinji by his father Gendo. Shinji just listens to track 25 and 26 and switches always between both. When the SDAT-Player suddenly switched from Track 26 to 27 Shinji wonders whether it´s broken.
q´s take on the rebuild
Well, obviously the new Evangelion movies are no 1:1 remake of the series, even if there are quite a few scenes redone.
And of course there are a few scenes that are reminiscent of NGE/EoE, but I wouldn´t call that trolling at all. It´s just fun. For the sake of it.
And some scenes are just the same but with a different outcome.
Which is kinda the answer. It´s - how surprising - really a rebuild. Not a rebuild of Anime/Manga. It´s a rebuild of the Universe. Right inside the canon. What happened in NGE can´t be directly applied to NME or the Manga, but I´d say it´s all still in the same universe. Like billions of years ago there was the Big Bang. And since that moment, the universe expands and expands... but what was before the Big Bang? What if all the mass that exploded shrunk together before that? And the universe which is expanding will, at some point in the future - in a few billion years, shrink again to one single point and there wil be another Big Bang and it´s happening over and over and over again. But everytime it´s a bit different.
Like the outcome of the Battle between Evangelion 01 and Evangelion 03. In NGE Toji was the pilot. In NME it was Asuka. Both were badly injured but they both survived. And in the Manga Toji even died.
It happens over and over again. These are all just iterations. All 3 stories. And everytime there´s another possibility for the characters. EoTV even offered another one, where Shinji and Asuka knew each other for years and Rei is a happy girl. Shinji even talks about that. There is another alternate version of him that even didn´t become a pilot. Maybe the live action scenes from End of Evangelion offer even the 5th iteration of the universe, that we´ve seen. It´s an endles cycle.
But somebody is always aware of that. Like Kaworu - he already knows Shinji. "It´s the third again. You´ll never change, don´t you?" "This time, I´ll make at least you happy." And what about the Dead Sea Scrolls? How do they have such detailed information? Where does their info come from? The authors must have had a special persepction on things. They knew - because it already happened.
And this is kinda what I am thinking.
(Would you mind if some of the information or images are added to the Evageeks wiki? They'd be useful I'm sure.)
