How did Asuka know about the Lance of Longinus?

[Nukie]

This has been bugging me ever since I watched End of Eva. Asuka calls the lance by name as it pierces her AT field, but how would she know about it? I assume that details about it were extremely classified; not even an Eva pilot would know it's name or how it looked.

The only way I can see her knowing about it would be when Rei throws it in episode 22, but she's being mindraped by Arael...I doubt she'd be paying attention to what's happening outside. Maybe this is a small detail, but it always seemed strange to me. Any thoughts?

[EveryoneGotTurnedIntoTang]

You do have a point here. The Lance of Longinus wasn't exactly public knowledge.

Maybe the fake Lance tore a plot hole in her AT Field?

[Ornette]

The only way I can see her knowing about it would be when Rei throws it in episode 22, but she's being mindraped by Arael...I doubt she'd be paying attention to what's happening outside. Maybe this is a small detail, but it always seemed strange to me. Any thoughts?

If she was even remotely curious as to what happened during the fight, she could have reviewed footage or something, it's not like they kept it under wraps during that battle:

Shinji:
But at this rate, Asuka will...

IKARI:
I don't care. Rei, go down into Dogma and use the Lance.

FUYUTSUKI:
The Lance of Longinus?!
Ikari, that is...


....



FUYUTSUKI (OFF):
That may be, but using the Lance of Longinus
without Seele's permission will be troublesome.

IKARI:
A reason need only exist. Anything beyond that is insignificant.


...


AOBA (OFF):
Unit 00 has passed through Number 2, emerging on surface.

Misato:
So, that's the Lance of Longinus.

AOBA (OFF):
Unit 00, prepared to throw.

HYUGA (OFF):
Target confirmed. Adjustment for errors made.


...


IBUKI:
Eva Unit 02 disengaged.

FUYUTSUKI:
What about the Lance of Longinus?

[Bagheera]

Far more curious is how she knows about the Eva series. I'm still wondering about that; my only guess is that, since at least some of them were probably produced in Germany's facilities, she might have caught wind of it back home. But it's still odd.

[Final Messenger]

my theory is they were briefed about the Eva series off screen. Misato knew about them why would she not tell the kids

[The Eva Monkey]

my theory is they were briefed about the Eva series off screen.

This is my thought about a lot of things in fiction. What we see of characters' lives isn't their entire lives. Just because we never see Ritsuko's apartment/home, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. There are briefings, tests, trainings, and interactions that occur, most of which would have no serious bearing on the plot, nevertheless they must occur, even if we don't see them.

[Bagheera]

This is my thought about a lot of things in fiction. What we see of characters' lives isn't their entire lives. Just because we never see Ritsuko's apartment/home, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. There are briefings, tests, trainings, and interactions that occur, most of which would have no serious bearing on the plot, nevertheless they must occur, even if we don't see them.

That's certainly a valid point, but in this case it is plot-relevant information. Moreover, I'm not sure she ever had a chance to be briefed on the subject; I can't recall when Misato and Hyuga learned of the Eva series' development, but if it was after she left (or any point after her mindrape, really) she wouldn't be in a position to learn about it.

[Final Messenger]

As I recall Misato learned about the eva series in episode 23 and also as I recall Asuka was living with Shinji and Misato at the beginning of episode 24 before she tried to commit suicide. So it is plausible that learned about it off screen within that time frame

[Fireand'chutes77]

As I recall Misato learned about the eva series in episode 23 and also as I recall Asuka was living with Shinji and Misato at the beginning of episode 24 before she tried to commit suicide. So it is plausible that learned about it off screen within that time frame

By this point in the series's emotional carnage, I can see her trying desperately to communicate what she's learned to the pilots, starting her sentences with the buzzwords (The LoL, the MPEs), only for her words to die out halfway through in the face of Asuka and Shinji's deafening silence.

[EveryoneGotTurnedIntoTang]

It could also be plausible that Asuka's synching with Kyoko's soul in Unit 02 caused her to come across that knowledge, since her synch ratio was extremely high during the MPE battle. Then again, we (which means I) don't know if synching involves memories.

Oh well, it was worth throwing this out there.

[The Eva Monkey]

That's certainly a valid point, but in this case it is plot-relevant information.

Not especially. It doesn't affect anything whether she knows what it is or not. But what weapon Rei used to save her is not likely to be some big mystery from her. That knowledge circulating back to her probably happened off-screen, it's really not a big leap.

[Bagheera]

As I recall Misato learned about the eva series in episode 23 and also as I recall Asuka was living with Shinji and Misato at the beginning of episode 24 before she tried to commit suicide. So it is plausible that learned about it off screen within that time frame

No, she left after . . . crap, after her mindrape, I think. She was released from quarantine and shortly thereafter had her confrontation with Shinji re: Kaji (as seen in Death and the DC edits). Then she was living with Hikari for awhile before she wandered around for a week and made her suicide attempt.

It could also be plausible that Asuka's synching with Kyoko's soul in Unit 02 caused her to come across that knowledge, since her synch ratio was extremely high during the MPE battle. Then again, we (which means I) don't know if synching involves memories.

Oh well, it was worth throwing this out there.

Why would Kyoko know about them? It's not like anyone briefed the Evas!

Not especially. It doesn't affect anything whether she knows what it is or not. But what weapon Rei used to save her is not likely to be some big mystery from her. That knowledge circulating back to her probably happened off-screen, it's really not a big leap.

Well, I'm with you on the Lance, like I said. But I'm not sure how info on the MPEs would circulate back to her; it's not like Misato would prep her for the Armisael battle by saying "oh, btw, they're building a bunch of mass produced evas!"

[Final Messenger]

No, she left after . . . crap, after her mindrape, I think. She was released from quarantine and shortly thereafter had her confrontation with Shinji re: Kaji (as seen in Death and the DC edits). Then she was living with Hikari for awhile before she wandered around for a week and made her suicide attempt.

So the coffee scene happened before the unit 00 self destruct? (if that is so then it confuses me that they did not put it in DC 23) I thought Hikari’s place was wiped out in that blast.

[Bagheera]

So the coffee scene happened before the unit 00 self destruct? (if that is so then it confuses me that they did not put it in DC 23) I thought Hikari’s place was wiped out in that blast.

Why the confusion? Coffee scene, Asuka at Hikari's, battle with Armisael, Hikari's place wrecked, Asuka out wandering around. What part doesn't make sense?

[Azathoth]

We're led to believe that Asuka spends a substantial percentage of her time trying to hang around Kaji. Given the sorts of things Kensuke can find out from his nobody dad, the amount of things Asuka could have figured out from just poking around his office is probably a lot more than she ever lets on.

[Ornette]

Additionally, as far as the MPE's go, she doesn't need to know any specifics at all about them, only that there were plans at some point to construct a mass production series of Evangelions, a logical step after a test-type, proto-type and production-type. When she sees them, it's not much of a logical jump to realize that those are Evangelions, and knowing that they planned to build MPE's, that they are the Eva Series. They're not Angels. Those are all dead.

[Bagheera]

I got the feeling she knew a bit more about them, but it's a minor point either way.

[Trajan]

I'm also of the opinion that it was an off-screen occurrence (her awareness of the Eva Series I mean) and that she was likely briefed over it some point before her 'sedation/coma' but after Misato learns about them.

[Bagheera]

I'm also of the opinion that it was an off-screen occurrence (her awareness of the Eva Series I mean) and that she was likely briefed over it some point before her 'sedation/coma' but after Misato learns about them.

Except she was MIA for that entire period. Azathoth's suggestion that she might have picked it up from hanging around Kaji is plausible, but the timeline doesn't work for any sort of proper briefing on the subject.

[r0ach]

I don't see it being too hard to know about the Lance after that battle.
It was totally out in the open. It had been seen and used at that point. Also, she mentions being pretty pissed that "That little bitch, Rei" had saved her. How was she saved? By Rei throwing the Lance, so it is totally not a far stretch to see how Asuka would know.
yes she was being mind raped. and was fucked. But she had enough coherency to tell Misato that she wouldn't retreat. So, she probably had enough coherency to see the Lance at some point.


As far as the MP evas go. People in Nerv knew the Evas were apart of a series. As to what for exactly? They didn't know. Probably thought they were all there for backup. Better safe than sorry kind of deal. She may have not known how many Evas were being made, but seeing them in the sky, flying probably made her realize, oh hey, "The Eva series, they've been completed." Whatever Evas were being produced that i haven't seen yet are up there.

feel free to critique these silly theories of course peeps