What is Rei synching to in 24?

[Muphrid]

In 24, Rei, Shinji, and Kaworu do some routine benchmarking in the test plugs. When Kaworu's scores come out so well, Fuyutsuki remarks that it's amazing considering that they didn't even change out Eva-02's core yet.

So, if even then the pilots are connected to the Evas' cores in some way, just what is Rei connected to, since Eva-00 went kaboom in 23?

[SaltyJoe]

A simulation body that's been programmed to simulate Eva-00 without the need to hook up to it, probably.

Why they're testing her at all is a better question.

[Monk Ed]

A simulation body that's been programmed to simulate Eva-00 without the need to hook up to it, probably.

Why they're testing her at all is a better question.

I'm sure it was one of those weird pointless administrative decisions that sometimes get made in huge organizations. The reasoning may be as simple as "It keeps them busy and reinforces their unquestioning obedience."

[Sachi]

Why they're testing her at all is a better question.

She's still an active pilot as far as they're concerned, even if she doesn't have an Evangelion to speak of. Had there been more Angels, they probably would have gotten another Evangelion for her.

[BornIn1142]

She could still have piloted Eva-01 in an emergency, couldn't she?

[Warren Peace]

She could still have piloted Eva-01 in an emergency, couldn't she?

That's a really interesting question. Would Unit-01 have rejected a "false" pilot, just like it rejected the dummy plug?

[Kendrix]

That's a really interesting question. Would Unit-01 have rejected a "false" pilot, just like it rejected the dummy plug?

It worked fine for Rei in episode 14.

The only reason she and the dummy were rejected in ep 19 is that Yui wanted Shinji to come back.
With Shinji being in the state he was in, it would be reasonable to keep testing/training his potential backup.

[Viking]

A simulation body that's been programmed to simulate Eva-00 without the need to hook up to it, probably.[..]

Aren't those the simulation plug?

Bye

[Muphrid]

Sure, it'd be logical and reasonable to keep Rei going as a backup pilot and so on and so forth. I'm just interested in the implication that even these test plugs are somehow connected to the corresponding Eva's core. As Eva-00 is gone by this point, it makes me wonder if she can even meaningfully be tested at all.

I kind of suspect they just copied from a previous scene and inserted Kaworu into Asuka's section of the screen, but I wanted to check that my understanding of the testing procedures and mechanisms isn't mistaken.

[SaltyJoe]

Aren't those the simulation plug?

Simulation plugs supposedly need to be connected to the actual Eva's core. Or not!

I don't have the series on hard drive, and i'm too lazy to go YouTube-ing, so, does anyone have a screenshot of the test results in said episode?

I seem to vaguely recall that the Children's names being shown along with their respective Units, and Rei was listed along with Unit-00. Which wouldn't make much sense if they intended to use her as a backup, since in that case, it would be logical to synch her with Unit-01.

Now that i think about, it might be possible that they were synching Rei and Shinji with Unit-01 simultaneously. Episode 08 would support the notion of two pilots synching with the same Unit at the same time, and that would actually make some sense.

[Viking]

Okay, I'm too lazy to upload and post pics, anyway:

Looking at ep. 24' ( Director's Cut ) at 06:34 we have Rei inside TEST PLUG 00, Shinji inside TEST PLUG 01 and Kaworu inside TEST PLUG 02.

BTW, the screen at 06:39 still shows datas based on the assumption that the second children is inside TEST PLUG 02 ( but, of course, Asuka is at the hospital ).

EDIT: here's the article on the wiki.

Bye

[Hawq]

I'm kinda surprised everyone's resisted the temptation to say 'Jack Bauer'

[Muphrid]

Okay, I'm too lazy to upload and post pics, anyway:

Looking at ep. 24' ( Director's Cut ) at 06:34 we have Rei inside TEST PLUG 00, Shinji inside TEST PLUG 01 and Kaworu inside TEST PLUG 02.

BTW, the screen at 06:39 still shows datas based on the assumption that the second children is inside TEST PLUG 02 ( but, of course, Asuka is at the hospital ).

EDIT: here's the article on the wiki.

Bye

Yeah, the article suggests, somewhat non-definitively,

If that is the case, then like the simulation bodies, the Test Plugs may operate by actually connecting remotely to the actual Evangelion Units. This would give the benefit of being able to specifically monitor the pilots' synch ratios without having to go through the entire process of prepping the actual Evas.

Again, Fuyutsuki is abjectly surprised that Kaworu's scores are so high while the core of Eva-02 has still yet to be changed. This point is the crux of the issue; without it, there's no apparent contradiction in the scene and no overt indication that the test plugs are actually connected to an Eva.

[AyrYntake]

She could still have piloted Eva-01 in an emergency, couldn't she?

Frankly, it's a state of worldwide crisis; they need anything and everything they've got. Rei herself doesn't seem to take issue with piloting Unit 01--in Ep 06 (Ramiel) she offers to pilot instead of Shinji; Gendo certainly tries it in Ep 19 (Zeruel) before Shinji shows up. Whether or not it would've worked is another story, but beyond that is pure speculation.

A simulation body that's been programmed to simulate Eva-00 without the need to hook up to it, probably.

It's interesting that synching is sometimes done with the actual Unit [Ep 05 and others (14?), including but not limited to the various times it goes horribly wrong] and sometimes with a simulation body [Ep 13 (Ireul)]? I have a feeling that the simulation bodies were cloned from the originals after the track record of test-berserks that happened in the earlier episodes. It's when we progress further into the descent arc of the storyline (Shinji surpasses Asuka in the synch tests, Leliel attacks etc.) that we start seeing these "TEST PLUG 0X" things showing up. My only guess is that practical experience and data from actual battles have taught NERV a thing or two about synch tests--arms that can be jettisoned when it's gone FUBAR [Ep 13, 18 (Bardiel)] are a surprisingly useful addition.
Anyway, back on topic. Are these test plugs actually connected to the real Eva? My opinion, weakly held, is that they aren't. The simulation bodies don't seem to be the Evas themselves, but rather clones thereof--making the action of synch-testing Rei with a Unit 00 sim-body possible but just a tiny bit pointless.