In evangelion, we have the Second and Third Impacts. But what then was First Impact. One idea that gets thrown around from the old days is the idea that first impact refers to the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs. This has since been either discredited or simply rejected.
Another theory that has been brought up is the idea that First Impact referrs to Giant Impact Theory. That is, the theory that billions of years ago, another smaller planet collided with the young earth, and the debris from the impact formed the moon. It certainly seems an event worthy of the title "Impact" at any rate.
The reason I'd like to bring up this topic is the following. As inferred from the series and spelt out in NGE2's classified information, there is the idea of a "First Ancestor Civilisation" (FAR) who propagated two forms of life throughout the galaxy. The two forms were Lilith type orgaisms (LDOs)(Life on Earth) and "Adam" type organisms (ADOs) (Angels). These were propagated via the sources of life (SoLs), presumably aboard the Geofronts(White moon and Black moon). It's stated in the CI I believe that the odds of two geofronts landing on the same planet were astronomically low.
Anyway, my idea is as follows. What if the two geofronts did not land on the same planet. What if instead one landed on proto-earth and the other on proto-theia (the planet that crashed into the earth to form the moon).
Now, this is pretty heady speculation, substanciated by nothing in the show. However as has been mentioned, Anno and Co. were science buffs at the time of Evangelion's creation, and may have heard of this theory, which is apparently an accepted one in astrophysics circles. As such, it may have been a "back of the mind" item during the shows production.
Anyway, the reason I propose this at all is as follows. During the conversation on the lake in episode #24', SEELE refer to
That is Lilith, the progenitor of mankind
who are the false successors from the black moon.
And Adam, the progenitor of the Angels
who are the true successors from the lost white moon.
We also have Rei, who contains the soul of Lilith, being repeated associated with the moon.
So basically, perhaps Lilith's black moon ended up, or was placed, on Theia, and Adam's on Earth. When Theia collided with earth, the result was that Lilith "usurped" Adam's rightful place as the Source of life on Earth, whereas her "proper" place on the remains of dead Theia, i.e. the moon, was left a barren lifeless waste.
Anyway this is all fanwankery of the most depraved kind, so I'll leave it at that.
