DEATH & REBIRTH
 
  Since the conclusion of the TV-Series many fans were outraged because of the last two episodes, which made a poor end for the epic plot of Evangelion. Hearing the fan's pleas Anno decided to create 2 movies that would replace the original ending. "Death&Rebirth" is the first of these movies and was shown in spring 1997 in Japan.

Death is the first part of the D&R Movie and is a flashback to the TV-Series, showing the most important events once again. Significant characters-relationships and discoveries by NERV are made clear to make one understand the following events better. Movie Poster

 Rebirth continues where Death ended - when Shinji falls into depressions after he has killed his only real friend Kaworu, who turned out to be an Angel. He seeks out Asuka, but she can't help him as she is still lying unconscious in the hospital.

In the meanwhile Misato engages in some research on the Second Impact on her own. She finds out that Mankind had reached a deadlock of evolution and the Third Impact is needed to initiate the next step of evolution. She gets to know that mankind is the 18th Angel and that all life originates from Lilith.    Movie Poster

Now with the Angel-threat gone Seele wants NERV back and tries to get hold of the magi system. The virus-attack however is successfully deflected by Dr. Akagi Ritsuko's 666 protector code. Seele decides to mount an physical attack - traitor Gendou and his people have to be destroyed at all costs. They send in a special military unit to penetrate the NERV HQ.

  the slaughter at NERV A mercyless combat starts as the elite military force engage their attack. The NERV security is more than unable to hold off the military forces. People at NERV are slaughtered without remorse or expection - women, children, just everyone is killed at sight - no prisoners whatsoever. Leaving a bloodshed trail the military head for the 3 children, who are their main target.

Soon the military even drops a N2 bomb and breaches the central command room, where Makoto, Shigeru and Maya have to fight for their lives. Asuka, who is still unconscious is put inside EVA-02 and the Evangelion dropped into the sea at Geofront - the most secure place at the moment.

Shinji in the meanwhile sits below a staircase, without any motivation to flee or fight for his live - he doesn't care about anything anymore. Misato can barely rescue him from the elite soldiers. She drags Shinji into her car to take him to the EVA cage. Shinji maintains that he wants to die but Misato just replies: "You're still alive aren't you! Fight and live first, you can still die if you want after everything here is over!"    Misato rescues Shinji

In the meanwhile Gendou and Fuyusuki discuss Seele's intentions. They come to the conclusion that the Third Impact, which Seele wants to provoke will end in the death of mankind - and as already Yui once said: "nothing can be gained from death". In the meanwhile Asuka, lost in her unconsciousness fights a battle of her own. Memories of her past, her mother's suicide, her father's neglect torture her soul - eventually she realizes that she still can't go to her mother, as the place where her mother waits for her is death. A single thought manifests in her heart: "I do not want to die yet!" Asuka becomes obsessed by this thought and keeps repeating these words to herself, louder and louder until she screams it out at the top of her voice. That's the moment she awakens from her coma, full of energy to fight for her life.

  Asuka's Awakening Asuka being informed of the situation at NERV immediately rises from the sea and wrecks the military with all her power. The only thing the milary is able to to is to destroy EVA-02's umbilical cable, which leaves Asuka with 5 more minutes to fight. Seele was expecting opposition by EVAs issues the launch of their own EVA-Units: the mass-produced Evangelions 05 to 13. Gendou is surprised that these series were already complete - they have S2 organs (no need for an external power supply), have wings to fly and require no pilots (dummy plugs control these units)

At this point, Asuka with barely 5 minutes left to fight and 9 hostile Evangelions arriving, the movie ends. The plot continues in the second movie "The End of Evangelion
 

AIR / MY PUREST HEART FOR YOU
 
The End of Evangelion consists of two parts like the Death&Rebirth movie. The first part actually is the "Rebirth" part of the first movie, which is shown again. The second part "Air/My purest heart for you" is the final chapter.

Evangelion - Air   Misato talks to Asuka for a last time via cellular phone and tells her to destroy the EVA series to prevent the Third Impact, before she drags Shinji along to EVA-01's hangar. Asuka takes out her full battle fury on the EVA series who seem to be superior to EVA-02 but lack the combat experience of Asuka. As Misato and Shinji arrive at the hangar-hatch, Misato is injured in a gunfight. She gives Shinji last instructions and an "adult" kiss before she parts with her last words: "We continue the next time when this all is over". Just when the hatch closes Shinji realizes that his mouth is full with Misato's blood - that there will be no next time at all.

  Misato's last In the meanwhile Asuka makes excellent progress - even with only 5 minutes combat time she trashes all 9 EVA series. However just as she strikes down the last EVA a longinus spear appears out of nowhere and pierces her eye. As this wasn't enough her power suppy depletes and she becomes unable to move.

Gendou and Rei head for the Terminal Dogma where Lilith hangs on the cross. There they meet Ritsuko who tries to self-destruct the NERV base but is betrayed by her own computer - Casper. Gendou, pointing his gun at her tells her how much he loved her but Ritsuko only replies: "Liar" before Gendou shoots her. Back outside Shinji finally manned EVA-01 and sees what happened to Asuka - the EVA series had revived and torn Asuka apart, eating what remained of EVA-02. Screaming in horror Shinji meets the incoming EVA series.    Asuka tearing apart an EVA

Evangelion - My Purest Heart for You   Instead of attacking EVA-01 however the EVA-Series form a strange formation around it and the longinus spear appears in front of EVA-01. Soon it becomes clear - the Evangelions are forming a tree of life - the Third Impact finally began. A cataclysmic explosion engulfs Japan and parts of Korea.

  Rei in the Terminal Dogma In the meanwhile Gendou orders Rei to take him into Lilith, but she refuses and goes into Lilith alone - Gendou's last chance to control the Impact vaporizes. As Rei and Lilith merge a new huge creature is born, which floats towards the sky.

The new creature, who looks like a giant Rei rises and holds EVA-01 with its hands. Now the whole planet is engulfed in a multi-colored fire as all human souls leave their bodies, which dissolve into L.C.L. During this transition to the metaphysical, people's dreams merge with reality. Gendou's last words before he dissolves are "I am sorry Shinji". All the souls float towards the giant Rei and are absorbed - there will be no more strangers in the world as the new mankind will be one being.

The giant Rei begins to explain the nature of mankind's existance to Shinji. Rei points out the lack of dreams in reality and mankind's search for identity in a sea full of other strangers. She shows Shinji what it means to grow up, which also involves the longing for the opposite sex. EVA-01 (and Shinji) are the last to be absorbed by the giant Rei, but EVA-01 breaks free of Rei, leaving a gushing would on the creature (as her AT field is lost, she cannot hold all souls together), where the souls float out of Rei again. The giant creature falls apart and EVA-01 (along with the longinus spear) float away into the depths of the universe.

  everyone dissolved into L.C.L Shinji awakens on the beach of a desolate world. Parts of the giant creature are scattered across the landscape, which is illuminated by a strange red light. To his surprise a wounded Asuka lies beside him on the beach. He starts to strangle her again, still frustrated that she always kept refusing him. This time however Asuka doesn't hit Shinji for it but caresses him. Perhaps she has finally learned to show her feelings - indeed she feels sick doing that - her words "I feel sick" conclude the movie, which leaves this final scene open for interpretation, but it seems like Shinji and Asuka became the new Adam and Eve of a new generation of mankind (or are they just the only survivors of the Impact?).