Evangelion is a hard show to explain, not only because it's convoluted and pretensions, but also because it doesn't explain itself very well. It uses terms and imagery loosely and without much regard as to what they actually mean.
'The Inverted Tree-of-Life picture in End of Evangelion. Not because it had any real meaning in the movie, but because it looked cool.'
A series created by a Japanese director who wanted to use Western themes and imagery, but did not fully understand them. It happens with Western Directors too.
The show is intentionally vague and ambiguous, and even when it does explain things, it's often such an info dump that you end up more confused than you were before.
I will help explain some things that the show does not that may help you at least understand the terms they use.
First Impact: An ACTUAL event that happened when Earth was young. A large planet collided with Earth which resulted in the formation of our Moon.
Second Impact: The explosion that riddled the world in the Evangelion story. It was when Adam was uncovered in the Antarctic and kicked off the constant Angel invasions in the show.
Third Impact: This is the single event that is constantly being prevented in the TV Show. It is this event that is considered to be the final nail-in-the-coffin for humanity.
Fourth Impact: This is something strictly from the new movies and never occurred in the show.
Evangelions:These are captured Angels (or at least Eva Unit-1 is) that are confined with mechanical chaises so that humans can control and pilot them.
Angels: This is a spoiler for the end of the show, but it's important to know this if you're this far into the story.
The Angels are 'alternate humans.' Think of them as Wolves as we are Chihuahuas. Very different but have the same origin. Angels are descendents of Adam, that thing that started 2nd Impact. They attack Tokyo because they want to merge with Lilith so they can reset life. So what is OUR origin? Well sit right back and i'll tell you.
Lilith:That ugly white thing nailed to the cross in the first movies? That is who we came from. Humanity are descendents from her. We are 'Lilum: Children of Lilith.' So what are Lilith and Adam?
Lilith and Adam:These are 'Seeds of Life' that were created by some Proto-alien race far from Earth. They were built to spread life across space. there were many Adams and Lilths made and sent out, but only one is supposed to occupy a single planet. Where as Earth, we got both of them, unlucky for us, having both present creates a sort of canceling-out effect and fucks things up for everyone.
Instrumentality:This is the consequence that happens if Third Impact is achieved. Basically it's supposed to bring all living things back to square one and reset life. Turning humanity into some sort of spiritual bull-crap that's not well explained.
Seele (German word for 'soul') is secretly working behind NERV's back to ensure this happens. Who is Seele?
Seele:Is a shadowy organization that controls the United Nations. and while some of them might be on the up-and-up, others want to see the world rebuilt according to the Dead Sea Scrolls. What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Dead Sea Scrolls:An ACTUAL set of artifacts found in caves at the Dead Sea which are some of the oldest writings from the Holy Bible. The scrolls that Seele refer to are a set of secret scrolls never released to the public which detail the coming of Angels and Instrumentality.
And that about explains a lot of what's really going on in the Evangelion story. Lots of back-stabbing and conspiracies and half-concieved philosophies. There are a lot of other things that need explaining, but these are the more important ones.
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