Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance 2011

As the Third Angel breaks free from captivity at NERV’s Arctic stronghold, Bethany Base, a new pilot emerges onto the scene: Mari Illustrious Makinami (Mari). With Evangelion Provisional Unit-05 at her command, she valiantly attempts to eliminate the rogue entity, ultimately resorting to self-destructing her EVA and making a daring escape just in the nick of time.

In a poignant moment of introspection, Shinji Ikari (Shinji) and his father Gendo (Gendo) pay their respects at the grave of Yui, the mother and wife they both deeply loved. Their somber visitation is followed by an unexpected invasion: the Seventh Angel arrives on the scene, only to be swiftly dispatched by Evangelion Unit-02, piloted with unwavering determination by Asuka Langley Shikinami (Asuka). Meanwhile, Ryoji Kaji presents Gendo with a mysterious suitcase containing the enigmatic “Key of Nebuchadnezzar,” accompanied by a cryptic remark that the destruction of Unit-05 had unfolded exactly as planned.

Gendo and his trusted ally Kozo Fuyutsuki pay a visit to NERV’s lunar compound, Tabgha Base, where they gain a glimpse into the construction of Evangelion Mark.06, an EVA unlike any other. Though denied permission to land, they catch a fleeting glimpse of Kaworu Nagisa (Kaworu) drifting through space, clad in nothing but his birthday suit. In Gendo’s absence, the Eighth Angel launches a surprise attack on Tokyo-3, prompting Shinji, Asuka, and Rei to devise an impromptu plan under the guidance of Misato Katsuragi (Misato). The ensuing battle leaves both Unit-00 and Unit-01 severely damaged.

Upon his return, Gendo requests that SEELE expedite the repair of both Evas. However, they only consent to repairing Unit-01, leaving Unit-00 in disrepair. In a bid to mend the fractured relationship between Gendo and Shinji, Rei prepares a heartfelt dinner party. Concurrently, Mari arrives in Tokyo-3, setting the stage for a series of events that will test the bonds of friendship and loyalty.

The experiment gone awry at NERV’s U.S. branch claims Unit-04, prompting the U.S. government to dispatch Unit-03 to Tokyo-3. Due to an international agreement capping the number of functioning Evangelions per country at three, NERV sequesters Unit-02 and schedules a test for Unit-03 on the same day as Rei’s dinner party. Asuka volunteers to take Rei’s place as the test pilot, ensuring that the party remains intact. However, as soon as Asuka activates Unit-03, the Ninth Angel seizes control of the EVA and unleashes chaos.

Shinji, grappling with the moral implications of his father’s actions, pilots Unit-01 but hesitates to engage the possessed EVA for fear of harming his friend Asuka, still trapped inside. Gendo orders the activation of the Dummy System, granting Unit-01 autonomous status and allowing it to brutally destroy Unit-03, crushing its cockpit in a devastating display of mechanical might. Shinji’s emotional wounds inflicted by his father’s callous decision prompt him to abandon NERV, leaving behind a trail of uncertainty and heartache.

As the dust settles on Asuka’s harrowing ordeal with the Angel, she is left battered and bruised, confined to quarantine as a precautionary measure against the very real threat of mental contamination. Meanwhile, Shinji flees the city in desperation, only to have the Tenth Angel intercept him, forcing him to seek refuge in an emergency shelter. Gendo’s plans to activate Unit-01 without Shinji are foiled once again, prompting Mari to seize control of Unit-02 and launch a one-woman assault on the Angel. Unleashing the full fury of her Eva, Mari unleashes a barrage of attacks, but the Angel proves too formidable, leaving Unit-02 badly damaged. In a last-ditch effort, Rei joins the fray with the crippled Unit-00, charging forward like a bullet and firing off a missile that, although it fails to destroy the Angel, does manage to momentarily distract it. As the Angel wraps itself around Unit-00, absorbing its core and incorporating it into its own being, Shinji rushes to Gendo’s side, pleading to be allowed to pilot Unit-01 once more.

With a fierce determination burning in his heart, Shinji engages the Angel, his Eva running on fumes as he fights valiantly. Though he ultimately succumbs to exhaustion and Unit-01 shuts down, it is only to spring back to life in berserk mode, fueled by Shinji’s rage over Rei’s fate. In a display of raw power, Unit-01 annihilates the Angel, allowing Shinji to reach out and rescue Rei from its grasp. As he cradles her in his arms, Shinji thanks Rei for trying to bridge the gap between himself and Gendo, accepting that it was not meant to be. The Angel’s remains, now infused with Unit-00’s core, are absorbed by Unit-01, which then transcends its physical form, sprouting radiant wings as Misato watches on in awe. In a moment of profound realization, Ritsuko grasps the true extent of the EVA’s transformation, recognizing that it has become a divine being, poised to trigger Third Impact and usher in the end of the world.

As the very fabric of reality begins to unravel, a post-credits sequence unfolds, revealing a spear impaling Unit-01 from the Moon, effectively neutralizing it and halting the impending catastrophe. In the aftermath, Kaworu descends from on high, his eyes aglow with an otherworldly intensity as he proclaims that this time, he will show Shinji true happiness.