Arael

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Araelアラエル
Name Meaning	The Light of God
Symbolism	The Angel of Birds
Number	15th
First Appearance	Episode 22

Arael (アラエル^?) (Hebrew: אראל) is the 15th Angel. Arael is notable for its ability to attack the human psyche directly through the application of its A.T. Field. Combined with its extreme range, Arael was one of the most dangerous Angels. It is preceded by Zeruel and succeeded by Armisael.

Profile

Arael appears as a jagged, winged creature made of intense light that hovers around Earth. Its body appears to be made of bright blue light. Its Core, difficult to see due to the Angel's own luminosity, is held outside its main body by two inferior wings. Its total wingspan seems to be several times larger than that of an Evangelion, based on its size relative to the Spear of Longinus, though Arael and an Eva never physically meet directly. Arael uses an odd application of its A.T. Field to directly probe a human mind, visually represented as a diffuse ray of light. This probe is psychologically traumatic, though it is unclear if this harm was intentional or a byproduct of an information gathering probe.

History

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Arael unleashing its beam attack.

The battle begins as the Angel is detected by NERV moving into orbit over Japan. NERV react by deploying both Asuka in Unit-02 as the primary defender equipped for long range firing (against orders, although Misato allows her to take point after she launches first anyway) and Rei in Unit-00 as the backup, while a storm rages over Tokyo-3. For a time the situation seems to be a stalemate, with the Angel holding in orbit just outside the defensive envelope of the long range weapons the Evangelions are equipped with, but the stalemate ends abruptly as a beam of light suddenly Spears down from the Angel directly at Unit-02. Initially thought to be a particle weapon, it becomes clear that it is a form of mental probe with characteristics somewhat similar to an A.T. Field, and which immediately begins to cause immense distress to Asuka. Reflexively Asuka returns fire, but at such an extended range, her positron rifle bolts dissipate harmlessly. Asuka continues to wildly fire until she runs out of ammunition, becoming more distressed by the second. With warnings from Doctor Akagi that her mind will be permanently damaged if the attack continues, Misato orders her to withdraw, but a furious Asuka asserts that she would rather die than admit defeat, defying the order.

Rei, using a heavier Positron Sniper Rifle (possibly the same rifle used against Ramiel or a production variant of the same) then engages with a maximum power shot which succeeds in striking Arael, but at such an extended range too much energy is lost and the beam is harmlessly deflected by the Angel’s defensive A.T. field.

Arael uses its probe to force Asuka to relive her worst childhood memories; most notably her mothers suicide and her painful younger years, and to some albeit indirect degree seems to be attempting to understand it's. Asuka begins to to suffer a complete mental breakdown, broadcast live to the helpless NERV staff. Shinji passionately pleads with both Misato and his Father to let him deploy in Unit-01 to save her, although both Gendo and Fuyutsuki flatly decree that the risk of Unit-01 being contaminated by the Angel far too great. Showing uncharacteristic strength as Unit-02 shuts down and its life support reaches critical levels, Shinji continues to push his Father, who eventually and uncharacteristically agrees. Gendo orders Rei to go to Terminal Dogma and retrieve the Spear of Longinus impaling Lilith.

An aghast Fuyutsuki quietly argues with the Commander as Rei descends to retrieve the Spear, pointing out that SEELE will never allow the Spear to be wasted in such a way, but a calm Gendo asserts that the need is the only justification and that there is no other way to defeat this Angel. Nonetheless, it is clear that Gendo is happily killing two birds with one stone; eliminating the Angel and removing the Spear from play entirely, as it seems to be a threat to his own plans.

Unit-00 about to throw the Spear of Longinus.

Rei returns to the surface with the Spear. Hurried calculations are made and after a ten second countdown, Rei throws the Spear with considerable force. The Spear propels itself with such force the storm above the city is dissipated, before neutralizing Arael's A.T, Field and destroying it's core, before finally becoming locked in an inaccessible lunar orbit.

In Other Media

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Gakuen Datenroku

Arael makes no physical appearance within the manga, but is noted as having already been taken by Israfel.

Trivia

• In the anime, Asuka suffered no apparent physical aftereffects from the psychic attack, but in the manga she becomes comatose due to mental shock.
• In the anime, Arael's beam attack is accompanied by the "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's Messiah. Last two movements of Messiah, "Worthy is the Lamb" and "Amen" are used when NERV attempts other means of retaliation, including killing it with Spear of Longinus.
• Arael is the only Angel that never descends to Earth.
• Aside from Sahaquiel, Arael is the only other Angel that appears in space.