Evangelion Fifteenth Angel Arael
Arael is a Child of Adam and is designated as the Fifteenth Angel and “Angel of the Birds”. It appears in Episode 22 of the Evangelion anime series.
Physical Appearance
This Angel, like Sahaquiel, is first spotted high above the Earth’s atmosphere, but rather than orbiting the planet, it is able to stay in a fixed location. This should be impossible by normal standards, as objects in orbit usually rotate around the Earth. This Angel looks like a large bird-like creature made up of light. Several pairs of wings can be seen, although it is possible that these wings are not functional, as Arael is never seen moving despite being able to keep itself in a fixed location in Earth’s orbit. Its wings and bright body give this Angel the most angelic appearance when compared to a standard depiction of an angel, but there is nothing holy about Arael. This Angel is capable of making incredibly long-range, non-physical attacks that affect its target’s mind. These attacks are focused and can be directed at an individual, as seen when it only attacks Asuka. Rather than causing physical damage, Arael causes damage to the mind, although the means in which it does so is unclear. Although it is incredibly bright body obscures many of the finer details of Arael’s design, its core appears to be located in between its two shortest wings that are closest to its body.
Notable Abilities
Psychological Attack: From high above the Earth, Arael launches a beam of light that hits Asuka and causes both Evangelion Unit 02 and its pilot to go into a panicked frenzy. NERV analyzes the ray of light but finds little information other than that it is similar to an A.T. field. Although it simply appears as a ray of light, it can apparently phase through matter, as Asuka, the pilot inside of Unit 02, is the Angel’s target. Using this attack, Arael can forcefully enter the mind of those affected and read their minds. This causes physical pain to the target. Once Arael successfully infiltrates a target’s mind, it seemingly has access to all of its memories, whether they are forgotten or repressed. Arael can also force a target to relive these memories within their own mind. Although it is not certain, it is possible that Arael can also interact with its target while it is infiltrating its mind. Targets are aware that the Angel is trying to enter their minds, although there is little one can do to defend against it.
A.T. Field: Arael’s A.T. field is used to defend against what would normally be incredibly powerful attacks. It is fully capable of blocking a projectile similar to a positron rifle, which is the same type of weapon that defeated Ramiel (although the beam fired at this Angel was at a much closer distance). The only known weapon shown to be able to pierce Arael’s A.T. field is the Spear of Longinus.
Battle and Defeat
Similar to Leliel, Arael seems to appear out of thin air, but at a much farther distance. NERV orders Evangelion Unit 00 to take aim at the Angel from an incredible distance with a rifle similar to the one used by Evangelion Unit 01 to defeat Ramiel. Evangelion Unit 02 is told to act as backup for Unit 00, but Asuka goes against orders and charges in first in an attempt to prove that she is still able to pilot Unit 02. Misato allows this but only does so as a means of giving Asuka one final chance. This haste quickly becomes Asuka’s downfall, as no one expected Arael to be capable of making a psychological attack, especially from such a long range. This attack makes Asuka, and therefore Unit 02, panic, causing her to fire all of her rounds frantically and missing the Angel completely. Arael continues its attack on Asuka and begins to show her (and, in turn, the audience) memories of her childhood that she has tried to leave behind. Forcing Asuka to experience her traumatic childhood once again completely incapacitates her, leaving Unit 00 as the only functioning unit capable of attacking. Rei attempts an attack on the Angel, but its A.T. field is simply too strong and the attack is deflected. With no options left, Gendo Ikari orders Rei to retrieve the Spear of Longinus from Terminal Dogma. Evangelion Unit 00 throws the Staff like a javelin and it tears through Arael’s A.T. field and pierces through its body, rendering it annihilated. The Spear continued to pass the Earth’s gravitational pull entering a lunar orbit. Finally landing on the moon, inaccessible to NERV.
Arael in Other Media
The Fifteenth Angel Arael, makes an appearance in the manga adaption created of Evangelion created by illustrator Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. In the manga, Arael is classed as the Tenth Angel, not the Fifteenth. The battle and resulting defeat in the manga is similar to the anime series. The significant difference is that in the manga, after being mentally tortured by Arael, Asuka ends up in a comatose state.
Arael does not make an appearance in any of the Evangelion Rebuild movies to date.