Ninth Angel

''This article is about the character from Rebuild of Evangelion movie series. For the character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion, see Bardiel.''

Ninth Angel (第9の使徒) is the 9th Angel in the Rebuild of Evangelion. It appears in the movie Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance.

Story
The 9th Angel of Rebuild is a luminescent blue ooze that takes over Evangelion Unit-03 (Rebuild) during its activation test with Asuka Shikinami Langley. As link-up is initiated, the inside of the entry plug is converted into the Angel’s core. Asuka develops “wings” that forcibly push her toward the Eva’s core unit. The entry plug fills with feathery blue “spores” and childish giggling, and an unidentifiable childish face appears deep within the plug. The Angel begins to grow on Asuka’s face.

The Evangelion then activates and goes out of control, destroying the Matsushiro facility with a massive blue explosion and leaving behind a crater similar to the one at the South Pole. The JSSDF and Unit-01 are deployed to halt its approach to NERV HQ, with Unit-00 kept at the base on standby. The former’s tank battalions are completely ineffective, and Unit-03 initiates its attack on Unit-01. Shinji quickly notes the presence of the entry plug—designated as the Ninth Angel’s core and the hostile target according to the on-board targeting computer—and has misgivings about fighting back due to the implications for Asuka.

While Unit-01 is being throttled, Shinji manages to break the other angel’s choke hold, although Unit-03 simply responds by growing another pair of arms. These are flesh-colored with red upper arms, as though to signify that Asuka is participating on some level. Unit-03 then proceeds to restrain Unit-01 with one set of arms and throttle it with the other, and the Ninth Angel begins to invade Unit-01’s neck through Unit-03’s new set of hands.

Due to the danger to Unit-01 and its pilot, Gendo orders the use of the dummy system. Shinji is restrained within the entry plug as Unit-01 reactivates and quickly returns Unit-03’s gesture, immediately overwhelming it and crushing its neck in short time. Unit-01 throws Unit-03 to the ground and, without regard for the fallen enemy’s feeble struggling, gruesomely eviscerates and dismembers it.

Unit-01 finally retrieves the entry plug and crushes it with its mouth. A faint scream can be heard as LCL spurts out of the plug. The Ninth Angel’s remains dribbles like blood from Unit-01’s jaws as a rainbow arcs over the dusky sky.

In Evangelion 3.0+1.0 it is revealed that at least a part of the Angel is still alive and fused with Asuka’s left eye. During the fight between New Unit-02α and Evangelion 13 Asuka removes her eyepatch and the angel sealing pillar inside her eye to use the angel’s power becoming a new Ninth Angel and uses the blood of the angel with the special code 999 to transform her unit in a radiant giant falling into Gendo’s trap and awakening Evangelion 13.

Trivia

 * It's status as the Ninth Angel in Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance may be a reference to the Japanese belief that the number "nine" is an unlucky number because of its pronunciation which is the same as the word "pain".
 * If the scene where Asuka makes contact with Ninth Angel is carefully examined in Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, it is possible to see a strange female figure in the background. It is unknown who this figure may be, but it might be Asuka, judging from the hair.
 * It is never known why the Ninth Angel would need a pilot, however it is possible that it was attempting to use the test pilot as a form of human shield/hostage believing that NERV would not attack if a pilot was at risk of being severely injured or killed. This would allow it to reach Lilith easily as it waited until the Unit-03 was activated before revealing itself. The fact that it did not easily defend itself is possibly due to its surprise of Unit-01 attacking despite the pilot being inside.