Spear of Cassius

The Spear of Cassius

Spear of Cassius (カシウスの槍(やり), Kashiusu no Yari^?) is a spear like artifact from the Rebuild of Evangelion film series.

Profile

Originally known only as a "spear" (槍, yari),, the spear of Cassius is one of six spears brought to Earth along with the Adams and Lilith during the first two impacts. Like its counterpart, the Spear of Longinus, it is predominately dark red with a double-helical shaped shaft however it also has a defined spearhead with a thin green gem in its center.

History

Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance

Unit-01 impaled by the spear of Cassius.

First seen at the lunar Tabgha Base in a shroud. During Near Third Impact, it is used by Evangelion Mark.06 to terminate the event and Unit-01's evolution into an energy being.

Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo

Evangelion 13 descending into Terminal Dogma.

In an attempt to repair the destroyed world, Kaworu and Shinji head down into Terminal Dogma to retrieve the Spear of Cassius along with the Spear of Longinus from Lilith's corpse as Kaworu believes that both spears in unison could rebuild the world. Upon their arrival, they found two spears, however much to Kaworu's confusion they were both identical spears of Longinus.

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time

After entering the Minus Space, Shinji, using Evangelion Unit-01, manages to reclaim one of the two spears of Longinus held by Evangelion 13, transforming it into a new spear of Cassius, referred to as the spear of hope. Shinji and Gendo proceed to battle using their respective spears until Shinji chooses to forfeit his spear to end the battle. Both spears are then fused with Evangelion Imaginary making way for the Additional Impact to initiate.

Trivia

• The ANIMA Continuity features a similar Spear to take an Evangelion out of an energy state, or bisect energy beings called the Spear of Lucretius though it is used by Shinji and Super Evangelion rather than against him and has an appearance more similar to some specific art book interpretations of the original Spear of Longinus
• In the apocryphal Christian Gospel of Nicodemus, Longinus was named as the Roman soldier who speared Jesus Christ with what became the legendary Spear of Longinus. The Spear of Cassius (and spear of Gaius) takes its name from a Roman senator and general known for his involvement in the assassination of Julius Caesar with a similar name Gaius Cassius Longinus^WP.
• The Spear is colored red in Evangelion 2.0/2.22 and promotional materials for the film; however, in a promotional illustration for Evangelion 3.0, along with an Mark.06 action figure, it is colored black or dark gray instead. The reason for this discrepancy is currently unknown.
• In addition, "Gaius Cassius" is also the famous prenomen and nomen added to the name of the aforementioned Longinus, the centurion who pierced the side of Jesus.