Human Instrumentality Project Start
The end of loneliness through the total dissolution of individual human souls.
The Human Instrumentality Project represents the ultimate culmination of SEELE's long-term strategy to force humanity into a singular evolutionary step. Conceived as a response to the existential threat posed by Angels and the inherent isolation of individual consciousness, this plan seeks to dissolve the physical barriers between all human souls. By triggering a Third Impact through the synchronization of Evangelion Unit-01 with Lilith, the project aims to merge every human mind into one collective entity, effectively ending loneliness but also erasing individuality.
- Primary Architects
- SEELE
- Key Catalysts
- Evangelion Unit-01 and Lilith
- Objective
- Dissolution of AT Fields to merge all human souls
- Trigger Event
- Third Impact
- Outcome Status
- Varies by timeline (TV/End vs. Rebuild)
- Philosophical Basis
- Overcoming the Hedgehog's Dilemma
Lore & Background
While SEELE orchestrated the plan as a religious imperative to return humanity to its original divine state, the execution was manipulated by Gendo Ikari for his own personal reasons regarding reunification with his wife. The project's activation relies on the unique biological properties of Unit-01 and Lilith, which serve as the focal point for rewriting reality. Whether this results in a utopian unity or a void of nothingness depends entirely on the wills of those whose souls are merged during the process.
In Their Own Story
The sky above Tokyo-3 bleeds a color that has no name, shifting from violet to a blinding gold as the barrier between worlds thins. In the Geofront, the silhouette of Lilith writhes in agony and ecstasy, her shadow stretching across the room like a living stain. Shinji stands at the precipice, not on solid ground but on the edge of his own mind, feeling the walls of his heart crumble into dust. The voices of every person he has ever known, loved, or feared begin to whisper in unison, merging into a single, overwhelming hum that promises an end to all pain if only he will let go.
Reader's Guide
The sequence begins when SEELE initiates their contingency plan after the failure of their original scheme involving the Dead Sea Scrolls. They attempt to seize control of Unit-01 from NERV to force the synchronization with Lilith, triggering the Third Impact manually. However, Gendo Ikari intercepts this move, using the Eva's unique connection to Rei Ayanami and his own hidden agenda to redirect the event. As the Angels are defeated or absorbed, the AT Fields of all humanity begin to collapse simultaneously, stripping away physical forms. The climax involves a surreal psychological journey where characters confront their deepest insecurities and desires within a fluid, dream-like reality. The final outcome is ambiguous; in one version, individuality is restored through personal choice, while in another, humanity remains merged in an eternal state of oneness.
Did You Know?
- The project is often associated with the religious concept of the 'Hedgehog's Dilemma,' illustrating how closeness causes pain but distance causes coldness.
- In the original television ending, the success of Instrumentality depends entirely on Shinji's internal decision regarding his own existence.
- SEELE believed that by merging souls, humanity would finally achieve the state of 'God' they had been denied since the fall of Adam and Lilith.