Second Impact Site
The frozen Antarctic crater where a failed experiment reshaped human history.
The Second Impact Site is the catastrophic crater located in Antarctica, marking the location of the most devastating event in human history within the Evangelion timeline. It stands as a monument to the failed contact experiment involving the First Angel, Adam, whose awakening released enough energy to partially melt the Antarctic ice cap and claim approximately three billion lives—roughly half of the world's population. Today, it remains a restricted zone under strict surveillance.
- Casualties
- Approximately three billion (roughly half of the world's population)
Lore & Background
Second Impact was not a natural disaster but the result of human error during the Katsuragi Expedition's contact experiment with the First Angel, Adam. The experiment triggered a catastrophic energy release that partially melted the Antarctic ice cap, causing massive flooding, climate shifts, and the deaths of approximately three billion people. Adam was reduced to an embryo state during or immediately after the contact experiment. The aftermath forced humanity into a desperate struggle for survival, leading to the restructuring of governments under the United Nations and the creation of NERV to combat future Angelic threats. The site itself became a forbidden zone, shrouded in mystery and guarded by military forces. It serves as the physical anchor point for the series' mythology, representing the moment humanity's hubris reshaped the world.
In Their Own Story
Drifts of ash settle silently onto the blackened ice. The wind howls through the crater's jagged rim, carrying whispers of a world that burned two decades ago. A lone NERV technician checks the thermal sensors, his breath misting in the sub-zero air. Below lies the grave of Adam, sealed under layers of permafrost and regret. No birds fly here; no life dares approach this scar on the planet's skin. It is a tomb for an age that ended before most were born.
Reader's Guide
The Second Impact Site serves as the grim backdrop for humanity's modern history within the Evangelion universe. The resulting energy release melted polar ice caps, causing catastrophic climate change that wiped out half of the world's population and altered coastlines globally. In the narrative, it represents a forbidden memory and a warning of the dangers posed by Angels to civilization. While Tokyo-3 is built specifically to fight future threats, this site reminds characters like Gendo Ikari of the high stakes involved in the Human Instrumentality Project. NERV maintains constant surveillance here to ensure no residual Angelic energy resurfaces or threatens the fragile peace. For fans, it symbolizes the extreme fragility of human civilization against cosmic forces beyond comprehension. Understanding its location helps explain why the United Nations reorganized under the UN Global Defense Force and why SEELE holds such influence over global resources and technology. It is a place where history literally froze in time, waiting for the next impact.
Did You Know?
- The energy released by the contact experiment with Adam partially melted the Antarctic ice cap and killed approximately three billion people—roughly half of the world's population.
- Adam was reduced to an embryo state during or immediately after the contact experiment, not as a separate later event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly is the Second Impact Site located on Earth?
This catastrophic crater sits deep within Antarctica, serving as the physical scar left by the global disaster known as Second Impact. It remains a frozen wasteland where the polar ice caps once melted due to the immense energy released during the event.
What specific event triggered the destruction at this location?
The site marks the place where the First Angel, Adam, was destroyed after being pierced by a lance-like weapon. This incident unleashed an explosion so powerful that it fundamentally altered the planet's climate and geography.
How many people died during Second Impact at this crater?
The disaster resulted in the deaths of nearly half of the entire human population due to rising sea levels and environmental collapse. Survivors had to rebuild civilization around the devastation caused by this single point of impact.
Is the area accessible to the public today?
No, the United Nations maintains strict control over the region as a highly restricted zone under constant surveillance. Only authorized personnel from organizations like NERV are permitted to enter the vicinity for research or security purposes.
Why is this crater significant to the Evangelion story?
It serves as the historical turning point that forced humanity into hiding underground and led to the creation of NERV to fight future Angels. The site represents the origin of the conflict between mankind and the Angels throughout the series.