Following the tragic loss of a close friend, Shinji Ikari spirals into emotional numbness. Unable to operate the formidable Evangelion Unit-01, his father, Gendou Ikari, leads the organization NERV in a race against the clandestine group SEELE to execute their respective apocalyptic agendas. SEELE aims to merge their souls with an Evangelion unit to birth a divine entity, while Gendou seeks to merge humanity into a singular entity to reunite with his departed wife, Yui. As SEELE launches a brutal assault on NERV headquarters, decimating its staff, Asuka Langley Souryuu courageously pilots Evangelion Unit-02 in a final stand against the enemy's superior forces. Amidst the chaos, a despondent Shinji retreats into the depths of NERV, while the determined Captain Misato Katsuragi searches for him as the world teeters on the brink of collapse.