Fourteen years after the catastrophic Third Impact, the Earth lies in ruins, its once vibrant civilization reduced to remnants. Shinji Ikari, now a shadow of his former self, is stranded within Evangelion Unit-01 until rescued by Asuka Langley Shikinami and Mari Illustrious Makinami of WILLE, a military group under the command of his estranged guardian Misato Katsuragi. Struggling with isolation and regret, Shinji faces distrust and abandonment from those he once knew. Saved from WILLE by Rei Ayanami, Shinji returns to NERV headquarters where he forges a fast bond with the mysterious Kaworu Nagisa, gaining solace and understanding amidst NERV's ongoing conflict against the Angels. However, their respite is short-lived as a new threat emerges, pitting Shinji not against celestial foes but former friends turned adversaries. As he confronts this harrowing battle for the fate of humanity, Shinji grapples with an inescapable truth: the past lingers as an unchangeable force, shaping his present and future.