[EVA] Rambling about EVA-00 and the A^10 nerve...

[MMKokusaiYK]

This is long and I am just rambling to sort out information, so bear
with me. :P

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An investigation into the possible causes of EVA-00 berserking

EVA-00 berserked in two cases -- the first time with Rei in Ep.5
(activation test 22 days before the series start) and the second time
with Shinji in Ep.14 (first crossover test).

First, a summary of these two cases:

In Rei's case, primary contact (= connection of all main power circuits,
power transmission, and activation system startup) and secondary contact
(= physical neural connections involving synapse insertion, coupling,
pulse transmission, all circuits normal check, and initial contact
check) were successful.
However, tertiary contact (= central nervous system and mental contacts
up to the "Absolute-L BORDER-LINE" for activation) went haywire just
after the A^10 nerve connection. At this point, the pulse reversed,
central nerve elements were rejected, the Eva berserked and started
punching the control room window (Gendo?), then the Eva auto-ejected the
entry plug but remained active and berserking for a number of seconds
until the internal power supply ran out.
Ritsuko tried to pass off the cause of the first accident as "mental
instability on the part of the pilot", but when Misato expressed
disbelief and asked what might have been the cause of Rei's agitation,
Ritsuko mused briefly and then answered in an absorbed manner: "I'm not
sure... but... No, it couldn't be." followed by a questioning line by
Misato and then: "No, it couldn't possibly be that."

In Shinji's case, despite a little nervousness, primary and secondary
contacts were also successful, with Ritsuko even saying that the
numbers, although lower than in EVA-01, were still sufficient for
proceeding with the Dummy Plug project.
However, Shinji started seeing the Rei images and the Eva berserked just
after the A^10 nerve connection, except in this case there was no entry
plug ejection, but instead mental contamination and encroachment from
the Eva.
Again, Misato again asked about the cause and possible relation to Rei's
berserking incident, but Ritsuko put off the questions saying simply
that she didn't know and couldn't say for sure right now. However, after
Misato had left the room, she muttered to herself: "EVA-00 really wanted
to hit me -- no doubt about it."

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So, summarizing what we know:
- In both cases the berserking started just after the A^10 nerve
connection (more on this below).
- In both cases the berserking occurred (Ep.14) and continued (Ep.5)
without Rei present in the Eva. In fact, Rei was injured and probably
only semi-conscious (incapacitated?) while the Eva was still active and
berserking in Ep.5.
- In both cases Ritsuko seems to have some knowledge of possible causes
which she is trying to deny even to herself (Ep.5) and which appear have
some personal relevance (Ep.14).
- Eva contact (activation?) does not require a soul -- after all, Yui,
Kyouko and the other 'invested souls' had to have performed the initial
contact tests in the soulless condition. However, contact
(synchronization) with a soulless Eva is also known to have extremely
adverse effects on the pilot.
- Given this knowledge, there is no logical reason to have Shinji
attempt synchronization with a soulless Eva -- not even as a cover for
the crossover tests which could have been done between Rei and EVA-01
without any of the other pilots present.

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And finally, an examination of the A^10 nerve

The D&R Dx movie program states that the A^10 nerve:
  "is associated with higher order brain functions such as memory, 
  cognizance and the execution of movement, and with emotions such 
  as anxiety, fear, happiness and pleasure.  In addition, it is 
  also said to play an important role in affection between parent 
  and child, and between lovers."

In addition, a simplified explanation of nerves and the A^10 nerve
structure is as follows:
The A^1 to A^7 nerves secrete noradrenaline, the A^8 to A^15 nerves
secrete dopamine, the B-row nerves (the so-called 'sleep center') to the
inside of the A nerves secrete seretonin, and there are also C-row
nerves that secrete adrenaline.
The human nervous system transmits signals by having nerve cells secrete
these and other neurotransmittors which are then picked up by the
receptors of other nerve cells and so on. Further, each nerve cell also
has auto-receptors which maintain homeostatis by picking up a portion of
the secreted neurotransmittor and applying "negative feedback" to
suppress secretion when there is too much of the neurotransmittor
present. 
That is to say, all cells *except* the A^10 nerve. The A^10 nerve is the
only nerve cell not to have these auto-receptors, so there is no
negative feedback system for suppressing neurotransmittor secretion.
This special structure is thought to allow the human faculty of free
concept (ideas) and also to be a factor in feelings of religious
exaltation (rapture/ecstasy) and love/affection.

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In both berserking incidents, the berserking occurred just after
connection of the A^10 nerve, so this lack of negative feedback may very
well have played a major role. Further, Shinji's last thought before he
started seeing the images of Rei was that of Rei's smell in the entry
plug. Shinji was already interested/attracted to Rei at that point, and
smell can be a very powerful sexual stimulant (around 25% of all people
with olfactory impairments (anosmia) lose their sexual impulse).
Thus, these subconscious feelings may have been amplified without
negative feedback within the neural link system, thus providing a
possible explanation for the Rei images.

Bochan_bird
"Do with these pearls as you will, swine." :P