Glossaries _ Eva Units _ Eva Unit 04

Designation: Eva Unit-04 (Production Type)
Designated pilot: NA
Inhabited by the soul of: NA

About Eva Unit 04: Eva Unit-04 never actually makes an appearance in the series or movies, however it is referenced to in Episodes 17 and 18.  It was constructed at the Second Branch of Nerv in Nevada.  It is virtually identical to Unit-03, except for differences in color.  Unit-04 was used to experiment with S2 technology.  An S2 organ was salvaged from a defeated Angel, and the Second Branch attempted to integrate it into Unit-04, to obtain data, and presumably to test the S2 organ so that it could be adapted for the mass production type.  However, when installing the S2 unit into Unit-04, it unexpectedly exploded, destroying the Second Branch, and everything within a 89 kilometer radius.

Here's where theory enters into the game.  It would appear to have been your standard large explosion.  The satelite displayed a shockwave, a crater, and even the satelite being knocked out by an EM Pulse.  These are all evident of a destructive explosion.  Nerv was at odds, arguing between an explosion and a dissapearance, offering that it was swallowed by a sea of Dirac.  This seems as if it was merely being covered up.

This explosion not only mirrors the destruction of Antarctica when Adam was awoken, but also the explosion at Matsushiro.  When Bardiel revealed itself, it caused caused severe damage to the facility.  Unit 3 was not the Angel itself, but rather, a infection.  Bardiel infected Unit 3, and quite possibly Unit 4.  Its probable that the explosion at Nevada was no different than the explosion at Matsushiro, only in the case of the explosion at Nevada, the Unit exploded, causing greater damage, in a manner quite similar to the damage caused to Tokyo-3 when Rei self detonated Unit 0 to destroy the 16th angel, Armisael.

Whatever the case, the fact remains that despite the loss of Unit-04, the integration of S2 organs into the mass production type was successfully achieved.

Relevent Resources:
Yamashita, Ikuto - The design concept is "Enormous Power Restrained"