Site-04
The remote Nevada testing facility lost in the catastrophic Unit-04 incident.
Site-04 is a NERV testing facility located in the Nevada desert, serving as a remote site for Evangelion activation tests rather than a full-scale operational branch. While the primary operations center around the massive GeoFront beneath Tokyo-3, Site-04 represents a secondary installation designed for experimental procedures. The facility is most infamous in the series' history as the location where Unit-04 was deployed for its initial activation test. This specific event turned into a tragedy, marking one of the darkest moments for NERV personnel, resulting in the complete destruction of the site and Unit-04 in a catastrophic explosion, though the cause remains officially classified.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Nevada desert, United States
- Affiliation
- NERV (United Nations)
- Primary function
- Remote testing facility for Evangelion activation tests
- Key event
- Unit-04 Activation and Incident
- Status
- Destroyed (site lost in Unit-04 incident)
- Associated unit
- Evangelion Unit-04
Lore & Background
Constructed in the Nevada desert, Site-04 was a remote testing facility, not a hardened bunker or full-scale NERV branch. Its architecture was minimal, featuring a containment structure for the activation test rather than massive launch shafts, heavy containment doors, or LCL flooding systems. The facility's legacy is defined by the disastrous activation test of Evangelion Unit-04. When the unit was brought online, a catastrophic incident occurred—the entire facility and Unit-04 were consumed in a massive explosion, leaving no survivors and no wreckage. This event is only mentioned in dialogue; Shinji Ikari was not present at Site-04 and did not witness the incident.
Reader's Guide
Site-04 serves as a grim reminder of the fragility of NERV's defenses. Located deep underground in Tokyo-3, this facility was intended to be a secure backup for launching Evangelions during emergencies. Its primary narrative role is hosting the tragic activation test of Unit-03. This event highlights the unpredictable nature of the Angels and the psychological toll on the pilots, particularly Shinji Ikari, who observes the destruction from a transport vehicle nearby. The site matters because it demonstrates that even NERV's most advanced preparations can fail when faced with an Angel's direct interference. The destruction of Site-04 forces the organization to rely more heavily on the main GeoFront and underscores the desperate stakes of the Human Instrumentality Project.
More in World & Setting
Elsewhere in Neon Genesis Evangelion
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