Item from Neon Genesis Evangelion by Hideaki Anno / Gainax
A barrier of the soul made visible — every Angel and Eva generates one as a shield, but every living thing with a soul has one too, and its dissolution is the mechanism by which humanity ends.
The Absolute Terror Field is simultaneously a weapon, a shield, and a philosophical concept. Angels and Evangelions generate AT Fields strong enough to stop physical attacks, deflect explosions, and block nearly all conventional weapons. Only another AT Field or the Spear of Longinus can reliably penetrate one. Some Angels use their AT Fields offensively — Sahaquiel destroys satellites with hers, Kaworu can fly with his. But the deeper truth is that every living thing with a soul possesses an AT Field. In humans, it is too weak to detect but serves a vital function: it bounds the ego, maintaining individual identity. Without an AT Field, a soul cannot define its own existence, and the physical body degenerates into LCL. This is the mechanism of Instrumentality — dissolving all AT Fields dissolves all individuality, merging humanity into one.
Normally invisible. When stressed or colliding with another force, manifests as octagonal or hexagonal waves of energy, usually orange but sometimes purple or red. Appears as a membrane that twists and tears when penetrated. Ramiel's AT Field was visible to the naked eye, refracting light like a heat shimmer.
Also known as: AT Field, A.T. Field, Absolute Terror Field