History Anime / EscaflowneTheMovie

* PointOfDivergence: Possibly, albeit not likely. Given how much the Gaean backstory of Movie ''Escaflowne'' diverges from the TV show, it's unclear if there even ''is'' a point of divfergence between the two continuities. [[spoiler:The absence of Zaibach from the Movie setting ''could'' suggest Movie Dornkirk never made it to Gaea, or something happened to prevent him for founding his mechanized empire.]]

* BondVillainStupidity: Folken passes up a golden opportunity to eliminate the Abaharaki after the failed attempt to capture Hitomi. Their land-ship's disabled and they're temporarily stranded and vulnerable (and the Black Dragon Clan knows their location thanks to Dilandau's attack). But, Folken instead focuses all his resources and attention on Torushina and acquiring the entombed Armor there.

*** Speaking of the Pendant, [[spoiler: with the changes to Allen's backstory (see below), Hitomi's Grandmother's visits to Gaea and encounters with Allen's father is excised from the story. So, the Kanzaki Family's prior history with Gaea is revamped instead into a half-remembered encounter Hitomi had with Van years ago when they were both children. As she's no longer an amateur fortuneteller, Hitomi also doesn't even have the Pendant until arriving in Gaea (where, with Atlantis excised, it's now re-imagined as for all intents, a car beeper for Escaflowne]].

*** Likewise, it's unclear if the Knights Caeli exist(ed) in this version of the story or if Allen was even a member (though he ''is'' still a skilled swordsman). With Guymelefs now being rare in this setting, Allen no longer possess Scherazade. Finally, since Dornkirk and Zaibach are adapted out, [[spoiler: the Fate Alteration experiments do not happen, meaning that ''if'' Celena Schezar exists or existed on this Gaea, she's ''not'' Dilandau in this version.]]

* AdaptationalCurves: Hitomi due to the character redesigns. While her character model is closer to the series than the original manga, Movie Hitomi is less lank and a bit curvier.

* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler: Folken. In the show, he's ultimately revealed to be an AntiVillain, whereas in this version of the story, he's a psychotic BigBad.]]

* AliensSpeakingEnglish: Similarly to the show, Van and the other characters are all speaking Gaean in-universe, yet Hitomi can still understand them. In the show, it was implied to be due to Hitomi's possession of the Pendant -- but as she doesn't acquire it until coming to Gaea in this version, that explanation no longer works. [[spoiler: Given her final shot in the film seemingly confirms Hitomi ''is'' a reincarnation of the Wing Goddess, that preexisting connection to Gaea probably explains why she understands Gaean in this version.]]

* AmbiguousSituation: Could Hitomi actually be a reincarnation of the Wing Goddess? Or is she simply an ordinary Earth teenager who got caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time when Folken and Sora did their summoning? [[spoiler: The final shot of Hitomi as she leaves Gaea seemingly confirms she is indeed a reincarnation.]]
* AndTheAdventureContinues: [[spoiler: A villainous variation when Dilandau and the Dragon Slayers flee Torushina following the Black Dragon Clan's collapse. Dilandau cheerfully notes there's ''always'' another war to fight somewhere.]]

* AxCrazy: Dilandau as always (and if anything, dialed up for the Movie). What makes it even worse here is that [[spoiler: Celena Schezar does not exist in this version of the story, so the Fate Alteration Experiments didn't cause SanitySlippage. Thus, this version of Dilandau is psychotic without any excuses or tragic backstory (or any chance at salvation).]]

* BattleTrophy: Flashbacks show Folken took the Dragon Clan's Dragon Skeleton (mounted on the wall of the Clan's Throne Room) during his sacking of the kingdom. It's ended up mounted on his own throne room's floor in the Present Day.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Folken and the Black Dragon Clan are stopped and Escaflowne doesn't fulfill its prophesied role in destroying Gaea. Hitomi and Van help one another emerge from their mutual self-absorption and suicidal depression. But countless Gaeans are still dead and Van remains the sole survivor of the Dragon Clan. Unlike his TV counterpart, Folken dies without redeeming himself. Dilandau and the Dragon Calvary escape and are free to cause chaos elsewhere on Gaea. Finally, with the Gadarasarai Song fulfilled, Hitomi is pulled back to Earth -- and since it was Folken and Sora's summoning that brought her to Gaea, she and Van will never see each other again. That being said, the final shot of Hitomi seemingly confirms she ''is'' a reincarnation of the Wing Goddess after all. So, just as with their TV counterparts in the series finale, it leaves open the possibility that Movie Hitomi ''could'' return to Gaea and to Van someday.]]

* BookEnds: The film opens in the starry skies above Gaea before the camera pans down into the Gaean Mountains. The closing shot reverses this, panning upward from Adom Village's mountains and into the Gaean nighttime sky [[spoiler: as if to track Hitomi's return home to Earth]].

* DeathByIrony: [[spoiler: Folken spends the entire film as a DeathSeeker. When he finally gets his wish in the climax, however, he dies not by taking Gaea down with him as he'd planned. Instead, he ends up going out the same way he killed his people during his StartOfDarkness: Betrayed and murdered by a member of his own Clan.]]
* DeathSeeker: [[spoiler: Hitomi, Van, and Folken all have this to varying degrees as their shared trait at the beginning of the film. Through her interactions with Van, Hitomi gradually loses hers (as does Van). Folken, unfortunately, doesn't and gets his wish (albeit with nowhere near the global collateral damage he was aiming for.]]

* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation [[spoiler: In the flashbacks, Movie Goau and Varie Fanel are killed by Folken rather than dying from illness and land dragons respectively as in the series. Movie Folken likewise dies at the hands of Jajuka rather than sacrificing himself to stop Dornkirk. Jajuka in turn is killed by Folken during his assassination attempt rather than being killed by Allen while defending Dilandau as in the TV show.]]

* DisproportionateRetribution: [[spoiler: Folken wiped out his own people and launched a global war all because an oracle foretold Van would be King rather than him.]]

** Folken holding Dilandau responsible for failing to capture Hitomi and punishing him accordingly. While the screw-up is unquestionably Dilandau's fault, neither of them realize that [[spoiler: Jajuka had a shot at capturing Hitomi in the chaotic aftermath of Dilandau's telekinetic battle with Van. Not only did he decide not to let them go, but it's also implied he's the one who brought them to Adom Village (as Jajuka is conspicuously absent when Folken and Dilandau have their little 'chat').]]

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Movie Jajuka is disgusted at the brutality and violence of the Black Dragon Clan. [[spoiler: It pays off in the climax, as it motivates him to (successfully) take a shot at assassinating Folken (albeit at the cost of his own life.]]

* GoingDownWithTheShip: [[spoiler: After Folken's death, Sora declines to flee with Van and Hitomi. She chooses instead to go down with the Castle and stay by Folken's side to the very end.]]

* HeroicBSOD: Downplayed, but the Mole Man of all people gets hit with this during the Battle of Torushina once Black Escaflowne emerges. His faith in the Gadarasarai Song is shattered and he resignedly accepts Escaflowne ''will'' destroy all of Gaea (just as Dryden anticipated and argued during their war council). [[spoiler: Thankfully, his faith's re-awakened after Folken's defeat.]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Jajuka in the climax. He successfully inflicts a mortal wound on Folken, but at the cost of his own life.]]
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: Folken summoning the Wing Goddess sets off a chain of events which ultimately ends with his death and the destruction of the Black Dragon Clan. It gets played with, though, as Folken ''wanted'' to destroy Gaea, himself, and his own empire as part of his nihilism. Instead, that goal was only partially achieved.]]
* HonorBeforeReason: [[spoiler: This is what gets Jajuka killed during his ultimately successful assassination of Folken. He outright tells Folken he's going to kill him and charges rather than just keeping his mouth shut, blitzing him from behind, and driving in the dagger before Folken could get off a telekinetic blast. Justified, as Jajuka ''wanted'' Folken to know his victims were finally getting justice and that he'd been betrayed by one of his own men.]]

--> '''Van:''' '''''I'LL KILL YOU!!!''''' (impales Dilandau's armor) ''NOW DIE!'' (impales him again with his spear) ''My enemies die!'' (starts stomping on the armor) ''I'll kill you!''

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Van is still this in the Movie continuity, but it's definitely dialed up compared to the show (due to the genocide of his entire kingdom and Folken's betrayal). Merle insists Van's actually sweet and kind deep down, but its buried under his anger and angush. Hitomi doesn't really believe Merle until after Van saves her from Dilandau and they get to know each other better.

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler: Dilandau and the Dragon Slayers survive the collapse of the Black Dragon Clan and flee Torushina without meeting any resistance. Justified, as Torushina's been wrecked to hell and nobody's in any position to give chase.]]

* LastOfHisKind:
** Sora is the sole survivor of the Nail Village, which was wiped out by Folken prior to the events of the film. [[spoiler: She ultimately chooses to die with Folken.]]
** [[spoiler: With Folken's death in the climax, Van ends the film as the sole survivor of the Dragon Clan (though Dilandau technically is of Dragon Clan descent, though not a member of the Clan.]]

** [[spoiler: In the final battle's aftermath, a winged Van and Hitomi fly over the battlefield and Van sheds feathers -- just as he did in the [[TheVisionOfEscaflowneE26EternalLove series finale]].]]

** [[spoiler: Jajuka also bears specific credit for kicking off Hitomi's CharacterDevelopment (or at least immediately following Van's winged rescue of Hitomi). Not only does he forfeit a chance to capture Hitomi after the failed attack, but he gives her insight into Van's mental state that makes her realize they're not so different after all. It's also implied Jajuka was the one who brought them to Adom Village for sanctuary (as Van was unconscious and would have had no way of relaying instructions to Hitomi). This is also a subversion of the trope, as Jajuka respected Van and was already shown to be a closet dissenter of Folken's extremism.]]

* PointOfDivergence: Possibly, albeit not likely. Given how much the Gaean backstory of Movie ''Escaflowne'' diverges from the TV show, it's unclear if there even ''is'' a point of divfergence between the two continuities. [[spoiler: The absence of Zaibach from the Movie setting ''could'' suggest Movie Dornkirk never made it to Gaea, or something happened to prevent him for founding his mechanized empire.]]

* PsychologicalProjection: [[spoiler: It gradually becomes clear that Folken's belief in the Wing Goddess sharing his desire for destruction is really just him projecting his own wants onto Hitomi. Sora definitely seems aware of it.]]

* RedemptionRejection: [[spoiler: Unlike his TV counterpart, Movie Folken rejects any attempts at reconciling with Van or atoning for his crimes.]]

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler: Dilandau does this after realizing he's no match for Van and the Escaflowne when the latter impounds his Dragon Armor after provoking Van with his flamethrower and triggering Van's TraumaButton as a result, causing Dilandau to get out of his Dragon Armor and turn tail terrified out of his wits. He is last seen riding off with his friends to go look for another war to fight elsewhere now that the Black Dragon Clan is no more]].
* SelfFulfillingProphecy: [[spoiler: Folken slaughtering his people and burning their homeland to the ground demonstrates exactly why the oracle's portents favored Van rather than Folken as the next ruler. Their father even lampshades it before Folken kills him.]]
** Likewise, [[spoiler: Folken wants to destroy Gaea because he sees a world beyond saving -- one consumed with suffering and sorrow. Gaea is indeed in turmoil...because he and the Black Dragon Clan are going around conquering and killing everyone and everything. It's also worth noting that a lot of this is also Folken's self-projection.]]
* SpannerInTheWorks: When Folken summons the Wing Goddesses, he didn't anticipate she'd descend to another Dragon (i.e. Van), or that Van had taken possession of Escaflowne from the airship that was ferrying it to his flying castle. He also had no way of knowing that [[spoiler: Van and Hitomi had encountered one another years ago as children, implying this preexisting link was part of why she was drawn to Van rather than Folken when she was pulled off Earth.]]

* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler: Movie Naria and Eriya by virtue of being dancers in this version and therefore not affiliated with Folken. Most of Dilandau's Dragon Slayers similarly survive this time around, too. Dilandau himself technically survives this version of the story (due to Celena being removed from his and Allen's backstories.]]

* SympathyForTheDevil: [[spoiler: By the final confrontation in the Black Dragon Clan's Flying Castle, Hitomi comes to pity Folken and his inability to let go of his nihilism. Sora too outright calls him a poor soul in their penultimate exchange.]]
* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: No matter how much Folken dresses up his agenda with good intentions and 'compassion' for the greater good, his endgame is still ultimately putting himself out of his misery -- and taking all of Gaea with him. Thankfully, this doesn't come to pass. ]]

* TrappedInAnotherWorld: Hitomi, just as in the TV series. Part of the dramatic tension is again whether or not Hitomi will be able to return home. [[spoiler: Like the ending of the TV shows, she does.]]
* TraumaButton: Fire is this for Movie Van due to [[spoiler: Folken burning down their kingdom and killing their people and parents.]]

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: [[spoiler: The Dragon Clan Oracle who proclaimed Van, not Folken, would be their next King. That single foretelling sealed the fate of the Dragon Clan and doomed Gaea to a decade of unending death and destruction.]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler: In a twisted way, this aspect of Folken's character is kept intact from the series. He isn't wrong about Gaea being full of sorrow and suffering and wanting to end it (much like Dornkirk). What undermines it, of course, is that ''Folken'' himself is the source of so many Gaeans' suffering and his entire spiel is really more about putting ''himself'' out of his own misery.]]

** The final shot of Hitomi as she [[spoiler: manfiests white wings, confirming she ''is'' a reincarnation of the Wing Goddess after all.]]

** [[spoiler: Allen's land ship, which took down a Black Dragon Clan airship early in the film, is taken out with one shot from Dilandau's Dragon Armor at Torushina. It establishes this new Dragon Armor is just as dangerous as Escaflowne -- and just how ''screwed'' they all are if Hitomi can't call it down right now.]]
* XanatosGambit: [[spoiler: Implied with Folken using Dilandau to reanimate the Torushina Dragon Armor. If it works, great, the Black Dragon Clan gains access to the most powerful weapon on Gaea. If it ''doesn't'' work and Dilandau dies in the cockpit, that's still a win too. Dilandau's more trouble than he's worth and at least he'll have died servicing Folken's agenda. And even if he does die, Folken ''still'' has access to a functioning Dragon Armor, because Sora's confirmed Hitomi's in Torushina and he will appeal for Escaflowne to be summoned. The mistake Folken makes is that he didn't consider the possibility that the Wing Goddess ''might'' reject his appeal.]]

* PointOfDivergence: As an alternate version of Gaia, it's left unclear when and where the Movie's history diverged from the original show's timeline/backstory. [[spoiler: The absence of Zaibach from the setting ''could'' suggest Movie Dornkirk never made it to Gaea, or something happened to prevent him for founding his mechanized empire.]]

* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Dilandau outright cites the trope when he murders Nukushi for failing to capture Hitomi.

* BullyingADragon: Almost literally when Dilandu foolishly tries to telekentically sucker punch Folken, i.e. the commander of the Black ''Dragon'' Clan.

* DisappointedByTheMotive: Played with during Van's convalescence in Adom Village when he tells Hitomu about Folken's backstory (see DisproportionateRetribution). While Hitomi's obviously horrified, she's also incredulous that all of this death and destruction is over something so ''petty''.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Movie Jauka is disgusted at the brutality and violence of the Black Dragon Clan. [[spoiler: It pays off in the climax, as it motivates him to (successfully) take a shot at assassinating Folken (albeit at the cost of his own life.]]

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Van is still this in the Movie continuity, but it's definitely dialed up compared to the show (due to the genocide of his entire kingdom and Folken's betrayal). Merle isnsits Van's actually sweet and kind deep down, but its buried under his anger and angush. Hitomi doesn't really believe Merle until after Van saves her from Dilandau and they get to know each other better.

* TheProphecy: The Gadarasarai Song, which fortells the return of the Wing Goddess and Escaflowne to Gaea. This is part of the driving engine of the film, as Folken and the Abaharaki are both trying to fullfill different parts of the Prophecy (to respectively destroy and save Gaea).

* TokenGoodTeammate: Jaujuka to the Black Dragon Clan.

* HonorBeforeReason: [[spoiler: This is what gets Jajuka killed during his ultimately successful assassination of Folken. He outright tells Folken he's going to kill him and charges rather than just keeping shtum, blitzing him from behind, and driving in the dagger before Folken could get off a telekinetic blast. Justified, as Jajuka ''wanted'' Folken to know his victims were finally getting justice and that he'd been betrayed by one of his own men.]]

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler: Dilandau does this after realizing he's no match for Van and the Escaflowne when the latter impounds his Dragon Armor after provoking Van his flamethrower and triggering Van's TraumaButton as a result, causing Dilandau to get out of his Dragon Armor and turn tail terrified out of his wits. He is last seen riding off with his friends to go look for another war to fight elsewhere now that the Black Dragon Clan is no more]].

* DemotedToExtra: With the film's core focus on Hitomi, Van, and Folken, every other major character from the series is reduced to minor or supporting roles. Allen and Millerna especially get hit with this ''bad'' (as Allen was the show's tritagonist and Millerna now becomes TheChick).

* CanonForeigner: Sora. However, despite being created solely for the Movie, Sora ironically ends up filling the roles held by TV Naria and Eriya (Folken's loyal retainer) and aspects of TV Hitomi's role (The Diviner).

* BondVillainStupidity: Folken passes up a chance to eliminate the Abaharaki after the failed attempt to capture Hitomi. Their land-ship's disabled and they're temporarily stranded and vulnerable (and the Black Dragon Clan knows their location thanks to the Dragon Cavalry's attack and the surviors). But, Folken instead focuses all his resources and attention on Torushina.

* DisappointedByTheMotive: Played when during Van's convalescence in Adom Village and he fills her in on Folken's backstory (see DisproportionateRetribution). While Hitomi's obviously horrified, she's also incredulous that all of this death and destruction is over something so ''petty''.

** Similarly, Merle states early on that she considers the Mole Man a quack and not a real fortunteller. She's not entirely wrong, as this sets up the reveal at Torushina that the Abaharaki were operating off incomplete information about the Gadarasarai Song thanks to the Mole Man.

* SailorFuku: As in the show, Movie Hitomi is transported to Gaea with her school uniform (and as in the show, Gaeans are unsure what to make of such strange clothing). The gunfire is also redesigned from the series, discarding the blazer and playing up Hitomi as MsFanservice.

* GoneHorriblyRight: The Black Dragon Clan's first attempt to grab Hitomi. As Jajuka reminds Dilandau, Folken's orders called for a feigned attack to give their commandos an opening to board the Abaharaki land-ship. Dilandau being Dilandau, he intentionally ignores the orders and goes LeeroyJenkins to give the Dragon Cavalry a ''real'' battle. He ends up getting his wish once Allen rallies the Abaharaki. What should've been a feigned attack quickly becomes a genuine fight for their lives as the Dragon Calvary start getting picked off.

* AllThereInTheManual: A pair of Drama CDs were released ahead of the film's premiere. Both serve as preludes and expand on the Cinematic Hitomi and Van's backstories just prior the events of the Movie.

* BondVillainStupidity: Folken passes up a chance to eliminate the Abaharaki after the failed attempt to capture Hitomi. Their land-ship's disabled and they're stranded and vulnerable (and the Black Dragon Clan knows their location thanks to the Dragon Cavalary). But, Folken instead focuses all his resources and attention on Torushina.
* BookEnds: The film opens in the starry skies above Gaea before the camera pans down into the Gaean Mountains. The closing shot reverses this, panning upward from the mountains above Adom Village and into the Gaean nighttime sky [[spoiler: as if to track Hitomi's return home to Earth]].

* TrappedInAnotherWorld: Hitomi, just as in the TV series.

* BigBrotherInstinct: Averted ''hard''. In a direct contrast to the series, ''this'' version of Folken is most certainly ''not'' looking out for his little brother.

* BootstrappedTheme: "Dance of Curse", which arguably became the musical face of the show's OST, is the only piece of music from the series (apart from the "Escaflowne" chant) to receive a remix for the Movie.

* Abritarily LargeBankAccount: Downplayed compared to the TV series, but Movie Dryden's still loaded (thanks to the Fassas being a wealthy Torushina family in this continuity). Movie Dryden's certainly wealthy enough to operate his own tavern and secretly fund the Abaharaki.