Anime / Escaflowne: The Movie

One will wake it. One will destroy it.

Escaflowne: The Movie^note Known alternately as Escaflowne: A Girl in Gaea is a 2000 Japanese animated adventure/dark fantasy film directed Kazuki Akane, produced by Sunrise, and animated by Studio BONES. It is a cinematic retelling of The Vision of Escaflowne and the final installment of the franchise.

The basic premise of the film is the same as the original TV series. Once again, Hitomi Kanzaki is a young high school track runner who's suddenly shanghaied from Earth to the extraordinary world of Gaea. There, she once again meets swordsman Van Fanel and once more becomes caught up in a global battle for control of Gaea.

From hereon out, however, the story and characters bifurcate from the source material.

The characters' motivations, designs, and even the look of Gaea itself are heavily redesigned from their original incarnations (to the point of even being unrecognizable in some instances). The film also discards most of the show's signature Shoujo elements (the fortunetelling and Love Triangle especially) while playing up the mystical elements. Finally, the premise/plot of the original 26 episodes is heavily condensed and reworked into a 90 minute narrative that's much different and darker.

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Escaflowne: The Movie contains the following movie-exclusive tropes:

• Adapted Out:
  • Zaibach does not appear, thus Dornkirk is not the Big Bad this time around (nor do the Four Generals appear as supporting antagonists). Folken and his Black Dragon Clan take their place in the new narrative.
  • Atlantis is removed from this version of the Escaflowne backstory, meaning this alternate Gaea was not created by their experiments. The Draconians are also written out, reinventing Van and Folken's wings as a Dragon Clan ability rather than evidence of their shared Atlantean heritage. The removal of the Ispano Clan also means Escaflowne itself isn't based upon Atlantean science and technology (and similarly, Hitomi's Pendant is no longer an Atlantean relic).
    • Speaking of the Pendant, 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.
  • Since none of the familiar locales from the series appear, Asturia is removed from this version of Allen and Millerna's backstories (or at the very least, it's never actually named). Regardless, while Millerna is called 'Princess' by the Abaharaki, it's presented more as an affectionate nickname rather than a actual royal title. It's ultimately left ambiguous if she is still a blue-blood or not.
    • 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, 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.
    • The locale/backstory issue also gets zigzagged with Van and Fanelia. Cinematic Van's kingdom is not explicitly called Fanelia, so it's unclear if it does exist in this version or not. Regardless, only Goau and Varie Fanel make the cinematic jump for brief cameos while Balgus Ganesha does not appear at all.
  • With the Love Triangle and Shoujo elements adapted out, Amano is absent from this version of Hitomi's High School background. Only Yukari survives the cinematic jump, keeping her role as the Track Team Manager and her friendship with Hitomi while removing her own subplot with Amano.
• Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene: Van's convalescence in Adom Village halfway through, where he opens up to Hitomi and the two of them grow closer.
• Adaptation Distillation: The film takes the basic premise and core characters of the series while implementing a new, darker tonal and narrative direction.
• Adaptation Dye-Job: Millerna's blonde hair from the TV series is discarded in favor of strawberry blonde for the film.
• Adaptational Angst Upgrade:
  • Hitomi in comparison to her TV counterpart. Movie Hitomi suffers from depression, to the point it's implied she was contemplating suicide before ending up in Gaea.
  • Movie Van also gets hit with this. This Van's much more embittered and haunted by his past and far more quick to anger with a borderline Murder Is the Best Solution mentality when dealing with his enemies.
• Adaptational Attractiveness: While Merle certainly wasn't ugly in the anime, she was still a preteen girl. Here, she's been aged up to Van and Hitomi's age which leads to a more developed build.
• Adaptational Curves:
  • 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.
  • Van is still rather lean like he was in the series but now has a much more defined musculature.
• Adaptational Badass: Movie Millerna. She serves as the first mate aboard Allen's land ship and is a proficient fencer.
• Adaptational Modesty: Merle was commando in the TV series but is shown to be wearing panties under her dress in the film.
• Adaptational Skimpiness: Van wears less in this film, going around shirtless and wearing shorts with a waistwrap.
• Adaptational Villainy: Folken. In the show, he's ultimately revealed to be an Anti-Villain, whereas in this version of the story, he's a psychotic Big Bad.
• Age Lift: Merle. She was a preteen in the series, whereas Movie Merle's roughly the same age as Van and Hitomi.
• Aliens Speaking English: 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. 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.
• Alternate Continuity: To the original series.
• All Just a Dream: Hitomi initially copes with her arrival on Gaea by concluding this is all just a dream and all she needs to do is to wake up. Millerna quickly and forcibly disabuses her of this notion.
• All Love Is Unrequited: Sora is implied to have fallen in love with Folken, who is incapable of returning such feelings.
• All There in the Manual: 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.
• Ambiguous Situation: 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? The final shot of Hitomi as she leaves Gaea seemingly confirms she is indeed a reincarnation.
• And the Adventure Continues: 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.
• Animation Bump: While YMMV on the overhaul of the character/world designs, the animation's cinematic upgrade is unquestionably gorgeous.
• Apologetic Attacker: Nukushi during his and Van's brief confrontation. He has little desire to attack or kill an beloved ally of his Clan, but he has to fulfill their devil's bargain with Folken.
• Arbitrarily Large Bank Account: 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.
• Art Evolution: Nobuteru Yūki completely overhauled and redesigned his original character designs from the show. Gaea's look also changes from the pan-Eurasian depiction of the series to an Asiatic influence.
• Ascended Extra: Jajuka is the supporting character that benefits the most from the Movie. He has a much more substantial role here compared to his TV counterpart during the show's closing episodes.
• Avenging the Villain: Proposed when Dilandau's used to ressurect the Torushina Dragon Armor. The Dragon Cavalary vows to kill all of Folken's Sorcerers if Dilandau ends up dying (a threat which they ultimately don't have to carry out).
• Ax-Crazy: Dilandau as always (and if anything, dialed up for the Movie). What makes it even worse here is that Celena Schezar does not exist in this version of the story, so the Fate Alteration Experiments didn't cause Sanity Slippage. Thus, this version of Dilandau is psychotic without any excuses or tragic backstory (or any chance at salvation).
• Badass Bookworm: Downplayed compared to the TV series, but as a scion of a wealthy Torushina family, Movie Dryden's implied to be well-educated. He certainly knows enough about ancient, esoteric Gaean lore to recite the full Gadarasarai Song and correct the Mole Man's incomplete interpretation.
• Battle Trophy: 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. He also took his father's head as well.
• Big Bad: Folken takes this role for the film (in contrast to the series, wherein he was Dornkirk's Dragon).
• Big Brother Instinct: Averted hard. In a direct contrast to the series, 'this version of Folken is most certainly not looking out for his little brother.
• Bittersweet Ending: 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.
• Bond Villain Stupidity: While it's not explicitly pointed out in the film, 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. This allows the Abaharaki time to regroup and rendevous with Dryden — allowing them to be on location in Torushina once Hitomi and Van sneak past the blockade.
• Book Ends: 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 as if to track Hitomi's return home to Earth.
• Bootstrapped Theme: "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. The initial Japanese and American promotional campaigns ended up heavily using it as the film's de facto theme song (alongside Maaya Sakamoto's "You're Not Alone").
• Bullying a Dragon: Almost literally when Dilandau foolishly tries to telekentically sucker punch Folken, i.e. the commander of the Black Dragon Clan.
• Butt-Monkey: It may be a different continuity, but the Mole Man as ever remains Gaea's chew toy.
• Cain and Abel: Van and Folken again, but the Movie version of their rivalry is far darker and more vicious than their TV rivalry.
• Canon Foreigner: 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 with unrequited love for him) and aspects of TV Hitomi's role (The Diviner).
• Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Dilandau being one of the last people on Gaea with Dragon Clan blood (and thus capable of piloting armors) is the only reason Folken doesn't just execute him for his incompetence and psychopathy.
• Cool Ship: The Abaharaki's land ship. While it's clearly meant to be the Movie version of the Crusade, it's never explicitly called the same name as it's TV counterpart.
• Darker and Edgier: While the series got pretty dark during the course of its run, the Movie goes even darker and more brutal.
• Deal with the Devil: Nukushi's Clan are forced to strike one with Folken. To protect themselves from the Black Dragon Clan, they agree to serve as commandos to abduct Hitomi from the Abaharaki.
• Death by Irony: Folken spends the entire film as a Death Seeker. 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 Start of Darkness: Betrayed and murdered by a member of his own Clan.
• Death Seeker: 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).
• Demoted to Extra: 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 is reduced to a more stereotypical "girl" role).
• Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: Despite proclaiming Hitomi to be the divine Wing Goddess, the Mole Man still has the nerve to actually try and charge her for making her Pendant. It fails due to a pissed-off Merle's intervention.
• Dies Differently in Adaptation 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.
• Dirty Old Man: Downplayed, but the Mole Man is still this. It's one of the reasons Cinematic Merle can't stand him.
• Disappointed by the Motive: Played with during Van's convalescence in Adom Village when he tells Hitomi about Folken's backstory (see Disproportionate Retribution). While Hitomi's obviously horrified, she's also incredulous that all of this death and destruction is over something so petty.
• Disproportionate Retribution: Folken wiped out his own people and launched a global war all because an oracle foretold Van would be King rather than him.
• Dramatic Irony:
  • 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 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').
  • Folken summons the Wing Goddesses to use Escaflowne to destroy Gaea. Instead, she and the armor descend to Van...only for Van, upon gaining control in the climax, to use Escaflowne to begin laying waste to Gaea. While he's still angry, Folken does acknowledge (and even seems somewhat amused by) the irony of Van doing exactly what he was trying to stop his older brother from doing.
• '80s Hair: Film Folken. He bears a not uncanny resemblance to David Bowie circa 1986.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Movie Jajuka is disgusted at the brutality and violence of the Black Dragon Clan. 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).
• Foreshadowing: When he first summons Hitomi from Earth, Folken mentions she will fulfill a Prophecy. The Mole Man recites the Gadarasarai Song after Hitomi's arrival, stating the Wing Goddess will descend to lead Gaea to a new world. Then, in the next scene, Folken and Sora mention Escaflowne is prophesied to lay waste to Gaea. Initially, it seems there are two separate prophecies in play (the Song being geared towards the Wing Goddesses, the other to the Dragon Armor) or that Folken's interpreting it to suit his own ends. It's not until the the war council in Torushina that Dryden reveals that Gadarasarai Song and Folken's Prophecy are part of the same fortelling. Folken was focused on the Song's latter portion while the Mole Man was only reciting the first verse.
  • Similarly, Merle states early on that she considers the Mole Man a quack and not a real fortuneteller. 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.
• Going Down with the Ship: 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.
• Gone Horribly Right: 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 Leeroy Jenkins to give the Dragon Cavalry a 'proper' battle. He ends up getting his wish once Allen literally lands on the field and 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.
• Goodbye, Cruel World!: In her first scene, Hitomi has a Suicide Note addressed to Yukari (and it's implied she was going to jump or was at least seriously considering it). Yukari doesn't take the note seriously, though it could also be her being in denial about how depressed her best friend was.
• Grand Finale: For the Escaflowne franchise.
• Heroic BSoD: 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). Thankfully, his faith's re-awakened after Folken's defeat.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Jajuka in the climax. He successfully inflicts a mortal wound on Folken, but at the cost of his own life.
• Hoist by His Own Petard: 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.
• Honor Before Reason: 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.
• Hope Spot: The Battle of Torushina. Hitomi's unwillingly called down Escaflowne and Van's piloting it against Dilandau's Armor. But, he's still in control and the Armor's not rampaging against Gaea as foretold. Then Dilandau breaks out his Armor's Flamethrower, Van's PTSD is triggered, and everything starts going to hell.
• Hypocritical Humor: Merle's not impressed with Hitomi during their one-on-one interaction in the stables. She cattily remarks Hitomi looks weird. An annoyed Hitomi naturally points out the absurdity of that observation coming from a literal cat-girl.
• I'll Kill You!: Van recites this multiple times. Devolves into Madness Mantra in his final battle with Dilandau when his armor's flamethrower triggers Van's Trauma Button.
  Van: I'LL KILL YOU!!! (impales Dilandau's armor) NOW DIE! (impales him again with Dilandau's own spear) My enemies die! (starts stomping on the armor) I'll kill you!
• It's All About Me: Movie Folken.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: 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 anguish. Hitomi doesn't really believe Merle until after Van saves her from Dilandau and they get to know each other better.
• Just One Man: Invoked by the Black Dragon Clan soldiers in the prologue when Van boards the airship. They can't believe that this one lone swordsman is single-handedly tearing through their entire crew (or that they can't stop him).
• Lost Technology: Guymelefs, or Dragon Armor as they're called here, are this in the Movie continuity (whereas in the show they're ubiquitous throughout Gaea). The Dragon Armors nearly destroyed Ancient Gaea and Modern Gaea has been unable to replicate them. Acquiring a surviving Dragon Armor is the Gaean equivalent of getting a nuclear weapon, which is why the Black Dragon Clan and the Abaharaki are both desperate to lay claim to Escaflowne (and then later the Torushina Dragon Armor).
  • One additional factor why they're rare in this setting is that only those with Dragon Clan blood are capable of piloting the Armors. With Folken having wiped out the Clan, even if there were more armors around, it wouldn't matter as they are only a handful of potential pilot left on Gaea (Folken, Van, and Dilandau).
• Karma Houdini: 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.
• La Résistance: The Abaharaki is made of up survivors of Folken's warmongering.
• Last of His Kind
  • Sora is the sole survivor of the Nail Village, which was wiped out by Folken prior to the events of the film. She ultimately chooses to die with Folken.
  • 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).
• Leeroy Jenkins: Dilandau, which blows up in the Black Dragon Clan's face during their first attempt to capture Hitomi.
• Mercy Kill: Folken's ostensible motive for summoning Escaflowne. He feels Gaea is full of nothing but sorrow and despair and that it needs to be put out of its misery. However, it's ultimately really more about Folken putting himself out of his own misery.
• Morality Pet: Sora for Folken.
• The Movie: Albeit technically a cinematic reboot of the series rather than a feature-length interquel or sequel (or compilation film).
• Mythology Gag:
  • When Hitomi sees Gaea in the skies above Earth, she wonders if this is all just a dream or a vision before realizing it's all real. This dialogue is taken from her opening narration in the show's early episodes.
  • While there are no design similarities, Folken's Flying Castle does at least evoke the Zaibach Flying Fortresses from the series. Likewise, the Torushina Armor is this Gaea's version of the Zaibach Alseides Guymelef (Dilandau's Red Alseides specifically).
  • The basic template of Sora's robes seem to be inspired by, and modeled after, Varie Fanel's Draconian robes from the show's opening.
  • During the telekinetic brawl with Dilandau, Hitomi falls off the collapsing cliff and a winged Van has to rescue her — much like their TV counterparts during the climax of "The Day the Angel Flew".
  • 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 series finale.
• Never My Fault: Mockingly invoked by Dilandau after he kills Nukushi. Dilandau complains to Van that one of his soldiers had the carelessness to get himself killed and it makes him 'sad'.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Hitomi seeing herself and her own mental health struggles in Van. Yes, it's noble and compassionate to emphasize with him and help get him out of his unhealthy mindset. But as Folken and Sora establish early in the film, Escaflowne will only descend if the Dragon and Wing Goddess are resonating with one another. So, with the two having bonded and becoming closer and in sync, down comes the Dragon Armor to Torushina at the worst possible time. Of course, it also conversely means Hitomi's literally the only person who has any chance in hell of getting through to Van once Black Escaflowne comes out.
• Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Dilandau's failed attack on the Abaharaki. Not only does he fail to capture Hitomi, but his actions end up splitting Hitomi and Van away from the main group. During his convalescence at Adom Village (and even when Van rescues her from the cliff collapse), the two get over their initial dislike of one another and become closer. This would never have happened if Dilandau had followed Folken's orders instead of going Leeroy Jenkins.
  • Jajuka also bears specific credit for kicking off Hitomi's Character Development (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.
• No Endor Holocaust: Zigzagged during the final confrontation in Torushina. Several Black Dragon soldiers are visibly killed by Dilandau as collateral damage during his fight with Van. But in spite of the rest of the damage Torushina sustains (between Dilandau getting flame-happy, the berserk Black Escaflowne, and Folken's Flying Castle collapsing and crashing right into the middle of the city), we don't actually see any other on-screen casualties.
• "Not So Different" Remark:
  • Hitomi comes to realize she and Van are both a lot alike despite coming from two different worlds. She even outright says it during his convalescence in Adom Village.
  • Folken tries to do this when he and Hitomi finally meet in person during the final confrontation in Torushina. The irony is it would have worked earlier in the movie before Hitomi spent extended time with Van, saw herself in the young swordsman, and started to snap out of her own self-absorption and suicidal depression. She even outright tells Folken she's changed since he summoned her to Gaea.
• Obfuscating Stupidity: Dryden's first scene, much like his TV counterpart.
• Offscreen Villain Dark Matter: Since Zaibach's adapted out of this version of the story, it's never really addressed how exactly Folken amassed his own army, a fleet of airships, or the flying castle.
• The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Folken towards Van (and vice-versa). It's also implied this is another reason Folken's so pissed at Dilandau after the failed attempt to capture Hitomi. Not only was the mission a complete fiasco, but Dilandau also tried to kill someone who was off-limits to everyone except Folken.
• Organic Technology: One of the core changes to Guymelefs in this version. The mechanical elements of Escaflowne and Alseides are revamped as a mixture of mechanical and organic technologies.
• Point of Divergence: 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 divergence between the two continuities. 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.
• The Prophecy: 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 fulfill different parts of the Prophecy (to respectively destroy and save Gaea).
• Putting the Band Back Together: Meta example. The core production team from the original series (Kazuki Akane, Yoko Kanno, etc.) all reunited and returned for one last outing to Gaea.
• Psychological Projection: 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.
• Raised by Wolves: Dilandau's backstory according to Folken. It definitely explains his animalistic and violent tendencies in this version.
• Redemption Rejection: Unlike his TV counterpart, Movie Folken rejects any attempts at reconciling with Van or atoning for his crimes.
• Related in the Adaptation: Dilandau being of Dragon Clan descent would mean he's related to Van and Folken in this continuity (but albeit distantly and possibly from a separate branch since he's not directly related to the royal family and to say nothing of Folken's comment about finding him in the wild living with feral dogs).
• Sailor Fuku: 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 unfirom is also completley redesigned from the series, now favoring a blue-and-white color scheme, discarding the blazer, and tweaking it to play up Hitomi as Ms. Fanservice.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: 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 Trauma Button 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.
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: 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, 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.
• Spanner in the Works: 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 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.
  • Ironically, this backfires on both Folken and the Abaharaki, because due to Hitomi and Van initially being at odds, she can't (and doesn't even know how to) summon Escaflowne again after it ascends. So, neither side can use this trump card initially (forcing Folken to locate and excavate the Torushina Dragon Armor after Dilandau fails to capture Hitomi and she and Van go off the grid).
• Spared by the Adaptation: 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.
• Straw Nihilist: Movie Folken.
• Stupid Evil: Dilandau trying to attack Folken with his own Dragon Clan telekinesis (and after the more powerful Folken had just used his own telekinesis to punish Dilandau). It goes as well for Dilandau as you'd expect.
• Sympathy for the Devil: 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.
• Taking You with Me: 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.
• The Team Benefactor: Movie Dryden secretly funds the Abaharaki, thus maintaining his similar relationship with the heroes in the TV series.
• Token Good Teammate: Jajuka to the Black Dragon Clan.
• Trapped in Another World: Hitomi, just as in the TV series. Part of the dramatic tension is again whether or not Hitomi will be able to return home. Like the ending of the TV shows, she does.
• Trauma Button: Fire is this for Movie Van due to Folken burning down their kingdom and killing their people and parents.
• Tranquil Fury: Folken after Dilandau's incompetence costs them their chance to capture Hitomi and leaves her and Van in the wind.
• Uncertain Doom: The fate of Nukushi's Clan after the failed attempt to capture Hitomi. The bargain with Folken to spare their Clan was dependent upon the successful capture of the Wing Goddess. Having failed, it's left unclear whether or not Folken killed them all in retaliation.
• Unrelated in the Adaptation: Possibly the case with Dilandau since Allen doesn't mention a missing little sister named Celena at any point in the movie.
• Unstoppable Rage: During the final battle, Van goes completely berserk against Dilandau (screaming multiple times I'll Kill You! in mad rage) after the latter's flamethrower triggers Van's memory of the night his parents were killed by Folken and his kingdom was destroyed.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: 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.
• Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Based on the brief flashbacks, Van before Folken's betrayal (and vice-versa).
• We Have Reserves: Dilandau. If anything, it's even worse here than it was in the series.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: 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.
• Wham Line: During the war council at Dryden's home in Torushina, the Mole Man again recites the Gadarasarai Song and how the Wing Goddess will lead Gaea to a new world. Then, Dryden drops the twist: The Mole Man's only been reciting part of the Song. There's another verse — and it's the Prophecy about Escaflowne laying waste to Gaea that Sora and Folken have been going off of over on their end.
• Wham Shot:
  • Hitomi's first glimpse of Van one she arrives in Gaea, recognizing him as the boy she saw in the Tokyo Train Station years ago.
  • The final shot of Hitomi as she manfiests white wings, confirming she is a reincarnation of the Wing Goddess after all.
• The Worf Effect:
  • Dilandau and Van's first fight demonstrates the telekinetic abilities those of the Dragon Clan bloodline possess. Dilandau more or less holds his own against Van. When Folken call him to the carpet and Dilandau foolishly tries to attack his liege, Folken kicks Dilandau's ass with his own abilities (establishing how much more dangerous Folken is).
  • 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.
• Xanatos Gambit: 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.
• You Can't Go Home Again: Similarly to Fanelia in the series, Von's kingdom is burned to the ground. Unlike Fanelia, however, Movie Van's the only survivor.
  • Likewise, the Abaharaki are all made up of survivors of Folken's campaign. So if Asturia or the Dhucy of Freid exist in this continuity, they too have been destroyed by the Black Dragon Clan.
• You Have Failed Me: Non-lethal version after Dilandau fails to capture Hitomi and has to face the music with his boss. Folken doesn't kill Dildandau (as his Dragon Clan blood still makes him useful), but he does humiliate and torture him with telekinesis.
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Dilandau outright cites the trope when he murders Nukushi for failing to capture Hitomi.

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