When Van turns Escaflowne into a dragon and leads off Allen and Hitomi's pursuers it puts him face to face with his brother Folken, who failed the Fanelian test for kingship and fled to the Zaibach Empire. We discover that, as unappetizing as Folken's agenda is, it springs from honorable motives. This dichotomy between to forms of duty will haunt this series, providing as it does the seeds of redemption.

Eventually the flurry of rescues and escapes leads everyone to Palas, the capital of Arturia. But, there is no peace there. The Asturian king is squirming in the grasp of Zaibach and quickly proves his own untrustworthiness. Hitomi discovers that Allen, whom she is falling in love with, has some kind of pre-existing relationship. While this is unclear, Hitomi's confusion over her feelings for a boy back on Earth, Allen and Van is completely apparent. Thus will fate, desire, and duty play repeatedly in these relationships.

Art, animation and music continue to be top grade. I was struck in this DVD with the fine work done to bring Escaflowne to life, reminiscent of Evangelion, but a notch better. The kind of choreography used isn't just a delight to watch, it is expensive to use, underlying Kazuke Akane's commitment again. There is an interview with many of the lead voice stars that, amidst a lot of kidding around, reveals that Akane is not the only one who is determined to make something special of this series.