History Recap / TheVisionOfEscaflowneE24FatefulDecision

* RiddleForTheAges: Was Celena randomly targeted by Zaibach for their pool of Fate Alteration test subjects? Or was she ''intentionally'' selected by Dornkirk as revenge for Leon Schezar thwarting his attempts to acquire Atlantean knowledge from the Mystic Valley? The show never gives a definitive answer.

* MoodWhiplash: Hitomi and Van's joyous reunion and triumphant return to Gaea are quickly overshadowed by the reality that the war with Zaibach has officially begun while they were gone.

* WhamShot: Celena reverts to Dilandau, finally answering what became of Allen's sister and what the hell's going on with Dilandau.

* RiddleForTheAges: While it's not addressed in the episode itself, was Celena randomly targeted by Zaibach to become of their Fate Alteration experiment test subjects? Or was it an intentional selection by Dornkirk as revenge for the late Leon Schezar thwarting his attempts to acquitre the Atlantean knowledge of the Mystic Valley?

* OnceMoreWithClarity: Hitomi's Groundhog Day Loop/Time Travel, which allows her to view the Pilot and the events leading up to her original departure differently (due to her character development and no longer being self-absorbed). For example, after Yukari interrupts her somber moment with Amano in the school infirmary, Hitomi finally realizes this time around that while she has a crush on Amano, her best friend is deeply in love with him.

* OnceMoreWithClarity: Hitomi's Groundhog Day Loop/Time Travel, which allows her to view the Pilot and the events leading up to her original departure differently (due to her character development and no long being self-absorbed). For example, after Yukari interrupts her somber moment with Amano in the school infirmary, Hitomi finally realizes this time that while she has a crush on Amano, her best friend is deeply in love with him.

* WhamShot: Celena reverts to Dilandau, finally answering what became of Allen's sister and what the hell's going on with Dilandai.

* OnceMoreWithClarity: Hitomi's Groundhog Day Loop/Time Travel, which allows her to view the Pilot and the events leading up to her original departure differently. For example, after Yukari interrupts her somber moment with Amano in the school infirmary, this time Hitomi finally realizes while she has a crush on Amano, her best friend is deeply in love with him.

* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Merle, recognizing Van has fallen for Hitomi, finally accepts this in-story (and does so with surprising dignity and grace).

* GroundhogDayLoop: A variation. Hitomi is returned to Earth not months after her departure as you'd expect, but to the day before her original encounter with Van at the high school track. Initially thinking Gaea was just a dream, she slowly begins to realize she's replaying events (the context of which plays differently for her this time around thanks to that foreknowledge).

* OnceMoreWithClarity: Hitomi's Groundhog Day Loop, which allows her to view the 24 hours leading up to her original departure differently. For example, now she finally realizes while she has a crush on Amano, Yukari is deeply in love with him.

* GroundhogDayLoop: A variation. Hitomi is returned to Earth not months after her departure as you'd expect, but to the day before her fateful nighttime track-meet in the Pilot. Initially thinking Gaea was just a dream, she slowly begins to realize she's replaying events (the context of which plays differently for her this time around thanks to that foreknowledge).
* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Even as Dornkirk's Strategos, Folken was not made privy to Dilandau's history or many of the Fate Alteration test subjects and experiments (which is consistent given how jealously the Sorcerers guarded their agenda and viewed Folken as a rival). However, ''because'' he was Dornkirk's Strategos, Folken has access to enough of the facts to make a well-educated guess.
* OnceMoreWithClarity: Hitomi's Groundhog Day Loop, which allows her to view the 24 hours leading up to her original departure differently. For example, now she finally realizes Yukari is in love with Amano.

* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Even as Dornkirk's Strategos, Folken was not made privy to Dilandau's history or many of the Fate Alteration test subjects and experiments (which is consistent given how jealously the Sorcerers guarded their experiments and agendas a perceived rival like Folken). However, ''because'' he was Dornkirk's Strategos, Folken has access to enough of the facts to make a well-educated guess.

* ShapeshiftingExcludesClothing: [[spoiler: Once Dilandau reverts to Celena, his Zaibach uniform becomes noticeably baggier on her now-more slender frame. The inverse happens when she reverts back into Dilandau and Celena's garb becomes tighter on Dilandau's larger, more muscular frame.]]
* WhamShot: [[spoiler: Celena reverts to Dilandau, finally answering what became of Allen's sister and what the hell's going on with Dilandai.]]

* GroundhogDayLoop: A variation. Hitomi is returned to Earth not months after her dpeature as you'd expect, but to the day before her fateful nighttime track-meet in the Pilot. Initially thinking Gaea was just a dream, she slowly begins to realize she's replaying events (the context of which plays differently for her thanks to that foreknowledge).
* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Even as Dornkirk's Strategos, Folken was not made privy to Dilandau's history or many of the Fate Alteration test subjects and experiments (which is consistent given how jealousy the Sorcerers guarded their experiments and agendas a perceived rival like Folken). However, ''because'' he was Dornkirk's Strategos, Folken has access to enough of the facts to make a well-educated guess.

* GroundHogDay: A variation. Hitomi is returned to Earth not months after her dpeature as you'd expect, but to the day before her fateful nighttime track-meet in the Pilot. Initially thinking Gaea was just a dream, she slowly begins to realize she's replaying events (the context of which plays differently for her thanks to that foreknowledge).

* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Even as Dornkirk's Strategos, Folken was not made privy to Dilandau's history or the Fate Alteration test subjects (which is consistent given how jealousy the Sorcerers guarded their experiments and agendas a perceived rival like Folken). However, ''because'' he was Dornkirk's Strategos, Folken has access to enough of the facts to make a well-educated guess.
* ShapeshiftingExcludesClothing: [[spoiler: Once Dilandau reverts to Celena, his Zaibach uniform becomes noticeably baggier on her now-more slender frame. The inverse happens when she reverts back into Dilandau and Celena's garb becomes tighter on Dilandau's larger, more muscular frame.]]