Recap / The Vision Of Escaflowne E 24 Fateful Decision

• All Just a Dream: Initially, and before realizing she's reliving the events of the Pilot, Hitomi thinks her experiences in Gaea this entire time were one.
• "Groundhog Day" Loop: A variation (with some Time Travel overlap). 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).
• Locked Out of the Loop: 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 and their context to make some well-educated guesses.
• Mood Whiplash: 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.
• Once More, with Clarity: 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 schoolgirl's crush on Amano, her best friend is deeply in love with him.
• Shapeshifting Excludes Clothing: 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.
• Unlucky Childhood Friend: Merle, recognizing Van has fallen for Hitomi, finally accepts this in-story (and given her character, she does so with surprising dignity and grace).
• Time Travel: Kinda. Again, Hitomi returns to Earth not months later, but to the day before her original departure.
• Wham Shot: Celena reverts to Dilandau, finally answering what became of Allen's sister and what the hell's been going on with Dilandau.