Folken Fanel

"'Folken of Fanelia is dead.' - Folken Fanel"Folken Fanel (フォルケン・ファーネル Foruken Fāneru), also referred to as Strategos, is one of the main villains of The Vision of Escaflowne and Escaflowne.

He is the chief strategist of the Zaibach Empire and the estranged older brother of Van Fanel.

Appearance
Folken has sky blue hair and red eyes. His right arm has been replaced by a cybernetic prosthetic. He wears gold hoop earrings and has a purple teardrop-shaped tattoo under his right eye.

He carries a katana and tends to wear long dark clothing. As part of Zaibach's forces, his high-collared cloak is worn wrapped close to cover his mechanical arm, while after his switch to the alliance he wears the same type of clothing, but a light green wrap hides his cybernetic arm from prying eyes in place of the familiar cloak.

Personality
Folken appears to be stoic and cold. He is often manipulative, using his position in the Zaibach Empire and his subordinates to his advantage. Though he seems to believe strongly in Emperor Dornkirk's ideas of altering fate, and wants to create a world free of war, he comes to feel conflicted about Zaibach's methods, likely because of his hidden empathetic nature.

Folken is compassionate toward the least fortunate in Gaean society, including beastpeople and Doppelgangers, both of whom endure harsh treatment. He believes strongly that he can provide another chance at life for Zongi and Naria and Eriya. He also cares deeply for his younger brother, Van, expressing a wish to protect Van's innocent and gentle nature from the cruelties of a world at war.

Early life
Folken was a caring and loving brother to the young Van, reading to him, playing with him, and forging a bond with his younger brother.

After the death of his father, Goau Fanel, Folken was expected to inherit the throne at an early age through the Rite of Succession. During the Rite of Succession, he lost his right arm to the dragon, and though the dragon left him alone, he passed out in the woods, expecting he would die. When he awoke in the Zaibach Empire, he discovered that his right arm had been replaced by a cybernetic prosthetic.

During the war
"Van, you are my brother; we share the same blood. This world is difficult for a... gentle soul such as yours to bear. This world, where man fights against man - no, where every living thing fights to take the life of another! We kill beasts, we kill dragons, we even kill men! Fighting begets fighting, and the slaughter begins anew - such is the way of the world." -Folken Fanel

Under a new identity, Folken began a new life in Zaibach. A charismatic and brilliant tactician, he became Dornkirk's Strategos, operating the Vione and commanding Dilandau Albatou and his Dragonslayers.

On several occasions, he attempts to persuade Van to join him on Dornkirk's side for the good of Gaea. Eventually he realizes that Van will never side with him and proceeds to hunt for Van as the "dragon" and for his companion Hitomi. To this end, he eventually sends out his two most prized soldiers, the twin cat girls Naria and Eriya.

After a series of events whereby Van attacks the Vione, the two cat girls eventually die in his arms after a 'Negative Reaction of Fortune '. Folken realizes his flawed thinking and chooses to side with his brother, rebelling against Dornkirk, and giving information about Zaibach tactics and weapons to help Van's cause.

After escaping the Vione, Folken sends a message to his brother to meet in Fanelia. With prowling land dragons drawn by the negative thoughts and emotions Van is emanating, he has to open his now black feathered wings, the color change from white to black representing that his life has been shortened by the negative reaction to fortune.

After creating a machine to draw the pillar of light, he and Hitomi are transported to the heart of Zaibach where Folken intends to kill Dornkirk. Hitomi warns him that if he does what he intends then he in turn will die, but Folken has accepted his fate and follows through with his plan. When he drives his sword down to kill Dornkirk, the blade catches and shatters, the last shard piercing him fatally through the chest.

In the movie
Folken is the main villain, being the commander of the Black Dragon Clan and Van's estranged older brother. He destroyed his clan after an oracle proclaimed that Van would be the future king and not him and killed both his father and mother. As the commander of the Black Dragon Clan, he sends troops out on raids to destroy villages, especially beast villages, inciting the resentment of his subordinate Jajuka. He also takes beast clan members captive, such as Nukushi who explains to Van that he had no choice but to serve under Folken.

Folken uses Sora's power to call Hitomi, the Wing Goddess, to Gaea. However, Hitomi descends to Van, rather than to him, which angers Folken, and he commands Sora to help sway Hitomi to destroy Gaea rather than save it.

Like Van and Dilandau, Folken has telepathic powers. When Dilandau disobeys his orders, Folken uses his telepathic powers to twist Dilandau's body and crack the joints of his fingers. In his final confrontation with Van, Folken also uses his telepathic powers to attempt to kill Van and also uses them on Jajuka when he attempts to kill him.

Trivia

 * Likely due to his mechanical right arm, Folken holds his sword left-handed. He is the only main character who uses his left hand to hold his sword (Van, Allen, and Dilandau are all right-handed).