Now we get a full glimpse of the truth. We begin with Xeno and Leo mourning Rutger's death. Black Alberich approaches them with a proposition to bring him back to life. When Rutger returns, he realizes this was all just a ploy by Alberich to make him pilot the Palatinate Knight. I don't know why Rutger had to die first, but that does seem to be the implication here.
Then there's a sinister voice saying that someone's soul belongs to him. Turns out he's speaking to Dreichels on his deathbed, and he is unimpressed. Apparently, it's the spirit of a Divine Knight (or maybe even the Great One?) tempting Dreichels to abandon Valimar to pilot him instead. Or maybe it's the embodiment (or disembodiment?) of the Curse. As Lianne Sandlot arrives, it disappears, swearing that his soul will never escape from him. At this point, she'd already died and been revived, which is why she still looks so young compared to Dreichels.
Then we apparently get Georg's backstory and how he got the lame last name of Nome. He'd been hypnotized so his real memories were replaced with fake ones when he left the Workshop, so he basically became Liquid Ocelot. He was in a similar situation to Joshua in Sky FC. He insists there was nothing sentimental in reviving Crow, sparing Angelica, or giving the crew of the Courageous a chance to escape.
Oh hey, now it's baby Rean. Osborne claims to be quite the ladies' man and I guess we're to assume that's where Rean gets it from. Then we cut to Lianna observing them from afar. I guess we're to infer that Osborne is the reincarnated soul of Dreichels? Maybe he passed that on to Rean when he gave him his heart because they don't seem to be much alike! I guess that would explain why Rean was chosen to pilot Valimar. Although I guess it could also be that darkness from before. It looks like this fear is what motivated Arianrhod to join Ouroboros.
Then we cut to a conversation between Alisa's parents. Then we get some inner monologue from Franz as not-Alberich, wondering what's been wrong with him lately. I guess he was hypnotized with fake memories, too? He's going over his designs for the Panzer Soldat as he struggles with his thoughts. Then that creepy voice says that he's already claimed the king and all that remains is his steward. Who was Dreichels' steward originally? Was it Roland Vander? Anyway, this coincides with Sharon showing up to collect his research reports for Professor Novartis. Black Alberich calls himself a servant of the Great One, so I guess that's what that voice is.
Then we get Osborne recalling the early days of his life. Sounds like he was adopted by the Baron of Ymir when his parents died in an avalanche, and he attended Thors Military Academy. I guess this would explain why he's close friends with Rean's adoptive father. After Osborne married, he began hearing that creepy voice, too. Man, this feels like the Wheel of Time and he's the Dragon Reborn! Or I guess the Lion Reborn in this case. Oh, it sounds like Lechter's father is the one who killed Osborne' wife. I know he was kinda responsible for Hamel under the influence of the Curse, but did we know that, too? Looks like Osborne made a deal with the devil in order to save Rean's life. Or it's just the Ebon Knight, and it's evil, too, like the Vermillion Knight or something. I dunno!
That's the last vision. Roselia says the being that possessed Alisa's father achieved immortality through a different means than her own. It forms a symbiotic relationship with descendants of the Gnomes it deems worthy. I guess he wasn't always a bad guy then. They call Arianrhod a saint, but I mean, she's working with Ouroboros, regardless of her motives. I guess she's like Commander Shepard working with Cerberus or something then! But Jusis says this explains why the Emperor supported Osborne so thoroughly. I didn't realize reincarnation was a thing in the Trails universe. I'm trying to think if there was another example before this.
Now Roselia's angry that Dreichels and Lianne never came to her for help, but she also blames herself for not seeing it sooner. Even she doesn't know much about the Ebon Knight. It didn't appear in the War of the Lions or the Dark Dragon's appearance 900 years ago, but it may have been manipulating them behind the scenes. The Ebon Knight is what's been driving the Gnomes ever since their split with the Hexen Clan. Alisa wonders if it's trying to bring back the Great One or actually become the Great One by winning the Rivalries.
Rean's about to be possessed by the Curse over learning all this stuff, but suddenly Valimar appears and speaks. The Curse has loosened its grip on him somewhat so he can speak in this different dimension, but he still can't speak in "normal" reality, it seems. Valimar says it wasn't just the Ebon Knight's fault all this happened. It wouldn't have been possible without mankind's own weakness. He says they must grasp this truth if they hope to prevail in the Rivalries. This dimension also allows Millium to speak to them. She says that she wanted to say that she protected everyone and saved the day, but she didn't realize all the grief it would cause them.
Valimar says that the Ebon Knight's power is beyond all the other Divine Knights, but it's not enough for him just to defeat all the others. He requires a worthy opponent. As such, he expects the Ebon Knight to wait until there's only one Divine Knight left standing, but this also mean that the Ebon Knight could be defeated by that one Divine Knight. It's a Catch-22 of sorts. They hope they'll be able to recruit Arianrhod and Rutger to their cause during the Rivalries, but I personally kinda doubt it!
