TV-Series
Description
Folken Lacour de Fanel is the elder brother of Van Fanel and was the original heir to the throne of the small kingdom of Fanelia. As part of the traditional Rite of Succession required to become king, a young Folken was sent to confront and kill a dragon. He failed in this task, losing his right arm to the beast, and was left for dead. He was subsequently rescued by Emperor Dornkirk and taken into the Zaibach Empire, where his lost limb was replaced with a cybernetic prosthetic. Feeling shame over his failure, he chose not to return to Fanelia and instead embraced a new life and purpose within Zaibach.
On the surface, Folken presents himself as the Strategos of the Zaibach Empire, a role in which he appears stoic, cold, and meticulously calculating. He is a highly intelligent and charismatic individual, functioning as a brilliant strategist, engineer, and sorcerer whose talents are matched only by Emperor Dornkirk himself. Beneath this reserved exterior, however, lies a profoundly compassionate and caring man. His personality is defined by a deep ambivalence, a perpetual balance between shadow and light. He can be ruthless and responsible for devastating acts, such as ordering the destruction of his own homeland, yet he simultaneously demonstrates genuine kindness and charity towards society's most unfortunate, including beastpeople and Doppelgangers.
Folken's primary motivation is the desire to create a world without war and needless tragedy. He believes that the endless cycle of conflict on the planet Gaea is inevitable unless the very laws of fate can be rewritten. This belief led him to join Emperor Dornkirk, who promised a future where all of Gaea's inhabitants could live in peace and happiness. Folken embraces this ideal, ironically seeking to end war through the immense military power of the Zaibach Empire. He does not see himself as a villain but as someone working for a greater good, making him an archetypal tragic antagonist.
As the chief tactician of Zaibach, Folken serves as a primary antagonist for much of the story, commanding the flying fortress Vione and ordering the capture of his brother Van and the mystical girl Hitomi Kanzaki. His most significant relationship is with his younger brother, Van. Despite their opposing allegiances, Folken cherishes Van deeply and wishes to protect his innocent and gentle nature from the cruelties of the world. He consistently refrains from killing Van, instead offering him opportunities to join the Zaibach cause willingly. Folken also shares a critical relationship with Naria and Eriya, twin cat-girls he rescued from certain death as children. He serves as their protector and commander, and they are utterly devoted to him. His bond with Emperor Dornkirk is that of a loyal subject who shares his master's vision, though his true loyalty is to the ideal of peace rather than to the Emperor's methods.
Throughout the narrative, Folken undergoes significant development. Initially appearing as a heartless instrument of Zaibach's will, he is gradually revealed to be a man plagued by inner conflict, torn between his duty as a commander and his love for his brother. A pivotal moment occurs when Naria and Eriya die as a direct result of the Emperor's dangerous experiments to enhance their fortune. Consumed by grief, Folken realizes the flaw in Dornkirk's thinking and that his methods are inhumane. This leads him to defect from the empire, seeking redemption by joining Van and his allies. He provides them with crucial intelligence to fight against Zaibach, entering a final quest for atonement.
Folken possesses several notable abilities. He is a genius-level intellect, serving as the mastermind behind much of Zaibach's technological and tactical superiority. He is also a capable sorcerer and a proficient swordsman, though he rarely engages in direct combat. Like his brother, Folken is of Draconian descent and possesses a pair of angelic wings that allow him to fly. However, as his life is shortened by the dark path he has chosen, his wings turn from white to black, serving as a visual portent of his impending death. In his final act, Folken uses his abilities to help transport Hitomi to confront Dornkirk. He fatally strikes the Emperor, but his own sword shatters on the machinery, and a shard of the blade pierces his heart, fulfilling his tragic destiny.
On the surface, Folken presents himself as the Strategos of the Zaibach Empire, a role in which he appears stoic, cold, and meticulously calculating. He is a highly intelligent and charismatic individual, functioning as a brilliant strategist, engineer, and sorcerer whose talents are matched only by Emperor Dornkirk himself. Beneath this reserved exterior, however, lies a profoundly compassionate and caring man. His personality is defined by a deep ambivalence, a perpetual balance between shadow and light. He can be ruthless and responsible for devastating acts, such as ordering the destruction of his own homeland, yet he simultaneously demonstrates genuine kindness and charity towards society's most unfortunate, including beastpeople and Doppelgangers.
Folken's primary motivation is the desire to create a world without war and needless tragedy. He believes that the endless cycle of conflict on the planet Gaea is inevitable unless the very laws of fate can be rewritten. This belief led him to join Emperor Dornkirk, who promised a future where all of Gaea's inhabitants could live in peace and happiness. Folken embraces this ideal, ironically seeking to end war through the immense military power of the Zaibach Empire. He does not see himself as a villain but as someone working for a greater good, making him an archetypal tragic antagonist.
As the chief tactician of Zaibach, Folken serves as a primary antagonist for much of the story, commanding the flying fortress Vione and ordering the capture of his brother Van and the mystical girl Hitomi Kanzaki. His most significant relationship is with his younger brother, Van. Despite their opposing allegiances, Folken cherishes Van deeply and wishes to protect his innocent and gentle nature from the cruelties of the world. He consistently refrains from killing Van, instead offering him opportunities to join the Zaibach cause willingly. Folken also shares a critical relationship with Naria and Eriya, twin cat-girls he rescued from certain death as children. He serves as their protector and commander, and they are utterly devoted to him. His bond with Emperor Dornkirk is that of a loyal subject who shares his master's vision, though his true loyalty is to the ideal of peace rather than to the Emperor's methods.
Throughout the narrative, Folken undergoes significant development. Initially appearing as a heartless instrument of Zaibach's will, he is gradually revealed to be a man plagued by inner conflict, torn between his duty as a commander and his love for his brother. A pivotal moment occurs when Naria and Eriya die as a direct result of the Emperor's dangerous experiments to enhance their fortune. Consumed by grief, Folken realizes the flaw in Dornkirk's thinking and that his methods are inhumane. This leads him to defect from the empire, seeking redemption by joining Van and his allies. He provides them with crucial intelligence to fight against Zaibach, entering a final quest for atonement.
Folken possesses several notable abilities. He is a genius-level intellect, serving as the mastermind behind much of Zaibach's technological and tactical superiority. He is also a capable sorcerer and a proficient swordsman, though he rarely engages in direct combat. Like his brother, Folken is of Draconian descent and possesses a pair of angelic wings that allow him to fly. However, as his life is shortened by the dark path he has chosen, his wings turn from white to black, serving as a visual portent of his impending death. In his final act, Folken uses his abilities to help transport Hitomi to confront Dornkirk. He fatally strikes the Emperor, but his own sword shatters on the machinery, and a shard of the blade pierces his heart, fulfilling his tragic destiny.