"Grab a brush and put a little makeup. You wanted to hide the scars to fade away the shakeup... I, cry, when angels deserve to die." --System of a Down

The giant white wings, which later turn black, create and image of Folken as an angel. If he is an angel, than fans aren't simply being poetic when they call him a fallen angel. In Escaflowne, the image of the angel, like that of the dragon, is reevaluated and, in the context of the story, it becomes a symbol of something quite contrary to the vision of the perfect creatures of God.

Biblically speaking, Angels are the messengers and warriors of God, generally considered androgynous, although they usually have a tendency toward the masculine. They are both terrible and wonderful in appearance, with giant wings and beautiful faces. They generally have two jobs and one is to bring messages to people on Earth, such the Virgin Mary or the Apostle Paul. Occasionally they interact with the human race, as when Jacob (I think) wrestles with one or St. Teresa's vision of being stabbed by one with an arrow of divine love (paging Doctor Freud). The other job is much bloodier. When God wants to punish someone, He sends an angel to do it, such as when He ordered the firstborns of the Egyptians killed.

The term "fallen angel" refers to an important event which has a very dark connotation which seems to fascinate the imaginations of artists and writers of all sorts. The favorite angel, Lucifer, decided he wanted to be more like God so he, with the aid of some of his followers, waged a war against Him and his faithful angels. Eventually he and his followers were cast down out of heaven, to spend eternity in misery away from their God. "Fallen angel" refers to these angels who "fell from grace."

The popular angel image is quite different in many significant ways. First of all, they tend to have a definite gender, as in they are either male or female in appearance. Generally speaking, they are usually seen as woman with long hair and lovely dresses. They are, in many ways, as perfect as God and completely pacifistic, with harps in their hands instead of weapons. They certainly make better ornaments for the Christmas tree. They too act on the will of God, but their missions are much more benevolent such as leading lost children home or mysteriously adverting horrible disasters.

The angels in Escaflowne aren't angels at all but rather Draconians, Earth people who used technology to harness the power of people's will. They became so powerful that they fashioned themselves into gods and sprouted wings. Instead of being servants of God, they are an effrontery to Him because they represent false gods. Their powers are bound to Earth and technology, while angels gain their power from God whose will they serve. Draconians seek to alter fate or, keeping with the symbolism, overturn God's will.

The most significant difference between the angels and Draconians, is the use of technology. Technology is an Earth bound concept but it is also very transient, which is antithetical to the vision of the eternal angel/God. Technology, by its nature, means growth, development, and, most importantly, change which, depending on one's sense of life, leads to either improvement or disaster. That Escaflowne is primarily anti-technology in theme is a discussion which demands its own essay at a later time. The Draconians were so impressed with what the could create, that they cursed and destroyed themselves before they could do anything about it.

Folken and Van are the sons of a Draconian mother, yet it is Folken, not Van who is usually associated with the accursed people while Van tends more towards dragon symbolism. One possible reason may be that Van is more like his father (the king of the dragon lands) and Folken is more like his mother (the Draconian). More likely, it is because Folken acts more like a Draconian and Van acts more like a Dragon. This isn't to say that Van's wings aren't important, but to suggest that they have a different meaning. While his wings seem more like a device of freedom, like the wings of a bird, Folken's more menacing black wings seem to restrict him, specifically to his destiny, which is parallel to that of the other "angel" Draconians. Like his ancestors, Folken's destiny is a chosen one, but one from which he cannot escape.

The Draconians were primarily concerned with power and their method was to control people by using their "collective" wills to power their machines. Folken seeks power in order to control people-to force them to stop fighting. The Draconians used powerful technology and innovations to gain their objectives, while he uses his own innovations to seek out their ancient technologies. They were men who fashioned themselves into Gods, and he was a boy who fashioned himself into an indifferent angel. While they gave themselves wings, he marked his face with a tear. They realized the truth of their sins (… so to speak) too late to prevent their destruction, and Folken lost his white wings before he could return to his brother's side.

Folken is very much like a fallen angel as well. By joining the Zaibach Empire and abandoning the Folken who existed before the Dragon Rite, he, in effect, falls from grace. He is also doomed to loneliness, much like the other fallen angels, because he can never be with the ones he loves (because of his detachment). There is redemption for him, although it comes at a terrible price, and he will not have to fall forever.