Ep 8. Parting: an Echo Out of Thin Air

As the eighth episode of Dragonaut - The Resonance's first season, titled "Parting: an Echo Out of Thin Air" opens, we find Toa and Jin together in their hotel room as they struggle with their feelings for each other. Meanwhile, Akira, Sieglinde, and Kazuki are trying to fix Georg's malfunctioning Dragonaut gear. The team is interrupted by Amadeus who arrives and informs them that they have received a new mission to protect a girl named Yonamine Rika, who is a high-potential Dragonaut.

As they meet Rika, the group discovers that she has an exceptional ability to hear the Dragons' voices. However, her condition also makes her vulnerable to Dragon assaults, which have increased since her arrival in the city. Amadeus provides the Dragonauts with a plan to protect Rika, but it requires them to stay in hiding, which Jin points out is not compatible with Toa's adventurous spirit. Jin and Toa decide to face the dragon directly to eliminate the threat.

As they prepare to confront the dragon, it becomes clear their intimate connection with one another makes them the perfect team to take on the dragon. With their resonance powers combined, Toa and Jin face off against the dragon with impressive strength and agility. However, as the fight comes to an end, they discover that this dragon was not attacking Rika but rather trying to warn her of an upcoming threat.

As they return to their hiding place with Rika, she reveals that the ability to hear the Dragon's voices only began after she was abducted and experimented on, and her resonance capability is entirely artificial. She expresses fear over her identity and how it will affect her family and friends. The Dragonauts empathize with her struggle and help her see that her abilities don't define her and that they will support her no matter what.

As the episode progresses, it follows the Dragonauts' interactions with Rika and their attempts to keep her safe from the danger approaching. The resolve of each of the characters is tested in their desperate attempt to keep Rika safe, with each of them coming together in their desire not to see another innocent person get hurt.

As the episode draws to a close, Jin and Toa's intimacy continues to grow, while the fate of Rika, who remains uncertain, poses a question mark on the team's task to protect the world from the dangers of the Dragons. The episode leaves viewers with a sense of looming doom for the Dragonauts and their mission, as well as hope for their resilience and loyalty in the face of such an overwhelming threat.