Ep 3. L-elf's Prophesy

In Valvrave the Liberator season 1 episode 3, titled "L-elf's Prophesy," the story takes a deeper turn as the viewers get an insight into the main antagonist's backstory. L-elf, the military strategist and Valvrave pilot, undergoes a flashback into his past and reveals his past association with the nation of Dorssia, a military superpower.

The episode primarily focuses on L-elf's character and shows him as a principled young adult who believes the ends justify the means and strives for achieving his and his nation's goals. He is shown to be adept at reading people and gleaning valuable information from them, which he uses to his advantage to help his nation.

In the episode, L-elf is assigned a secret mission to infiltrate JIOR, the nation where the protagonist Haruto resides, and obtain information that can be used against them. L-elf disguises himself as a transfer student from Dorssia in Haruto's school and goes about his mission smoothly, making friends with the students and gaining Haruto's trust.

As the episode progresses, L-elf's true intentions are shown when he receives a communication from his commander, who orders him to bomb the school and kill all the students, including Haruto. However, L-elf hesitates at the crucial moment and fails to complete his mission. This not only shows L-elf's true character but also sets a precedent for the future narrative of the series.

The episode also sheds light on the differences in political ideologies of the two nations, JIOR and Dorssia, and the tensions between them. It shows how both nations are vying for control over the valuable natural resource, the eukaryote, which powers the advanced technology of the two nations.

Overall, Valvrave the Liberator season 1 episode 3, "L-elf's Prophesy," is a character-centric episode that explores the strategic mind of L-elf and his complex personality. It also sets the stage for the political and military tensions that will propel the narrative of the show forward.