my reading comprehension took a nosedive during this part. i really began to think second kindred donqui was the knight who sanson mentioned put all the stories into the first kindred's head. but the story was constantly alluding to SANCHO being donqui instead (i was really thinking, did the first kindred turn that knight into a second kindred but nah. it was so obvious and i was so blindsided by my wishful thinking)

she gave up the impossible dream...

(also outis immediately recognizing the river and saying its name - Lethe - is probably alluding to something that may occur during her story, since this Lethe seems to be directly lifted from the Greek myth about a river that lets you forget about everything.)

(sorry for the wikipedia screenshot, but the Aenid reference here may apply to Sancho-Donqui's story as she's technically been reincarnated into a different identity. also, it was mentioned briefly that underneath(?)/beyond(?) the City is a bunch of rivers - they may correspond to the Greek underworld rivers too.)

(paraphrased) Sancho saying that she's only been a "mere witness" to the dream + dulcinea saying sancho's (or rather the false!donqui) eyes were like a detached observer's...

thank you youtube channel @ bekHB for the pt2 vid so i can get this shitty screencap of the flashback CG lol (and all these other screenshots).

also, sancho's outfit in that flashback CG appears slightly different to these scenes right at the end. it might just be the gloomy lighting affecting the coloration, though. (and in that flashback CG it seems that black coat was disintegrating at the ends. not to mention the totally destroyed lamancha land in the background)

the mirrored "realities"... i'm assuming sancho/someone else? had to seal the first kindred/don quixote away. judging by their expressions, it might be that currently unknown individual.

other thoughts:

when sancho-donqui was talking about hong lu, she was really talking about herself, huh...