OF COURSE SHE THOUGHT EKKO WAS A HALLUCINATION.
And people say it’s whenever he says the “always a dance with you” line that she realizes he isn’t. But I don’t think it is.
I think it’s whenever she thinks he might be.
What convinces her in her mind that he is that 5th time is when he says this:
BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT SHE BLEW THEM UP ON THE BRIDGE AND KILLED HIM. SHE THINKS HES MOCKING HER.
I mean if you thought you blew up your childhood friend would you not hallucinate them begging you not to?
I think she realizes it’s actually Ekko for two reasons, whenever she sees the Z-drive (something she’s never seen before!) and when he talks about forgiveness and moving on.
Because up until this point her hallucination(s, probably) are telling her to “end the cycle.”
Because she’s is telling herself the only way out is to die, because she’s irredeemable.
Ekko is telling her there is a way to live.