@PeterthePapercomPoser You have incredible ears! I was thinking very much about the relationships between all the centers that I move through, especially between the beginning and the end. I didn't want it to end exactly where it started, but somewhere related. I also did want a half cadence feel for the ending, since the piece is essentially about a hero regenerating. The idea is that she will have much to do, now that she's reached her final form.
It's refreshing to have someone listen to my music and hear it the way I do—through the lens of not just harmony and orchestration, but form also. And I definitely have been influenced by the composers you listed. For this specific piece I think my conscious influences were John Williams, Vaughan Williams, Samuel Barber, John Corigliano, Listz, Rachmaninoff, etc.
Thanks for listening!