Last episode ended with Rod Reiss as he began his Titan transformation. If anyone was thinking that meant we’d get some cool Titan fighting action this episode, they’d be dead wrong! What do we get instead? Riding horses, more character development for Histroia and Eren, well doing the first really cool thing he’s done since he got that one Titan kill in season 2.
As Reiss transforms into a giant abnormal Titan that is twice the size of the collosal titan, Eren knows there is only one way to save the people who came to save him. Which is grab a conveniently placed bottle that says ‘armor’ on it and pray. Seriously, did he have a real plan here? He picks up the bottle, chomps it in half and transforms into his titan form and uses the hardening ability that he wasn’t able to use before to protect everyone. It works, so it counts as a great plan but like…did he know what the bottle was going to do? Did he know that it would allow him to use the hardening? I’m confused about this, is this explained any better in the manga?
I guess it doesn’t matter. They all get out of the cave alive, even Hange who’s wounds weren’t as severe as they appeared. I think some of Kenny’s squad died in the collapse, but I am not emotionally invested in any of them except for Kenny so it’s not really a big deal.
The middle half of the episode is squad Levi and the rest of the rescue group heading to the Orvud district where the titan of lord Reiss is heading so they can group up and have a strategy meeting. Along the way, they discuss their options a bit. Eren seems all for plan, let Rod Reiss eat him and have the Reiss family have control of the power of the founding Titan. Except, as Histroria points out there are some severe flaws to this plan. The plan hinges on the idea that they can undo the will of the First King and get Rod Reiss to act as they see fit. Let me count the ways this could go wrong.
-He brainwashes all of humanity and they all forget what they had him captured for in the first place and nothing changes.
-They have zero guarantee that it’s even possible to erase the will of the First King.
-They have zero guarantee that Rod Reiss would return to being human after eating Eren anyway.
So yeah, it’s a pretty bad plan. Which means they really only have one plan, which is kill Rod Reiss and stop this giant abnormal titan from breaking the wall and getting into the Orvud district. It’s in this part of the episode the characters figure out the true intentions of Eren’s father. Which was basically, get this power away from the Reiss family that continued to let things get worse and worse for humanity. That’s why he stole the power, that’s why he killed the Reiss children. I’m not entirely sure if the show wants us to see Eren’s father as a monster for the things he’s done or not.
I guess that is up to the individual in the end.
They bring up the basement, which they can now feasible get too since Eren can use hardening to plug up the hole in the wall. Wait a second! Stopping again to go back to this, okay, so Eren used hardening once with the help of the bottle he snapped in half called ‘armor’. That’s great, but what makes you think he can do it again? There is absolutely zero evidence that he would be able to do it again without the help of the liquid he ingested, which if your plan is to make him do that again. Where do you plan to get it? Do you have more conveniently stacked up or do you know where to obtain it?
SO MANY QUESTIONS!
Anyway, they get to the district and as they are getting off their horses. Levi’s like “Hey Histroria. I know you’re going through a lot, and we’re about to go on a giant mission to kill your father…but we’re going to need you to become queen. K? Thanks.”
Conny and Jean are super respectful of her feelings in all of this and step in to be like “Hey, Captain. She’s um, kind of trying to leave her family and the responsibility thrust upon her behind. It’s kind of rude to shove that role on her.” but she steps in and says that she’ll do it. That it’s up to her what’s being forced onto her and what isn’t, but she does set down her own rules and conditions and eventually comes in. In full gear to the strategy meeting.
Next episode I believe we’re actually to engage with the gigantic titan. Until then, i’m going to sit here and scream about the parts of this episode that didn’t make sense to me. Am I missing something about this mysterious bottle of plot device?