Okay, so I knew it was a thing. It was something that was spoiled for me a long time ago, the truth behind Marco’s death.
There is something distinctly different between knowing something is going to happen and actually seeing it happen though. I knew that Reiner, Annie and Bertholdt were responsible for his death. I knew that they took off his 3D gear and left him to die. Knowing these things didn’t prepare me for the pure hot rage of seeing it happen though. Seeing Marco accidentally stumble upon a conversation that he shouldn’t of heard. Being taken out for no other reason then ‘You’re too clever’, they didn’t even give him a chance to talk to him. To negotiate with them, or find out the truth behind anything. They just flat out ended his life, and the only one who seemed to feel any guilt about it at the time was Annie.
I have also never really known how to handle Reiner’s almost split personality.
After forcing Marco to the ground and forcing Annie to remove Marco’s 3-Dimensional Gear, sitting there and looking on in horror asking why Marco is being eaten. It’s, strange and I’m not sure how to react to it. I can’t really figure out what to make of it. In particular since ever since the scene in the forest with Eren and Ymir.
It feels almost like a plot device to me then a real condition. Unless he is taking some kind of medication now to keep it under control, but we’ve been shown nothing of the sort.
He is perfectly fine as we flash forward and see them drinking coffee with the man who is the Beast Titan. As he talks to Bertholdt about what needs to be done and how Bertholdt needs to be able to think for helpself. Because Reiner won’t always be there to hold his hand.
This conversation is basically Bertholdt’s driving force for the rest of the episode. It strengthen his resolve when he sees the damage that has been done to Reiner. It gets him through his talk with Armin, toughening up not to fall to the same provocation that he did before about Annie’s torture. How he stands up, even as Mikasa flies in and cuts his ear straight off.
This is what must be done.
This is what is right for Humanity, or so he believes and so he goes and transforms into the colossal titan. Wiping out a good chunk of the scouting units in the area, it’s, really unclear if this means Hange as well. I feel like I would know if she died.
I feel like that is something that someone would of spoiled for me a long time ago. However, just as I couldn’t be sure if Reiner was dead from the attack at the end of last episode (he wasn’t), I can’t be sure that Hange is dead either.
The few people left, the named characters that were left with Eren. All turn to Armin for orders, he was the one left in charge of them. They honestly don’t have much of a choice though, left to his own devices The colossal titan could cause massive amounts of damage by throwing burning buildings across the wall. Hurting the troops outside, taking out the horses and giving a large advantage to the Beast Titan.
I honestly don’t know how you’re supposed to feel about Reiner and Bertholdt at this point in the series. I get the feeling you’re supposed to hate them, but they also have some very humanizing moments. They aren’t monsters, I’m not sure if they are right or wrong or what the true good path for humanity is. What I do know, is that no matter what they did horrible things to reach their goal and I don’t think i’ll be sorry to see either of them go. I just fear who else they will take with them before they go.