Not even 10 minutes in and I had to pause, and actually just go for a walk and breathe. That was crazy to watch. The visuals. The music. It's perfect, but also terrifying. I don't think I've been that shook when watching anime ever since Code Geass, though it could also be my weird memory just blocking out other dark and messed up moments like that.
That was a lot to take in. The whole first 10ish minutes is nothing but bleak, and dark visuals, as we're pretty much forced to watch Eren become his worst self, committing genocide on a country-wide scale; all while focusing on certain characters as they get trampled on, whether it's the little camp of refugees we saw in the last episode, women, children, elderly, no one can escape this disaster. It left me pretty shook. I had to step away for a moment just to relax after watching all that unfold.
After that terrifying display, we then go back to what's left of our main cast of characters as they make their way to a port in order to prepare their "flying boat", but when they get there, the entire place is deserted. Everyone has already left south to escape the rumbling. Now I have to say, seeing Armin and Annie make a connection around this part seriously lifted my spirits after that intro sequence. I'm sure some people might not like it, but I'll take it. I honestly think it was adorable, especially how Annie even started blushing and even wanted to just live peacefully with Armin. But sadly, this was interrupted by who else, but Floch, who shot the fuel tank of the "flying boat", meaning they had to make repairs, with little to no time as the titans are already there. Someone has to buy time for the repairs to finish, so Hange makes Armin the next commander, and she takes off to fight the seemingly endless amount of colossal titans. She manages to take down quite a few of them, buying everyone enough time to finish their repairs, and escape the port. Annie decides to stay on the ship with the kids. Meanwhile, what's left of the scouts, the warriors, and Onyankopon, all escape on the "flying boat", and fly towards Eren to stop the rumbling from going any further. But sadly, Hange falls to the colossal titan's heat, making Levi, the last of the original scouts. This whole sequence was perfect. Such an awesome way to send out a character. And although my brother and I were on the verge of tears, we were at least happy to see that she ended up in a much better place, alongside her fallen comrades.
The "flying boat" team fly towards Eren, but realize that Eren could've stopped them at any moment if he really wanted to. That's when Eren reveals that he has no intention of stopping the rumbling, and that if they really want to stop it, they'll have to take him out to do so. He gives them the freedom to choose. They have no way to resolve this through talking. Meanwhile, back on the ship, Annie and the kids realize that Annie may be able to join in the fight by "manifesting" or essentially taking parts from other titans? I'll be honest, I didn't fully understand this part, but that's what I got out of it. While this is happening, a train filled with Eldians and Marleyans are desperately trying to escape the rumbling by making their way to an airship base, the same base that Eren is currently targeting. The train makes it, but all the airships are gone. They're all being flown towards the colossal titans for one final bombing run, in hopes of stopping the rumbling. This whole sequence was awesome! The military and the civilians finally accept that they've just been shoving all of their problems onto Paradis, and realize that all of their hate and resentment is now back to haunt them, in the form of Eren and the rumbling. They regret turning their own children into nothing but weapons for revenge. Their endless amount of hatred all lred up to this. Once the airships do their final bombing run (with Zeke taking down some of them), the civilians and the military lose all hope of stopping the rumbling. But just in the distance, the "flying boat" team is spotted, now running on fumes, but ready for their last chance to stop the rumbling. Everyone lands on top of Eren, while Onyankopon aims for the landing strip, probably to refuel and maybe even help the civilians and what's left of the military escape. I also loved how the civilians and the military noticed how Paradis, the people who they've tortured and despised for so long, came to save them just as all hope was lost. It gives a small glimmer of hope that everything may still work out for them.
And this is where it ends, at least for now. What a ride. I started binge-watching this show back around the start of April, and I've been watching pretty much non-stop since along with my brother (he watched everything before, except the hour long special, we both went in blind for that). I really wished I was here from the start or that I at least got into this sooner. Man I can't wait for Fall to come around. I have to see how this story ends. |