OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

After learning the truth regarding the origins of the walls, Titans, and the oncoming Marleyan threat, Historia suggests showing this to everyone within the walls. Many of the higher-ups disagree with this, but Pixis tells them that keeping it secret would make them no better than Rod Reiss. And so, the word goes out through the press, with a mixed reception all around, but Hange at least is content that they’re allowing a mixed reception at all. But the more daunting realization is that the sheer hatred and fear the people within the walls have applied to the Titans is the same as those from Marley who have felt that for them, even when knowing they were humans.

At a ceremony for the Scouts’ victory, Hitch congratulates Eren and co., and Floch tells her about how brave Marlo was in the end but also berates Eren, Mikasa, and Levi for giving Armin the serum instead of Erwin. The Scouts then receive their medals from Historia, but Eren touches her hand. He is then flooded with Grisha’s memories of confronting Frieda and the Reiss Family to fight the Titans, only for Frieda to be overcome by the first king’s will, leading to Grisha taking the Founding Titan power. This only reminds Eren that using Historia’s royal blood could help him use his power, but he still refuses to make use of it.

Months pass, with virtually every remaining Titan being killed and Wall Maria secured once again. Life begins to return to how it had been before the Colossal Titan’s first attack, and so the Scouts make their first new expedition beyond the walls. On their way, they find a single Titan, a worm-like one with limbs too small to support it, which Eren now identifies as simply another Eldian forced to become a monster, so he leaves it be. Their journey soon takes them to the wall where Grisha was first made into a Titan, and beyond that…the sea. Just like Armin had read about years ago, they’ve found the body of water full of salt. Eren had hoped that once they were able to get past the walls, they’d have their freedom, but now that they have, they know an enemy is coming. Perhaps after this battle, they’ll be able to find it.

OUR TAKE

The third season of Attack on Titan finally draws to a close, coming full circle from the flash-forward scene at its start. In a way, it also ends similarly to how it began, with humanity finding itself engaged in a life or death struggle, not with the remorseless vile monsters they previously faced, but against other humans. Where the first half of the season was about enlightening the protagonists on the truth behind their own matters within the walls, the second half took that bigger lesson and applied it to the show’s title enemy. It’s not inconceivable demons that they’ve been fighting this entire time, it was simply other people who found more reason to kill than to make peace.

Through this Attack on Titan imparts a complex but crucial lesson: In war, it can be difficult to see those on the other side of the battlefield as humans. Rather, it can be frighteningly easy to dehumanize them just to make it easier to kill them for trying to kill you. After all, if they could act this way, they couldn’t possibly be human, because you’re human and you would never take these sorts of actions! So these vermin must be eradicated if you want to keep your peaceful life!

Only the truth is usually that those you fight are often as human as you, which is more horrifying in its own ways. For one, it opens the possibility, however remote, that they can be communicated and reasoned with to end a conflict before it goes too far, sometimes before it even begins. But it also presents the implication that if people of your species were willing to end your life over such minor things, then you might be capable of that yourself if pushed. We’ve seen that plenty of times before and most recently confirmed in Grisha’s flashbacks, making it a rather harsh reality for the characters here. These are the most important matters that Attack on Titan leaves its viewers with as we wait for the start of its fourth and final season next year.

And naturally, this episode also lays the groundwork for the stories to come in that season, such as Eren’s moral conflict over using Historia to activate the Coordinate in the Founding Titan’s abilities, as well as at least some of the Scouts being resentful about Armin living at the cost of Erwin. And who knows what to expect on the Marley and the remaining of the Nine Titans. Where this will lead, we have no clue (unless you read the manga, which I don’t), but I look forward to looking back on this last season to find a way of possibly getting that clue.

Score 10/10