SnK 67 Thoughts

“I chose the Titan that was most suited for battle.”

–Rod Reiss, 65

…

You’ve never been in a fight in your life, have you?

That’s what I’d like to say, anyway. Without cheap opening jokes the whole reviewing system would fall apart, and everyone’s already done the chicken thing. Though with his head stuck in the ground, I could contribute by making ostrich jokes, but ostriches are really more likely to kick you.

Rod’s such a delight. The only thing that makes his presence tolerable is how good he is at manipulating people’s perceptions to his advantage.

He says he chose the Titan most suited for battle just when the possibility of a battle is imminent–the one between Eren and Historia. Survival of the fittest. Last Titan standing wins.

Rod’s a vassal of the Progenitor Titan, though. There’s no reason for his viewpoint to be that limited.

Battle’s a dramatic word for a prize fight, but in the grander scheme of the old guard versus the liberation of their regime… Hey, weapons of mass destruction are fantastic battle tools!

What’s interesting to me is that Rod’s form is so absurdly huge. The Colossus model is already unusual (…if you ignore the enormous number making up the walls), but this one goes beyond that in size and deformity.

A lot of the Shifters’ Titans have more human appearances than the average Titan. Eren, Annie, and Reiner are pretty much giant, ripped humans (with a battle armor upgrade for Reiner’s case), with Frieda’s along the same lines and Grisha’s form pretty much being a less svelte mode of that class.

It makes sense for their roles in the plot; they’re all involved in personal fights–the only Shifter who has any mobility trouble is Bertolt, and his form suits exactly one purpose: He’s a weapon, not a combatant.

Rod’s form is the same.

You know. The one he wanted Historia to have.

Such a great father.

I bring it up because Rod’s been the one extolling the Progenitor Titan’s greatness. The knowledge of the super-special-awesomeness began with his monologuing.

And going by the flashback to that Titan in 64, it didn’t fit into the category of an oversized human either.

They obviously aren’t mirror copies of each other, but if we add in the Ape Titan to the mix, we can see that the most important link bonding every single plot significant Titan that we have a limited understanding of together is possessing really long arms.

What do you mean that’s a terrible conclusion?



I don’t believe the Progenitor Titan’s size ever comes up, and with the two side to side, I’d be reluctant to say it reaches Rod’s proportions, but looking at what Rod ended up with, I can’t help but imagine what he’d be like right now if he were in full control.

The view we get of the Progenitor Titan is of a creature lording above masses of humans as it shrieks to the heavens, rearranging their lives to its liking.

If Rod were the proper successor of his bloodline’s duty, he would have all the powers of the Progenitor Titan in this gargantuan form. Just by being, he would be high above all of humanity, and if you add Eren’s powers into the mix, it isn’t too hard to picture him performing the exact same role as the Progenitor Titan in the flashback.

I’m sure it’s a weak link that my mind’s fabricating completely, but with everything Rod’s said, it’s easy to imagine him choosing a Titan style for his daughter that most closely matches his view of the Progenitor Titan. It’s his chance to recreate God in whatever image he chooses.

So it just says a mountain of disturbing things that Rod’s choice is a form whose suited for battle.



Rod is not a person who wastes time lying. He tells as much of the truth as required for his desired end result. He doesn’t overshoot; he winds everyone else up and lets them do the work that involves force.

That introduces the fascinating question of what battles he was gearing up for. Put with his idolization of the Progenitor Titan, I’m wondering if he thought the next person in charge should reboot their walled society in its entirety, bringing them back to the point they were at 107 years ago.

(This is the part of the review where I realize something that everyone else probably understood months ago. Humor me.)



…Actually. Wait.

“Did she inherit the first king’s ideology, too…?”

“That’s right. The first King Reiss, the man who created this walled world… wished for a world where humanity was ruled by the Titans. […] I know that fact myself… my father acted the same way when he inherited the king’s ideology. […] There is a reason for every catastrophe. Whether humanity is fated to perish, or if it is fated to survive, that decision is in God’s hands. My mission is to summon God back into this world, and devote my prayers to it.”

[…]

“I’m praying, Historia… that God will guide humanity.”

–66



“It is proof that they have inherited the philosophy of the first ruler of this land, the creator of our walled world. If Frieda had used her Titan’s power… none of this would have happened. I dare say we would have even been able to rid this world… of the Titans, too.”

“…Th—if that’s the case… then why is all this happening?!”

“Because… The power of the Titans that was stolen from Frieda… is now inside of Eren. Its true power can only be used… by descendants of the Reiss royal family. So long as he is its vessel… this hell will not end.”

–64



-drums fingers-



You know what.

I am no longer wondering.

What’s Rod’s version of hell?

He believes wholeheartedly in his god. He believes that the walled world is for the best. He believes in bringing back that god when everything’s thrown into chaos. Why are things in chaos? One wall broke. What does that mean? Everyone’s frantically looking for a way to fix things, so the Survey Corps discovered secrets not meant for the general populace, and they completely overthrew the established government.

Eren has been the vessel of the Reiss Titan power for five years. Before that, Frieda was the vessel. However, what he says about it is, “So long as he is its vessel… this hell will not end.”

Implying that it wasn’t hell before Grisha’s actions.



When referring to the hell of this world, most people understand that they’re talking about Titans existing. Living inside the walls and waiting to be eaten–that’s hell. Wall Maria broke, making the threat much more real, but whenever people we like talk about how horrible the world is, the mere existence of the walls plays a major part in the classification.



Rod’s hell is a violation of his god’s design.

A wall has a hole. With Frieda’s powers, the hole could have vanished, and indeed, the Titans would have been banished from this world.

At least, if we take “this world” to mean the one his god has forged. The world inside the walls would have been rid of the Titans.

So, after all his talk about the Progenitor Titan’s powers, what does he do? Talk Historia into reclaiming those powers. He knows how she’ll be influenced, and he knows what those powers are capable of, and he considers that the way to end this hell.

Hell as he understands it.

Yeeeeah. That would be a reason to pick a Titan suited for battle. Against all of humanity, you’d want a vessel of massive size, with its own innate protections giving you plenty of time for the vessel to use its abilities without interference.

Not a single lie to be found, and not a single truth understood by anyone else until it’s too late–or almost, if you’re lucky.

If anyone wants to know what Historia’s character arc is saving her from, here.

This is why she needs to live for herself.



Her father devotes himself completely to one person. Not even a person; a deity. Without faltering, he pursues his one role of serving as this being’s vassal. He denies himself any autonomy and subjugates himself completely to his god.

He has a personality. He’s straightforwardly blunt and stubborn. He’s held to his beliefs for years even without his god by his side. He wants to see Frieda and Uri again.

But since we’ve known him, his expression has always been the same blank mask that Historia’s adopted since Ymir’s departure. He doesn’t live for himself. He lives entirely in the service of someone else, and disregards everything else for the sake of that servitude. People, his own desires, morality; they’re irrelevant in light of the goal his higher power has illuminated for him.

Historia is not her father purely by virtue of character development.

…

Okay, besides more evidence of Rod being a jackass, what actually happened this chapter?

Eren finally learned Harden!

Metapods learn that at level 7, bro. The second they evolve. Step up your game.

And it’s… a little unnerving in terms of defying expectations.

When we first see the Wall Titans, it’s because pieces of the wall have gotten chipped off. Crystal falls, and you get a great big eye visible for your trouble.

That doesn’t seem to function the same way as Eren’s ability. Eren leaves a gigantic statue of his Titan. I suppose that if you chipped away at its eye socket, you might get some flesh, but I don’t think the two actually work the same way.

It makes sense that nobody bothered chipping the humans out of the Wall Titans, so by that count, it makes sense that there would be a functional Titan within the walls instead of just a statue, but…

Eh, it doesn’t really matter in the end. Steampunk sci-fi magic is steampunk sci-fi magic, and there are different versions of hardening. Reiner has armor all over, and he can mix and match the positioning, but there’s no evidence that he can use his abilities to fill a hole. Annie could harden individual pieces of her Titan, and when she went full-crystal, she was still visibly Annie inside, without any of the crystal altering her skin.

I guess that means that for the standard Wall Titans, their version of hardening is something like Annie’s; they stay fully flesh inside while having the crystal surround them.

Eren’s version appears to actually turn his Titan to crystal, which is new. I think. Speculation that involves key plot points tends to escape me.

What matters is that his method means that the hole can be sealed, so congrats! You have retrieved this dungeon’s magical item!

That statement’s more accurate than it has any right to be.

And we’re back to more Conversations on Wagons. A familiar staple of plot exposition and sharing time.

It’s mostly sharing time this chapter, letting all of the other characters understand the awkward position Eren being alive and breathing causes and spreading the word about the Progenitor Titan.

And giving me a break from having to type out super-special-awesome Titan every month. I do appreciate that.

Historia is what I spend the rest of the chapter caring about, so in lieu of getting so distracted by her that I overlook other fun moments, I’m going to skip around a little.

More Mikasa/Sasha friendship moments are good, especially when it leads to informing Eren that his friends have been killing humans. Sasha’s the one with obvious problems today, but Connie and Jean are also in distress.

I don’t know if Eren’s going to get a chance to react to that more than he does here. His love of humanity has always been interesting. He doesn’t consider humans who do monstrous things to be human, so he’s less bothered by having a body count, but I think, if put in the same position as Jean was, fighting an opponent who’s hesitating even if they’re on the wrong side… that’s not quite the same thing as putting down a rabid monster.

Eren’s failure to use his Coordinate ability is pretty funny, but I’m guessing that it’s going to cause more problems in the future. I wonder if he got away with using it before because his Titan didn’t have any specific extra talents.

Whatever’s up, my guess is that if they can make it to the basement, Eren will find a way to unlock all of his abilities properly instead of fluking into them.



And meanwhile, we have the title district playing a fun role. Orvud District.



One of the things I like about where the story’s led since 50 is that it’s including more civilians.

It’s an important aspect. For all that the Survey Corps stands for the liberation of humanity, they don’t speak for humanity. Humanity’s been cattle for so many years that they’d hardly know what to do with freedom.

Because of that, it’s really good to get the average humans involved in their liberation. They get to learn how to think of living their own lives instead of going with the flow.

In Trost, there was an opening because of how much the district had suffered, and how much Flegel suffered, and Hange coming in and offering inspiration to allow them to take their home back.

The people in Orvud aren’t nearly so familiar with suffering, but they get to participate in saving the world all the same. Yes, they aren’t telling any of the citizens that they get to act as bait, but symbolically, they’re helping to save the world, and symbolism can have its day once in a while.

Now, back to Conversations on Wagons!

Or just doing my usual thing and refusing to shut up about Historia.

Eren and his complete willingness to die for humanity is fun, though. Mostly because Mikasa and Armin are strongly against it and willing to defend Grisha.

I like that the manga remembers that they were part of Eren’s family, too, and that means that they have affection and trust in Dr. Yeager. It’s sweet, and probably very helpful to Eren to have his closest friends back his dad.

But don’t I just love that when Mikasa first tries to approach the topic of how willing Eren is to die, Historia steps in like a boss.

I’m just… I’m just going to laugh, because Historia is such a glorious opportunist when it comes to defending her friends.

Historia’s apparently decided that she’s one of Eren’s protectors, now. She is once again playing the humanity card (which she is on record as not caring about) to keep people who are sympathetic to that card from criticizing her ideal course of action.

“They can’t kill Eren! Rod’s brainwashing will just make him brainwash everyone else! It puts humanity at risk! …You people still care about that, right?”



The kid really is extraordinarily articulate when it comes to playing to other people’s sympathies. Wonder where she gets that from. But really, after a chapter of staring blankly at nothing, the second killing Eren is revisited as a plan, she’s rattling off every reason they have not to consider it, addressing every way it interferes with the Survey Corps’ plans and never once bringing up her personal attachment to keeping him alive.

She also suggests the benefits of Eren keeping the power by supporting his father’s decision to murder her blood family.

I do not think Historia has the capacity to do things by halves.

And then we get into the obvious issues of Historia finally having to let go of the hope that she could have her family and everything would be a-okay. Except for the following line, her father is only Rod Reiss to her now.



“When we were back there… I really did intend to become a Titan and kill you. …And not for humanity’s sake. Because my dad was right… or so I wanted to think.”

If you’ll indulge me for a moment.



You’ve got to admit. Every once in a while I almost look like I know what I’m doing.

Before she defends Eren, Historia really does spend most of this chapter looking like a wreck. With the declaration that it’s time to say goodbye to her father, I think she’s doing a little better.

…As a side note, she’s dressed entirely in white and Eren’s in all black while they’re on the wagon. Someone other than me should probably mark that as significant.

And then she’s all suited up for battle, and her expression kills me a little because of something I’m disciplined enough to actually give its own post.

And like a pro, she completely gets out of being told to leave the wall by appealing to Levi’s way of thinking. The disgusted irritation all over Levi’s face while she just stares at him with her depressed little laser eyes gives me life.

As another side note, the last time they were in this position, iiiin 56, the blocking was flipped. Jean, Connie, and Sahsa’s backs were visible in the foreground, covering Historia’s face entirely while she and Levi stared at each other.

This time, the onlookers are in the background, and you can see her face. Awesome.



If Historia could actually be the one to kill Rod, that would also be awesome.

Please? I’ve wanted her to kill her family since 40!

…That sounds appalling.

And now it is time to wait another month.

