Those that don’t learn from Historia are doomed to get smacked upside the head.

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

As Rod Reiss’ Titan form grows to gargantuan size and threatens to collapse the cavern around them, Historia tries desperately free Eren from the chains, but Eren is still more than willing to still be eaten to possibly give someone a chance to use his powers right. Levi’s squad arrives soon after and free him, but they’re still trapped and might be crushed if they’re not eaten first, and Eren’s feeling more powerless than ever. But at his friend’s encouragement, he grabs a vial of Titan Serum marked “armor” and bites down. He assumes Titan form and produces the same material as the cavern in order to protect his friends, though the Rod Reiss Titan cracks through the surface and begins lurching towards the walls.

Mikasa and Jean Eren from his Titan Form, which has become crystal along with the rest of what he produced, just like what happened Annie did to herself when she was captured. Plus, now they know more about how the walls were made, along with learning how they can plug up Wall Maria and investigate Eren’s cellar where Grisha’s research might be. They regroup with Armin, Erwin, and the injured Hange to catch them up on all the juicy details and to see the horrific sight of the Rod Reiss Titan grind its face across the ground and ignite whole trees around it.

Eren still proposes being eaten to both give Rod back his human form, as well as see what he can do with the Founding Titan power. But no one can say for sure it will be Rod who emerges or the First King’s will, and if he erases everyone’s memories with that power then everything they’ve done will have been less than pointless. And as Historia points out, Rod’s group had control over that power and did nothing, entrusting it to him now would just be asking for more of the same. Perhaps Grisha stole this power in order to find a way to make it usable by someone who wasn’t a Reiss, possibly with methods in his cellar. But the goal now is plugging Wall Maria, and Eren’s more than willing to help with that, so he’s their pick for holding the power.

Once in Orvud District, Levi tells Historia of the plan to make her queen. She accepts with one condition: to fight with everyone to kill her father.

OUR TAKE

AND SUDDENLY SIX WORD TITLE OUT OF NOWHERE

While the last few episodes have been about dropping big reveals left and right, this was more about getting all that new info out to the rest of the good guys. As such, it does feel a little like things have slowed down a tad, but only to get ready for however, they plan to finish off Rod’s Titan Form.

Which I have to say is the most nausea-inducing Titan we’ve seen yet and I have a few guesses to why that is. Right before he licked the serum, Historia probably broke or at least sprained his back, which may have carried over into him becoming a Titan. He’s also the first person we’ve seen LICK this serum to obtain this form, whereas Uri, Frieda, and Eren have all had it injected, so ingesting it may have different effects than going directly to the bloodstream, but there’s no way to say for sure. I can’t account for the size, though that could possibly have to do with whether there are potency levels in Titan serum, as well as why he’s constantly producing heat and can’t support his own weight. And who knows what monstrosity his face has become.

Eren still seems really shaken by this whole thing and is still willing to be eaten for a possible chance at redemption, though it’s good to see he’s still willing to act in the moment when he thinks he can help. It’s hard to say whether he needs that “armor” serum simply to make the crystal they need to plug the wall or if he’s just now gained a +10 to a stat point or however this works. I imagine the nobles keep that stuff somewhere if they could afford to take a bag of it to the cavern…otherwise, they’re SOL. Regardless, now that Eren’s martyr pitch has been shot down, I hope he gets back to his old firey self soon.

On the other hand, Historia’s put her foot down hard on smashing the patriarchy, as well as finally leaving behind her complicated feelings towards her father. She’s come a LONG way from the sweet and pure angel we met in the first season, though stripping away the sweetness doesn’t mean she’s any less loyal to saving and protecting her friends. The bittersweet nature of this is that, after just freeing herself from being forced into a position of great power, she’ll now have to take the throne and lead humanity anyway, which she accepts as long as she can right now. I think the big difference between the two roles that makes one easier to accept would probably be that being the Founding Titan would probably make her possessed by the First King and no longer be herself, while at least being Queen means she’ll be in control of herself.

And it looks like next week will have a lot of action to make up for the lack of it this time. Plus, we finally get to see them fighting a Titan, and a big one at that.

Score 8/10