HE. IS. BACK!
The second part of Attack on Titan’s final season is here, and the newest episode immediately starts off with a bang! The opening credits, for one, is one montage of spoilers and scenes we should expect as the series draws near to its conclusion, and the song’s title, “The Rumbling”, is an apt name for Attack on Titan’s greatest moments.
With that said, let’s dive into the episode itself!
Episode 17 picks off immediately where the last one left, and it starts with a great tragedy: Levi is seemingly dead after Zeke’s bid for freedom. It is to be expected considering that huge explosion that even Floch and Hange heard, and Mappa Studios didn’t hold back on the gore and blood. The scene itself is an exact copy of the panel in the manga, with Hange holding on to Levi’s ruined body.
Or so it seemed. Hange’s confirmation of his death is definitely suspicious, a fact that even Floch notices. Is Levi still alive? There’s a chance that he is, and manga readers would surely agree; after all, Zeke’s timely, and naked, appearance allows Hange to escape with Levi’s body.
Zeke’s survival is an enigma, and we got a brief glimpse of a major plot thread that will affect the story as a whole. Apparently, there was a girl rebuilding his body in the Paths, granting him yet another life to continue his mission and assist his brother in their euthanasia plan.
Meanwhile, we finally return to the star of this series: Eren Jaeger. Continuing where the previous episode left off on a massive cliffhanger, Eren faces off against the army of Marley once more. And this time, both sides are not pulling their punches.
The battle itself is gruesome and brutal; Eren uses everything in his disposal to defeat a combined attack from Reiner and Galliard. Like the previous battles, the tides kept turning from one side to the other, and it is fun to watch Eren being a one-man army all on his own.
Unfortunately, this is more of a repeat of Paradis’s raid at Liberio. Except this time, Marley has the element of surprise and firepower, especially with the Cart Titan’s new gear. One interesting thing to note here is that Magath has a more active role; specifically, being the gunner for Pieck’s “Anti-Eren” cannon.
With the Yeagerists outnumbered and literally outgunned, things are looking grim. Thus, Onyankopon finally decides to seek help from the people who could possibly help swing the favor back to Paradis: Armin and the Survey Corps veterans. This is a sad and bittersweet scene, as we learn that Onyankopon never meant to betray them. Rather, he is simply under the tight grasp of Yelena, and he has to follow her orders or risk getting killed.
Of course, the others are skeptical. And none more so than Connie who finally lets out his frustrations after getting betrayed by some of his closest friends: Annie, Reiner, Bertholdt, and now even Eren, who also inadvertently caused Sasha’s death. Him going ballistic is only natural after everything he has suffered and experienced.
Things would have escalated then, but Armin’s clear head and Onyankopon’s heartfelt words saved the situation. For those who didn’t know the story and its twists, Armin’s argument is sound; indeed, the Eren they knew wouldn’t just stand by idly while his people are dying. However, Eren has truly changed, and unfortunately, none of his friends had a clue as to his real plan. Nevertheless, it is clear now that they, especially Mikasa, would help him repel the Marleyan assault.
Overall, episode 17 gives us yet another epic battle and spine-chilling moments. But it is merely a setup for the showdown that will happen in the next episode.
Episode score: 9.5/10.