THIS. IS. WAR!
Episode 5 sets the stage for an explosive rematch between Marley and Paradis, and it paid off with an epic, spine-chilling, and awesome Episode 6!
First, it begins with a flashback of Willy laying out his plans to Magath. Unlike what many initially assumed in the previous episodes, the Marleyans actually knew that Paradis would attack and has been planning on it as well. Thus, Willy purposely organized the gathering to lure Paradis, sacrificing himself and many expandable pieces to make sure that the Eldians on the island will be perfectly portrayed as demons. And it worked, especially with the way Eren emerged in his Titan form like a monster from hell.
The sad thing about Willy here is the fact that he and his family knew that he would die that day, but Willy still went with the plan knowing that it is the only way to unite the world against Paradis Island, even if it means killing their own people. This made Willy a martyr in his own right, and one that we really can’t blame.
Moving on from Willy’s unfortunate demise, we now come to one of the best fight scenes this season as Eren faces off against the Warhammer Titan. And unlike his previous battles, it is clear from the get-go that Eren is dominating the clash even though the Warhammer has several deadly tricks at her disposal. Eren is more brutal here, more experienced this time around. However, the Marley’s anti-Titan cannons are far effective, and once again we see Eren on the verge of defeat…
…until the full might of the entire Survey Corps arrive. But this is also not the same Survey Corps that we all know and love from the previous seasons—a group of varying personalities who struggle against Titans but still manages to win. Instead, the Survey Corps in this episode is a group of highly trained people who already went to hell and back—who can kill both Titans AND humans with ease—and it is so satisfying to watch Mikasa, Levi, and the rest of the gang dominating the battlefield against people who has been waging war for centuries, to the point that even Porco, a veteran Titan shifter, felt real fear for the first time.
One thing to note here are various clues scattered that Eren may not be the protagonist this time, evident when he lacks remorse for all the casualties he has caused. This plot thread will surely be explored further as the story goes, and it should be interesting how this would play out.
Overall, Episode 6 is the best episode to date. The fight scenes are flawless, the buildup is intense, and the way our dear characters made their grand entrance is one epic moment to be remembered.
Definitely a perfect 10/10!