Attack on Titan is one of the most iconic anime series’ of our time. We were even fortunate enough to watch the world premiere of season three at Anime Expo 2018. Its grim depiction of the brutality of death along with its’ complex characters has made it a fan favorite. As the official premiere has finally aired, we thought this would be the perfect time to reflect on seasons past and the best scenes in the series. Now, there are almost too many to count, so we are limiting them to just five, but these five distinguish themselves above the rest.
5. Carla Yaeger’s Death
Carla Yaeger made a swift appearance and exit in the first episode of the series, being eaten by a Titan by the premiere’s end. The scene was not only heart-wrenching but also informs everything that the series becomes. Eren’s determination to wipe the Titans off the face of the earth comes from the fact that they killed his mother. Eren isn’t the most likable character in the first season, but his anger comes out of the severe anguish of losing his mother. He’s determined to destroy them all for this singular purpose. Sawano’s score sets the tone perfectly and Carla’s death is the foundation everything Attack on Titan is built upon.
4. この世界は残酷だそしてとても美しい
“Kono sekai wa zankoku da, soushite totemo utsukushii.”
(“The world is cruel, yet it is also very beautifu“)
-Mikasa Ackerman
Mikasa Ackerman is the best character in Attack on Titan. Her devotion to Eren unwavering, her combat skill unrivaled, and she has an inner strength that no other character in the series exhibits. She has a deep understanding of the world. She realizes its’ cruelty, but also its’ beauty. Despite all her strengths though, she does has her moments of weakness. This makes her a three-dimensional character.
In episode seven of the first season, during the Battle of Trost, when she finds out Eren has been eaten, she loses all composure. Mikasa becomes reckless and loses the will to live, as protecting Eren, a duty she inherited from Eren’s mother, was her reason for keep moving forward. She had lost everything aside from Eren. Mikasa, in the midst of her inner battle, remembers that Eren was the one who taught her to keep fighting; to keep living. The rest is history, as Eren appears in Titan form and saves Mikasa’s life. She then laments how Eren’s Titan form (who she did not know was Eren) was the embodiment of humanity’s rage against the Titans. She couldn’t be more correct.
3. Levi’s Squad is Wiped Out by the Female Titan
Levi Ackerman is a total badass and incredibly stoic throughout the first season. Like Mikasa, who is probably a relative, he is always in control. Unlike Mikasa though, he has more experience. We only see a glimpse of emotion from Levi in the entire series (up until the season three premiere), and that’s when he comes across the murder of his squad by the Female Titan. The expression on his face is all that needs to be said. No tears, only regret. He should have let Eren transform. Together they could have easily defeated Annie. Instead, those deaths will forever haunt him. His squad’s death scene itself is both brutal and emotional. Eren once again relies on his team, only to witness them murdered one-by-one.
It’s at this point Eren decides he cannot rely on others. He should have transformed from the start. Full of rage and emotion, he loses the fight easily. Levi keeps his composure though, while Mikasa, trailing the Female Titan, is focused entirely on killing her. This is not only a tragic event for Levi, but for Eren as well, who is forced to witness his comrades brutally murdered one at a time.
2. Reiner and Bertholdt Reveal Themselves
Reiner was everyone’s big brother. Bertholdt was quiet yet shy. Their revelation as the Armored and Colossal Titans was not only a shock, but a massive betrayal. How could they possibly live in the walls amongst their victims? This is extremely difficult to put into words, so, I will quote Eren here.
“You shit, you big piece of shit.
I always thought you were a stand-up guy. Someone who remained calm, regardless of the situation, a guy who put your comrades aboveyourself.
And I…To think at one time I wished to be as strong you someday.
Hey Reiner. I don’t know what kind of face you’re making right now, but..you guys ..you really are the worst pieces of shit. I bet in the history of mankind, nobody’s done something as horrible as you. I’ve gotta erase you. You shouldn’t be allowed to exist anymore.
What the hell are you thinking? I’ve never felt so revolted before. Just remembering you and your self-righteous face is making me sick. It makes me want to vomit. You big damn pest! It’s time to exterminate you!”
This is a massive shift in Attack on Titan’s dynamic and is actually Yuki Kaji, Eren’s voice actor’s, favorite scene in the show. I couldn’t agree with him more, if not for this last scene.
1. Eren Uses The Coordinate
It’s revealed in the season two finale that Eren is not only in possession of the Attack Titan, but ‘The Coordinate’ as well, something Reiner and Bertholdt are desperate to get their hands on. At the very least, it allows the user to control other Titans. Eren uses this power in a fit of rage to call upon Titans to eviscerate the Smiling Titan who killed his mother. He then calls upon the power again to kill Reiner and Bertholdt, although this is unsuccessful thanks to Ymir’s intervention. We (at least anime viewers) don’t know what The Coordinate is, why Eren can use it, and why Titan Shifters beyond the walls are so desperate to attain it. This is the most powerful scene in the series though. Eren avenges his mother after losing yet another close friend, Hannes, and allows the Survey Corps to retreat. His raw power is a game changer for the series and it will be interesting what it means moving forward.
The scene is also incredibly beautiful. Mikasa is on the verge of confessing to Eren, coming to grips with her romantic feelings for him, no longer referring to him as just “family.” Everyone is on the verge of death; Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Erwin. Then Eren unleashes the sheer power of The Coordinate. In a way, it’s a horrible tease, but makes for the most emotionally powerful scene in Attack on Titan to date.