「あの日」 (Ano Hi)
“That Day”

Well I dare say the world of SnK will never be the same again. The history revealed this week has been several seasons (and years) in the making, and to no surprise it was as hefty as the time spent building up to it. Humans outside the walls; a struggle of ideologies and empires; the implications of a showdown yet to happen—you can see where this story is heading from here, and yet not know exactly what is in store. SnK may have finally dropped all the answers and then some, but the fun, games, and glorywhich is Mikasa bedhead is only just getting started.

There’s quite a bit to digest with the flashbacks this week, but in simple terms SnK is a battle between two peoples. The Eldians, much in the vein of GoT’s Valyrians, rode to global domination on back of special power in the form of Titans. They conquered the world, dominated its people, and established an empire that effectively lasted over a thousand years. Or, well, if the Marleyans are to be believed. The truth of is undeniably in the middle of Eldian and Marley opinion (because I seriously doubt the Eldians only set out to help the world), with the only constant being Eldians can transform into Titans and Marleyans cannot, and modern day Marleyans are determined to eradicate the Eldian remnants we are oh so familiar with behind their unbeatable walls. The purpose behind the Fritzes choosing isolation and retreating to their redoubt, Marley’s true reason for going full Nazi in its hatred of the Titan bearers? We’ll get some answers on that soon enough (if not this season), because as events have shown, the attempt at taking down the last Eldian holdout is only in its opening phase.

Where the real fun comes from these reveals (and a lot of the divisiveness of this material) is in the connections it bears to many of our friendly faces. Zeke is the obvious one of course, a man who is actually Eren’s older (half) brother, betrayer of his father—and the guy who still wound up doing the mission he told the Marleyans about his parents over. No matter the realism of a kid selling his family out of fear (you only have to look at Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia to see how common it can be), it’s going to be one hell of a circle to square given where the kid comes from and the stuff he’s seen. Then of course comes Zeke’s mother who I’m sure no one missed the obvious for for, and probably the biggest point of them all: the Founding Titan power. Eren currently possesses it and doesn’t have the royal blood to activate it, Zeke has the royal blood needed to utilize it but doesn’t look like he knows his own heritage, and Marley apparently hasn’t begun its intended assault to seize the power for itself. For all that SnK has been a series about human survival the story is quickly becoming one of who can activate the Founding Titan power first, and with Eren still nominally free (heh) our newly minted Eldian cast are leading the pack.

There’s a lot to come in the world of SnK going forward, and with its world now fully open and ready for fleshing out, you can bet the craziness is only going to increase from here on out.

 

Preview

20 Comments

  1. Woahh.

    So far, very well polished back story and reveal. I’m slightly confused with the Nine Titans thing, as it seems that the Royal Eldians aren’t necessary part of the cool Nine… but I think it’ll become clearer to me as more is revealed next episode.
    But so far the story goes, the Marleyans are trying to conquer Paradise, but since it’s run by rogue Titans, and an Eldian King who is hiding one of the Nine super Titans (The Founding one), they’ll probably not succeed without some plan. Yet they also freely sail over and are actually the ones dropping new Titans onto their Island? Bizarre.

    Also, still wrapping my head around the fact that Eren and company live on an island and everyone is Eldian, but believe (rightfully) their lives are at stake by Titans terrorising the land for 100 years…? Damn.

    Bambi
    1. Someone mentioned to go back and watch season 2’s last episode’s OP credits. Couple that with the actual end of that season, and with what we’ve seen from the beast titan from a few episodes back, and what we learned this episode, this is a pretty deeply plotted story.

      I’ll do a little Game of Thrones math here (like R + L = J) to theorize what I think:

      Z + E = 1/2 B

      And to add to your last comment about them living on an island, that they erased their history so people won’t know or want to go back to the mainland, which would up end their civilization. And that would explain why/who are trying to keep them in check.

      Just wow.

      Bamboo Blade Cat
      1. Just saw a comment about Z = BT, which said it was already mentioned a few episodes back. Sorta got that feeling when he was talking to Eren. This story is layered like an onion!

        Bamboo Blade Cat
  2. > or Stalinist Russia

    much like Eldian vs Marley
    each side might have a claim to a bit of truth

    in my view much of the horrors about the commander-in-chief
    who presided over the defeat of the Nazi and my country
    are a by-product of McCarthyism and competition of left/right systems

    Anton
    1. An interesting interpretation. However, keep in mind that (even with the uncertainty that the numbers carry) there is documentation that many of the deaths happened in the 1930s and 40s, while McCarthyism and the bi-polar competition start after World War 2, in particular 1947-1953.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin#Death_toll_and_allegations_of_genocide
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excess_mortality_in_the_Soviet_Union_under_Joseph_Stalin

      Glancoplox
      1. Hi there Glancoplox. Sure we’d had our own witch-hunt @SU around 1930-s. I suppose the details of particular cases and overall numbers of rightfully/wrongly convicted will remain a matter of disagreement

        Pancakes> The truth of is undeniably in the middle

        much like that indeed. In the harsh realities of the war even whole minor ethnicities got forcibly relocated and endured severe hardships, this much is true. On the other side of the argument many of the cases presently counted as unfair were simple criminal convictions and the most horrible stories in my view are likely made up

        Glancoplox> while McCarthyism and the bi-polar competition
        Glancoplox> start after World War 2, in particular 1947-1953

        Yes sure, bad wording on my part. I meant to say “much of the _tales_ of the horrors … are a by-product of McCarthyism and competition of left/right systems”. In fact Soviet leaders who came after comrade Stalin most notably Khrushev were the first to throw a stone at him. Much more so Gorbachev and present day country’s leaders.

        For the record myself and like-me-minded people don’t hold wikipedia in a particularly high regard when it comes to politically charged topics. I’d say it’s perfect to consult on technical questions and natural sciences but politically it’s a tool for advancing a particular point of view.

        Not as an argument about rights/wrongs of enforcement within the country but to explain why there’s so much respect for the man: 9 May 1945 to Russians is same as Passover to the Jewish. And Joseph Stalin is literally our Moses. He led us out of the greatest peril in our history and was in command of our salvation. So long as Russians exist that day will be celebrated. And hopefully the man will be remembered.

        Anton
    2. Yes Stalin won the war but only after doing a good job of trying to lose it before it started. Stalin’s purges especially of Army Officers often on no reason than Stalin’s paranoia or the person being loyal but not vocal about it enough. Stalin’s purges of dedicated Communists might have resulted in their replacements not so dedicated at least hasting the end of the Soviet Union. This purge left mostly yes men types in charge who make horrible Generals unable to think for themselves or tell the boss he’s wrong. The Stalin blundered the set up and opening and but then after the horrible initial defeats he started listing and putting better Generals in charge. Invading Finland in a horrible failure of an invasion that only worked because of massive Russian replacements of the units lost, units which no longer would be available for fighting German plus putting Finland actively on the German side in the war. Stalin no retreat and no surrender over-broad, yes units did need to be sacrificed to slow the Germans but that should have been on a case by case basis. Stalingrad Stalin lucked into the right thing as most historian think both sides messed up big fighting for it. But the Germans falling for fighting for it for political reasons cost them troops they could not afford to lose as city fighting took away most of the German advantages. Unless something showing that was Stalin’s plan has shown up in past decade or so Stalin lucked into that. Stalin did horrible Ethnic Cleansing and most credit him with tens of millions killed by his policies. As a leader doing the right thing often overlooked I’m open to hearing what Stalin did right the people following him sure did not like him much. Stalin turning control over the war to good Generals allowed the war to be won but that the only real plus other than holding on and not surrendering. But Hitler, one of the most evil persons in history, did more right than many give credit for I have learned after awhile and I know almost nothing about Stalin’s activities in the last half of the war. As far as the world is concerned occupying and forcing communistic dictatorships on the countries he occupied is evil but as far as Russians go that might be ok, not saying that Russians would approve of setting up dictatorships(something the US has been guilty of) but if Stalin did actually save Russia after his actions almost doomed Russia I could see Russians loving that.

      RedRocket
    1. > damn good stuff

      Indeed. Apologies for butting in with uninvited commentary on issues tangential to the discussion of anime. I normally quietly take pleasure both the series and the much enjoyable commentary on this website.

      I guess I find it somewhat curious however that the topics touched upon both in our latest episode and in Pancake’s comments to it run parallel to the rather irreconcilable/never ending disagreements between the two views on the history of my country..

      Anton
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