「森の子ら」 (Mori no Kora)
“Children of the Forest”

So how you liking crazy? Because crazy is what SnK is going to be all about now. If spinal fluid spiked wine wasn’t enough for the taste, attempted roundhouse murder and perfectly on point surprise appearances should do the trick, especially when you remember exactly what’s at stake. In this struggle there can only be one victor, and one side currently has the clear advantage.

For anyone who thought Gabi and Falco were now firmly on the sidelines, this episode certainly proved that assumption wrong. Personally I’ve been waiting for this moment; not only is it a emphatic culmination of SnK’s cycle of violence, but it’s also a highlight of just how ingrained the current fight has become on both sides – and how right everyone involved in it is. Nicolo and Kaya for example are not wrong for wanting to see Gabi dead, she took Sasha from them and (disgustingly in their eyes) is proud of what she did. Likewise Gabi isn’t wrong either, she pulled the trigger because Sasha and the other strike force members killed those near and dear to her. Both sides show the immense challenge in letting go and simply accepting what has happened – to hate and seek revenge for such acts is natural and a temptation few can ever resist. Yet it’s Sasha’s father who did just that. Whether down to blaming himself for it (as he alluded to) or something else, he shows the greatest strength of the moment and what it takes to truly find peace. For both sides to actually reconcile, the last victim must be the one willing to surrender the right to vendetta.

And then we get to the Yeagerists who could care less about finding common ground. While anyone could’ve guessed something was afoot under the surface, going for the outright elimination of Paradis’ entire military leadership via Zeke’s special ability probably never entered the equation. From a purely control perspective it makes a good deal of sense: if the other side cannot be trusted to fall in line after losing, you’re better off removing them. Plus when you factor in the immense fear on the part of both Paradis leadership and Yeagerists concerning Zeke’s plan and Marley’s response no surprise the chosen methods will be harsh and brutal. It’s all about consolidating power as quickly as possible to forge a united front against Marley at the moment, and any collateral damage will be seen as the price necessary to do it.

The only question now is just what Zeke’s ultimate plan is, but something tells me we’re about to get the answer for that and then some.

 

Preview

14 Comments

  1. Mikasa has really grown since S1. In the past she would killed Gabi on the spot but she knew better. Gabi is a victim of this senseless war, just like her, Armin and Eren

    Tayo Jones
    1. It’s the true irony of the moment: everyone currently involved is a victim. They’re all fighting over things which happened far in the past, and by doing so breed a new wave of grievances requiring exceptional effort to prevent a perpetuation of the violence.

  2. For those who read the manga, we all know what Eren going to do and leader of this madness.

    Show Spoiler ▼

    Pancakes edit: spoiler tags added.

    1. yeah, if there was one gripe I had with all this, it’s that I wish they developed Sasha as a character because this could’ve so much more powerful. I never read the manga, so I’m not sure what sort of character development she got, but as far as the anime is concerned, she was a one-dimensional caricature that revolved around eating, certainly a well-liked one, but a caricature nonetheless.

      bamboo blade cat
        1. That barely constitutes development, and I don’t even remember if it happened in real-time or if it was just a used in the flashback.

          Even so, if you were to ask anyone who Sasha is, they’d likely reply with Potato Girl.

          All hail Potato Girl.

          bamboo blade cat
        2. Agreed with bamboo blade cat, it doesn’t really count as development. Sasha, for better or worse, was largely comedic relief which got a couple of scenes like her rescue of Kaya – and not much else. Thus why she’s Potato Girl first and foremost.

  3. Such a relief to see Eren if not speaking then going to speak. BTW of all people it’s Levi who’s having a crisis of confidence so far, not Mikasa or Arumin as promised 🙂

    Anton

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