[NARRATOR] Before it's fall,
Wall Maria contained a third of what usable land
remained to humanity.
Five years ago, when humanity lost this territory,
from behind their last two walls,
the people realized something.
Humankind... is fated to become extinct.
[NARRATOR] Defeat was certain.
The blade of despair pierced our hearts.
I'm gonna put a stop to this.
I'll kill them all.
Every last one.
[NARRATOR] But then, someone grasped that blade and wrenched,
turned sorrow to rage,
and lashed out at the Titans,
striking the monsters down with earth-shaking force.
When humanity first saw this,
what was in their hearts then?
In some, a stalwart pride.
In others, newfound hope.
And some beat with that first warrior's rage.
[NARRATOR] So, if Wall Maria were taken back,
what would the people feel then?
[NARRATOR] Would they finally start to believe in mankind?
In the fact that we deserve to live?
[ERWIN] Scouts, move out!
[SOLDIERS yelling]
[NARRATOR] Would they see at last
that our fates are for us to decide?
Would it be enough to give them faith?
[NARRATOR] If we could reach Wall Maria and take it back.
♪ Opening Song ♪
--[MALE SOLDIER 50A gasps] --Huh?
[horse neighs]
[MALE SOLDIER 50B] Whoa. Steady.
Slow down.
Make sure the ground is lit.
[MALE SOLDIER 50B] Right. Sorry, sir.
Will we get there soon?
It's just about dawn.
Well, once we get over this mountain,
Shiganshina should be close by.
I'm sorry that you got stuck with my horse.
Don't worry about it.
You should be saving your energy.
Yeah, I get it, but still.
She's right, Eren.
We need you at your best.
[JEAN] Don't say his name, dumbass.
[CONNY gasps] Sorry, I forgot.
Act as though we're surrounded by enemies.
Always.
[gasps]
[JEAN] Titan on the left!
Everyone halt! Light up the area!
[swords clank]
[HANGE] It's all right.
Pretty sure he's asleep.
Doesn't look like this is one of the new types
that can move around at night. [chuckles]
Well isn't that a shame?
Leave him be.
[swords clank]
[HANGE sighs]
I can't believe we had to get that close to notice the thing.
[HANGE] Yeah, I'm with you on that point.
But it's worth it.
The moonless night is protecting us.
Light from the moon is really just reflected sunlight.
And from what we can tell,
that miniscule amount of reflected light
is all that these new Titans need to move.
It's good that we're using the new moon's cover.
There's no guarantee that we won't have a repeat of before.
For all we know,
that sleeper might've been a moonlight Titan himself.
Maybe we can capture one someday!
[EREN] I'm shaking.
Why?
What am I scared of?
[EREN] Shit.
What if I screw this up because of my nerves?
What'll happen?
We'll never get a chance like this again.
If we fail,
the hopes of countless people will be crushed.
And through some twist of fate, it's all on me.
How? How can I save humanity?
I'm useless.
I'm nobody.
[EREN gasps]
Are you okay?
[ARMIN] What's wrong? You're shaking.
Are you scared?
Huh? No!
Of course I'm not scared.
But... look at your hand.
Seems like nerves to me.
This is just 'cause it's cold out here!
I feel like my hand's gonna freeze off.
Is that all it is?
I've been shaking a bit, too.
And I'm terrified.
Just look at me.
I can't really tell if you've ever been afraid of Titans.
That fear is all-consuming for most people.
It was for me.
The first time I saw a Titan in the flesh,
I was so frightened I couldn't move.
Yeah.
I was gonna die.
Then you came and pulled me out of a Titan's mouth.
But how did you do it?
Where did you find the strength?
I had a flashback...
...to the day that you showed me your parent's book.
[EREN] Before then,
I'd never even considered the world beyond the walls.
I would just spend my days staring up at the clouds.
[EREN] But then, I heard your story,
and saw the look in your eyes.
[EREN] They were filled with this amazing dream.
Like nothing I'd known for myself.
That's the day I realized that I had never been free.
The world was as vast as our cage was small.
Those monsters had stolen it from us.
Once I realized that, I couldn't forgive them.
Couldn't tell you why, but...
...when I think of that lost freedom...
[EREN] ...I feel strong.
Fearless, in a way.
Thanks for that, Armin.
I'm good now.
[ARMIN] Mm.
Know what?
This time next year?
I bet we'll be looking out at the sea.
--[MIKASA gasps] --[water running]
This area. It's familiar.
[MIKASA] I think... we came here for firewood.
[EREN gasps]
[MALE SOLDIER 50C] I see the foot of the mountain!
[ALL gasp]
There are signs of a trail ahead!
Well, looks like we're close.
I'm pretty sure I can hear the river.
We made it back.
After all that's happened.
[ARMIN] This is the first time we've seen it
since we fled as kids.
[ARMIN] Our hometown.
Shiganshina.
There could be Titans anywhere, so keep your guard up!
This operation has officially begun!
All troops, switch to ODM gear!
[ERWIN] We must seal the gate to Wall Maria
and the one to the outside world.
With that achieved, Shiganshina will be isolated,
and we can kill the Titans inside.
The enemy will predict this plan
and counter it by targeting Eren.
But...
[ERWIN] ...all 100 of our soldiers
will keep their faces covered with hoods.
[ERWIN] By the time the foe can locate Eren,
he'll have plugged up the outer gate.
[EREN grunts]
[gasps]
[ARMIN, MIKASA gasp]
--[LEVI] Don't stop! --[gasps]
You get to that outer gate!
Right!
[ARMIN gasps]
[ARMIN] Ashes.
From a kicked-out fire?
[ARMIN grunts]
[ARMIN] They're here and they're close.
Bertholdt and Reiner!
[EREN] My old house is right around here.
We're so close...
...to everything we left behind.
[gasps]
[EREN] It's fine.
I'm taking it back.
[HANGE] I know we're overdue for some luck,
but how have we not seen any Titans yet?
We still have to continue.
Right.
We have no cause to call it off.
[EREN grunts]
[EREN] I can do this!
No...
We can do this!
[EREN] Because we're special,
for no other reason than the fact that we were born!
We will be free!
[ALL gasp]
[EREN grunts, yells]
[EREN groans, gasps]
The enemy could strike any second!
Stay on the lookout!
Right!
--[MIKASA, EREN grunt] --[HANGE] Eren!
Is your ODM gear secure?
[EREN grunts] It's fine.
That said, I did manage to shake off my cloak.
[gasps]
[EREN] Thank you.
How's it look?
[MALE SOLDIER 50E] Looks good over here!
[MALE SOLDIER 50F] Yeah, our end's plugged, too!
We pulled it off. Huh.
Eren, are you okay?
Not even tired.
All that training's paid off.
[HANGE] We shouldn't waste time then.
Everyone, head for the inner gate!
And keep your faces hidden!
Did I actually seal that gate?
Seemed too easy.
You did it. I saw you.
Try to have faith in your own strength.
[EREN] I finally took it back.
--[LEVI] We're not finished. --[EREN gasps]
[LEVI] You can plug the gates all you want,
but they can just break them again later.
Until we've killed Reiner, Bertholdt,
and whoever else may be with them,
the operation to retake Wall Maria won't be over.
Yeah.
I'm well aware.
[DIRK] The outer gate was closed off successfully,
but something feels wrong here.
The enemy should've attacked by now.
Right, Erwin?
So why haven't we seen a single Titan yet?
Is it possible that they just weren't ready to fight us?
We can hope, but considering what Arlelt found...
--[whirring] --[BOTH gasp]
[ARMIN grunts]
I looked into it.
It's clear that someone was camping on the wall.
I found cups and a cold pot on the ground,
near where I spotted those ashes.
They were drinking something like black tea.
[ARMIN sniffs]
[ARMIN] What was in here?
It smells good.
[ARMIN] There were three cups,
and they all had the same black liquid in the bottom.
So I'd say there were three people camping up here at least.
Wait. There's a third?
Was the pot completely cool to the touch?
Yes.
That's troubling.
Agreed.
Huh? Why's that?
We charged here at full speed on horseback.
Even switched to ODM gear.
Had they noticed our approach by sight, or perhaps by sound,
they couldn't have had more than two minutes to react.
But a pot over flame wouldn't have cooled
in that short of time.
[DIRK gasps]
[ERWIN] They had to have known that we were coming
for five minutes or more.
Which tells me they've had plenty of time
to prepare for our arrival.
There's no way.
How'd they know?
Well, it's possible that they had a scout
in addition to the three on the wall.
Yeah.
We should assume we have many enemies
and that they could be anywhere.
You need to sharpen your focus on the enemies that are nearby.
I trust you.
With that mind of yours,
you've saved us from disaster countless times.
Now do it again.
We're in dire need of your help.
[gasps]
You can take as many soldiers as you need.
If the enemy's hiding near the inner gate, find them.
[ERWIN] As of now, you will obey Armin Arlelt's commands.
--[ARMIN gasps] --He'll tell you how to proceed.
[SOLDIERS grunt]
Uh...
[SOLDIERS] Understood!
We searched the wall's perimeter thoroughly!
What are your instructions, Arlelt?
We'll send one group to each side of the wall.
Search the interiors of any buildings near the gate!
If you find something, fire off an acoustic shell!
[ARMIN gasps]
Does... that work for you?
[SOLDIERS] Understood!
Another gamble of yours?
No. Arlelt's proven himself.
He's one of our greatest weapons.
That I know.
[DIRK] Eren's on his way to plug the inner gate.
What now?
Should we halt the operation till we find the enemy?
We continue.
We'll lose a prolonged campaign in enemy territory.
To prevail, our only chance is to win a decisive battle.
With that in mind, even if all has
gone according to the enemy's plan thus far,
we simply have to deal with it.
In any case,
they aren't the only ones who are hiding something.
[ARMIN] What do I do?
Eren's on his way to seal the inner gate.
If the enemy's here, we need to find them before he does it.
[gasps]
[ARMIN] Why would they have let us
plug the outer breach without a fight?
Why can't we find them no matter how much we search?
[ARMIN] They knew we'd come.
They must've!
If this is a trap...
If we fail here...
...then it'll really be over for us.
They always catch us off-guard
by using Titans and their powers in ways we can't predict.
And they always have the advantage,
because they know so much more about Titans than we do!
[ARMIN gasps]
[ARMIN] Hold on.
[ARMIN gasping]
[ARMIN grunts]
[FEMALE SOLDIER 50A gasps]
[MALE SOLDIER 50H gasps]
[MALE SOLDIER 50G] Did you find them, Arlelt? Where?
[ARMIN] The walls!
Everyone scour the walls!
But we already searched all around them!
There isn't anywhere to hide on the walls!
[ARMIN] Check inside them!
--[SOLDIERS gasp] --[ERWIN gasps]
[FEMALE SOLDIER 50A] Inside the walls?
Yes!
Look for a small cavity that someone could hide out in.
It may be covered.
How do you know that this exists?
It's a hunch.
[SOLDIERS gasp]
Damn it! Do you have any idea what kind of situation we're in?
We don't have time to waste on your hunches!
But--just think about it!
The enemy always gets the better of us
by using Titan powers in ways we could never have imagined!
If we constrain ourselves to normal tactical reasoning,
then we'll never be able to gain the upper hand!
[SOLDIERS gasp]
[ARMIN gasps]
[MALE SOLDIER 50I] That's the signal to halt the mission!
Everyone scatter and stand by on top of the wall!
[SOLDIERS] Understood!
[ERWIN] There are times to be strict
and times to be flexible.
Uphold the principles of your vows.
Do what it takes to win.
Follow the chain of command
and keep your eyes fixed on the path to victory.
[grunts] Form two groups again and check the wall's surface!
Start your search above the gate!
Go! Quickly!
[SOLDIERS gasp]
Uh...
[SOLDIERS] Right!
[CONNY] What are they doing?
Is this safe?
Feel like a sitting duck.
I don't know,
but this doesn't seem like much of a surprise attack.
I wonder.
Did Armin figure something out?
[ARMIN] A position they'll be able to react from,
no matter when Eren might appear.
A position from which they can see everything that happens.
If there's a hiding spot like that,
then it must be in the walls.
Assuming the enemy doesn't know
that we're aware of the Titans in the wall,
they'd have every reason to think
this would take us by surprise.
It all adds up.
[gasps, grunts]
--[gunshot] --[ARMIN gasps]
Right here!
This part of the wall is hollow!
--[MALE SOLDIER 50H gasps] --[REINER grunts]
[ALL gasp]
[ARMIN gasps]
[ARMIN] Reiner!
[gasps]
[REINER groans]
[LEVI grunting]
[REINER grunts]
[gasps, grunts]
[LEVI grunts] Shit!
[ARMIN] Captain?
[LEVI] What're these guys made of?
A blade through the neck and the bastard still won't die!
[yells]
[SOLDIERS gasping]
Keep your eyes open!
We still need to find his allies! [gasps]
[ERWIN gasps]
Incoming boulder!
Get down!
[MARLO grunts, gasps]
[MARLO] What the--?
Looks like he missed.
Not so.
That was a well-placed shot.
He blocked off the entrance.
There's no riding through it now.
[ERWIN] They have us all but surrounded.
They plan to target our horses, block our escape routes,
and slaughter us.
The enemy hopes for the same thing we do--
to end this conflict once and for all.
It's our side or theirs now.
We can let the Titans crush us, or bring them crashing down.
♪ Closing Song ♪
[NARRATOR] A massive horde of Titans attacks out of nowhere.
As the Scout Regiment fights back,
Eren finds an obstacle in his path.
A former friend turned bitter foe.
Next episode: "Thunder Spears."