Attack on Titan Episode 79 Explained

The latest episode of Attack on Titan is still making its rounds online, and fans are rightfully buzzing over the update. Season four is getting more intense by the week, and there are many episodes left before the anime’s finale sets in. This means fans have their eyes trained on Eren as his mission is taking him places we never saw coming. So if you still have questions about episode 79, we’re here to break down its biggest twists. 

If you are caught up with season four, you will know Attack on Titan went all out with its latest episode. The update checked in on Eren after the boy was beheaded in real-time, but Zeke managed to save his brother at the last moment. By grabbing his head, Zeke and Eren were taken to the Paths before the latter made everyone double take. Eren is rebelling against Zeke’s plan for sterilization now, but the older man believes he can change Eren’s ways. This is why episode 79 brings the men into Grisha’s memories as Zeke wants to show Eren how he was brainwashed by their father.

However, this episode proves that is not the case. Unlike what Zeke experienced, Eren had a happy enough childhood in Paradis as Grisha kept Eldian politics out of the home. All of his work was kept locked away in his basement where Eren couldn’t find it, and things escalated only after Grisha is plagued by a horrific vision of the Colossal Titan attacking. This forces him to sneak into the Reiss family’s chapel where Zeke expects his dad to kill most of the royals.

But again, that was not the case. Grisha wanted to kill Frieda and the rest but couldn’t bring himself to harm the kids there. He was going to let himself be killed until Eren (as we know him today) stepped into the vision. It was there Eren ordered his father to honor his fallen Eldians and kill the Reiss family to gain the Founding Titan. Eren’s words spurred Grisha into action, and he left the chapel with both the Founding Titan and Attack Titan.

By the memory’s end, Grisha is left stunned by his own actions, and Eren grants his dad the ability to see Zeke grown at last. It is there Grisha tells his oldest son to stop Eren just before the other can break the memory. When Zeke comes to, he is back in Paths with Eren and realizes the awful truth.

Eren was never brainwashed by his dad; Grisha was pushed to start a horrific chain of events by his son. Eren was able to do this because he made Zeke believe they were on the same side. This gave Eren the opportunity to visit Grisha’s past using the Coordinate, a tool only Zeke can use. Our protagonist did so because he had his own mysterious vision after kissing Historia’s hand years ago. It was there he unlocked a memory of the Reiss family massacre, and Eren knew what his future self had to do.

The only reason Eren knew this was thanks to his titan. Attack on Titan confirmed the Attack Titan has a secret power, and it lets its inheritors view memories from those who come before and after them. It turns out Eren has gotten these flashes since season one, and his future began clearing up once he saw into the Reiss family’s murders. Now, Eren is set on unlocking Ymir’s power to fulfill some vision of the future we don’t know yet. But as you can see, things just got WILD in Attack on Titan season four.

What did you think of this latest Attack on Titan episode? Did it leave you reeling…? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.