‘Attack on Titan’ Brings Back Some Major Titans

The latest episode of Attack on Titan season 3 might’ve been titled “Friends”, but it revealed new developments between characters who were anything but that. After the milestone crowing of Queen Historia, we actually got caught up with some foes that have been waiting in the wings all season long: Reiner Braun’s Armored Titan, as well as the Beast Titan and its mysterious master!

As you can see in the images above, it looks like The Armored Titan and Beast Titan had a bit of a scuffle – one which did not end well for the Armored Titan, or Reiner. Bertholt Hoover is seen extracting his friend from the Armored Titan’s body, as the mysterious man in glasses revealed in the season 2 finale is seen emerging from the Beast Titan, looking down at the two Marley soldiers and declaring victory. The man states that some kind of disagreement has gone his way, and that they can save Annie Leonhart later, and focus now on securing “The Coordinate,” aka Eren Yeager’s Founding Titan power.

This is quite a development, as Attack on Titan season 3 has revealed that there is so much more to the backstory of the titans and their connection to the world behind the walls. Where the Nine Titans were once a mystery (and horror), they are now the major MacGuffins of the series – a power source for various characters and factions to war over and hold. The man in the glasses and his Beast Titan have been an increasingly ominous and unpredictable factor in this current power struggle, and it remains to be seen what this latest plan leads to. As the preview for next week’s episode reveals, major board-setting is about go down for some larger chapter to come.

WARNING – MANGA SPOILERS FOLLOW!!!

Fans of the Attack on Titan manga know what this scene is setting up: the big “Battle of Shiganshina District” arc. That storyline sees the Survey Corps finally collide with the Warriors of Marley, and reveals who the man in glasses is, and his deeper connection to Eren Yeager and the Founding Titan power. Fans have been buzzing about what that storyline will look like in the anime, and so far, season 3 has shown that the soldier vs. soldier action – as well as the battles between the Nine Titans, are going to look spectacular under the direction of the new design team – and the Shiganshina arc should be a major highlight.

Attack on Titan airs every Monday on TokyoTV, with simulcasts on Hulu, Crunchyroll and AnimeLab in North America. New episodes are typically available by Monday at 2 p.m. ET.