Attack on Titan Reveals the True Power of the Coordinate Titan

Attack on Titan's latest anime episode 'Attack Titan' was a treasure trove of major backstory and [...]

Attack on Titan's latest anime episode "Attack Titan" was a treasure trove of major backstory and new reveals. The mythos surrounding Humanity Inside the Walls was turned upside-down, as we learned the true scope of the world outside Paradis Island, and the history of the Titans that have reshaped the course of humanity.

While episode 58 might have been titled "Attack Titan", one of the biggest revelations it dropped had to do with the true nature and power of another one of the nine special Titans: the one Titan that commands the rest, The Coordinate!

"The Coordinate" has been mentioned several times before in Attack on Titan's anime - mostly in season 3 part 2's "Return to Shinganshina" arc. The Beast Titan host and Marley's Warriors leader Zeke was heard referring to The Coordinate during his scheming with Reiner and Bertolt to use the Shinganshina ambush to catpure Eren Yeager and strip him of the Coordinate Titan power. And given what we learn about the Coordinate in "Attack Titan," it's clear why so many powers that be want the Coordinate so badly.

Attack on Titan season 3 part 1 broke down the history of the Reiss royal family, and how the Coordinate (or Founding Titan) was used to erase the memories of the Subjects of Ymir living on Paradis Island, thereby creating the myth of Humanity Inside the Walls. However, "Attack Titan" makes it clear just how powerful the Coordinate is, showing how all of the Titans are essentially like an collective that converges at one point, and that point is the Coordinate.

Historia gets that account of the Founding Titan from a letter left to her by her one-time protector, Ymir, but the episode also reveals the Coordinate has another key property to its powers - the effect on memory. Previously we've only heard about how the Founding Titan's yell can control other Titans or affect the memories of the Subjects of Ymir; however, "Attack Titan" shows how the Coordinate's power can be used to transfer memories across space and time - in more than one direction. By touching the letter Ymir left her, Historia gets a vision of Ymir's past and transformation into the Jaw Titan. Eren similarly uses his connection to relive the memories of his father Grisha, and Grisha's mentor, Kruger; however, the real twist is a credits scene that shows Kruger is able to also read Eren's memories. This confirms that the Coordinate's power as the convergence point of all Titans allows for the shared memory to work in both ways, so that people from the past can see what future special Titan hosts experience in their time.

How do you feel about Attack on Titan's latest revelations about the Titans origin story? Let us know in the comments!

Attack on Titan season 3 part 2 is now streaming weekly on Hulu, Funimation and Crunchy Roll.

0comments