The return of Attack on Titan: What to expect
The climax of the humans vs the titans is finally upon us.
Image taken of Eren staring at the sea, which was his dream at the start of the series.
Unnerving. This is the best word to describe the ending of last year’s first cour of Attack on Titan’s third season. Glitching screens and horrifying sound effects interject what was once a normal ending before giving way to a scene of destruction. Our protagonist, Eren, is accompanied with captain Levi and childhood friend Mikasa, the former of which smacks him to the floor while the latter proceeds to immediately jump onto the former, blade in hand. Then the music plays, and we return to the normal ending, as if nothing happened.
This moment left Attack on Titan fans in absolute shock, and since then the anticipation for the second cour of the season has been through the roof. Now the time is officially upon us as the premiere is on April 27th. However, some fans are wondering: what should we expect for this climax?
The first thing fans should know is to expect the unexpected. This is a war, and if you thought that the series was unforgiving towards our main cast prior to this cour, you haven’t seen anything yet. This is the ultimate clash between the survival of humanity and the clash of the titans. Unlike the more political first cour, the second cour of this season is where the major action will happen, and you can bet your life on it being absolutely glorious.
The trailer was jaw-dropping, with characters Eren, Levi, and the intimidating Beast Titan sharing the spotlight. Based on rumors, all the footage used for this trailer will be the first episode of the cour. If so, this may very well be a contender for episode of the year.
Eren’s character is in an interesting point at this stage in the series. After the events of the first cour, Eren finally shifts his character into a less hardheaded, more mature protagonist. He saw the faults and sins of his father, wished to repent for them, and finally chose to believe in himself and in his own power, in a situation paralleling the first season. It will be interesting to note how Eren reacts in this season, especially in the face of his most hated enemy and rival, Reiner.
Erwin is arguably the most important character this season. Despite losing an arm in season 2, he has remained a prominent force in the series, and his immense desire to know what’s “in the basement” is notable. His hunger for this knowledge will be a major plot point to watch out for in the coming weeks.
This season’s cour will, as usual, be animated by Wit Studio, who have consistently presented gorgeous animation for the series. The cour will be 10 episodes, shorter than the previous cour’s 12 episodes.
So many conflicts should be resolved this season: Will Erwin finally find what’s in the basement? Will Eren be captured by the enemies? Will humanity or the titans come out victorious? What was the meaning behind the teaser at the end of the first cour? All these questions and more will be answered in the new cour, which will be available to stream on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
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Stephen White II is a senior at Wiregrass Ranch High School. This is his second year writing for The Stampede. He likes to listen to music as well as write...
