Mid-Week Review: Attack on Titan – Episode 41: “Trust”

I think it was about time I caught up and got these reviews out closer to the time they actually come out. So, surprise: double post!

Our story of corruption and intrigue continue this week as we delve further into the machinations of both the government and the remaining Scout Regiment. Feeling a little less eventful than last week, the wheels continue to spin toward their inevitable collision.

Last week’s episode ended with the implication that Squad Levi had been found out by the interior police, and this one begins with the reveal that it’s just two patrolling  members who I feel like I should recognise from somewhere. Either way, the team easily get the drop on them and take them captive.

The two express a desire to help the Scout Regiment after finding out about Annie being the female Titan. Levi, rightly so, tells them no and that they’ll hold them captive for the time being. Here’s a part of the episode that actually impressed me. Jean insists on being the one to move the prisoners, and when he does he takes on a demented look and attempts to kill them both.

Considering his recent cock up during the failed recuse attempt of Erin and Historia, it makes sense that he would want to overcompensate for his failure and take out these two relatively harmless captives. And it seems like a continuation of his incompetence, but no. It’s a play and the whole thing was for them to prove their loyalty to the scout regiment. Satisfied, Levi sends them back to the interior police as moles.

Elsewhere, Hange is in the city, recusing the son of Reeves who is being changed by the interior police after they somehow figured out he was a witness to his father’s murder. After a rescue and subsequent argument on a rooftop, Hange convinces Flegel (really, that’s his name?) to stage a sting on the police chasing him so they’d reveal their corruption to a huge gathering of the general public. A pretty massive group of people who all managed to stay silent and hidden somehow during the whole thing.

I guess that Erwin’s big plan to overthrow the government bloodlessly involves stirring up a public uprising, which seems like a real dicey preposition for making sure nobody gets hurt here.

Speaking of Erwin, he is arrested and get the crap beaten out of him during interrogation. But manages to keep his eyebrows looking perfect throughout. The episode ends with him being brought before the king before his execution.

This episode feels like further setup for the eventual conflict that’ll be happening by around episode six. At which point Ewrin’s plan will come into motion and Historia will be crowned the new Queen, if I had to make a guess.

Also, Levi puts his foot in a guy’s mouth, so I’d imagine some people will be getting a little hot over that. Still looking forward to the Kenny vs. Levi thing though.