You know what I’m getting tired of seeing in media: People whose fate and abilities are tied to their bloodlines. It’s one of the things I enjoyed about the new Star Wars trilogy so far, that they’ve turned way from these old cliches. Anime, apparently, still can’t get enough of it.
This week on Attack on Titan, we’re treated to another episode of extended flashbacks and backstory. Through these, we learn the importance of the Reiss bloodline; how they have been carrying the ability to control titans and apparently alter people’s minds.
We also learn that those who bear the Ackerman name have superhuman strength on occasion… okay…
I complained last week about wanting to see some more action. Not that I haven’t been enjoying what’s been going on in the series. But I feel it’s fallen too deeply into its own political intrigue without giving us anything to cleanse the pallet. This episode really does feel like the final buildup to the big confrontation, but then again, I wouldn’t be too shocked if we end up getting yet more backstory.
During these flashbacks, we learn that both Erin’s father and Historia’s half sister had titan transformations, and that Erin’s dad is a dick. He shows up and attacks the Reiss family, eats Historia’s sister, kills the rest of the family and then heads home. From there he turns Erin into a titan and, presumably, allows himself to be eaten to his young son can gain the two titan powers he had at this point.
Why does he do this? Hell if I know. There are so many factions at play here that I can’t keep them straight. Presently, Erin is chained up in crystal caverns, I’m assuming with the plan to feed him to a titanifed Historia so she can return the Walled Cities back to status quo with the Reiss family at the top.
Meanwhile, the newly “liberated” government allows the scout regiment to go out and mount a rescue operation to recover Erin before he is killed. Their main concern being that the Reiss family can use its memory altering powers to remove all the knowledge they’d gained since learning people can turn into titans.
Im not 100% sure who I should be rooting for at this point. I’d like to think that Levi Squad are the safe option, but Levi himself has some shady crap in his past that I’m almost certain is going to get dug up very soon. I’d root for Erin, but as I’ve mentioned before in these reviews; the guy’s kind of a tool. Being the angriest, yellingist person in the cast doesn’t do much to make him a compelling character.
I’m itching to see what’s coming next. While this season hasn’t managed to give us the frustratingly epic cliffhangers of season 2, It’s doing a good job making me want to come back week after week. I’m sure, when shit hits the fan, body parts will be flying everywhere again.
A Richard Wood Text Adventure 