“Traitor” is able to let free after Attack on Titan’s extra muted earlier episodes. In concept this collective of outstanding warriors from throughout Marley and Eldia would dominate in most battle situations. These characters undoubtedly really feel the strain of what’s forward of them and a fairly easy plan to infiltrate the Jaegerists and purchase the Azumabito’s flying ship turns right into a massacre.
What works so nicely with this catastrophe is that nobody ruins the mission and there’s not some disaster of religion betrayal from Yelena. It’s purely the historical past that each one of those warriors have shared collectively and the way poisonous the Jaegerists’ venom has turn out to be that triggers characters like Mikasa and Connie. Even somebody like Magath is ready to turn out to be a greater particular person when confronted with adversity resulting from how others like Gabi have proven him the sunshine. Characters preach others’ classes and it’s genuinely uplifting to pay attention to how everybody has rubbed off on each other and that these alliances aren’t superficial or short-term.
The return of the Azumabitos (keep in mind them!) and the arrival of a large flying ship that brings this battle to the skies makes a whole lot of sense. It’s one of many few methods that may truly stage the taking part in area in opposition to Eren’s impossibly-sized Founding Titan. The Resistance unit isn’t absolutely profitable of their aim and their plan truly faces main setbacks, however I’d be very shocked if the subsequent episode doesn’t have these freedom fighters up within the air. It’s such a grandiose place for the collection’ closing battle to happen and it additionally gives a chilling alternative to look down on civilization and look at the cumulative harm that they’ve all contributed to over time.
Attack on Titan’s closing season has been filled with satisfying parallels (or PATHS, if you’ll) to the present’s first two seasons and “Traitor” is wealthy on this regard. The aforementioned flashbacks that Connie experiences in regard to Bertholdt and Reiner are highly effective. However, this reckoning is much more narratively poignant since Bertholdt and Armin had been each the Colossal Titan. Armin is actually compelled into the identical interrogation at gunpoint that Bertholdt was subjected to, however on a deeper, cosmic stage these two are additionally one via the united reminiscences and powers of the Colossal Titan. Connie by no means revered Bertholdt, however within the moments the place he saves Armin and kills his former comrades it’s Bertholdt’s face that he sees. Bertholdt. Armin. Traitor. Hero. What’s the distinction? If nothing else, these explosions of empathy make each episode of Attack on Titan’s closing season such a delight.
A whole lot of these payoffs join on a personality improvement stage, however Reiner and Annie’s Armored and Female Titans preventing in tandem collectively once more simply elicits such visceral pleasure as a Titan fan. They simply obliterate the Jaegerists that take them on. It’s even crazier to think about that this iconic Titan duo continues to be doing what they’ve at all times completed–combat in favor of Eren’s execution–nevertheless it’s now offered as an act of heroism.
All of the strain that “Traitor” builds via this horrific homecoming culminates with Connie getting pushed past his breaking level. Connie’s execution of Samuel and Daz is grim, nevertheless it’s much more heartbreaking that Connie is compelled to cross this line and take out two of his outdated buddies. It’s a scene that if seen by a stranger from afar would look no totally different than Floch’s latest executions of resistant troopers. Connie and the remainder of these characters desperately transfer ahead as a result of they honestly haven’t any various. The harmful confrontation with Eren’s Founding Titan continues to loom over everybody’s heads, however even when they’re victorious they might be too haunted by all the “traitorous” acts that they’ve completed to win this battle.
