Attack On Titan – Season 4 Episode 12 Recap & Review

Guides

Episode 12 of Attack On Titan Season 4 begins with news spreading that Eren Jaeger has been wrongfully detained. These seeds of doubt cause distrust to begin growing among those inside and outside the military. With signs and placards in hand, they surround the HQ building, demanding Eren be let go. Of course, he’s still being held by Dot Pixis and Darius Zackley.

As this volatile cocktail looks set to explode at any moment, we cut forward in time to get a teasing glimpse over what’s about to happen in this episode.

Commander Pyxis speaks to Yelena about Eren. Specifically, the conversation settles on a secret meeting between the two where she told Eren that someone needs to light a fire under the administration. This seems to have been the catalyst for Eren heading off and infiltrating Marley.

Meanwhile, Onyankopon speaks to Hange about everything he’s done for them. He’s certainly disappointed at being questioned, reminding her that they swore they’d work together in the future. It’s certainly surprising for him to find out Yelena spoke to Eren in secret but he’s also not wholly surprised either.

It turns out Yelena was the one who organized the people, slowly beginning to prove her loyalty to Zeke. There were “accidental” deaths and she also pushed for rights for those from Marley.

Back in the past, Armin and Mikasa try to meet Eren. However, that’s not going to be possible given the Premier believes he’s being manipulated by Zeke. Well, in the wake of trying to find out the truth, a massive blast explodes from the HQ building.

Armin and Mikasa are okay but fire hungrily burns around them. The people outside are not surprised, in fact they see this as their rallying call and being chanting “Give your hearts” when they look upon the dead body of Premier Zachary.

In the aftermath of this, Eren escapes from his cell while rumours begin circulating that it was actually scout recruits that planted the bomb in the first place. These rumblings of deception soon come to fruition when we see Eren walking with the sun setting toward the defected Eldian forces.

Among them happens to be Floch Forster and up to 100 other soldiers and guards who vanished from the prison during Eren’s escape. For now, Pyxis and the others settle on the name “Jaegerists” for these anti-military insurgents.

In fact, Commander Pyxis decides they’re not going to fight and decide to use Zeke’s location to negotiate with these Jaegerists. This obviously does not go down well with the soldiers who grit their teeth and begrudgingly agree to follow his decision.

The Episode Review

Attack on Titan returns this week for the second half of what otherwise feels like a two-parter. Not in the conventional sense (after all, these seasons are obviously one continuous story) but in the context of ideologies and propaganda. Last week’s subdued slice of drama showed the extent of Gabi’s brainwashing, with her unable to accept that there are good people on Paradis Island.

By comparison, this week looks at the issues within the Eldian ranks, and in particular the way Eren has been elevated to God-like status. There are now recruits that worship the ground he walks on, blindly following without even realizing the irony that blowing up the HQ building makes them terrorists.

There’s an eerie sense of dread that clings to the moments they welcome Eren into their ranks as leader and the nonchalant reaction to blowing up and killing the Premier speaks volumes about how far this conflict has now gone.

With a surprise attack on the horizon, especially if last week’s episode is any indication to go by, and seeds of doubt planted on Paradis Island, it looks like we’re gearing up for quite the dramatic ending. Who will come out standing victorious at the end?