Review, Attack on Titan episode 405: “Declaration of War”

After taking its time with the first few episodes of the season, Attack on Titan explodes with tension and excitement in “Declaration of War.”

Recap

Attack on Titan has spent the first four episodes of its final season focusing on Marley, and more specifically, the Eldians living in its internment zone. The season has carefully begun portray the characters fans know and love as the enemy, drawing lots of parallels between Eren and Reiner. And with these two characters finally coming together after four years, things have finally started to get interesting.

“Declaration of War” takes place over the course of one speech, but the events of the episode go far beyond Willy Tybur’s recap of Marley and Eldia’s bloody history. As Tybur exposits for the viewers, Eren’s infiltration of Marley kicks into overdrive.

Almost directly underneath Tybur and the crowd that’s gathered for his little performance are Eren, Reiner, and Falco. Things are tense as Eren reveals the truth of who he is to the younger boy and insists that he and Reiner are the same. Fans are treated to a flashback of Eren’s home being destroyed by the Colossal and Armored Titans, but it’s clear a Eren is no longer driven by the same passionate anger he once felt. His determination to destroy his enemies has become something much colder and scarier.

While these three talk, Tybur confesses to having lied to the outside world about the Great Titan War. His confession is meant to atone for selling out Eldia to Marley, but all the while he’s attempting to unite the world against one common enemy: Eren.

And as Eren’s plans unfold, it becomes clear that the rest of the world does need to worry about him. At the same time Eren reveals to Falco that the letters he sent were actually to his comrades, Pieck and Porco are led into a trap. With Reiner preoccupied and these two Warriors out of commission, it’s a prime time to attack, and that’s exactly what Eren does.

Eren transforms into a Titan right as Tybur’s speech ends. It’s clear he’s come to destroy Liberio in the same way the Warriors leveled his own home. And with his comrades on the way, he may just succeed.

Review

I’ve grown impatient with Attack on Titan over the past few weeks, but “Declaration of War” does an impressive job of using the season’s slower pace to its advantage. This episode keeps viewers on edge for its entire 24-minute run. The tension is palpable as Eren’s plan slowly unravels. Combined with the stunning animation and score, it makes for quite a viewing experience.

The parallels drawn between Eren and Reiner only make both characters more interesting heading into the show’s conclusion. It’s masterful just how quickly this series has transformed its protagonist into a villain. The roles are reversed this season, and it’s difficult not to feel something for Reiner as Eren finally enacts his revenge (even if it’s probably a little deserved).

Eren’s complete lack of emotion while outlining his plans adds to the suspense, and leaves fans wondering what might have happened on the other side of the ocean during this four-year jump. Adding in the brief flashback of a younger, far more vulnerable Eren underscores how much his character has changed, and who he’s become doesn’t bode well for Liberio.

Tybur’s speech is undoubtedly overshadowed by everything else happening around him, but using the festival is a clever way of filling the audience in on necessary backstory without getting too info dump-y. Having leaders from every nation present for Eren’s attack also opens up new possibilities for this final conflict. If Paradis Island had any chance of making peace with the outside world, it’s probably gone now.

And of course, Eren’s transformation is the highlight of the episode, offering gorgeous animation and heralding the action fans have been waiting for. “Declaration of War” is sure to get viewers amped up for the coming episodes, because things are about to get serious.

Episode Grade: A-

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