Review: Attack on Titan, Episode 428, “The Dawn of Humanity”
The Eldian and Marleyan scouts have successfully boarded the freight ship and are sailing the flying boat to the port city of Odiha for repairs. The sacrifices of General Magath and Keith Shadis guarantee them a safe journey to the mainland. The moment of respite allows Mikasa to remember when she first made this trip, back when Eren was still her ally. It’s a moment of peace before the hurricane in this week’s episode of Attack on Titan, “The Dawn of Humanity.”
Things are pretty simple this week, giving us a pause to fill in some of the blanks about how our heroes got to where they are now. Specifically, we flashback to the Scouts’ first arrival in Marley, back when all our favorite characters were still alive, uninjured, and not genocidal monsters. The episode wants to ease off the pressure a bit, and it succeeds. There are so many cute moments to gush over as the Scouts are take in this new land. The enjoy ice cream, marvel over a car, and then there’s that peculiar clown who sneaks up behind Levi. How can one not laugh and feel all fluffy?
But the Scouts are also introduced to the less hospitable side of Marley when a foreign boy is caught trying to pocket Sasha’s coin purse. The proposed punishments are extreme, but the Scouts rescue him and spirit him away from the mob. This was a really interesting moment; the dramatic irony of Marleyans seeking revenge on behalf of Eldians (little do they know) is clever. It also the cycle of revenge that Marley — and perhaps all of humanity — runs on. This is important to keep in mind later for Eren’s chunk of the episode.
Before that, we get a rare moment of privacy between Eren and Mikasa. The show once again teases shippers with the possibility that Mikasa might finally reveal romantic feelings for Eren, but instead she tells him he is like family to her. Not a lie, certainly, but is it the complete truth?
Mikasa wonders if a different answer would have changed things for Eren. Meanwhile, the family of the boy the Scouts rescued invites them into their refugee camp for a happy night of music, booze and laughter. The sight of Levi’s face as he walks in to find them the next morning, Sasha vomiting in the corner: prefect. Can we never leave this moment?
The latest episode of Attack on Titan is awash in irony
Alas, we do. The flashback shifts to Eren’s point of view, showing us moments of him developing his grand plan that were only implied before, leading to the arrival of the Rumbling on the shores of Marley. Again, the irony here is bold. For the first time in many years, Marley is gripped with fear as Titans approach their borders, much as they sent Titans to breach the walls of Paradis Island.
As the Rumbling commences, we hear him talk about wishing to break the cycle of revenge that controls humanity, yet his solution is to commit the biggest act of revenge imaginable. The cycle is very much maintained. Eren’s only hope is that his act of revenge is so destructive as to eliminate any chance of retaliation.
Ooof, so many layers in the story. I just love it, and I love this episode. I’ll admit, nothing much happens. In essence, it’s mostly filling in some blanks for us, but there’s a ton of juicy subtext. Plot-wise, that last friendly moment between Eren and Mikasa will probably be very important in the episodes to come. And how can you not love all those tender character moments?
Grade: A
dark. Next. When do the final episodes of Attack on Titan air?
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