Attack on Titan Season 2 Episode 11 has just aired, and it proved to be the critically-acclaimed anime series’ best episode to date. From the moment the episode began to the moment it ended, …
Attack on Titan Season 2 Episode 11 has just aired, and it proved to be the critically-acclaimed anime series’ best episode to date. From the moment the episode began to the moment it ended, AoT Season 2 Ep 11 was nothing less than a crazy ride. While the episode in itself maintained a high level of tension all throughout, several scenes were immediately memorable, including a number of iconic moments featuring Mikasa, Armin and the commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith, who proved once more why he was the leader of the Attack on Titan world’s most dangerous group of soldiers.
The last couple of Attack on Titan Season 2 episodes were rather toned down, especially compared to the sheer insanity of the episodes featuring the battle between Eren and the Survey Corps against the Armored and Colossal Titans. Despite the lack of action in the past couple of episodes, however, Attack on Titan Season 2 was able to flesh out and develop some of its characters, while building up what could only be the finale of the acclaimed anime. This week, the build-up finally ended, and the final sequence of the second season began. Needless to say, it was everything that it needed to be, and it even ended on a perfect note.
So what happened on Attack on Titan Season 2 Episode 11? The Survey Corps, led by its fearless and ruthless leader, Erwin Smith, finally managed to catch up to the fleeing Reiner and Bertholdt, who were trying to make a run for it carrying Eren in tow. Ymir, another Titan Shifter that was recently revealed, ended up changing sides and going with the two warriors, betraying the Survey Corps and kidnapping Historia, who was revealed to have ties with the Royal family. With the Scouting Legion finally catching up to the fleeing Titan Shifters, however, things started getting very interesting.
Overall, the episode was intense and excellent, but amidst all the scenes happening in the anime, a handful of moments stuck out. Among these was Mikasa’s attempt at retrieving Eren, which involved giving Bertholdt what could only be the most disturbing staredown ever depicted in animation. During the sequence, Mikasa was so focused on retrieving Eren that she was just a slash away from killing Ymir, who was only joining Bertholdt and Reiner because she had no choice. Needless to say, if it were not for Historia’s interference, Attack on Titan would now be one Shifter short.
Mikasa was not the only one who shone in the recently-aired episode, however, as the other member of the Shiganshina trio, Armin, also took the spotlight. What was especially memorable was the fact that Armin did it by doing what he does best — using his intelligence and wits to get things done. With Bertholdt and Reiner seemingly on the verge of actually escaping, Armin decided to take things into his own hands, manipulating Bertholdt by telling him a fictional account of the brutal tortures that Annie, the first captured Shifter, was experiencing every day. Considering that Bertholdt’s feelings for Annie were no secret to the 104th Training Corps, Armin’s manipulation was quite cruel, and it proved just how dangerous an intelligent mind could be on the battlefield.
Lastly, there was Erwin Smith. Erwin, the fearless Survey Corps leader who did not even flinch an inch when Titan Eren sent the Female Titan’s arm flying across a field, once more stole the episode simply by being the way he is. While instructing his soldiers to charge and retrieve Eren, the Survey Corps commander literally got his arm chewed off by a Titan. This, however, did not stop him at all, as he still commanded his soldiers to charge without fear. Later, he ended up being the one to cut Eren loose, slashing Bertholdt’s chest, one-armed and all.
Attack on Titan Season 2 Episode 11 was everything that the last two episodes built it up to be. In its final moments, Eren and Mikasa were featured coming face to face with the Titan that devoured their mother all those years back, the Smiling Titan. Considering that the next episode would be this season’s last, AoT Season 2 Ep 12 would likely exceed the standards set by the already stellar Episode 11.
[Featured Image by Kodansha]
