Television 

Five Thoughts on Attack on Titan’s “Charge”

By | August 3rd, 2018
Posted in Television | % Comments

And on that day humanity received a grim reminder – of how awesome Attack on Titan is! Welcome back to the Multiversity Summer TV Binge. We will be diving, swooping, and swinging our way through Attack on Titan season two. Watch the entire cast completely lose their minds in season 2 episode 11: “Charge.”

1. A mouthful of friendship
When we last left Ymir, we had just learned pretty much everything about her. Then she freaked out, titaned up, and charged into battle. Titan shifters need a particular goal to undergo a transformation, and Ymir’s isn’t surprising. But what she does is super duper icky gross. She pops Krista into her mouth like she’s a skittle. But not to eat her! She’s just covered in titan drool and carried away into the hands of the enemy. Yeah, it doesn’t seem like something Krista is likely to appreciate, but desperate times I guess.

“Sorry for eating you,” Ymir says to Krista, “I bet you’re mad at me.” That’s sort of the tone of this entire encounter; we’re so far gone that it doesn’t even pay to acknowledge the absurdity. Ymir tries to explain everything we learned about last episode and how her motivations have changed, but things have gotten really really complicated. “Nothing you’re saying or doing makes any sense!” Krista shrieks and you know, she’s not wrong.

2. High flying Mikasa
All of this leads to a chase that lasts the entire episode, with the Scouts in hot pursuit of the titan traitors. Mikasa has been really knocked around the last few fights, so she’s got a lot to prove. And boy does she ever. She effortlessly cuts out one of Ymir’s eyes and gets within makin’ out distance of Eren, who is still in the clutches of Reiner the Armored Titan. She actually almost kills Ymir, but backs away at the last second because even though she could probably kill every soul on the planet, she doesn’t want to kill Krista. That hesitation loses her position, and she’s forced to keep swinging around like a total badass.

Man, it’s good to have awesome Mikasa back.

3. Jean is here, and he’s got feelings
Easily the most emotional moment of the episode is Jean’s monologue. He hasn’t gotten a spotlight episode this season, so it’s been easy to lose track of him in the drama. But he was close with Reiner and Bertholt, and he’s a dude who wears his heart on his sleeve. He manages to crouch on Reiner’s armored shoulder and remember all the good times he had with his bros before they became the traitorous enemies of all humanity. He openly cries.

Literal chills down my spine. Jean is such a relatable character- he’s always wanted to be as stoic as Reiner and as loyal as Bertholt seemed to be. But remember what Marco told him last season: Jean’s strength is his weakness. He’s not a total badass, and that’s why he can relate to people at their lowest moments and help get them through it. But alas, Jean does not have a Jean of his own, so he has to shoulder his sorrow himself.

4. Armin’s big psychotic break
Oh man. Armin is the true heir to Commander Erwin, and they come charging in with a slew of titans in hot pursuit. It turns the tide of the battle as Reiner needs to stop to pummel the new foes. Not only do Armin and Erwin share a sharp mind for tactics, they are both totally ruthless at heart.

Armin is superficially gentle though, and whenever he remembers that he’s a Machiavellian mastermind, it triggers a minor psychotic breakdown. His eyes get as big as the average human head and he goes to a truly dark place. In this case, he makes up an utter lie about all the torture Annie is going through in captivity. “It was her screams that taught us,” he says. “Even with her body’s healing ability, you can never get rid of the pain.” The graphic description of torture causes Bertholt to lose it, and that does it, Mikasa rescues Eren and get’s the eff outta dodge.

5. Krista in control
Most of this episode is about people losing control. Cool warriors like Reiner and Mikasa lose control of the battlefield. Armin gets too into his evil plan and goes a little crazy. Emotional guys like Jean and Bertholt can’t control their feelings. Eren never has an iota of self control. The only one in control of themselves this entire episode is Krista.

Tiny little Krista who doesn’t have a mean word for anyone is absolutely at the top of her game. She’s kidnapped, but she’s no damsel in distress. She bosses around Ymir, and when she finally gets rescued at the end, she’s like “nope.” At Krista’s command, Connie and Sasha let her go back to Ymir. When the entire world starts falling apart, Krista leaves civility behind and proves that she’s been more than capable this entire time.


//TAGS | 2018 Summer TV Binge | attack on titan

Jaina Hill

Jaina is from New York. She currently lives in Ohio. Ask her, and she'll swear she's one of those people who loves both Star Wars and Star Trek equally. Say hi to her on twitter @Rambling_Moose!

EMAIL | ARTICLES



  • -->