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Hype for Attack on Titan Season 4 has never been higher, and the first episode of Final Season Part 3 on Saturday, March 4, 2023, has already broken the internet. As the epic saga of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin draws to a close, it's a bittersweet moment for anime watchers who have been following the series from the start.
Studio MAPPA is set to adapt chapters 131 to 139 in the third part of its final season, which will air on Crunchyroll. While waiting for the thrilling conclusion, it's time to take a trip down the bittersweet memory lane, shout out "Shinzo wo Sasageyo," and revisit the 10 best episodes from the Attack on Titan storyline.
Disclaimer: This article will contain spoilers from the Attack on Titan series and reflects the author's opinions.
Levi fighting the Beast Titan and 9 other best episodes of Attack on Titan
10) The Scouts venture beyond the Wall (The Other Side of the Wall: Season 3, Episode 22)
This Attack on Titan episode feels satisfying to watch for its visuals and the brief respite from the bloodshed and the conflict. As the Eldians learn the truth about the Wall and the Scouts head out to search for what's beyond the island, they come across the ocean.
Forgetting their worries temporarily and celebrating the seeming death of the last of Paradis' Titans, the scouts enjoy the moment. The brilliant blue waters of the ocean and the laughter of the Scouts as they splash about in a blissful moment of joy feel therapeutic to fans of this grimdark storyline.
9) Reiner and Bertoldt are revealed as traitors (Warrior: Season 2, Episode 6)
Attack on Titan retains intrigue and suspense through twists in the narrative, and nowhere is this more relevant than when Reiner and Bertoldt reveal their true allegiances. Atop the Wall, Reiner nonchalantly says that he is the Armored Titan Shifter while Bertoldt was the Colossal Titan Shifter. Indirectly, that implied that the people Eren considered his allies were the ones responsible for his mother's death.
This sudden revelation sets many pieces moving in the story, including setting up viewers to know about the long-running conflict between Marley and the Eldians. It also served as the starting point of Reiner's mental breakdown and his attempts to figure out where his loyalties truly lie.
8) Grisha's life is revealed and so are the Titans' secrets (Memories of the Future: Season 3, Episode 20)
Despite his lack of physical screentime in the main timeline, Grisha Yeager has remained one of the best Attack on Titan characters. His two sons, Zeke and Eren, had spent much of their lives away from each other and often found themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. Not only did the half-brothers remain unaware of each other, but also their father, whose memories they decided to explore.
The surprises didn't stop when Zeke noticed Grisha responding to their presence in his recollections. The Marleyan warrior quickly learned that Grisha had memories inserted inside his head by the Attack Titan, revealing the Titan's power to impact time.
7) Viewers are introduced to the World of Titans (To You, in 2000 Years: The Fall of Shiganshina, Part 1: Season 1, Episode 1)
Beyond its political storytelling and strong characters, Attack on Titan proved capable of hooking viewers from the first episode, which set events in motion. It sets up several questions, which grab attention by promising a rewarding payoff. Moreover, the grisly and uncanny world filled with giant human-like monsters eating humans proved both fascinating and terrifying to behold.
Such dark storytelling is rare for a shonen series, which also proved to make this first episode memorable. Viewers were quickly invested in the quick succession of deaths and the protagonist Eren Yeager's motivation that set up the rest of the storyline. Undoubtedly, this ranks among the best episodes of Attack on Titan season 1.
6) Levi fights the Beast Titan Zeke (Hero: Season 3, Episode 17)
Some Attack on Titan episodes remain memorable for their twists, unexpected revelations of the world, and world-building, while others shine for their strong visuals and satisfying emotional moments. The fight between Levi and the Beast Titan Zeke is certainly among the latter. After two seasons of wondering about the true identity of the Beast Titan shifter, fans were not only rewarded by the identity reveal but also by the aftermath.
Zeke, in his Beast Titan form, was responsible for numerous deaths and collateral damage in the story. Hence, it feels satisfying to see humanity's strongest soldier and fan-favourite Eldian Levi Ackermann take him down. This episode also features Armin's heroic sacrifice, which leads to the next heart-breaking moment of the anime.
5) Levi chooses between Armin and Erwin (Midnight Sun: Season 3, Episode 18)
As the commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin was a constant source of strength, leadership, and wisdom throughout the storyline. He also played a major role in learning the true story behind the Attack on Titan world. On the other hand, Armin has been a fan-favorite character since his introduction as Eren's best friend, whom viewers have grown to love for his courage and intelligence.
The only thing more difficult than seeing both of them on the brink of death would be to choose to let one survive. The grief and desperation that Mikasa, Levi, and Eren feel as they face this decision translates over to the readers, although the resolution makes sense, considering Erwin had always been haunted by the demons of his past. As such, passing the mantle over to the next generation seems wise.
4) Eren and Zeke meet inside the Paths (Two Brothers: Season 4, Episode 19)
This episode proved crucial in the entire Attack on Titan storyline because it introduces the concept of the Paths. Colt's pleas for Zeke not to use his Titan scream falls on deaf ears, as the Marleyan transforms everyone in his vicinity who had the Titan fluid coursing their veins.
This is also the episode where Gabi shoots off Eren's head, which falls into Zeke's hands. Neither brother dies but they find themselves in an alternate space where Eren reveals his own grand plan of the world. Manga readers know what this plan is. This knowledge is bittersweet upon rewatching this episode where Eren voices his determination to achieve his goals by the end of Attack on Titan storyline.
3) Eren transforms into the Attack Titan (I Can Hear His Heartbeat: The Struggle for Trost, Part 4: Season 1, Episode 8)
With so many developments in the Attack on Titan storyline, it is easy to forget Eren's original motivation, which was born of hatred for all Titans after one of them eats his mother. However, episode 8 of season 1 reveals that becoming the thing he swore to destroy is literal, especially in Eren's case.
The last episode saw him being swallowed by a Titan, seemingly meeting his end, and the subsequent events saw the Survey Corps in even bigger trouble as the three-meter-tall Titans began swarming the place. However, help comes from an unexpected source, as an abnormal Titan transforms into a familiar face, raising a question that would cause the characters to slowly uncover the real mysteries.
2) Ymir's backstory is revealed (From You, 2000 Years Ago: Season 4, Episode 21)
The origin of the Titans was a mystery for a long time. Luckily, the anime explored Ymir's background in season 4 of Attack on Titan, and it shattered all expectations. Rather than the pseudo-legendary goddess that had seemingly made a deal with the devil, she was revealed to have been a slave who had undergone extensive torture and mistreatment.
When Ymir encountered a parasitical, spinal cord-like creature who gave her the ability to shift into a Titan, her life was forever altered, and not in a beneficial way. Instead, King Fritz exploited Ymir more in Attack on Titan to strengthen his realm after learning of her new talent. The episode details Ymir's horrific tale, how even death couldn't relieve her, all the while demonstrating how having power often becomes a curse.
1) Eren begins the Rumbling (Dawn of Humanity: Season 4, Episode 28)
Topping off the list and building up the hype and stakes for Attack on Titan Final Season Part 3 is the concluding episode of part 2, where the protagonist Eren Yeager initiates the Rumbling. The episode is true to its name because the show, in its essence, is about enquiring into the nature of humanity. It marks the potent return of the protagonist and his seeming transformation into the big bad.
The episode takes a look at the kind of person Eren Yeager was and his humanity before delving into his dubious, megalomaniacal intentions. While beginning the great Rumbling, or the great procession of Wall Titans to seemingly eradicate life and humanity as the characters know it, the episode also focuses on Eren's former allies and enemies teaming up in an effort to take him down.
Attack on Titan has not only become one of the most-watched anime series in recent years but also one of the most popular works of fiction that have managed to attract viewers with its poignant moments, epic battles and a riveting political plot. For a grand narrative like Shingeki no Kyojin, it is difficult to pick just 10 of the best episodes as the series has so many brilliant moments.
Manga readers are aware of the bittersweet conclusion, and soon anime viewers will be too. However, anyone feeling desperate to learn on Eren's fate can pick up the manga, which can be read on Viz Media's website as well as Shonen Jump+.
