I probably shouldn’t be so hung up on the whole Eren’s basement thing but it was the one carrot season one left me with that made me want to keep watching this franchise. And then season two was delayed, multiple times. When we finally got to season two, no basement. It was kind of frustrating, so imagine how happy I was when after a series of pretty great episodes they finally mention getting around to the basement. You know what, that hope alone could probably keep me watching another season without a rewarding pay-off though I hope Attack on Titan isn’t cruel enough to its viewers to do that.
An unbound and ungagged Eren actually manages to really seem small and pathetic this episode until I kind of tried to actually think about his situation. As much as I dislike his particular brand of ‘shout-fest protagonism’ that has been on display since the beginning of this series, Eren’s really been through a lot and his drive to kill the Titans to get out into the world, before that transferred into kill the Titans for revenge, has suddenly become quite hollow even to him. Basically the humans have always had the power to end the titan threat and for 100 years they haven’t and for whatever reason Eren’s father stole that power away from the Reiss’ which left humans completely vulnerable. I kind of actually felt pretty bad for him and really his momentary idea of let’s just let Reiss eat me and then fix things actually doesn’t seem like a truly a terrible plan.
However, we would not be watching this sort of an anime if the rest of his ‘friends’ didn’t rally around and give him a good kick while he is feeling sorry for himself leading to him choosing instead to protect them as the cavern falls down. There’s a lot of plot convenience here in that firstly the right vial fell out of the bag, secondly Eren even in his distressed state and with blood and tears in his eyes read it, and thirdly Eren managed to successfully use the new power in the instant that he gains it, but you know its the kind of spectacle you can dissect or just enjoy so let’s just go with it for now.
Meanwhile, Reiss’ titan form is… interesting? Okay, we’ve had some really disturbing variations on titans over the course of two and a bit seasons but a giant incapable of standing that literally burns everything around it and leaves a path of destruction just by passing through an area is a new one. It also raises the question of how they intend to fight it given you can’t exactly just swing around and chop it in the neck when you would burn before you got near and it is lying on its back (or is it lying on its front, it wasn’t very clear). Either way, not a great plan.
What was nice was seeing Historia taking charge of the discussion as they rode in the wagon and correcting Eren’s false assumptions that somehow having Reiss eat him would be a good idea. Given where the series seems to be pushing her character, this was a nice set up for it.
All and all, this was another pretty solid episode with about the only down side being that Kenny and his group ended up being even less significant than expected. So a lot of build up for very little actual reward before a large number of them got buried in the rubble. It will be interesting to see if any of them come back later but even if they do, they’ve now lost their backer so I doubt they are going to be of much importance (could be wrong on that one but it seems really unlikely).
But, and here is the most important part, we get a solid reminder of the basement and even the characters make a joke that seems to reference the fact that it has been all but forgotten for a very long time by this story. So happy.
Previous Reviews:
- Attack on Titan Series Review
- Attack on Titan Season 2 Series Review
- Season 3 Episode 1: Why Not Add Another Faction
- Season 3 Episode 2: Whatever It Takes
- Season 3 Episode 3: Rewriting the Past Won’t Make It Go Away
- Season 3 Episode 4: A Time For Everything
- Season 3 Episode 5: Yourself or Humanity?
- Season 3 Episode 6: So Many Puzzle Pieces
- Season 3 Episode 7: Two Things I Didn’t Think Possible
Thanks for reading.
Karandi James
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Well I’m back…sort of that is😅 Still not feeling totally better, but I am slowly trying to get back into the blogging, so catching up with some posts that I missed😊
This was an amazing episode. It was great they were finally getting back to the basement story…but now one has to wonder….will they get to that basement lol 😂 Well, I hope they will anyway😊 That new Titan design was incredibly disturbing…might just be the most disturbing Titan that we ever seen so far. Now the question becomes…how are they going to stop it? Maybe they call in the firedepartment? 🤔 Well, whatever it will be..I’m really looking forward to it 😊😊
I know we’re finally heading to the basement but the question is will we actually get there or will we be diverted for another entire season first.
Hmm…well, good question. Seeing as we still have quite a number of episodes to go, it would not suprise me at all, if we end up in the basement, but have the season end there on a cliffhanger 😊
I would still be relatively happy with that as progress.
Haha, I think I said it in my last 2 reviews on this anime as well that they keep forgetting about the basement. When conversation finally struck up about it my face lit up and then I started getting more into it. The anime has completely changed from its conventional ways and now I’m really excited to see more!
There’s certainly a much clearer sens of direction this season.
I am with you! I screamed FINALLY!! at the screen be because it has been too long since we lost this goal! Am I glad to see it return! 😂
Now the question remains, how long before they actually do something about it now? Or does the show plan to meander about in circles for another couple of seasons before we deal with it?
The folks who’ve read the manga would be the ones to ask…
Yes, but I’d rather not have the frustration of waiting spoiled that way. That would be half of the experience of watching taken away in a heart beat.
I don’t even want to think about that. Just hoping it is soon because we’ve already had such a long wait.
I think the weird thing about Attack on Titan is that it is fun while watching it, but I’m never left wanting to rewatch it and I’m never left feeling entirely satisfied with what I got. I don’t really have this reaction with other shows that I keep watching. There’s enough going on and enough sensationalism and entertainment to keep me interesting. There are glimpses of a potentially very interesting plot. But somehow it just doesn’t come together in a way that is going to make me remember it after the fact or want to go through it again.
Agreed. I’ve never felt the urge to go and rewatch it or anything but I do enjoy watching the show when it airs. It’s got enough to keep me here but I usually find myself moaning whilst watching it and by the time the season rolls to a close, the excitement is lost. The plot seems good under the surface but it’s just taking too long to get to those good bits, the basement being one of them. It’s good to leave the audience hanging sometimes but AoT is really stretching this to its limits with this one.
I may or may not have let out a heartfelt “FINALLY!” when the basement was mentioned.
That was more or less my reaction.