[ERWIN] It's officially begun. The 57th Recon Mission!
[ERWIN] Scouts, move out!
[ERWIN] Intel suggests that the cellar of
[ERWIN] Jaeger's home in Shiganshina
[ERWIN] holds a vital secret regarding our enemy.
[ERWIN] That's our destination.
[NESS] You rookies will be here. Between the
[NESS] wagon defense squad and the Scout support squad.
[NESS] You will run spare horses,
[NESS] as well as relay signals.
Beyond that will be uninterrupted Titan territory.
We'll be more or less on our own.
[GUNTHER] The only thing to fall back on out there is
[GUNTHER] Commander Erwin's long-range scouting formation.
[GUNTHER] The special ops squad will be positioned here.
[ARMIN] We're not dealing with an Abnormal.
[ARMIN] This thing's showing intelligence!
[ARMIN] Like the Colossal.
[ARMIN] Like Eren!
[ARMIN] It's a human being wrapped in a Titan body!
[JEAN] The moves on this one, she's like a damn athlete!
[JEAN] We are so screwed!
[JEAN] What? She's protecting her weak spot?
[JEAN] Damn it! There's nothing I can do.
Jean! Don't let that suicidal maniac die in vain!
[JEAN] Why did she stop?
[ARMIN] She did it! She's the one who killed him!
[ARMIN] I told him the right wing was suicide
[ARMIN] but he went along anyway!
[ARMIN] And how he's dead, thanks to her!
Oh no.
Odds are that bought the platoon more than enough time.
I say we follow suit, and get outta here!
[ARMIN] What? Wait. No.
[ARMIN] She's-- She's going for Eren!
[whistle call]
[REINER] Where'd they get this? How old's your gear?
[ARMIN] Don't worry about it.
[ARMIN] It came off like it's supposed to, so it didn't break.
[ARMIN] Should still be in decent shape.
All right. That's something, then.
Still down a horse, though.
Not an ideal situation.
[whistle call]
We can't get movin' again until Jean's ride shows up.
[JEAN] Just my luck.
[JEAN] Reiner's horse comes back like an old lover.
[JEAN] Why the hell's mine gotta go AWOL?
[whistle call]
[JEAN] Damn it. We can't afford to
[JEAN] stay out in the open like this.
[JEAN] If worse comes to worse,
[JEAN] one of us'll have to get left behind.
[JEAN] What are we supposed to do? Draw straws?
[JEAN] Armin's hurt. Reiner's too big to ride with safely.
[JEAN] Maybe I should just take my chances
[JEAN] horse-retrieving on foot.
Dammit!
[JEAN] How messed up is it that we might even
[JEAN] have to even consider that?
[JEAN] Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
[JEAN] It's what we get for narrowly escaping death.
[whistle call]
[shaky breath]
[REINER] Armin.
[REINER] You with me?
I guess your head's still a little shaken up, huh?
Um. I might still be a little foggy, yeah.
It's okay. The choice isn't gonna be
any easier with you thinkin' clearly.
[REINER] One of us is gonna have to stay here.
[REINER] We need to figure out who.
Wait a sec! I mean shouldn't we at least
fire off a smoke signal first?
If everyone kept going straight, Row Four,
Squad Three ought to be in close proximity to us by now.
Well, that's the emergency signal, but who knows?
I doubt anyone's gonna see it and think,
"Hey, somebody must need an extra horse."
Armin. Listen. We only wait three minutes.
If no one shows, we have to decide who stays.
[ARMIN] It should be me.
But, if I'm going to be left out here in the open,
I need you to relay a message.
If possible, give it only to Commander Erwin.
[JEAN] Hang on, Armin!
[JEAN] Looks like you'll be able to tell him yourself.
Someone answered the call! Hell yes!
They've got two horses in tow!
Huh?
[JEAN] Whoa, that's--
[JEAN] It's Christa!
Hey guys, you alright?
[JEAN] Well, damn! That's my li'l runaway! [chuckling]
[JEAN] Easy, Buchwald. It's okay. I forgive you.
[CHRISTA] Poor thing. He ran to me like
[CHRISTA] the devil was on his tail.
[CHRISTA] So did you guys fight a Titan?
Oh, no! Armin, your head! You've been hurt!
[ARMIN] It's nothing. Promise.
[REINER] I'm impressed someone actually answered
[REINER] our distress signal.
Well I wasn't far away, so. That and I found the horse.
A lot of people wouldn't have risked the trek over here.
You're as noble as the steeds you tame.
We're all in your debt.
It was nothing.
I'm just-- I'm just glad that you're all okay.
What would we do without you?
[ARMIN] She's an angel.
[JEAN] A goddess.
[REINER] One day, my wife.
[CHRISTA] Okay. I suppose we'd better rejoin the formation.
[JEAN] Yeah! They'll order a retreat any minute now!
[JEAN] I'll just say it. I'm glad we survived,
[JEAN] but heading back after only an hour?
[JEAN] Not really something to be proud of, if you ask me.
[JEAN] And while we're on the subject, is anybody else curious
[JEAN] why she's headed away from the command squad?
[CHRISTA] She?
[JEAN] Green smoke?
[ARMIN] Looks like we're not heading back after all,
[ARMIN] just changing course.
Yeah, but that doesn't make sense!
What the hell? Is Commander Erwin out of his mind?
Every one of us has the authority
to declare the mission failed.
Why isn't anyone speaking up?
Is the command squad too far ahead to see their signals?
Possibly. But either way, I think our course is clear.
Assume command's got this.
[LEVI] Smoke signals. Green.
[LEVI] Oruo, pass it on.
With pleasure, sir!
[EREN] Things seem to be going pretty smoothly for the moment.
[EREN] Still. I wonder how it really is.
[EREN] My gut tells me the frontline's
[EREN] already taken a serious hit.
[MAN] Reporting, sir!
[MAN] An oral message! It appears the right-wing spotters
have been wiped out!
[MAN] The early warning network is compromised.
[MAN] One of you will need to relay the message down the line.
You heard the man, Petra. Go on.
Sir!
[EREN] The right wing? That's where Armin's positioned!
[EREN] Still. He wasn't with the outliers.
[EREN] He and the others were more toward the center.
[EREN] Surely the Titans haven't made it that far in?
[EREN] Black smoke?
An Abnormal!
Eren. Fire the signal.
Yes, sir.
This is a disgrace. Lotta good the formation does
if the bastards can bore into it that deeply.
[EREN] So close. Too close.
[EREN] Just under that smoke, someone--
[EREN] someone's fighting.
[DARIUS] Damn it.
I'm right in front of you! Look down, you monster!
Now!
[DARIUS] We've got you now! You're clever, but I'd like to
[DARIUS] see you defend all three weak spots at once!
Cut the Achilles' Heel! The spinal cord!
Whatever brings the bitch to her knees! Attack!
For the soldiers you've killed!
We're gonna make sure this hurts!
She jumped?
[SOLDIER] Put me down! Put me down!
♪
[DARIUS] I have to tell the others!
[DARIUS] She can't be allowed to take anyone else by surprise!
The platoon will be decimated!
[frightened yell]
[SOLDIER 1] An Abnormal?
[SOLDIER 2] This far in? Let's take it out!
We can't let it make any more headway!
[SOLDIER] Well if the right wing's been all but annihilated,
[SOLDIER] why in the hell aren't we retreating?
Don't know! Commander's orders!
Just keep the message moving left!
[SOLDIER 1] So what's the story?
[SOLDIER 1] How far's the commander
[SOLDIER 1] gonna let us run off course?
[SOLDIER 2] Your guess is as good as mine.
[SOLDIER 2] We should be heading south, not east.
This is crazy. We'll run right into the damn thing!
Yeah. And look up ahead.
[SOLDIER] Just what we need.
[ERWIN] Titans have used this path.
Lack of vegetation's a giveaway.
It should be a cinch for the wagons.
[ERWIN] Inform everyone behind us. Only the center wagon
[ERWIN] defense squad is to enter this forest.
[BOTH SOLDIERS] Yes, sir!
Excuse me, sir. It looks as though the center rank
is heading straight into the forest.
Won't we run smack dab into the trees if we follow them?
We'll go around.
Um. Yes, sir!
[JEAN] You're kidding me.
[JEAN] We on a sight-seeing tour now or what?
[JEAN] How much further they want us to stray off course?
[JEAN] This is ridiculous!
Bizarre. But so be it.
Commander Erwin must have something in mind.
Perhaps the situation compels him to improvise.
That gives me a lot of confidence.
Maybe he's looking for a nice, shady spot
to throw all the rookies a celebratory picnic.
Uh. I rather doubt that.
Lighten up. Point is, I'm praying he doesn't
[JEAN] intend for us to camp here.
[JEAN] Not with that Female Titan on our ass.
[JEAN] We'd be sittin' ducks. He's got to know that.
Yeah, we're just passing through on the way to somewhere else;
no one in his right mind would make us stop here.
[SQUAD CAPTAIN] All soldiers, halt!
[SQUAD CAPTAIN] Alright, rookies! Listen up!
[SQUAD CAPTAIN] We're assuming intercept position
[SQUAD CAPTAIN] within the trees!
[SQUAD CAPTAIN] Unsheathe and find a perch!
[SQUAD CAPTAIN] If any Titans attempt to enter the forest,
stop them, whatever it takes!
Uh... Excuse me, sir? What exactly is the--
[SQUAD CAPTAIN] I've given you an order!
Okay. What the hell's going on?
So. Hey. Only the center rank is going into the forest then?
[CONNY] What about the formation?
Apparently it's breaking up.
[MIKASA] The path isn't wide enough for the side ranks.
[MIKASA] We have to go around. It's the only tactical option.
Even if it means we're useless as spotters.
But couldn't we have just avoided the forest altogether?
The commander misread a map and realize it too late, or what?
No clue. Maybe we're here to shake the threat
that's been on our right.
The trees make a decent cover, I suppose. Maybe.
[JEAN] Do you believe this B.S.?
[JEAN] Am I the only one who wonders what happened with
[JEAN] the whole "logistics base," thing? Or why we didn't
[JEAN] go galloping home after the Female Titan showed up?
[JEAN] Why're we suddenly all playing birdhouse?
[JEAN] Oh wait, no. I know the last one.
[JEAN] No, Titans allowed in the center rank's nature retreat.
Fool. He's got no idea what's going on.
He'll hear you.
What do I care? He's not explaining anything
to the ones risking their lives. Look at him.
He acts all calm and in control,
but you can see he's petrified.
What do you mean?
They say when officers in the field are deemed incompetent
by their men they can be relieved of duty.
Or in more extreme cases, they can die from
mysterious stab wounds to the back. I suppose there's
all kinds of accidents that could happen out here.
Hold on. Whatever you're thinking of doing...
Look, I'm just talkin'. The whole situation's screwed
and I need to vent, alright?
I'm not gonna start a mutiny. Well, not yet anyway.
[JEAN] Just answer me this.
You agree with this strategy or is it a bunch of crap? Really.
[JEAN] 'Cause you look like you know something I don't.
Well, um.
[SQUAD CAPTAIN] 5-meter Titan approaching!
[ARMIN] Why did the commander opt to bring us here?
[ARMIN] I can't make sense of it. What was he thinking?
[ARMIN] No. That's wrong.
[ARMIN] That's not the question I should be asking.
[ARMIN] The real puzzle is this:
[ARMIN] if the Female Titan is in fact pursuing Eren,
[ARMIN] does Erwin know? Is that why we're here?
[EREN] Captain! Captain Levi!
[LEVI] What?
C'mon, sir! We're in a forest!
We won't see a Titan 'til it's right on top of us!
The center rank's totally cut off!
Something's coming up on the right, isn't it?
[EREN] So what are we supposed to do?
[EREN] Avoid Titans or defend the wagons?
Quit whining and move on from the obvious already.
Neither of those is an option anymore.
Wha--? What are you talking about?
Haven't you noticed what's arond you?
Take a look at these big ass trees.
[LEVI] Perfect environment for ODM gear, wouldn't you say?
[LEVI] Take my advice, Eren. Calm down and use your head.
[LEVI] The best survival tool is your brain.
[EREN] Yes, sir!
[EREN] He's right. I'm new to this, so virtually everything
[EREN] about it's gonna throw me for a loop.
[EREN] Simple answers are for children.
[EREN] Only way to learn is by doing.
[EREN] If I want to cut it with these guys,
[EREN] I've gotta stop cryin' to be spoon-fed.
Doesn't make sense. What are we doing here?
There's gotta be a reason.
[ORUO] I mean they know, right? They gotta!
[EREN] Huh?
[EREN] Wait. Are we all in the dark here?
[EREN] What the hell's going on? Really?
[EREN] Does that mean, even Captain Levi's clueless?
[ARMIN] Break it down to its simplest elements.
[ARMIN] If the Titan really is after Eren, then...
[ARMIN] there's only one reason for our being here.
[ARMIN] Commander Erwin knows, and he intends to confront her!
[JEAN] Armin.
[JEAN] Bear with me. Our orders are to
[JEAN] keep Titans out, right? Right?
[JEAN] So, I mean. We don't actually need to fight them.
[JEAN] Yeah? Am I wrong?
♪
[EREN] Black smoke!
[ORUO] It's right behind us!
Damn thing's been on our ass since we came in here.
[LEVI] Blades drawn. Now.
[LEVI] It'll happen in the blink of an eye. Be ready.
♪
Go! Move it!
[GUNTHER] Holy shit!
How the hell are we supposed to pull evasive maneuvers in here?
It's catchin' up!
Captain! Engage the ODM gear?
[PETRA] Captain?
[SOLDIER] Where you goin'?
[PETRA] Rear Reinforcements!
Captain! Your orders!
It's dangerous! Let's take it out!
[ORUO] Tell us to engage, sir!
I'll cut the bitch!
[EREN] Stupid creature!
[EREN] You're racing full speed to your own death!
[EREN] You're chasing the best damn team of
[EREN] Titan-slayers in existence!
[EREN] Captain?
Captain!
[ORUO] We need your orders, sir!
[GUNTHER] She's gaining on us! Let's just take her out!
That's the whole reason we're here, isn't it?
Right, sir? Captain!
[EREN] Your orders, sir! Please!
Everyone cover your ears. Now.
[ALL] Huh?
[NARRATOR] The Female Titan's chase leaves a trail
[NARRATOR] of bloodshed in its wake.
[NARRATOR] Eren flees in horror, watching as his comrades
[NARRATOR] die right before his eyes.
[NARRATOR] The chaos forces a decision.