The most emotionally devastating moment of the episode comes as Connie bursts out, being fed up with all the betrayals they've had to endure so far, from Annie and Reiner, to now Eren. Since it doesn't feel like the show is going to outright tell us what Eren is thinking, as he's been mostly mute the past few episodes, changing the focus to Mikasa, Armin, Jean, and Connie is the right move, highlighting just how much things have changed and evolved, and also the losses we've suffered along the way. Trapped in the middle of all this are the remaining members of the Levi Squad, who are still trying to make sense of Eren's actions and figure out if he's still on their side. And make no mistake, the show is not so subtly building up the rumbling as its endgame, at least during the opening title sequence, which is set to SiM's 'The Rumbling.' The sequence is an incredible mix of sounds and visuals, with the show finally embracing its edgy, metal self in what is possibly its most headbanging opening so far, animated beautifully by Takashi Kojima. This episode makes it clear that the ultimate threat is one that affects everyone, with the rumbling being capable of flattening the entire world.

We see those like Commander Magath, who shows genuine care for Gabi and Falco, or Reiner, fighting Eren not out of loyalty for Marley, but because he knows they are both suffering, that they've suffered for too long, and just wants to end that once and for all. This continues the blurring of lines that we saw last season, as it becomes increasingly more difficult to be sure of who to root for, with the fight changing from being about one side or the other, to being about individuals. Likewise, the episode features some of the most ferocious action in the entire show, which is saying a lot, both in the savagery of the Titan-on-Titan action, and in the brutality of seeing human soldiers fight against each other on the ground, which is now more reminiscent of a war drama than a zombie show like the first few seasons. Studio MAPPA outdid themselves with the animation this episode, with the 3D animation having more weight to it than last season, as well as a mix of 3D and 2D during the Titan fights that gives the action a more grounded and hard-hitting feel that harkens back to the work of Studio WIT in the earlier seasons. Eren has truly become the devil of Paradis, and seeing him in action evokes the same terrifying awe that the Colossal and Armored Titans did back in Season 1. It is a testament to writer Hiroshi Seko and director Yuichiro Hayashi that the fight scenes work as both roaring spectacle and as the culmination of 76 episodes' worth of character building that the little kid angry and scared of Titans is now a one-man-army capable of holding his own against not one, but three Titan shifters. The rest of the episode deals with the assault on Paradis by Marleyan forces, and the latest round in the never-ending brawl between Eren and Reiner. His return also comes with some hints of lore, as we see Zeke next to a girl who he claims built him up using sand, in a strange astral plane looking like the 'Paths' Eren Krueger explained back in Season 3. And yet, what makes the opening scene absolutely infuriating is seeing Zeke, the most sadistic person on the show, emerge from the womb of a Titan fresh as a daisy and ready to go. Even if Hange is lying and he is still alive - it was rather odd that she would not let anyone examine the body, and then quickly ran away and threw Levi and herself down a river - it will not be the same Levi we knew and loved. The poor man's face is messed up, his body is mangled, and he is missing a few of his sword-holding, ODM gear-using fingers. The episode wastes no time getting right to the biggest unanswered question from last season: what the hell happened to Levi? Well, pour one out for the baddest fighter on Paradis, because it is rather hard to see how he could come back from this one. Though this episode is mostly table setting, it still does a great job of reminding us of the story so far, reiterating the stakes, and likely building up to a crushing finale. The Final Season Part 2 premiere certainly hits the ground running with brutal, absolutely savage action, some devastating reveals, emotional moments, and further blurring of lines. Attack on Titan is finally back and at its most metal yet.

Aot season 2 episode 7