WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 25 ofAttack on Titan: The Final Season, “Night of the End,” now streaming onFunimation,Crunchyroll&Hulu.
The alliance between the Survey Corp soldiers and the Marleyn soldiers was undoubtedly odd for many reasons. How could a group so at odds with one another be willing to work to stop Eren? Fights will break out, dirty laundry aired, and memories of the past arise.
Jean still mourns the loss of his friend Marco, who a Titan devoured during the second attack. Now Jean sits amongst the same people who caused the death of his friend. He won’t be able to keep his cool, but can Jean set aside his rage to save the very people whowanted to destroy him?
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“Night of the End”
This episode starts with a flashback to when Hange met Jean and Mikasa. Hange explained to the two that they had teamed up with Piek and the other Marelyan soldiers. Their goal being to stop Eren before he destroys the world. Jean, at first, doesn’t see how this will help them. If Marley isn’t destroyed, they’ll return to kill them off, and Eren only has four more years due to Ymir’s curse. Hange knows all of this but explains thatthe Survey Corp was fighting for the freedomof all humans and that they owe it to their fallen comrades to stop Eren.
Jumping back to the present, the unusual group sits around a campfire, preparing for the battle ahead. Only the group continues to butt heads, making the idea of them working together slim. Magath talks of how the world ending is the fault of the ‘island devils’ and Jean is infuriated by this statement. It’s clear that everyone’s prejudices haven’t been put aside, but that’s not all. Annie wonders if Mikasa and the others would be willing to end Eren to save the world. It’s clear now that the two might have to fight each other and Eren if it comes to it.Those from Marley tryingto protect their home, and those from Paradis want to save their friend.
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Seeing the group at odds, Yelena starts to unveil some of the group’s darkest secrets. Like how Reiner and Annie left Marco to die because he’d overheard them talking. Reiner wallowing in his guilt for what he did to Marco, continues to speak, unable to stop himself. Blinded by rage, Jean attacks Reiner; Gabi gets hit along the way.Gabi and Falco knowthat this is happening because they tried to destroy them, but they need help to save their families. The group seems to still be on uneasy grounds, but they know they have to stop Eren together. Except they first have to deal with the Jeagerists who have taken the harbor.
Jean Kirstein
For the last couple of episodes, the focus has been stretched over multiple characters, but for this one, it would seem the creators wanted to take a moment for Jean. Jean is one of the original 104th Training Corps members who graduated with Eren. Fans watched as his character went from a self-centered hot head to a hothead leader. The biggest reason for this change in character is Jean’s first battle, the attack on the Trost District. He sawwhat the Titans were capableof firsthand. He even lost a dear friend, Marco Bodt.
The death of Marco has followed Jean through the rest of the series, so finding out that Reiner and Annie are the reason why Marco is dead sets Jean off. It’s not surprising that the group was the cause, but hearing Reiner ramble into his despair triggers Jean. He probably would have continued hitting Reiner until he was dead if the cadets hadn’t pulled him off. However, Gabi seems to have allowed Jean to gather his strength to work with Reiner and the others.
Gabi isn’t fighting with them to save Marley; Falco and Gabi both have familiesthat will be killedif they don’t stop Eren. Yes, everyone has done horrible things during the war, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the world has to pay for it. Jean understands this and apologizes for hitting Gabi, a sign of peace for the two to them.
Just in time as well, because the next episode, “Traitor,” will test the group’s abilities. The Jeagerists have taken over the harbor, waiting for the rebel group. Can the feuding resistance members put their differences aside to get over this obstacle, or will the past be too much to overcome? Fans will have to wait until next Sunday to find out. Until then,Attack on Titanepisodes can be streamed on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Funimation.
