Now commencing the 57th Exterior Scouting Mission!
Move out!
We believe that the basement of Eren Jaeger's home in Shiganshina
houses a secret of the Titans that not even he is aware of.
We are to head there.
You rookies will be here,
between the wagon defense squad and the scout support squad.
Here, you will run alongside spare horses and relay signals.
Our Special Operations Squad will be positioned here,
on standby in the rear of the center rank.
This is the safest position in the formation.
Not even the supply wagons get this level of treatment.
This isn't an Abnormal...
--Cis! --It has intelligence!
It's just like the Armored Titan, the Colossal Titan, and Eren!
It's a human clad in a Titan body!
This one's way more athletic than the other ones!
Damn! We were...
We were too naive!
She's protecting her nape?!
Damn! There's no escape now!
Jean! Avenge that suicidal maniac!
She stopped?
It was her! She killed him!
That maniac finally got himself killed, as part of the right wing!
She killed him!
I'd say we bought enough time!
Now let's get away from her, quick!
Huh? Oh no...
Why?
Is she heading for Eren?!
I won't let your deaths be meaningless
even if I'm the last one standing
In both hands, Gloria
What sings is Sieg
On my back, Flügel der Freiheit
Clenched determination to my left chest
What slashes across is Linie der Torheit
Soaring across the azure skies
Flügel der Freiheit
How is your ODM gear, Armin?
It's all right. It unclasped properly, so it doesn't seem to be broken.
I see. That's good to hear.
But now what? We only have one horse.
If Jean's horse comes back, all three of us can get moving again, but...
Damn, what's the deal?
Reiner's horse came back; why won't mine?
And we can't afford to stay here any longer...
Worst case scenario, we'll have to leave someone here...
How will we choose who that someone should be?
Armin, because he's hurt?
Reiner, because he's big and would be hard to ride with?
Or should I go look for my horse on foot?
Damn!
It's screwed up that we even have to consider that!
The three of us just managed to escape death!
This is one hell of a raw deal!
Armin.
Hey, Armin!
I take it you're still a bit mixed-up?
Yeah.
I'm still a little dazed...
I see.
Still, we need to decide now.
It's a difficult choice, but it looks like one of us has to stay behind.
Wait!
Let's fire a smoke signal first.
If the formation kept moving forward,
Row 4, Squad 3 should be nearby now.
That was an emergency smoke signal.
I doubt it's enough to get our point across, though.
Armin. We'll only wait three minutes.
By then, we need to choose who'll stay--
I'll stay.
But, in exchange, I need you to report about something.
Only to Commander Erwin, if possible.
No, wait, Armin.
You can report it yourself.
Someone's coming!
And they've brought two horses!
That's...
Christa!
Guys! Are you okay?!
Huh? Hey, that's my horse!
Whoa, there. Calm down, Buchwald!
He came racing my way; something must've really spooked him.
Did you guys fight a Titan?!
Armin!
You're hurt! Are you all right?!
Yes, more or less.
I'm impressed you willingly came here after seeing that smoke signal.
I happened to be nearby, plus I'd found Jean's horse.
You have a way with horses, not to mention a remarkable sense of virtue.
We owe you one.
I'm just glad.
So very glad that the worst didn't happen to you guys...
She's a god...
A goddess...
I want to marry her...
Well, we better hurry back into formation!
Oh, yeah! There should be orders to retreat soon!
Still, turning back not even an hour after leaving the wall...
Things look way grimmer than I thought.
Plus, she's headed away from the lead command squad for some reason.
She?
Green smoke signals?!
It sounds like the plan is to change course but otherwise continue the operation.
Oh, no! They're not ordering us to retreat?!
What the hell is Commander Erwin thinking?!
All soldiers have the authority to decide if the operation can't continue...
Have the signals not reached the command squad?!
Whether or not they know, we only have one option in this situation:
defer to their judgment.
Smoke signals. Green.
Oruo. You fire it.
Understood, Sir!
It feels like we're making smooth progress right now.
But...
...I wonder how things actually are.
I wonder if people have already died on the front line...
Reporting, Sir!
It's an oral message!
Right wing spotters decimated!
Detection network partially out!
Please pass this message on to the left!
You heard him, Petra. Go.
Yes, Sir!
The right wing?!
Isn't that where Armin is?
Still, he and the others are positioned closer to the center.
The Titans couldn't have advanced that far in.
Black signals?!
An Abnormal?!
Eren. You fire it.
Y-Yes, Sir!
This is disgraceful.
We've let them get pretty deep inside the formation.
Just over there is a Titan...
Below that black smoke...
...someone is fighting?
Damn!
Look down here...
...you monster!
Now!
Three spots at once!
She seems pretty smart, but she can't defend against them all!
Cut her spine, ligaments, or anywhere else that can stop her!
Attack!
So many are dead 'cause of you!
We're gonna torture you to death!
She jumped?!
L-Let go!
Reporting takes priority!
I have to let them know about that one!
An Abnormal?!
This far in?!
Let's take it out!
We can't let it get any further in!
The right Wing's been wiped out?!
Then why aren't we retreating?!
I don't know! Commander's orders!
Just pass word on to the left!
What's the deal?
We've been going straight east for a while now.
Yes, and our destination is the old city to the south...
At this rate, the formation's going to run right into it!
Yeah.
There it is.
A forest of giant trees!
It looks like Titans have passed through here.
The path is devoid of vegetation.
Even the wagons could get through here.
Inform those behind us
that only the center wagon defense squad is to enter the forest.
Yes, Sir!
Excuse me, Sir...
it looks like the center rank is taking that forest path.
That means we'll run smack into the forest.
Then we go around.
Y-Yes, Sir!
Hey, now.
What are we doing at this sightseeing attraction?!
Now we're really straying
from our original destination and return point!
I don't know...
I don't know, but this is what Commander Erwin decided.
He seems to have some plan in mind, but...
Plan? Are you kidding me?
What, is he gonna throw a welcome party for us rookies at this tourist spot?
No, I don't think so.
That was a joke.
Either way, we got that giant broad after us.
Regardless of what plan he has, we can't afford to stop here.
My guess is we're passing through here on our way to somewhere else.
All soldiers, halt!
All right! Listen up, rookies!
We're now going to take up intercept positions!
Unsheathe and wait in the trees!
If any Titans try to enter the forest, stop them with full force!
Huh?
Umm, Sir? Why would we need to--
Shut up and follow orders!
You gotta be kidding me...
What the hell's happening?!
H-Hey.
It looks like only the center rank went into the forest.
What does that mean for the formation?
There is no formation anymore.
The forest is blocking us side squads, so our only choice is to go around.
We've lost our spotting capabilities.
Why didn't we change course and avoid the forest altogether?
Did Commander Erwin misread his map or something?
I don't know.
It's possible we got pushed here trying to avoid the threat on the right side.
Maybe.
This is insane...
First we abandon our original plan of establishing a logistics base...
Then, instead of running home with our tails between our legs like we should,
we go on a daring sightseeing tour...
And, if that wasn't enough,
now we're just supposed to stand here and keep Titans out of the forest?
Him and his idiotic orders...
He's gonna hear you.
And he doesn't even explain anything. That's a new one to me.
But I doubt he's all that calm on the inside either.
What do you mean?
Sometimes leaders get deemed incompetent by their men in extreme situations
and end up dying from mysterious stab wounds to the back.
It's not that rare, is all I'm saying.
Jean... What are you thinking of doing?
Relax, will you?
I'm just a little irritated at this whole situation.
I'm gonna follow orders, of course.
Keeping Titans out of the forest...
You agree that's what we should do too, right?
You look like you know something.
Uhh...
5-meter Titan approaching!
Why did he bring the platoon here?
Just what is Commander Erwin thinking?
No, that's not right. That isn't what I should be asking.
What I should be asking is...
...what if the Female Titan is pursuing Eren
and the commander is aware of that?
Captain!
Captain Levi!
What?
"What?" This is a forest, Sir!
We have no way of detecting approaching Titans this far in
with only the center rank!
Something seems to be on our right too.
How are we supposed to avoid the Titans or protect the wagons now?!
Quit whining about the obvious.
We can't do any of those things anymore.
B-But why--?!
Take a good look around, Eren. See all these absurdly huge trees?
This is the perfect environment for using omni-directional mobility gear.
And use that middling head of yours to think.
Use your brain for once if you don't wanna die.
Yes, Sir!
I see...
I'm still new to this; that's why I don't understand the situation.
And he won't give me a simple answer
because I still need to learn for myself.
I bet that's how these experts learned to fight, too.
Dammit, what are we doing here?
Seriously...
What the hell's going on?
Huh?!
Don't tell me...?!
Don't tell me no one knows what's going on?!
Not even Captain Levi?!
If my theory that the Female Titan is after Eren is correct,
then there's only one reason why we've come here.
Commander Erwin intends to confront her here!
Armin.
Our orders are to "keep Titans out of the forest," right?
In other words...
We don't need to actually fight them...
...right?
--A black smoke signal?! --From right behind us!
Must be whatever's on the right!
Draw your swords.
If it shows itself, we'll only have a moment.
Move!
It's fast!
There's no way to avoid it inside this forest!
It's catching up!
Captain! Let's switch to ODM!
Captain!
You're not going anywhere!
Reinforcements from the rear!
Captain! Give your orders!
Let's take it out! It's dangerous!
We should take care of it!
I'll cut it to shreds!
Idiot! You walked right into your own doom!
What you're chasing is a team of expert Titan-killers!
Captain Levi!
Captain!
--Please give us orders! --It's about to catch up to us!
Let's take it out here!
That's why we entered this forest! Isn't it, Captain?!
Captain! Your orders!
Everyone, cover your ears.
If, by chance, I'm not me
then who's to say that you're you?
Can you pick up the pieces of your heart
that fell apart like a broken sand castle?
The voice of someone calling out
changed into ringing in my ears
It's as if time has stopped
Now wake up
I made my way out of the deep darkness
I fled like a swift wind
We used to be like living corpses,
but now we head beyond the walls
Let's meet again
in a place not on any map