You... cowards!
Just shut up!
And bet everything you have on me!
What you need is to be trained like a dog, not a man.
Then my decision is made.
The Survey Corps gained custody of Eren.
They now prepare for the expedition beyond the walls.
Special Ops Squad Night Before the Counteroffensive (2)
Trost
Former Survey Corps Headquarters
The old Survey Corps HQ...
Originally, it was an old castle we remodeled.
So it certainly looks imposing.
But being so far from the rivers and walls,
it ended up being useless for the Survey Corps.
It was established right after the Survey Corps's formation,
when ideals were all they had.
But I never imagined that this giant ornament would end up
being the perfect place to hide you.
Don't get cocky, new kid.
Sir?
I don't care if you're a Titan.
I can't believe Captain Levi will spend all his time with a brat like you...
It's no wonder you bit your tongue, talking up a storm while riding a horse!
First impressions are important.
The new kid almost pissed his pants.
I think he was just surprised by how dumb you are.
Either way, my plan worked.
You didn't always talk like that, did you?
If...
If you're seriously doing it to imitate Captain Levi, please stop.
You aren't like him in the slightest.
Trying to bind my hands, Petra?
You haven't followed all the necessary steps to become my wife.
I wish you'd bitten through your tongue and died.
Going on and on about how many Titans you've killed...
Don't worry.
I bragged about the rest of you, too.
Those are the members of the Survey Corps Special Operations Squad.
Also known as Squad Levi.
You're pathetic!
Petra Rall.
Titan kills, ten.
Assists, forty-eight.
Oluo Bozad.
Kills, thirty-nine.
Assists, nine.
By any definition, they're the best.
Eldo Jinn.
Kills, fourteen.
Assists, thirty-two.
Gunther Schultz.
Kills, seven.
Assists, forty.
They're the best of the Survey Corps,
specially selected by Captain Levi.
And...
If I lose control, they'll be the ones who kill me.
Look at all these weeds.
What a mess.
It hasn't been used for years.
Inside, it's probably covered in dust.
That's a serious problem.
We'll begin immediately.
I've finished cleaning the upper floor.
Where should I sleep?
You sleep in the basement.
In the basement again?
Of course.
You can't control yourself.
If you're underground,
we can contain you if you turn into a Titan while half-asleep.
That was one of the conditions of your coming here.
It's a rule you'll have to follow.
I'll inspect the rooms.
Eren, take over here.
Yes, sir.
You look disappointed, Eren.
Excuse me?
Ah, I'll just call you Eren... Like Captain Levi does.
Here, he sets all the rules.
Sure, I don't mind...
But did I really look so disappointed?
Your reaction isn't all that uncommon.
He isn't the perfect hero that people say, right?
The real Captain Levi
is smaller, more high-strung,
and more violent than people think—an intimidating man.
No, what surprised me was how
closely he seemed to follow orders from above.
Because he's powerful and influential,
you assumed he wouldn't let formalities hold him back?
Yes.
I thought he wouldn't take orders from anyone.
I don't know the details,
but before, he may have been just like you said.
Before he joined the Survey Corps,
he was a famous thug, operating in the capital's underground.
Why would someone like that...
I don't know.
I'm not sure what happened,
but I heard Captain Erwin brought him into the Survey Corps.
Captain Erwin?
Hey, Eren...
Y-Yes, sir!
That isn't nearly good enough.
Redo the whole thing.
Then, in thirty days, we're going beyond the walls to set up resupply points?
And we're to bring along new recruits from this year's graduates, too.
If there will be any new recruits, that is.
Regardless, I believe it's too soon.
Eren's present circumstance is only a temporary measure.
We must demonstrate to the Center
that he's a benefit to humanity as soon as possible.
Otherwise,
we'll have the Military Police after us aga—
You're even using that story on me, Erwin?
You're as sharp as ever, Mike.
But not as sharp as you.
I'll tell you when the time comes.
We'll be on standby for a few more days.
I heard we're already planning a large-scale expedition beyond the walls in a month.
Not to mention, we'll be bringing this year's graduates along, too.
Is that true, Eldo?
That's pretty sudden.
That Titan attack must've taken a toll on the new troops.
It probably terrified the brats.
Is that true, Captain?
Making plans isn't my job.
But knowing Erwin,
he has more on his mind than we could imagine.
It's true that the situation has changed.
I'd thought that all of our sacrifice thus far to lay a route to retake Maria
had been negated by a single blow.
But now we have an entirely different hope.
I still can't believe it.
But what do they mean when
they say you turn into a Titan, Eren?
I don't really remember what happened.
I was so desperate, I couldn't think...
But the trigger is self-inflicted injury.
I take my hand like this...
Wait... How do I know this?
You know we won't get anything
out of Eren that isn't already covered in the reports.
But I'm sure a certain someone has other ideas.
Maybe fiddle around with you, and even kill you, Eren.
Someone?
Hello, Levi Squad...
How are you enjoying the castle?
You're early.
I couldn't wait any longer!
Squad Leader Hanji?
Hey there, Eren...
I'm in charge of investigating the two Titans we've captured in town,
and I'd like you to help with tomorrow's experiments.
I came to get permission.
Experiments?
What would I be doing?
Something totally awesome!
W-Well...
I can't give permission for myself.
I don't have that authority...
Levi, what's Eren doing tomorrow?
Cleaning the courtyard.
Okay, then!
It's settled!
Eren... See you tomorrow!
R-Right...
But what do you mean by experiments with Titans?
Hmm?
U-Um, what kind of experiments...
Hey, stop... Don't ask!
I knew it.
I thought you looked like you wanted to hear...
If you really want to hear about it...
That's just fine.
I'll have to tell you...
About the boys we captured.
Information We Can Share So Far:
Wallists (1) Members of a religious organization that proselytizes within the walls. They worship the walls as God, refusing to allow any changes to them, even for defensive purposes.
Information We Can Share So Far:
Wallists (2) Since Wall Maria's fall, their numbers have rapidly increased, as has their influence.
We started by repeating the experiments
from the last five successful captures.
Hi, there!
First, we tested if communication was possible.
How are you doing?
What's your name?
Does that hurt?
Sir, you're too close!
Hi, there.
Nice weather we're having.
Hungry?
That was close!
Too close!
Sir, it's too dangerous!
Unfortunately, we reached the same conclusion as before,
that communication was impossible.
But my time with the Titans
has been so fulfilling that I could almost
forget the weariness from my daily toils.
Once upon a time, there was a tribe that ate humans.
I'm not talking about you Titans.
I'm talking about a human tribe.
They hid in a cave, deep in the mountains,
and attacked travelers on the road,
stealing their valuables and eating their flesh.
The Squad Leader's started the usual naming ceremony again.
Yeah, what was it last time?
Chikachironi and Albert.
For twenty-five years, they kept this up.
They say that there were more than five hundred victims in all.
That's probably even more than the number of humans you've eaten.
And they tried preparing them in a number of ways.
They made steaks out of butts.
Cut thighs into chunks for stew.
They would chop up, knead, and bake the tougher flesh as mincemeat.
They made sausage of the blood and organs.
Yes, they were capable of cooking.
That's one difference from you.
But that tribe of cannibals was captured after a single mistake,
then executed.
Just like you two.
You made the mistake of attacking humanity,
and you were captured.
And so, I'd like to give you the names of the male heads of that tribe.
You're Sonny.
You're Bean.
But don't worry...
I won't have you executed.
Nice to meet you, Sonny.
And you, Bean.
Let's all be friends.
And so, I named the seven-meter class Bean,
and the four-meter class Sonny.
Next, we tried cutting them off from sunlight.
We know that Titans start shutting down as the night progresses.
So we wanted to experiment to verify
that sunlight was powering them somehow.
There were large individual differences as to how they were affected.
You did well, Sonny.
Goodnight.
See you tomorrow.
After losing access to sunlight, Sonny started slowing down in an hour...
You really like to stay up late, Bean.
That's fine... I'll stay up with you.
But Bean was fine for three hours.
I was amazed yet again.
They don't eat or drink.
They have vocal organs, but they don't need to breathe.
For energy, all they require is sunlight.
What if we deprived them of it for an extended period?
I am curious, but it wouldn't do to have them die on us.
We killed the last boys we caught by mistake...
When we experimented with cutting off their heads,
we took off the backs of their necks, too.
Chikachironi and Albert were their names.
Their smiles were so cute.
I feel really bad about what we did to them.
I never want to feel that way again!
Hanji-san...
And then, we started touching their bodies directly,
to test their sense of pain!
Sir, you don't need to scream, too!
How can I not?!
Look at how much Bean is suffering...
Bean, stay strong!
Endure it!
We had to see if Titans had any vulnerabilities
beyond the backs of their necks.
It was an extremely difficult task...
Sonny...
Look, it's gone right into your heart.
Doesn't it hurt?
How does it feel?
Unlike Bean, Sonny was introverted, and rarely responded.
What?
What's wrong?
Sir, get back!
That was really close, Sonny...
At this rate, you'll really die!
So Sonny isn't good with self-expression.
He just kept trying to bite my head off.
Uh, Hanji-san?
How can you stay so cheerful around Titans?
I mean,
they've almost wiped us out... They're our natural predators.
And you've seen what they can do hundreds of times.
You're right.
I've seen many, many friends get killed by Titans right in front of me.
When I first joined the Survey Corps, it was hatred that drove me...
But then, one day I realized it.
It was after I'd kicked away the head of a three-meter Titan.
It was light... Extremely light.
The Titan's body...
Something that size shouldn't even be able to stand,
much less walk, on two feet.
That's true of all of them.
I once cut off an arm,
and it didn't weigh nearly what it should have.
I'm told when you became a Titan,
the body appeared out of thin air.
I believe that
the Titans we see and the Titans of actuality might
be different things altogether.
For decades, we've tried to fight the Titans with hatred in our hearts.
I want to try and see them from a different angle than the current norm.
It may end up not meaning a thing.
But I'm going to do it anyway!
Since I joined the Survey Corps, it's been one surprise after the next.
Not just Hanji-san...
Everyone here is odd.
It's like a den of madmen...
However...
The Survey Corps is a group of people who desire change!
Hanji-san...
Could you tell me more about your experiments?
Really?
Yes!
I think it's best for tomorrow's experiments if I know the details.
Th-That's true...
Yeah.
There is a lot of stuff I skipped...
I'll give you more details.
But it'll take a while.
That's fine!
When we first captured a Titan, this was my hypothesis...
And thus, we didn't learn anything new from these experiments.
You should have learned everything
I just told you when you were a trainee.
You knew all that, right?
Yes...
I knew it all.
So let's go over it once more, this time adding my own hypotheses.
What?
Um, I think—
First, the Titans...
Is Squad Leader Hanji here?
The test subjects...
Both Titans were killed!
Sonny!
Bean!
This can't be real...
Tell me it isn't real!
Those subjects were very valuable...
Did one of the soldiers do it?
Yeah, we don't know who yet.
They were both killed at the same time before dawn.
By the time the watchmen noticed,
they'd used their Maneuver Gear to get away.
So this was a deliberate plan, involving two or more people...
Sonny!
Look... Squad Leader Hanji's gone nuts.
What is this?
Let's go.
It's up to the Military Police now.
R-Right...
What do you see?
What do you think the enemy is?
I'm sorry to ask something so odd.
The hunt for Sonny and Bean's killers begins.
Meanwhile, Mikasa, Armin, and the other graduates of the 104th Trainee Corps
grapple with their own thoughts
as they choose their affiliation.
What Should Be Done Night Before the Counteroffensive (3)