‘Attack On Titan’ Season 2, Episode 8, Preview Analysis: Next Week Will Feature The Calm Before The Storm

There are very few moments in Attack on Titan that could be interpreted as “calm.” From the opening episode of the franchise, which depicted the fall of Wall Maria, to the recently aired episode featuring the brutal battle between Eren and the Armored Titan, the franchise has largely been one pulse-pounding sequence to the next. This has been very evident in Season 2, where there have been very few slow-paced moments. If the AoT Season 2, Episode 8, preview is any indication, however, next week’s episode, “The Hunters,” might be the calmest episode yet, as the Survey Corps begin to deal with the aftermath of the Colossal and Armored Titans’ attack.

Warning! Spoilers Below

The brief teaser for Attack on Titan Season 2, Episode 8, showed the members of the Survey Corps regrouping after the violent battle that ensued as a result of Reiner and Bertholdt’s transformation and desperate escape. From the onset of the preview, it was stated that the fight between Eren and the Armored Titan would be ending abruptly, seemingly as a result of the Colossal Titan’s interference. This, of course, would have many consequences.

The preview AoT Season 2, Episode 8, revealed that Mikasa would be injured as a result of the abrupt end to the battle between Eren and the two recently-revealed Titan Shifters. With Mikasa out of commission for the time being, Hannes, the Garrison member who witnessed the murder of Carla Jaeger, would step up and take part in the attempt to retrieve Eren from Reiner and Bertholdt. With this, the preview for the upcoming episode teased some flashbacks featuring a younger Eren, Mikasa, and Armin during the days before the Colossal and the Armored Titans’ attack on Wall Maria.

This weeks episode was really great.
Also Hanji fangirling. FINALLY someone understands her. #AttackonTitan #ShingekiNoKyojin pic.twitter.com/8RHJaNPZ0h

— Patika (@Patika_slm) May 13, 2017

While the preview for AoT Season 2 Ep 8 appears to be teasing that the next episode would be slow-paced and have very little new content, readers of the Attack on Titan manga would know that “The Hunters” is a pivotal point in the overall plot of the series, as noted by fans in online forums such as Reddit. This is because the episode would initiate the Survey Corps’ pursuit of the Armored and Colossal Titan, which would also result in the franchise’s most insane moments and revelations yet.

After Reiner and Bertholdt abducted Eren and Ymir, the Survey Corps, led by its leader, Erwin Smith, himself, would be undertaking the most ambitious and risky operation the team has ever attempted. This, of course, would result in numerous memorable scenes that have become quite iconic to readers of the AoT manga, including Hannes’ redemption arc, Erwin’s moment of heroism, the defection of Ymir and the revelation of the Coordinate, a power that would have the potential to change the tide of the war against the man-eating giants.

Hannes’ redemption arc would be brief, yet memorable, as the Garrison member who saw Eren, Mikasa, and Armin grow up would come face to face with the very same man-eating giant who devoured Carla Jaeger all those years back. Erwin’s moment of heroism, on the other hand, stands as one of the most iconic scenes in the entire Clash of the Titans arc, as the Survey Corps leader proves once and for all why he is the head of the series’ most insane group of fighters.

Ymir’s defection would also be particularly poignant, as the recently-revealed shifter would be facing a choice between staying with a person she loves or pursuing something that she is destined to do. The revelation of the Coordinate, of course, would serve as the climax of Season 2, as Eren finally unlocks a power that would enable him to accomplish the mission that he set out to do since the fall of Wall Maria.

While Attack on Titan Season 2 Ep 8 would be rather subtle compared to the last few weeks’ episodes, it would nonetheless serve as a perfect transition to the anime’s most intense sequence — a sequence that would most likely last the entire remainder of AoT Season 2. If the rest of the season is any indication, it appears that the last four episodes following next week would be nothing less than epic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BJFqxqBtds

[Featured Image by Kodansha]