Wow, this episode was absolutely ridiculous. If any of you have felt that the past few episodes were a bit dull, ‘Charge’ will quell those feelings. Leaving off from last episode with Reiner charging full steam ahead with Eren, Christa, Ymir, and Bertholdt on his shoulders, this episode carries over that intensity and turns it up to 12. The scouts have finally caught up, and it’s time get execute plan rescue Eren.
The episode starts with the last few moments of last week’s show, but with a glimpse of Commander Erwin’s perspective. While Reiner is running away from the forest where they were hiding, Commander Erwin crosses paths with the charging Armored Titan. He realizes what is happening behind him, then ordering his smaller group of soldiers to lead the Titans that are chasing them in the direction that he is going. Erwin tells them that the Armored Titan is escaping, and that they have to stop it and rescue Eren no mater the cost.
After the opening credits, we find Mikasa, Armin, and the rest of their smaller group in hot pursuit of the Armored Titan. Mikasa, hell bent on getting Eren back vows to kill Reiner and Bertholdt, Ymir, or anyone else that gets in her way. With Mikasa in full blood lust mode like this, I have to admit to feeling bad for the comrades turned captors Reiner and Bertholdt. In Season 1, Reiner was one of my favorite characters for always being incredibly clutch. But with their status quo change in Season 2, even despite their Titan abilities; Mikasa’s fighting prowess is just straight up scary. I don’t think the two can stand up to her when she is going all out with everything on the line.
Atop the Armored Titan, Ymir pulls Christa from her mouth. Christa, waking up shortly after asks Ymir why she is doing all of this. She tells Ymir that they had come all this way to save her and Eren. Ymir, now partially out of her Titan form tells Historia (Christa’s true name), that she doesn’t need to be rescued and that she is working with Reiner and Bertholdt now. Ymir explains to her that there no real life to be lived within the walls, and that life outside of the walls is not as bad as she may think. Christa, despite everything, that they will be allies no matter what.
Finally awake after having been restrained in the last episode, his first sight being Hannes making a failed attempt at getting on top of the Armored Titan. With all of the scouts close enough, they all try to close in and engage their target. One scout tries to get closer, but was thwarted by Ymir. Mikasa slashes Ymir’s eye in an attempt to get closer to Eren. As Mikasa goes in for the kill, Christa gets in the way, forcing Mikasa to maneuver her way to the back of the Armored Titan’s head. Christa pleads with Mikasa to not kill Ymir, Mikasa replying that it all depends on Ymir. Cold blooded Mikasa tells Christa that there are very few lives that she cares for, and they are currently keeping her from saving the life that she values most. As Ymir prepares to strike at Mikasa, Christa steps in and tells her to stand down and to let Mikasa get what she wants.
Mikasa, going straight for Eren and Bertholdt is blocked off by The Armored Titan placing his hands around his throat protecting himself, Bertholdt and Eren. Eren, struggling to get free is asked by Bertholdt to settle down. Just then, the voice of Jean cuts in, reminding Bertholdt that Eren is the most annoying guy in the world and that he won’t be taken so easily. Conny, Sasha, Jean, Armin, and Mikasa all surround the protected throat of the Armored Titan to try and talk some sense into their former allies and friends. Bertholdt, finally giving in to the pressure admits to all of them that although they are the enemy, they truly did consider them friends. Mikasa, taking one chance at pleading to what little humanity the two have left to let Eren go. Bertholdt once again refuses, saying that “someone has to be the one to stain their hands with blood”.
Hannes orders that they retreat from the Armored Titan. Scout Commander Erwin appears coming from the opposite direction charging full steam ahead with a horde of Titans behind him and his remaining soldiers towards the Armored Titan. The group falls back to their horses, retreating with the rest of the soldiers away from the impending danger. Reiner, in Armored Titan form notices just how dangerous the current situation is for them, charges headfirst into the horde in hopes of breaking through and getting away safely. After rushing through the initial Titans, he gets tripped up and is now surrounded. To a certain extent I’ve always thought that the Titans with special abilities have some sort of control over the regulars and abnormals, but this shows that is false. Reiner, struggling to protect himself by keeping his hands over Bertholdt and Eren realizes that in order to escape he is going to have to make a decision. He asks for Bertholdt to endure just a bit more, as he removes his hands to start fighting off the Titans around him.
Seeing that his plan had worked, Commander Erwin gives a rousing speech to rally his soldiers to the cause of saving Eren right here and now. As they charge forward, all hell begins to break loose. This large scale conflict with the Titans begins to claim many more lives as they chase their last chance of retrieving Eren. Heading forward, Commander Erwin gets ripped away from his horse and away from the battle by a Titan Biting his arm. Despite 
this, Erwin commands the remaining soldiers to advance and not waste this opportunity. Shaken, the soldiers continue forward. Mikasa immediately goes right for Bertholdt with a slash but misses. Eren’s muffled screams alerts Mikasa to what looks to be her impending doom. A Titan grabs her, squeezing her tight. Jean, comes to rescue Mikasa by stabbing the Titan in the eyes. Bertholdt declares that they’ve made it too far to not make it home with Eren. At that moment, Armin lands right beside Eren and Bertholdt. He asks them if they are fine leaving Annie behind. Knowing that Bertholdt has feelings for Annie, Armin begins to play to his emotions to rattle Bertholdt. Armin tells him that Annie is being kept in the Utopia district, and that she is being carefully tortured day and night. He tells him that her screams have helped them learn that despite their healing factors, Titans will still feel the pain. Bertholdt, letting Armin get the best of him attempts to last out at Armin. As he does this, he is caught off guard by a one armed Commander Erwin, slicing him across the midsection to free Eren. Mikasa catches Eren in mid air and makes their escape.
During the Soldier’s retreat, Ymir is fighting off as many Titans as she can to protect Christa before she gets pinned down by one that is attacking her. Christa comes to Ymir’s aid, landing her first kill as a part of the scout regimen. Conny immediately snatches her up on his horse, and explains to her that they have to go before things get worse. Ymir, now free from under her attacker chases after Conny, Christa, and Sasha. Christa tries to talk them into leaving her behind to stick with Ymir, but they tell her this thing will only get more dangerous, even if she is with Ymir. Just then, a huge Titan goes flying over their heads. As the scouts are retreating, the tossed Titan lands right in the direction that they need to go. Jean looking back, realizes that it’s Reiner that is throwing the Titans in order to stop them. Having caused untold destruction by their landing, the scouts begin to look through the clouds of dust and dirt to search for a way out. While surveying the surroundings, Armin finds that Eren and Mikasa have been knocked off of their horse. Trying to stand, Mikasa winces in pain from being grabbed by the Titan that almost killed her. Slowly, a large Titan makes it’s way over to the two helpless scouts. Eren looks up, and is horror struck by what he finds. The large Titan approaching them is the exact same Titan that killed his mother all those years ago.
This episode was completely bananas. It was good to finally see the pay off for what’s been building over the past 4 episodes. Seeing Commander Erwin getting his arm chomped off DEFINITELY took me by surprise, him surviving was even more surprising. Well the scouts finally have Eren back. But with these new events having transpired, just how are they going to get away?? I can’t wait for next week’s episode to find out.
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