The Best Attack on Titan Scenes That Were Incredible
If you know Attack on Titan in any capacity at all, then you know the serious hype that surrounds it. This show’s got a ton of amazing moments. Personally, I’ve re-watched most of it millions of times already (stop gawking, I know you have too). Being an intense action-packed anime, it’s really not surprising that there are lots of epic scenes we simply cannot get enough of.
That’s not what we’ll be covering here. If you’re a fan, you probably don’t need yet another list of your favourite scenes. No, what you’ll find below is a list of some of the best scenes in Attack on Titan that you’ve probably forgotten about. These are the lesser known moments worth watching again.
15. The Aftermath of the Battle of Trost
Victory never comes easy in this world...
“Humanity had indeed scored its first victory against the titans… but there were too many casualties for anyone to celebrate.”
If there’s one thing Attack on Titan does well (there’s much more than one), it’s making it clear that this is a cruel world. There are no idealistic “I’ll never give up!” punchlines here. Practically every single victory comes at a huge cost, and humanity’s first victory was no exception.
That moment when Eren slams that massive boulder onto the ground to block the hole in Trost was truly epic, but we aren’t even allowed to celebrate the victory for too long - there are still titans crawling in Trost that need clearing up. Many more soldiers die in that effort.
Half of Marco survived.
We’re given a body count: 207 dead, or missing. 897 wounded. That’s … that’s a lot of people. This is the first time we really learn that victory never comes easy in Attack on Titan. In the aftermath, we learn that titans don’t even digest the countless humans they eat. They just go blerrgh! and leave behind a mass of… human parts mushed together in one disgusting package.
Not pretty.
This scene was the first of many to come that really showcased what the aftermath of war really is like. It’s a good reminder of some of the things that made us love the series in the first place.
14. Jean’s Decision to Join the Survey Corps
Jean struggles to stick to his resolve
Soon after the battle of Trost, the time comes for the trainees to choose which military faction they’d join: the Military Police (an option for only the top ten), the Garrisons, or the Survey Corps. In keeping with the realistic themes of Attack on Titan, almost everyone has already ‘lol nope’-ed out of the very idea of joining the Survey Corps. Who would willingly want to face those nasty titans again?
Not me, I wouldn’t.
But it’s during this time we see some solid character growth from Jean. He resolves himself to join the Survey Corps, even though he’d previously been so hung up on getting into the interior and enjoying his comfort; even after witnessing the horrors that the titans bring.
See, something about Marco (sob...) moves him to want to stay and fight in the frontlines. And you can only respect him for that. If there were still any Jean haters by this point, this growth of his turned them all to his side.
But the highlight of this is when Survey Corps Commander Erwin Smith asks anyone who isn’t willing to join them to leave. Practically everyone leaves without a second thought. And right here, is the good stuff.
The scene is so well executed that we feel Jean’s internal struggle. As everyone around him heads in the opposite direction, we can feel how he wants to join them. These people won’t have to risk their lives. Even better, he graduated in the top 10, so he could join Military Police, the life of comfort he always wanted… the life he’d worked so hard to survive for.
And the music! Such a combo. It was so good, I made sure I searched the title of the song that was used - Call Your Name. It definitely added to the whole somber mood. Ahhh… perfection. I felt that, and you should go back and watch that sequence again, if you missed the feels. Soak it all in.
You’re welcome.
13. Eren in titan form killing the pot-belly titan
Eren's titan savagery. Looks familiar?
When Eren’s titan form first shows up to save Mikasa from being gobbled up by a titan, there are at least three reactions:
1: “Is that Eren? … OMG that’s Ereeeeen!!”
2: “Wait… is that... is that Eren? Nahhh can’t be. … Naah.”
3: “… Wait wtf?”
Even though Attack on Titan often shoves obvious clues right in our faces, all but the most eagle-eyed still miss them. This moment was one of those. Because Mikasa (and everyone else eventually) was busy wondering who this new titan was, most of us viewers were thrown off the this-must-be-Eren-scent. The reason is simple: if Mikasa didn’t feel like it’s possibly Eren, then who are we mere mortals to make that conclusion?
But like I said, at least one major clue was right there the entire time. Eren’s titan first shows up to kill the pot-belly titan the episode right after we see Eren savagely putting down those child traffickers. Notice anything similar between the two? Notice the way the killing happens?
Here, lemme help. Watch the video of Eren killing the titan, and compare it to this:
Savage kid Eren
You see it now, don’t you?
12. The Survey Corps tossing dead bodies
Not even the bodies made it back home
Oh man. This moment tore at our hearts, didn’t it?
Probably the only thing worse than being told your relative or friend died in battle, is having no body to give a proper burial. And this is just what the Survey Corps had to endure, as if failing to capture the female titan wasn’t enough already.
We definitely identify with the retreating soldiers, because we also know the bodies have to be abandoned, but we’re just... hoping there’s another way. There’s always another way, right?
Wrong. This is Attack on Titan.
And so because of one man’s foolishness, the bodies were tossed. Imagine the renewed defeat they felt. Oh, and Levi’s face as Petra’s corpse tumbled away. Geez.
‘Nuff said.
11. Eren’s first emerging from his Titan Form
Emotion and mystery all bundled in one awesome scene
Everyone remembers Eren’s iconic ‘death’. Probably not everybody remembers as Eren’s return as much. But I personally think that it holds much more importance.
First off, Mikasa. Wow. This is probably the only time we ever see this much raw emotion from her. She’s just. So. Relieved! that Eren is alive, she can only loudly cry.
Add to that, the hauntingly hollow music in the background complements the quiet mystery of the situation. It really leaves you staring in awe, even if you’d already predicted that the titan was actually Eren. We all feel Armin’s confusion, since we also saw Eren not only get eaten, but lose his arm and leg in the process. This scene really starts to set up AOT as the mystery drama we know and love.
It’s probably the first of what’s soon going to become a common question to ask, as Armin did then: “What just happened here?”
10. Sasha’s past
This flashback was both beautiful and worrying
I’m including this here because the actual reason for this scene being shown was, well, dark. In almost any piece of storytelling, especially one as dark as Attack on Titan, it’s almost an unspoken rule that when a side character starts getting extra screen time, they’re about to die.
It was no different for Sasha. The creator of the series, Isayama, had originally intended to kill off Sasha after she rescues the little girl from the titan. Apparently, the manner of death was so shocking to the editor that he had to go cry in secret.
Ever since I learnt this, I’ve never seen this flashback the same again. Gotta be thankful that Isayama decided to keep her alive, amirite? Whew.
9. Rod Reiss disowning Historia and her mother
Historia gets a new name and identity
It’s easy to watch this scene for the first time and think, “Wow, what a jerk.” Yes, Rod Reiss isn’t the most lovable character you’ve ever met. And yeees we know he only sought out Historia because he’d just lost all his children and so needed an heir to inherit the Founding Titan.
But still.
Watch it again, and this time shelve your (well-deserved) hate for a bit. Notice how he was cornered into abandoning them? He actually thought he wasn’t followed when he went to get Historia. We see that clearly in the way her mother reacts when she sees Kenny and his FBI squad waiting outside for them. Notice the questions Kenny puts to Rod.
His character isn’t evil as in black. It’s grey. Uh, very dark grey. This scene is good reason we can say that. Another is...
8. Historia’s weird flashback after killing her father
Historia sees a glimpse of the truth
Historia has this weird ‘flashback’ right when she deals the finishing blow to Rod Reiss, but the flashback was actually a memory from Rod himself. In it, we see that Rod actually wanted to get rid of all the titans.
It may not have been very obvious for everyone watching for the first time, but we’re shown that the guy (and his brother Uri) was so adamant about destroying all the titans that their father put them in a cell to cool off. But even behind those bars, Rod still persisted.
We also see something else very important. Uri, after inheriting the founding titan from his father, suddenly changes his ideology. Same with Rod’s daughter Freida, who had promised that she wouldn’t lose to the ‘ghosts of her ancestors’. Actually this promise here also means that very recently, Rod still wanted the titans all gone. He actually wanted the best for humanity.
Really makes you wonder. Just what is everyone seeing after inheriting the Founding titan and its memories, that makes them change so much?
I’ll leave you to go re-watch and brood.
7. Eren attempting to control Rod Reiss’ titan
Can Eren manage to control the titans once more?
Now this is something I’m sure most of you missed.
Humour in Attack on Titan is rare and easy to miss, and this scene is a perfect example. Here, Eren is trying to replicate what he did in season 2’s finale so he can control the titan-form Rod Reiss.
But see how Eren pauses with this look of shock on his face right after he calls Rod a ‘tiny old man’? Why do think that happened? Because he suddenly realised this isn’t going to work?
Nope. Go watch the video and try figuring it out.
…
Well?
I’ll tell you. That expression on his face was actually an ‘oh crap’ expression. And the reason is simple: he realised the insult he just hurled at Rod Reiss could equally work on Levi. Levi, who is technically a tiny old man… and who is riiight behind him.
Poor Eren was terrified Levi would take offence and give him the now famous foot-in-face treatment. A rare lol-moment tossed in there amidst all the chaos.
Smooth, guys. Smooth.
6. The Rod Reiss titan exploding scene
Rod's colossal titan explodes colossally
Many of you may have noticed something interesting about what happened after Eren shoved a bag full of explosives down Rod Reiss’ titan throat. Uh, what happened after the resulting explosion, rather: The chunks of titan meat that flew out, all conveniently flew in the direction of Orvud District, within the walls, making it easier for the Survey Corps to hack and slice at them.
So, what gives? Have we just caught a rare Attack on Titan plot hole?
I think not.
Just before the titan propped itself up on the wall, something happened that seemed insignificant, or at most significant for all of five seconds: the wind suddenly started blowing in a different direction - toward the wall.
The obvious and immediate effect of that was that the steam from the titan’s body now covered our protagonists, making vision and aiming those cannons harder. No one really thought much else about it.
However!
It’s precisely because of this wind change that the chunks of titan meat from the explosion flew in the direction they did. They were simply being blown by the wind.
Now watch that scene again, and appreciate just how much effort is put into the details in Attack on Titan.
5. Kenny showing up to battle in the crystal cave
Cowboy Kenny enters the fray!
Just a really quick one here, where Kenny finally shows up just in time to stop Levi from wrecking his partner. The way he flies in while at the same time making sure his hat was still on his head was just so cool. We only see it for like a second, but hey, worth it.
Check it out.
4. Kenny’s backstory
The truth about Kenny
Wow what an episode this was. This episode both fleshed out and killed off Kenny, and in the process, we learn a lot about the true ruler of the walls. This also showcases the grey morality of the characters in AOT, which I think is awesome. Uri wasn’t a bad person. Far from that, he actually showed that violence doesn’t always solve problems.
And Kenny?
Kenny just wanted to see what the holders of the founding titan saw that made them so… compassionate. He didn’t even care about the power. Without even realising that he already had compassion in him (equipping Levi to survive in the underground, for example), he devoted his whole life to a lost cause.
This story was powerfully told, and deserves multiple re-watches.
3. The night before that battle to retake Wall Maria
Party time! Enjoy these moments of calm...
This is a very important moment in the story of AOT. Manga readers understand why. Anime only watchers will soon understand just why. But any fan of AOT would know by now that this… this is the calm before the storm.
And oh what a storm awaits.
Those moments where everyone is having genuine fun, eating meat, shouting, and really just partying hard, those are the moments to treasure for a long, long time to come. Do yourself a favour and re-watch this. Over, and over, and over.
Don’t overdo it though, heh.
2. Ymir, Reiner and Bertholdt on the wall
Oh Ymir, whatever happened to living only for yourself?
This scene raises some important details that are again easy to miss. When asked why she went back to help Reiner and Bertholdt, Ymir says that she’ll be their souvenir to take back.
Perhaps more interesting, she adds that she helped them because she’s the only one who understands the situation they’re in. Also, their thankful, yet apologetic reactions, with Bertholdt actually saying he’s sorry, is really telling of the internal turmoil they must be facing. There are bigger issues at play.
If you still hate Reiner and Bertholdt after this point, then nothing else will redeem them for you. This scene also shows just how selfless Ymir really is, even though she puts on this selfish, live-only-for-yourself persona. It’s really such a deep moment, overall.
1. Eren’s scream ability
Eren's Scream - Epicness!!!
Ahh the grand finale of season 2, at least action-wise.
Who didn’t get chills when screaming Eren punched the smiling titan, and that lightning thing sparked? Who didn’t feel the waves of jaw-dropping awe when Eren screams at Reiner and sets all the titans on him and Bertholdt?
Wow. Just, wow.
I don’t think anyone can ever get enough of this, really.
Oh, and, the importance of this ability cannot be overemphasised. Keep your eyes peeled for when we get an explanation for it.
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That’s all guys. Enjoy this list while we wait for the 2nd part of Attack on Titan season 3, scheduled to start in April 2019.
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