After the dud that was this episode's predecessor, this entry had quite a bit of slack to pick up as we come to the season's end. You'll be happy to know that it's up to the task.
It has compelling character drama, as multiple characters are torn between conflicting loyalties. We see it first with Ymir, as both Historia and Bertholdt try to sway her to their side. It's a proverbial devil vs angel on the shoulders situation and it works rather well.
We also get a "crowning moment of funny", as Ymir tries to coax Historia by saying that life outside the walls with the titans isn't as bad as she might think. Historia points out that it wouldn't be so bad, except for the titans trying to eat her. This alone would have been amusing enough, but Ymir clinches it by trying to minimize this fact and cite it as an annoyance that Historia should just get over.
Ultimately, though, I think the more effective instance of drama borne from torn loyalties is when the scouts arrive and confront Bertholdt. They try to appeal to his humanity and their friendship, pressing him on whether or not it was all a lie. Bertholdt's answer adds whole new layers to the story, as he reveals that he didn't want to do any of it and that he really did view the fellow scouts as comrades.
It makes the plot more complex, teases a bigger villain behind the scenes, and actually builds empathy for characters who you would otherwise categorize as ruthless, blood thirsty killers. It was a very effective plot twist on that front.
Heck, this theme even carries over to Historia herself, as she still pledges loyalty to Ymir. Even when the scouts rescue her, she insists that she be allowed to go back for Ymir's sake. It doesn't get quite as much attention, but it does round out the trifecta.
In addition to great character drama, the episode also delivers on action. We get scouts taking on titans, the scouts trying to take out Reiner, and the titans trying to take out Reiner. It's an all out brawl and it's glorious to witness. For all the chaos, you never lose track of what's happening. Credit to the animators and the directors because this could have easily turned into a mess.
Not surprisingly, Mikasa is a highlight. Oddly, this is probably one of her weaker showings as far as combat is concerned. She still lands some solid hits, but she also gets injured and caught off guard more frequently. Her status as highlight is more due to the fact that she is incredibly pissed off at Eren being taken away. It's frightening and awesome at the same time. It really enforces the fact that you do not want to hit the "Eren" button with her. They did that and it was not a good idea.
This episode did a great job of building up momentum for the season finale. Heck, it honestly could have been the season finale. The way it was structured and the way the episode ends, it would have been a great way to cap off the season. We'll just have to see if the next episode can follow through.
Guys, I'm going to be caught up. When the next season hits, I'll be able to keep up with it as I do "Dragon Ball Super". That was supposed to be the plan with this season, but clearly that didn't happen. It'll be great to have another semi-consistent "once a week" entry in the rotation. Of course, that won't be until next year, but still.
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