[TOWNSPEOPLE chattering]
[GRISHA] The fateful day that I, just a naive youth,
was made to face the truth of this world.
[CITIZEN 57A] Move it, you vermin.
[BOTH gasp]
[CITIZEN 57B] Ya can't get away from these devil-bloods.
[CITIZEN 57A] Damn Eldians are crawling around
as they please now.
Grisha.
It's all right, Fay.
We've heard worse before.
Look there!
It should be just past that hill.
[BOTH gasp]
[FAY] It's so big!
[KRUGER] Are you kids here to look at the airship, too?
[GRISHA gasps] Uh, yes, sir!
[KRUGER] You're from the Liberio Internment Zone?
Let's see your exit permit.
Huh? Our permit?
We don't have one.
[KRUGER] If you entered the city without permission,
then you need to be punished.
[GRISHA] Yes, sir.
Hard labor? Or a quick beating?
A beating, please.
Brother!
Ah. 'Cause you don't wanna trouble your parents, right?
That's right.
My sister didn't wanna come but I dragged her with me!
Please allow me to take her punishment, too!
Very well.
[GRISHA groans]
[FAY gasps] Grisha!
--[KRUGER] Here's another! --[GRISHA groans]
[GROSS] Sheesh. Go easy on him, Kruger.
[GRISHA coughing]
[GROSS] Come on, dear. Let's get you back home.
--[KRUGER grunting] --[GRISHA gasps, groans]
It was wise of you two to leave your armbands on.
Kids or not, Eldians who take theirs off
get a one way trip to paradise.
Sorry. I'll go back home now.
[KRUGER] Wait.
You came to see the airship, right?
You may as well do it while you can.
[GRISHA] The next day, my sister...
...was found on the banks of the river.
[GROSS] I showed the girl to the gates of Liberio
and then I went on my way.
I was busy with work, you see.
And Eldian children shouldn't be roaming about the city
without permits in the first place.
I find it disturbing that your son doesn't know
what it means to be of his bloodline.
I mean, you have been teaching him
so that he can feel the weight of your ancestor's sins,
now haven't you?
[GRISHA] I couldn't prove it,
but I knew that man from Marley Public Security
was lying through his teeth.
We had stumbled upon him
while he was slacking off on the riverbank.
How busy could he have been?
Mother was silent in her grief, but father...
[GRISHA'S FATHER] Please allow me to thank you
for your guidance, sir.
I assure you, I'll heed it
and teach my foolish son to know better.
[GRISHA] He demeaned himself to this man.
I began to hate that Marleyan, and my father,
so much that it made my head spin.
But more than that, I cursed my own foolishness.
[GRISHA'S FATHER] 1,820 years ago,
our ancestor Ymir Fritz made a contract
with the Devil of All Earth,
and obtained the Power of the Titans.
Upon her death,
Ymir's spirit was split into the Nine Titans.
These Titans defeated the great nation of Marley,
and conquered the continent for themselves,
under the name of the Eldian Empire.
Thus did this land's Dark Ages begin.
The subjects of Ymir
deemed all the other races inferior to their own,
and violently oppressed them.
They stole wealth and land,
forced other people to bear their children,
and wiped out some bloodlines entirely.
This ethnic cleansing continued for around 1,700 years.
But the fallen nation of Marley
planned to use Eldia's arrogance to bring it down from within.
And it worked.
Marley brought seven of the Nine Titans under its control
and used them to win the Great Titan War just 80 years ago!
The Eldian King at the time
erected three walls on the island of Paradis,
and he fled there along with a great many of his people.
Our ancestors were abandoned
and left behind on the mainland, but,
despite our history, the gracious people of Marley
let us live and stay on their land.
[GRISHA] My father was talkative
for someone who had just lost his daughter.
As he stood there, shaming his forebears,
and idolizing his oppressors,
he looked just like a whipped dog.
That officer was telling lies.
[BOTH gasp]
The truth was inconvenient for him, so he told lies instead.
Quiet. The walls of this house are paper thin.
Know what?
He prob'ly took Fay and--
Silence!
[GRISHA'S FATHER] I told you.
Our ancestors were heinous sinners, understand?
They committed genocide against all other races--
Fay and I didn't do anything like that!
We were just walking outside!
[GRISHA sobs]
Why are you doing this?
What's wrong with you?
Why are you so eager to get us all shipped away?
[gasps]
[GRISHA'S FATHER] We ourselves did nothing.
But to those who've been victimized for generations,
you and I are devils nonetheless.
We should count ourselves lucky
that they let us live quiet, humble lives
here in the internment zone.
I beg you, Grisha,
please don't force the rest of this family
to meet the same fate as Fay.
[GRISHA] I still wonder which was truly in the wrong.
The world I lived in? Or me?
[GRISHA] 'Kay.
I understand.
[GRISHA] Perhaps it was both.
[GRISHA] I was ignorant and foolish.
[GRISHA] The world was twisted and maddeningly unfair.
[GRISHA] I discovered my own path in life
when I was 18 years old.
It was around the time I was to take over my father's clinic.
[GRISHA] What's that scar on your shoulder?
This is what marks me as a patriot.
[GRISHA] Hm? A patriot?
[GRICE] Your sister was killed
by a Marleyan Public Security officer.
[gasps]
That's a verified fact
from our informant in the government.
There are some things that you need to hear.
[GRISHA] It can't be!
How could they do that?
[GRISHA] When I learned the truth of my sister's death,
I swore to myself...
[GRISHA] ...that I'd show these Marleyans
who the real devils were.
I saw that my ancestors' so-called sins were justified.
That to set the world right as it had been,
Eldia would have to be restored.
[GRISHA] Our informant within the Marleyan Government
was called "The Owl."
He led the Restorationists without ever showing himself.
Come. I've discovered the truth!
Our ancestor Ymir awakened the Power of the Titans,
and used it to tame the wilderness, carve out roads,
and to make bridges to span the mountains!
She didn't oppress other people, she helped them to prosper!
[COMRADE 57B] So the history we were taught as children
was just a hoax! Marleyan propaganda!
Impressive, Grisha.
How'd you read this ancient language?
Oh, no. I haven't deciphered much of the writing at all yet.
Then how do you know that all this is true?
Huh? Because it's obvious just from looking!
And because I believe in our founder Ymir
with all of my heart!
We're not devil-bloods, we're God's children!
[COMRADES] Yeah!
My comrades!
The Owl's sent us a new ally.
[DINA] Hello. It's good to meet you.
I am here as a descendant of the royal family.
The last on this continent.
Dina Fritz.
[GRISHA] When we locked eyes,
I decided to allow fate to steer my life where it would.
[GRISHA] Dina was all that remained of a branch
of the royal family that refused to flee the continent.
She taught us secrets about the Titans
that only royalty had known before.
We believed that she had shown us the path to victory.
[GRISHA] I'm sure of it!
The King brought the Founding Titan's power into the walls!
If we take that power, then we can control all other Titans,
and crush Marley once and for all!
But wait, if the King was able to wield such an absolute power,
then why'd he run away in the first place?
[DINA] That's simple. It's because he refused to fight.
In the midst of the Great Titan War,
the 145th King forsook his duty
to restore order on the continent,
and moved his capital to a distant island.
All our pain, all these years of anguish,
it can all be traced to the moment
our King renounced conflict.
Let's fight again.
[DINA gasps]
The true royal family stayed right here on the continent
and held their ground for Eldia!
It's time we brought the Founding Titan back to them!
Against its power, Marley will crumble.
We'll restore Eldia and live proudly once more!
[ALL yelling]
[GRISHA] The next year, the two of us married,
and were blessed with a son.
His name was Zeke.
Our royal child, Zeke.
There's no doubt in my heart
that that someday he'll lead his people to victory.
[GRISHA] Years pass by, and people change.
As the world around us rapidly advanced,
a turning point came for the Restorationists.
Now, listen up, you Eldians!
We'll soon begin recruiting new...
[GRISHA] The Marleyan government required Subjects of Ymir
to become Marleyan warriors
capable of serving as vessels for the Nine Titans.
[GRISHA] We've received a new message from the Owl.
He says the reason Marley's making these moves
is to prepare for an anticipated struggle over resources
as military technology keep advancing.
Marley currently leads the world
using the power of its Seven Titans,
but they may soon grow obsolete.
An enormous cache of fossil fuel lies beneath Paradis.
Marley can't afford to let it lie unused.
But, 80 years ago,
the King of the walls left behind this warning.
"If you ever interfere with our affairs,
the millions upon millions of Titans sleeping within the walls
will flatten the entire world."
As long as he can make this threat,
none dare to confront him, at least not directly.
So, the Marleyan government has the same objective as we do.
They'll try to infiltrate Paradis,
and then seize the Founding Titan for themselves.
[COMRADE 57D] What do we do?
With things as they are...
Yeah. Marley'll get it before us.
If they actually do it,
we'll lose any chance we had of bringing Eldia back!
It's bad, but we still have a path forward.
I'll send my son, Zeke, to become a Marleyan warrior.
You see, Zeke?
Almost everything that you've been told
by the Marleyans was wrong.
But you have to obey their every order,
and you have to do it better and faster
than anyone else around you.
All of us here are counting on you
to save Eldia from disgrace.
'Kay. I understand.
[GRISHA] But I should've known, better than anyone,
what a wretched sin it is
to impose your beliefs on your children.
[GRISHA] I saw him as a child of royal blood--
as Eldia's greatest hope.
But did I ever see him as Zeke?
As the boy he was?
[GRISHA] At any rate,
Zeke chose to protect himself, as well as his grandparents,
by turning in both of his naive, foolish parents
to Marley Public Security.
[KRUGER] Here we are.
[gasps]
So this is... paradise.
[KRUGER] That's right.
This is Marley's penal colony for you Eldians,
called Paradis.
You'll serve a life sentence for treason on this island...
...once you've become a pure Titan.
[GRISHA screaming]
Answer me! Who is the Owl?
Please! No more! I don't know!
I've told you everything! Please...
Ah, I'm disappointed to hear that.
We'll do another then.
[GRISHA screams]
[GRISHA] I met you once before,
when I was just a child.
[KRUGER] You still remember that?
Yeah. I could never forget it.
Not after what you two did.
Please, sir, just kill me now! I can't--
Shut up and keep walking!
Please don't make me a monster.
[GRISHA gasps] Wait, Grice?
Shit. How the hell did this happen, Grisha?
Why in the world would Zeke decide to betray us?
Isn't he your son?
Damn it.
Entrusting everything to you was the stupidest thing I ever did.
It's all over now!
We're finished because of you!
Say something!
I'm so sorry.
Why did we put all our hopes behind a naive fool like you?
[GROSS] Looks like we've got a lively one.
You're free to go.
Grice, no!
[GRICE groans]
Grice! Hang in there!
[GROSS] Run straight north!
If you're fast enough,
there's a chance you'll make it to the wall!
But Sergeant Major Gross--
[GROSS] Hmm? This must be your first time out here.
We do this to be sure the Titans we make leave the area.
They'll chase him for a good while.
But they always catch 'em in the end.
Kruger knows. Eh? Right?
[KRUGER] Yeah.
[GRISHA] It's him. There's no doubt.
That's the bastard who killed my sister!
Well, we've got a whole bunch to turn this time,
so let's get a move on.
[gasps]
[GRISHA] You can't--
[COMRADES groaning]
[COMRADES gasping]
[GRISHA] No!
No, don't do this!
Guys, please! You can't!
You have to stop it. It's Grice!
[GROSS] Turn him already before my ears start bleeding.
I'd like to interrogate this one a bit further.
You can continue without me.
[GROSS] Ah. This one's a woman.
Too bad. If only you weren't a devil.
[GRISHA] Dina?
My darling.
Why'd they bring you here?
I talked.
I told them every last thing there was to know!
This woman's of royal bl--
Shut your mouth!
[GRISHA grunting]
[GRISHA] Don't tell me-- Is he trying to cover this up?
Good grief.
He'd've shut up ages ago if you'd just turned him.
Grisha. I promise.
No matter what form I might take,
I swear I'll come find you.
[GRISHA screams]
Well isn't that romantic.
I'm sure you'll make a great Titan couple.
No! Dina!
[GRISHA gasping]
[EREN gasps, screams]
[BOTH gasp]
[EREN gasping]
What was that?
Who am I?
And where--?
Hey. Just calm down.
You're still in the stockades.
You and Mikasa, because of your insubordination.
[MIKASA] Were you having a nightmare? Or--
Yeah. I guess I was.
When you woke, you asked who you were.
[MIKASA] It's true.
Also, you look like... you're crying.
[EREN] I feel strange.
Like I just woke up from the longest dream of my life.
Hold on.
That was no dream.
It was real.
Just now,
I was somehow reliving my dad's memories.
That Titan.
It was you.
[BOTH] Poor Dina.
[GROSS laughs] Look at that!
Your woman's forgotten all about you.
I guess she fancies that Grice fellow more now, eh? [laughs]
Shut up!
Did you say something?
[GRISHA] It was you!
Fifteen years ago!
You fed my eight-year-old sister to your dogs!
It was you!
Tsk. I'll take this one off your hands.
You can just head back to the ship.
Uh, understood.
[SOLDIER 57A] What was that about?
[SOLDIER 57C] The Sergeant Major's putting some time
towards his hobby.
It's best to leave it at that, rookie.
Kruger.
If you've finished your interrogation,
I'd like to see this one dance.
Huh? Wait, what?
I remember you, too, now, son.
So I'm gonna let you go out in a special way.
We'll turn this guy into a 3- to 4-meter Titan,
then the two of you can fight.
But why?
Why do something like that?
Do you get some sick pleasure
out of watching people get eaten alive?
I wouldn't call it pleasure.
I just find it interesting.
Does that sound a bit crazy to you?
Well, the fact is, most people wanna see cruelty.
Don't get me wrong,
I think peace is a wonderful thing,
but something about it just feels lacking.
We've pushed death out of sight and mind.
Now that's no way to live.
Death is always near in nature.
And some might think me abnormal for investigating such things.
But to them I'd say I faced this cruel world head-on.
And because I bothered to deepen my understanding of death,
I can accept it when my time comes.
[COMRADE 57G groans]
See, it's about education.
My boys learned from watching their dogs eat your sister.
[COMRADE 57G screams]
Do you not... feel any remorse?
Well, I guess I get what you mean.
If something that horrible were to happen to one of my children,
my heart would break, no question.
You poor devils.
It's a shame you had to be born Eldian.
[gasps]
[GROSS] Look. That is your people's true form.
All it takes is some Titan spinal fluid,
and any one of you will turn into a man-eating monster.
The whole of humanity would feel safer
if you Eldians would just disappear.
We wish we could eradicate you from this world.
You what?
I have no trouble sleeping at night,
'cause I'm not really killing humans.
If you had restored Eldia,
you'd be butchering us Marleyans right now.
Where's your remorse, you murderous devil?
You're lying.
You've always lied, but I know the truth.
Our founder Ymir helped this continent to prosper. She--
Yeah. I've heard it before.
Say, since your history's so wonderful,
why don't you share it with your friend down there?
You can't do this to me!
I'm a human being!
Ooh, hear that?
Your sister's calling for you.
[screams]
[GROSS groans]
[GROSS screams]
[KRUGER sighs]
[GROSS screaming]
[KRUGER] So is it as interesting as he said it was?
Wait. Why'd you do that?
Because I'm the Owl, Grisha.
Watch closely and don't forget.
This is how we of the Nine use our power.
[SOLDIERS gasping]
♪ Closing Song ♪
[NARRATOR] The true role of one of the Titans
is revealed through Grisha.
And the yearning for freedom
that spurred his predecessors forward
is passed down to Eren.
Next episode: "Attack Titan."