'Attack on Titan' Season 2 Episode 11 Review: Epic Staredown and Titan Sandwich
The second season of "Attack on Titan" has just aired its 11th episode and there could only be one word that would best describe the episode: tension. It should be noticed that the previous episodes offered a somewhat mild tone from the action-packed critically acclaimed anime series. However, that quickly changed when episode 11 exploded with a lot of tension and epic moments involving the central characters.
The previous episodes may have slightly deviated from the intense mood that have become the backbone of the series, but it paved the way for the series to focus on developing the characters that do not belong to the main sphere of protagonists. These mood shifts helped viewers understand the rest of the characters and have shown where their motivations are coming from, and this episode is where all the development exploded.
Here's what happened on the 11th episode of "Attack on Titan" season two. The previous episodes have revealed the true identity of Reiner and Bertholdt as Titan Shifters shortly before they kidnapped Eren. Christa, whose real name is Historia, is somehow snatched by Ymir (who also happens to be a Titan Shifter), who goes on to join Reiner and Bertholdt as they flee from the Survey Corps led by Commander Erwin Smith. However, on this episode, the Survey Corps finally catches up to the fleeing Titan Shifters, making for a dramatic confrontation involving lots of intense fighting.
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Out of all the characters in the series, three stood out the most on this episode. The first one would be Mikasa's resolve in retrieving the only family she has left. This episode revealed a darker side to the mostly reserved heroine, showing how far she would go in order to save Eren, even as far as almost killing Ymir whose motivations from joining Reiner and Bertholdt stems from the fact that she was given no other option. If not for Christa's intervention, Ymir would've probably been killed by the determined Mikasa. A notable highlight of Mikasa involved her epic staredown with a fearful Bertholdt.
Commander Erwin Smith also shone brightly on this episode. His desire to save humanity's last hope, a.k.a Eren, did not waver in the slightest even at the cost of his right arm. His mad ingenuity was also highlighted in this episode as seen when he lured a group of Titans toward the fleeing Titan Shifters.
Finally the last person to take the spotlight is Armin, doing what he does best. His quick thinking and intelligence proved to be the Titan Shifters' undoing just when they were on the verge of successfully escaping. In order to distract the fleeing Titan Shifters, Armin recounted the horrible torture that their fellow Titan Shifter, Annie, was being subjected to. This greatly affected the Titan Shifters and they immediately lost focus, giving enough time for Commander Erwin to launch his trap.
Just like how it began, the episode also ended on an epic note. When the Survey Corps finally retrieved Eren, the desperate Titan Shifters began launching Titans on their way, leaving a badly injured Mikasa on the ground with Eren. Soon, a titan was shown approaching the duo, the same one that had killed Eren's mother in the first season of the anime: the Smiling Titan.
Considering all that has happened, it would be terribly frustrating to wait for episode 12, the final episode of the season. Attack on Titan season two is available for streaming online via Crunchyroll, Hulu and FUNimation.