Nine years ago...
"The Beast and the Cart are needed here to keep watch over the enemy nations, so they won't participate in the execution of this plan. Therefore, the plan to retake the Founding Titan will be carried out by the Jaw, the Armored, the Colossal, and the Female Titans. Marcel, Bertholdt, Annie, Reiner, we're counting on you."
"Reiner, are you okay?"
Twelve-year-old Reiner snaps out of his daydreaming and looks up to his mother. He reminds himself that he's at the port, the ship just a few meters away. Behind his mother is a crowd of Eldians, cheering him and the other warriors on. "Oh, that's right. We're departing today."
"I'm sure you'll succeed in your mission because I'm sure your father is praying for your success, too."
"Don't play dumb, boy! That bitch told you to come here, didn't she? She wants her revenge? Fuck! Of all things, letting the kid become a warrior? If they look into your heritage, my family's done for! She wants me to hang, doesn't she? All because I ran away, from you two Eldian devils!"
"...Yeah." Reiner walks away, joining Bertholdt, Marcel, and Annie on the boat to the island of Paradis. As the boat departs, the crowd continues to cheer wishing them success and the destruction of the devils of Paradis. The four of them, alone, must make the journey to the walls, find out the location of the Founding Titan, and bring it back to Marley.
"That's right. I don't need a father… I am a warrior chosen to inherit the Armored Titan. I will save everyone from the devils on Paradis Island. I'll be the hero that saved the world."
"This is the border of Paradis. Set out after sunset and head north," Magath addresses the young warriors. "After that, just follow the plan. The Marleyan army anchors here every month on the day of the full moon. Make sure to proceed with the plan to retake the Founding Titan accordingly."
"Yes sir!"
"Alright. Complete your mission and come back...all of you, with the Founding Titan."
For many hours the four kids traveled towards the first of the walls of Paradis. Reiner and his companions now rest around a campfire. The journey itself was quiet as it is now. Each teenager is nervous about the mission. At best, it will take months before the Founding Titan's location is identified. Without anyone guiding them further on, they'll have to survive amongst the devils.
"Like I thought, we couldn't travel very far in the night," Marcel, the Jaw Titan, says.
Reiner nods agreeably. "The clouds came out, not much we can do about that."
We're lucky we didn't run into a Titan," Bertholdt, the Colossal Titan, nervously adds. "They said that even if we destroy the wall the king won't use the power of the Founding Titan. I wonder if that's true."
It's too late for that kind of talk, Bertholdt," Reiner says. "That's what Marley's researchers say, you should trust them."
"That's right," Marcel softly says as he stares towards the fire with dead eyes. "There's no going back now... Tomorrow, we will destroy the wall…"
Reiner notices the sudden tone of sympathy in Marcel's voice. There's no way… "What is it? Don't tell me you're hesitant to kill the devils of this island. Did you forget what those bastards did to us, to Marley? They're the descendants of the devils who once turned this world into a living hell! Even now, they're a threat to the entire world! We are the warriors chosen as representatives of the whole world, to punish those demons!"
Marcel further drops his head. "I'm sorry, Reiner."
"Huh?"
"The truth is...you weren't supposed to be chosen as a warrior. I...kept talking praise of you while bad-talking my brother in order to influence the army's decision. I… I…wanted to protect my brother. Reiner… I'm so sorry…"
Reiner stares at Marcel, unable to question the other boy. Is this true? If so, Reiner feels his entire world collapsing. His appointment is a lie. He's not a warrior chosen by merit but by deception. No, that cannot be true. Reiner reasons this as he stands up. "Why...are you apologizing? I am a warrior. Chosen to inherit the power of the Armored Titan by our motherland Marley I will punish the devils of the island. I'll be the hero that saved the world-Gah!" Reiner is suddenly pushed by Marcel, just as a diminutive, large-headed Titan scoops Marcel with its mouth. Afraid, Reiner and the other warriors run from the eating Titan.
Reiner finds himself tired and alone as he comes to a lone tree in the vast plains. They have just arrived on Paradis, and he's lost his purpose and his friend. How great a "hero" he is.
"Hah...hah...Bertholdt...Annie...Marcel…" Reiner drops down to the ground, his mind ravaged by guilt. Because of him, Marcel was eaten. Because of him, Bertholdt and Annie might have too. Because of everything, he's now alone, an easy target for any Titan he's unaware of.
"AHHHHHH!" Sharp pain enters his gut and forces him on his back. Glancing up, he's met with a tired, angry Annie and a tired, nervous Bertholdt.
"Good job, Reiner," Annie says as she stands over Reiner. "This is the first time...you've beaten me...in a long-distance run." She looks at Bertholdt, the poor boy on his knees. "If we had...caught the Titan that ate Marcel...right away...we could have gotten the Jaw Titan back. But you guys ran away… I don't know why but I ran away too. Bastards… Marcel...will never come home."
"But...to think we'd run into a Titan out of nowhere like that… There shouldn't have been any Titans so long as we kept our distance from the wall."
"There's no guarantee of that," Bertholdt corrects Reiner. "Some Titan's behaviors are aberrant. They did teach us that."
"Come on," Annie says as she starts to walk. "Let's go back."
"What?"
"Let's go back and look for the Jaw. The Titan must have returned to human form somewhere. We can't execute the plan to retake the Founding Titan without Marcel's command, anyway. The plan...has already failed. Even at our current location, a Titan could appear at any moment." Annie starts to walk away again, silently followed by Bertholdt. Reiner sits then, not knowing what to do.
"I'm sure you'll succeed in your mission because I'm sure your father is praying for your success too."
"Wait," Reiner calls out to his companions. "We can't...go back. Let's stick to the plan."
"Well, obviously you can't go back like this," Annie says matter-of-factly. "If you go back to Marley, they'll confiscate your Armored Titan power for this failure. You'll get eaten by the next warrior in line. That has nothing to do with me."
"You really think I'll be the only one held accountable?"
"What?"
"The three of us ran away… Why would I have to be the only one to bear the consequences? Are you sure you two get away scot-free? Besides, recovering the Jaw Titan is pointless. What if they use the power and just run away again? What will we do then? His speed can only be surpassed by that of the Cart Titan. None of our Titans can outrun it!"
"There's no way they could even learn how to use the Titan power that quickly."
"You learned how to use the Colossal Titan almost immediately, didn't you? Besides, we might use up all our strength pointlessly chasing the Jaw Titan around and then get eaten by Titans...or go back to the Marley ship anchoring in the harbor with nothing to show for our efforts but failure? Either way, we're screwed! We can't…go back home empty-handed. We have to achieve something first. We need to get the Founding Titan. We can't go back...not anymore."
Annie scoffs. "If only you showed one-hundredth of this composure of yours back there, we could have gotten away without losing Marcel and the Jaw. So now you're threatening us to save your own neck, is that it?"
"I...don't know. I-"
Annie's leg swings up, knocking Reiner in the chin, and continuously stomps his face. "Own up to what you did to the Jaw! Apologize! Say that it's all your fault! 'Honorable Markeyan', 'chosen warriors'? What a joke! Marley, Eldia, fuck them all! They're liars, the lot of them! They only think of themselves! And so do I! I have to survive to get home! You're the one that should have died back there! If you think it's your fault then just go ahead and die! Repent for your sin with death!" With Reiner's face a bloody mess, Annie steps away and takes a breath. She takes a glance at Bertholdt's scared face and turns away...only to be tackled from behind by Reiner. Trapped in a headlock, she struggles as the bloodied face of Reiner speaks.
"Reiner is dead. If Marcel is what you need, then I'll be your Marcel. This is...the only way we could all go home."
"Stop it, you two," the weeping Bertholdt finally says. "That's enough, Reiner. We understand. Let's all...go home...together…"
"Reiner, Annie's strength is wearing out!"
"I know!" Reiner looks back, seeing the Titan horde at their heels. The original plan was for Marcel and Annie to take turns running the distance to the walls since Bertholdt and Reiner's Titans are much slower than theirs. Now Annie has to run the distance by herself, and she's at her limit with no wall in sight.
"There it is!" Bertholdt excitedly points forward. "It's the wall!"
"Annie! Let's switch up!" Reiner calls forth the Armor while Annie drops to her knees and ejects herself from her Titan. Reiner will be able to finish the run as he grabs the tired girl and sprints for the wall.
Once he gets to the wall, undetected, it should be added, he lowers Bertholdt to the ground. The horde, he notices by looking over his shoulder, is still a distance away, but quickly coming close. The boy looks up at the wall, amazed. "This is it, huh? Wall Maria… It's huge. Will I really be able to destroy something that big?"
Reiner hears Bertholdt's doubts from a distance. Everything hinges on Bertholdt's ability to destroy the wall. The Pure Titans will enter and cause a panic, allowing the trio to slip inside and blend in. This is the only way they can learn of the Founding Titan.
Lightning strikes the ground, and a cloud of steam and light covers Reiner as the fifty-meter monster Bertholdt has become rises on its legs. He rises barely a head higher than the walls, taking a moment to look within the city. What does he see? A city full of frightened devils, all staring back at him? Drunken men wondering if what they're seeing is real or not? Kids, probably in a similar group just like the warriors, wondering what the hell is going on.
Bertholdt kicks the gate, creating a hole within the wall big enough for the Pure Titans of large height to enter. Reiner turns around, seeing the Colossal drop down and Bertholdt exits its body. Unfortunately, Reiner is caught by the Pure Titans, thus fighting them off to protect himself and Annie before he notices one heading for the gate and Bertholdt. Breaking free, he runs for Bertholdt. The Titan, for some reason, ignores Bertholdt for the more densely populated city, but the other Titans might not be as kind. Reiner scoops up Bertholdt and ascends the wall.
I wanted to become a warrior… Reiner drops Annie and Bertholdt off on top of the wall and descends on the other side, heading to the inner gate. Because I thought that by doing so, I could fulfill my mother's wish for the two of us to live happily with Father. But...a father figure wishes the same was nowhere to be found. I chased a dream that even Mother knew could not come true. I was never meant to be chosen as a warrior. Today should have been the day I died.
"Reiner… I'm sorry."
Why did he apologize...why did he bother saving me? I don't...want this to end. Not yet… I still don't understand a damn thing! Reiner charges through the inner gate, opening the path for the Pure Titans to escape into the land between Wall Maria and the distant Rose. As the dirt cloud spreads away from him as he slides to a stop, Reiner scans the area. Many people run away from the presence of the Armor Titan, but he finds one child, a boy, staring back at the roaring Titan.
"Where are we?" Annie says as she wakes up from her slumber. Days have passed since they broke the wall, and now the trio are living in a refugee camp within the middle wall.
"We're inside Wall Rose."
Reiner looks away from a group of four kids nearby to Annie and Bertholdt. "Bertholdt, Annie…" He wraps his arms around them, letting his guilt consume him. "I'm sorry… Marcel… I'll become...a true warrior, I promise."
"My village...used to be deep in the mountains of the southeast part of Wall Maria. Unlike the affluent villages along the river, we didn't receive word about the destruction of the wall immediately. Or at least...the Titans arrived before we received it. It happened at daybreak. The animals were awfully restless. Gradually, the ground began to tremble with sounds we'd never heard before. When I realized it was the sounds of footsteps, I quickly opened the window… I don't remember what happened after that, but somehow I got on a horse and got away. So only you three children had remained."
"I see," Reiner says as he and Bertholdt work together to clear a tree stump out the ground. "As we thought, that King Fritz is just a decoy. It's not just the old man, the whole family is a sham. They're all just puppets with no real power of their own. They're probably not even of the people of Ymir. The ones controlling the center of the wall are probably from another lineage of Eldians who buttered up to King Fritz a hundred years ago. It's because the power of the Founding Titan to alter memories won't work on them, so he lets them rule in exchange for their promise to keep the secret."
"So let's infiltrate them," Bertholdt says. "Surely they're connected with the real king somehow.
"How?" Annie questions. "Should we try and get employed as servants? Or should I try and get close to one of their men and get him to marry me?"
"No way we're doing that!"
"On second thought, it can't be done. They're not of the people of Ymir, so even though they're at the center of power, they won't let their bloodline become infected with our 'cursed blood'. And since the walls have been breached, they'll be wary of intruders and won't take in any new servants. Besides, I don't have the charm it takes to deduce a man anyway."
"That's not true!"
"Thanks."
"If that's the case," Reiner says before he listens to Bertholdt give Annie further praises, "we only have one way to get inside. Enlist as soldiers and get close to the Military Police."
Annie sighs. "I know you guys don't want to hear it from me, but getting this sliver of information took me two whole years."
"And in the meantime, we've been pulling out tree roots because only you can go to the capital and back."
"We have ten years left. You're saying we should spend those ten years playing soldiers?"
Reiner wipes the sweat off his head. Annie has a point, but that doesn't mean the idea is not their best chance to get results. "It's been two years since we broke the wall and the king of the wall still hasn't made his move. If the information we got from the Taybar family is true, the king of the wall is bound by his oath to renounce war."
"In that case, what are we waiting for? Let's finish this! Shouldn't we just destroy Wall Rose and Wall Sina and get it over with?"
"It's true that if we do that, the Founding Titan might show his face. But even if he cannot attack, he could use the Founding Titan's shout to stop and reverse everything. If that happens, we will have failed our sacred duties as warriors and we'll die along with the rest of the world. The fate of humanity rests in our hands. So, even if it takes time, we must move on with our mission. I've finally understood something." Reiner takes a deep breath and pushes the large stick in his hands, finally lifting the root from the ground. "This is...the reason we're here!"
"Another worthless, pathetic name! Why are you here?!"
"I've come to fight for humanity and to kill the Armored Titan!"
"His sleeping posture is incredible, as per usual. If he has his legs up like that, that means it'll snow today, right?"
Marco shakes his head at Connie's prediction. "Nah, this 'half body's posture means it will be nice weather."
"I'll go with hail." Reiner approaches the pair to wake Bertholdt, his lower half of the body up against the wall. "You guys are going to be late to the morning roll call." As the other boys move, Reiner shakes the sleeping giant. "Wake up, Bertholdt."
"Umm…"
"You're acting more menacing today than usual, Eren," Jean says from across the mess hall. "The training really dragged out yesterday because of you. It was pathetic how you kept getting tangled up in your wire and almost getting yourself killed."
"You're the pathetic one, practicing how to turn tail and run away if a Titan shows up, you horse-faced coward."
"Come on, first time you'll even try to oh so bravely attack a Titan you'll just get tangled to death in your wire. The Titans will get a good laugh out if that. That's how you'll sir, Eren."
Before the two can trade fists in place of words, Reiner steps between them. "Stop it you two! Do I have to tell you every time? You two have been going at it since morning!" As Reiner tries to hold them back, he catches sight of Annie. She looks deathly tired.
"While you two were playing around with your friends and sleeping your time away, I was crawling around the capital's sewers. That guy in the black coat is different from the others. He's some big shot for sure. He almost caught me. He might've seen my face. Even if I do manage to get into the Military Police he might be there. I can't risk it anymore."
"So that's it," Reiner says.
"Let's take the information we've gathered about this place so far and get back to Marley. It's been almost five years since we've come here. I'm sure they'll be satisfied with what we already have."
"Do you truly believe that? If we come back with so little after five whole years… Marley will surely be very disappointed."
"Then what? What else can we do?"
"Let's destroy Wall Rose," Reiner states as he stands up. " whether the King of the Walls swore to renounce war or not, there's probably no other way to smoke out the Founding Titan. While we're in the training corps in the Trost District, the Scouting Corps will be going on an expedition outside the walls. If we stir up some mayhem inside the walls, the training corps, us included, of course, will be deployed to help out in the situation, during that time, we get away somehow, nobody would think we're still alive even if they don't find our bodies. After that, we will just mix in with the great number of refugees that will crowd into the capital. We could stay as soldiers if the situation allows it if we see that we might make it to the top ten of the class, we could wait until we complete our training and join the Military Police. The point is to assume a position where we can easily make a move to counter the King of the Walls."
"Many of your friends will die, you know," Annie says, "if not all of them."
Reiner sits down, leaning his face close to Annie's. "I told you a million times, that bunch I'd not my friends. They're Eldian devils, not like us. But there's no harm in gaining their trust. Maybe this whole 'leave me alone' attitude is more candid, but…"
Annie scoffs. "Don't make me puke. Besides...could you...not put your face so close to mine please?"
Reiner sighs and moves back. "You must be tired. I'm sorry that we always burden you with all this responsibility. We should wrap this up for today."
As the trio stands up and moves towards the camp, Bertholdt speaks. "I keep...having this dream about the old man in the reclaimed land, hanging by the neck from a tree. I keep wondering why he would tell us that story before hanging himself…"
"Eren!" Reiner shouts as the younger boy rolls on the ground after another failed attempt at ODM maneuvering. Landing close by, he walks to check on the grounded boy. "You need some rest. At this rate, you'll get yourself killed."
"Fuck," Eren says in despair. "Reiner, no matter what I do I always end up like this. I want to...become like you, like Mikasa. How do I? If I keep going like this, I'll end up dead...just as Jean says. This is going to end with me achieving absolutely nothing."
"Just do what you have to do," Reiner advises, but is it for Eren, or for the boy who once wept beside a tree in similar despair? "Just keep moving forward. There's nothing else you can do."
"We'll execute the plan before the graduation ceremony. Let's do it."
"Eren… No way, you're…"
"Hey...Why...is Marco...getting eaten?"
Eren takes Reiner's hand and gets back on his feet. "Ahh. That's right..."
"We'll prove to them that we're real warriors. We'll do it tonight. Me and Annie will dispose of the two Titans that were captured before they could experiment on them."
"...I just need to keep going."
"Us kids...we didn't know anything."
"Let's go. I'm counting on you, partner."
"Leave it to me."
"You're going to eliminate the Titans until not a single one is left, right? I'm sure you can do it."
"I know as a Scout, survival among us is slim to none, but I know you'll look out for him as you did for me all those years ago. Just...make sure he comes home to his family...and his new little brother or sister. Oops, did I forget to mention that Lyra is...pregnant?"
"...Murderer."
"We only found out a few weeks ago and we are so happy that God is blessing us with another child. Though the doctor was a little surprised we were having another child."
"...Monster."
Present Day...
"Let me help you die, Reiner. Let me take it all away... Pull the trigger. Pull the trigger, Reiner. Shoot. Shoot!"
The sound of banging from outside disrupts Reiner from pulling the trigger. As the voice dies in his head, he listens to the woe of a kid outside the window. Pulling the barrel out of his mouth and dropping the gun, he stands up and looks outside. "Falco? That's right… I still...need to…"
Falco
Falco walks alone and down the streets of the Eldian ghetto within Liberio. Another day of training, another day of Gabi getting ahead.
"At this rate, I'll never succeed. Gabi will inherit the Armored Titan. If I keep going like this...Huh?" The boy looks up, seeing a large building to his right behind a brick wall. "The hospital..."Walking within the open gate he sees the wounded Eldian soldiers from the war. Seems they're being treated quite well...for Eldians.
"Hey." Falco turns around, seeing the familiar black-haired cripple who had his armband wrong the other day. "You're the one that helped me out the other day. Thanks."
"Ah." Falco walks over and sits next to him. "Umm...you seem to have recovered quite a bit. You can even have a conversation now."
"I guess. They have treatments to help with psychological trauma. But I was just faking it. I'm pretending that I can't go home because of memory impairment. But the truth is, I don't want to go home. I can't even look my family in the eyes right now. Are you going to snitch on me and tell the hospital staff?"
"No," Falco responds. "I wouldn't do something like that."
"You're hurt. Is that from training to become a Marleyan warrior?"
Falco sighs. "Yeah, but… I'll never be a warrior."
"Why?"
"One of the other candidates is much better than me. I don't think I'll be chosen."
"I see. That's great."
"What?"
"You're a nice kid. It makes me happy to think you'll get to live a long life."
Falco looks away from the man. "But… I… I don't want that candidate to become a warrior."
"And why...is that?.. That candidate that is doing better than you…is she a girl?"
"...She's famous here in Liberio. She did Marley a great service in the war. Everyone's saying she's the best fit to be the next Armored Titan. But I'm powerless. This is going to end...with me achieving absolutely nothing."
"...Every day I'm here, I think: 'Why did it ever come to this?' Damaged minds and bodies... Their freedom taken away... Even losing themselves. If people knew it would come to this, nobody would go to war. But most people are pushed by something, forced to march into hell. That 'something' wasn't their choice. Their situation or others made them do it. But people who push their own backs see a different kind of hell. They can see something beyond the hell. It might be hope. It may even be another hell. Only those who keep moving forward will ever know."