The third episode of Attack of the Giants 4 is available on VVVVID and Prime Video and shows the past of Reiner Braun and other characters. What were the events that marked the Marleyan's existence, from gaining power as the armored giant to infiltrating Paradise? and what does the third episode tell us? So that we understand each other.
The third episode focuses mainly on the past of the five heirs of the shapeshifters: Reiner Braun, Marcel Galliard, Annie Leonheart, Bertholdt Hoover and Pieck Finger shows the infiltration of Paradise and the destruction of the Wall Maria from the perspective of the antagonists. If you want to know the reasons behind Marley's attack, we recommend you take a look at our brief recap of Attack of the Giants 4.
In particular, however The episode shows Reiner Braun's catastrophic psychological conditionHe told of the events that led to his psychotic breakdown and led to suicide.
The first scenes of the episode show that Reiner has been exploited by his mother since childhoodwith the aim of gaining honorary Marleyan status. Karina Braun, Reiner's mother is called, knows that her father doesn't want anything to do with the boy anymore, but tells him nothing, to give him a purpose and to sweep away the identity of the Eldians so much. Reiner will find out the truth by speaking to his father after managing to gain the power of the armored giant.
After leaving the ship, Reiner realizes the situation, but continues to consider himself a "hero" and aims to kill the demons of Paradise in order to repay Marley's trust. His new purpose in life is destroyed shortly afterwardswhen Marcel Galliard reveals to him that he deliberately sabotaged his brother in order to prevent him from gaining the power of the giant to save him from war. Reiner then receives final confirmation from Galliard: he was the worst of the six candidates and he only got his power thanks to a lie.
The next morning, Reiner is saved by Marcel himself at the last momentwho will be eaten in his place by Ymir. After his escape, Reiner is practically scared and is accompanied by Annie Leonheart, who beats him to exhaustion and increases his feelings of guilt enormously. At this point, Reiner has no choice but to give up his own identityand begins to behave like Marcel Galliard, taking on the role of guide and slowly developing a dissociative disorder that leads him to show increasingly clear signs of bipolarism.
After five years in the company of Eren, Armin, Mikasa and the other "demons of paradise" Reiner is beginning to understand that his enemies are really just peopleand that his mission to save the world is a farce. As a result, his psychological state reveals his identity as a giant, and his choices lead to the death of his best friend Bertholdt Hoover and the loss of another shapeshifter giant. After his escape from paradise, Reiner continues to feel guiltyand eventually falls into a deeply depressed state due to survivor syndrome.
The only moments of joy left are those when he remembers his past in the Scouting Army, and the second episode of the season makes this clear over dinner with his mother and Gabi. After telling Sasha's story Reiner has to cover his mouth to hide his smileand confuses Gabi and her mother on a killing spree. The only way out for Reiner therefore seems to be suicide, however Just before he pulls the trigger, he hears Falco's words, another boy who follows his own path and sees himself in again and decides to set himself the goal of saving him.
Is everything clear now? And what do you think, Reiner Braun? Let us know in the comments!
