This review on Shingeki no kyojin: The last season contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the chapter we recommend that you do it and then go back to read the review.
Chapter 3: The Door of Hope
The woman who hates demons evangelizes the little one to share the hatred. Years later, the little boy becomes a Reiner child, who is a candidate to inherit some power that puts him on a par with Marley and bravely deludes himself into being a coward. His choice is not intended, Marcel confesses to him in the middle of a mission, that he influenced his brother Porco not to be elected, to be punished for such a lie and Reiner chooses to be the new leader of his weakness. The plans were made for him without being entirely effective and returning to the present. A wounded Eldian speaks to Falco and gives a revolutionary and hopeful opinion: They are taking away their freedom.
Chapter Opinion
It is no longer important to say whether the chapter was good or bad because they are all good and if there is a bad it is said why. So if I go the other way, I don’t know if this chapter is necessary. We have already seen some things that we know, but some are only revealed from Reiner’s more personal point of view. The most interesting thing is the “relationship” Annie apparently has with Kenny because she calls him father. This seems a bit mysterious to me, the rest is more or less what we already knew or assumed and is just being revealed. Why do I ask if this chapter is necessary? For this very reason, we already know that some of these revelations may be embedded in other moments. More than anything, I say it because of the number of chapters that are out, that they stay short and we don’t reach the total climax that scares me.
The past of a weak person
As such, the chapter was an examination of Reiner’s psychology that could have worked a little better because suicide is understood closely, but not fully. In short, it seems that Reiner was suggested by his mother to hate his own ethnic group, consider himself a monster, and fight the monster that is himself, her, and the rest of the Eldians. This better explains his current condition and personality disorder. However, it turns out that Reiner was the weakest of his generation of heirs, was beaten and humiliated, even Bertholdt was viewed better and even a child prodigy. This past and childhood shaped him.
The choice of the weak
We know Reiner is the heir to the Armored Titan, only that this was given not out of appreciation but because of someone else’s cowardice and protection. He got his recognition at the expense of his pride and got worse when his “father” so outrageously denied that someone from Marley shouldn’t get together like this. There is a dichotomy by Reiner, who has both, but feels rejected on both sides. That choice which he believed would fit in both sectors and the shot failed, only he recognized himself and no one congratulated him on his “strength” which was zero until he made up his mind.
The strength of the weak
Reiner’s only strength is his progress, it is to stand still despite the blows and not to give up regardless of the difficulty. What he recommended to Eren, how expensive it will be in the future. Reiner identified with Eren, weak beings who wanted to achieve greatness. There he advised his piety, his own weakness came out, because what he hates in him, he abhors in others too.
The only inconsistent thing I see is that there wasn’t an internal conflict that we saw last season. In the past seen in the chapter it seems to have been very clear to Reiner and that he never suffered a dichotomy that had already been established. Although he is the memories of Reiner himself, he believes it was very clear to him. However, those memories almost sent him to San Pedro.
A common past
The past belonged not only to Reiner, but also to those who are no longer with him: Annie, Bertholdt and Marcel. This is where the revelations take place, with Annie being the hardest hit, looking for information and finding danger the most. Incredibly, the best qualified was the one who wanted to retire and the weakest was the one who wanted to keep going (because there were none left). And the throwaway son was the only survivor and he became an important element. His companions were his friends and his strength, without them what can he do? Only death. That remains? Move forward and the future that will lead to your death.
The wanderer in search of an Eldian
I think some of us know who this long haired patient is, but I’m not going to say it to be in line with the anime. This Eldian, no matter how crazy he may be, is the most sensible in this prison, both for his actions and for his words: he pretends to be crazy so as not to be mistreated because he knows that she has no freedom to have. He understands that it is others who lead them to this mental delusion, and he understands that his freedom is denied by the others who submit them. But his last words fit Reiners, they are his reflection. Pushing yourself can lead to heaven or hell. You won’t know which one it is until you continue.
As I said, a very psychological, exploratory chapter, very good. I hope what you see is not unnecessary. The next chapter seems to move the plot further, and the identity of this long-haired secret will be known.
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