Attack on Titan 4x06 "The War Hammer Titan" reaction & review

I hear you, the plan isn't great but very true that we've seen Smith make a lot of similarly morally "ehhh" decisions in the past...!! That's an interesting theory about Eren, I hope it's true!!! Yes, the gear does look like what Kenny and co used!! That's fascinating about the music!! I'm so happy you enjoyed my reaction, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!!! ^_^

Melissa Moore

This episode was absolutely amazing. The start is so heartbreaking showing us a family about to lose a father and the tragic nature of that. The interaction between Willy and Magath is so interesting. The thing I love about Magath is that even if it’s not by a lot he does treat Eldian’s better and might think of them as people. This plan of theirs is messed up because even if the intention is good the amount of sacrifice is just not something that should ever be considered. It's much like the scene where Erwin reflects on all the soldiers he sacrificed for his dream. No matter how justified you may think you are that amount of sacrifice is never right. The intrigue of all the things they and by extension the audience doesn’t know is great. Then we get the idea of everyone being a devil which fits so well with the themes of the show. Also we get 1 of the most terrifying shots in the show of Eren with glowing eyes looking at the crowd with all over him. The savagery and brutality of everything that follows is so well done but so rough to see. And I think the death is just starting scary enough to say. I agree with you the Warhammer Titan is the coolest and most awesome Titan design wise and power wise. Also this may or may not have been deliberate but the Warhammer’s face resembles an executioners hood. Also the parallels between Gabi and Eren are becoming more and more apparent especially in this episode. It’s the whole idea of the cycle of violence. From the way the scouts came and are coming it seems pretty apparent that Eren on his own and his messages were probably just that he was going to do this and probably die without help just do what you think is right. Also he does not answer about what he’s done. This is just a theory but I am convinced Eren is doing this to somehow bring about peace especially because we don’t really have insight to why he’s doing this. The new gear and designs are so amazing it really shows how hardened everyone has become. I love that this gear is based on the stuff Kenny and his group used but improved with the wings of freedom symbol right above their hearts. It's both awesome and hilarious that Levi is basically wearing the old outfit and is still using swords. 100% he just refused to use any new stuff because it would weigh him down and is best with swords. Galliard’s last scene is so amazing for the reasons people said it just makes so much sense. Also something really interested about the music is that in addition to the composer Hiroyuki Sawano whose worked on the show from the beginning there’s another composer as well. And apparently the new guy does all the music that represents Marley while Hiroyuki does all the music for Paradis. It’s like the music is clashing with itself. Finally I almost forgot to mention but the weakness of the Warhammer Titan is only a weakness against other Titan shifters. I love how conflicted this show makes me it’s so well-written. This was a great reaction and I’m really looking forward to your reaction to the next episode. Keep up the great work. :-) <3

Supermonaman

Ahhhh yes I do feel like someone mentioned this!!!!!!! That's awesome!!!!!!!!! Thank you!

Melissa Moore

Not at all!!! I think it's totally understandable to root for Eren and co at this point because we have followed them as the main characters the entire series, as well as there being some honestly fair points about the situation they're in and how they're a bit limited on their options considering Marley (and the world's) view of them. I definitely feel in my own opinion that the lines get blurry when we get to know the kids of the world personally and we see Eren making an attack that kills civilians....but I still totally see your point!

Melissa Moore

I don't know if you have mentioned this Melissa if you did I missed it but I recently found out that the voice actor for Falco in Attack on Titan is also the voice actor for Tanjiro in Demon Slayer, so that's a cool connection :)

MagnusVD

It’s interesting how conflicted a lot of people are, am I just a bad person lol? I guess for me it comes down to who started the conflict. After Fritz ended the war, it could have been a fresh start for both sides. But it’s the Marleyans who decided to keep oppressing Eldians and not leave paradis alone. We know they were already planning to attack Paradis again, Willy was declaring war without even attempting diplomacy after all. You’d think if he was really worried about the rumbling that he would try to make peace instead of going straight to antagonizing Eren. So I see Eren’s attack as self defense. It’s true that he involved innocents, but he isn’t targeting them and this is his best opportunity to weaken Marley’s military which by extension helps protects the innocents on Paradis. Not to mention Marley’s goal has always been genocide. When Eren’s is just to live. Idk it’s just interesting to see how conflicted so many are when I’m not at all lol.

SubjectiveTruth

Very true that a lot of the point of this series is just imagining what ordinary people would do in awful situations!!! I've seen that mentioned here in the comments before too. It's tough to not want to pick a side, especially since we've been following Eren and crew since the beginning. I feel like my mind is just hard-wired to want to root for someone or something in a story and this show is just breaking that down in every way imaginable!!!! It's interesting, sad, eye-opening, and intriguing all at the same time. Thanks for your insights!!! I give you credit for realizing there's no way to ever really understand it without going through it.....which I would never wish on anyone!!!

Melissa Moore

Right!!! I think the point is there's lots of good and bad on both sides. Such a great point that Erwin made a lot of decisions that sacrificed innocents as well. And it's tough to imagine how you would heal the world of such strong and widespread hatred - and that's an excellent point that hate is the real villain here!!! "Cruel world" is such a strong theme of this series!!! I just hope that someone, anyone on this show learns from it in the end. Like you said, forgiveness could be the real "hero" here!!! And love and acceptance. I hope so!!!! I'd hate to see the show end on a sad note lol.

Melissa Moore

Oh dang!!!! That's a long time. I can imagine the hype!!!! And for sure, the timing for anime-only is not so bad in comparison haha!!!

Melissa Moore

Ahhh thank you! It definitely had a cool hero moment vibe, even if we know there's really no such thing as "heroes" on this show! >.< Such a great point that the justification to retaliate on either side is there and that's not necessarily the point, but rather breaking that cycle could be. I would love it if Gabi and Falco - who do have those strong parallels to Eren and Reiner like you said - could be the key to that!!! I really hope so!!!!

Melissa Moore

I totally see what you mean!!! It's an awful thing and there's certainly more than enough reason for Eren and co. to want to defend themselves....doesn't make the killing of innocents any easier, but good point that we have seen lots of that on both sides. I agree that it's okay to have love for characters on both sides and I think that's so much of the point, that both sides in any war have lots of awesome great people and also people who do terrible things for their cause. They are certainly not easy!!!! Thanks for your insights!!!

Melissa Moore

For sure!!! And so happy you like the ramblings lol!!! Isn't the War Hammer Titan awesome?! Good thinking making it as much of a surprise as possible!!! Can't wait for more!!!

Melissa Moore

Hahahahahaha omg I love that!!! I am proud to be Mikasa's Mikasa <3333333

Melissa Moore

Yes!! Good eye, and yes it is a Naruto kimono!!! I hear you, as grey as things are, I really don't want to lose Eren either!!! Hahah yes this has to be at least the third time he's almost been eaten! I'm telling you, that boy is made of pizza!!! Ahhh yes I can totally see what you mean about Death Note! I don't believe there were many missing besides Armin......and I hear you, just can't help but be happy to see them again, even if the circumstances are really iffy! OHHHH that was what the gear was, good call! Very true. It does seem much more adapted for the time period too! Right, someone mentioned that Galliard doesn't know about the happenings of Paradis and how people developed gear to fight Titans, etc.!!!

Melissa Moore

True!! It's a very overpowered Titan lol, very fun and interesting to watch though! Right!!! I forgot that, that Galliard has never been to Paradis. He'd have no concept of the maneuver gear and baddies like Levi and Hange who eat Titans for breakfast practically lol.

Melissa Moore

For sure! And yes, I noticed they mentioned her name there! Hahah not a Floch fan? It was weird to see him defending Eren but not surprising that he'd take a harsh black-and-white viewpoint here. That's a crazy cool ability, also good call on the hardening! Yes!!! The Naruto kimono, freshly painted side table, and a few additions!! ^_^

Melissa Moore

Oh the RWBY funko's made joined the fam! 🌹❄😺💪❤

Manny

I think that for anime only viewers; ignorance may be an accurate description, but hypocrisy doesn't always fit. Being that one of the main rules of storytelling is show don't tell, & given that the story of this worlds history changes depending on the story teller; it's understandable that people would side with the character they've spent the most time with. The audience, at least within the anime, never witnesses 2,000 years of Eldian's, oppressing the world. The audience certainly never sees Eren, oppressing people. Also, the anime has not told us that revenge is the motive for Eren's, attack. He seemed more pragmatic in his demeanor, whether his choice was wrong or not. I think that one of my own take aways from this story has always been, wondering what I would do in circumstances these characters find themselves in. I'm humble enough to realize that there is no way for me to know though, without being in their shoes:)

TheMoonKingdom

What I like about this show is that if you're going into it looking for a side to root for, or if you want a specific side of the war to come out on top, then IMO, you're watching the show wrong. There is no clear antagonist, just characters, doing their best in the terrible situation they were put in. I mean, we feel uncomfortable with the idea of Willy Tybur sacrificing those in his audience and his military and civilians just so they can get support from the world, but I can point to many points in the first 3 seasons where Erwin Smith had done very similar things. Hence the line, "we are all devils." I guess you could say that Marley is the antagonist, but even the people of Marley are all victims of their circumstances. From everywhere around the globe and in their own homes, they are inundated from day one that Eldians are the devils. It would be very tough for anyone to learn to treat Eldians better. I would put forth that the true antagonist is just hatred, because if they could all learn to forgive each other's atrocities they committed, then they could live together. But maybe that's impossible, maybe there is no antagonist, just conflict. And all of this was inevitable, and it's just a cruel world.

In the manga since we get 1 chapter at the start of each month, it took 7 months for Eren to officially show up in this in arc in the manga (besides his little background appearances as the amputee man). And it took a full year for Mikasa and the rest of the Survey Corps to show up again in the manga, so you can only imagine how hyped manga readers were seeing them again after a whole year going by without the main cast in the story. The 6 weeks you and the rest of the anime onlies waited doesn't seem so bad in comparison does it lol!

Doccyy

Don't worry about being hyped when seeing Eren and our original crew, you're totally expected to be excited and happy when seeing them again. What's important is to also understand the weight of their actions and why what they're doing isn't always right. People who blindly support Eren and the Survey Corps and think they're totally in the right and that everyone else in the story is just getting what they deserve have a very ignorant view of the series and ignore a lot of the main themes that the series is trying to blatantly point out to them. But you have that perfect balance of loving the main cast and being excited when you see them but not being completely biased towards them since you've also got a good grasp of the other side and what their motivations are. It's very hypocritical when you see people hate Marley and the world and think they're evil for getting revenge on Eldians after 2000 years of suffering under the Eldian Empire but then act like Eren is completely justified and in the right when he gets his revenge on the outside world after 100 years of suffering in the walls. The hypocrisy just flies straight over these peoples head. Neither side is right or justified to take revenge and both sides have committed atrocities which have lead to the current situation. Whether it be Leaders who sacrifice others for a greater cause like Willy and Erwin or soldiers who push forward and commit atrocities for their personal desires like Reiner and Eren. The only ones who will be reflected in a very positive light by the end of the series are the ones who try to break out of this endless cycle and work towards a better world which is hopefully what we might get from Gabi and Falco, the next generation since they both have very strong parallels to Eren and Reiner.

Doccyy

There are many people having a hard time accepting Eren's, attack. Even though like everyone else, I've grown to love Falco, Gabi etc.; I still see this as a war where Marley, has been attacking Paridis nonstop since the beginning of the story. Willy Tyber, declared war, Gabi, strongly desired to go to Paradis, & kill "devils", including children. I think that if we accept that this is a war, then we should realize that there is no war where children don't die. We can all agree that war is awful; that diplomacy is preferable. However, I don't see what other choices Eren, & crew had, given the state of affairs. How do you negotiate with people that see you as subhuman, & wish to exterminate you. Knowing everything he does; I think Eren, is willing to be hated to secure freedom & security for his people. “To surpass monsters, you must be willing to abandon your humanity.” If you think about it; imagine the amount of children & innocents that died for Erwin's, plan to capture the female titan. I think it's okay to still love Eren, as well as Gabi; it's okay to feel joy & compassion for all of these characters. The ethical dilemmas are not easy at all:)

TheMoonKingdom

What an episode! I enjoy your ramblings by the way as well as the thoughts you get during the OP lol. That War Hammer Titan is so sick! I tried to stay away from promotional material so seeing a character that was so new and powerful was such a freakin' treat lol. Let's keep going!

Rich

Also one random thought I have during the episode you are like Mikasa's Mikasa, just as she goes where Eren goes where Mikasa go you will go :)

MagnusVD

yeah I'm guessing the dress in the left corner for new item (the colors remind me of Naruto) yeah I know there is no right side in this war but I'll have to go with the characters we known for 3 seasons I can't lose Eren. Also is this the third time or what Eren almost got eaten? (as long as he survives I count it as him not being eaten) Also the episode gave me a tiny atmosphere of death note vibes when they knew what was going to happen and Tybur would die (it might also be due to I'm having watched some death note reactions recently) Yeah was fun to see all our characters again ^^ (except Armin I don't remember if anyone more was missing) Also I might be wrong abut this but does it look like Eren's side has upgraded to that People killing gear(at least a version of it) that the Military Police was using if so then it means their main target would be people. But I do like the upgraded gear and how it seems the have adapted to the current time period. And like others have said I like Galliard reaction that he can't even conceive of people attacking titans directly like that :)

MagnusVD

It seems like the War Hammer is kind of overpowered, considering she has automatic hardening, any weapon she wants, AND the remote piloting thing. In general though I agree with you that it's very hard to pick a side here. I think it's super interesting to see Galliard's reaction to the Scouts, because if you remember, he never went to Paradis. (If I'm not mistaken, he's the *only* Warrior that hasn't seen them) So even the thought that humans can fight a titan directly like this is inconceivable to him.

Damie♥

It was very cool to finally see the warhammer titan. She was actually only named in this episode. In the manga she is referred to as "Willy Tybur's sister" but the mid credit card called her "Lara" Also, screw you Floch, i hate you, you monster, i hate you i hate you, i hate you. Also, i hate you. The ability to use the titan "remotely" is something only the warhammer titan. She uses an umbilical cord to control the titan and uses crystal like annie to protect her main body. Keep in mind Eren cannot bite through that hardened crystal. Also i am going to guess rhe dress in the background?

Adam Stinnett

(Bonus points to anyone who can spot what's different in the background lol!!!)

Melissa Moore