Released this week, episode 80 of Attack on Titan premiered titled ‘From You, 2000 Years Ago.’ We resume seeing Grisha Jaeger’s memories where he eliminates the Reiss family and takes the Founding Titan’s power. Grisha hugs Zeke and begs him to stop Eren. The memory snaps Zeke back unto the Paths, where he asks Eren about his responsibility in showing their father specific memories enact his plan. At first, Zeke is assured that Eren won’t win as Ymir only responds to royal blood. Eren grows desperate and rips off his thumbs to free himself from the chains and runs towards Ymir. We then go into a memory at first showing Historia and Frieda Reiss. They talk about a young girl that Frieda reads to Historia as she asks her if she’d like to be like her. A long time ago, Ymir was a young girl living in a village that became pillaged by a stronger tribe. The survivors are enslaved as well as their tongues cut off. Ymir is one day accused of stealing a pig for herself and sentenced to death. As she runs off being hunted, she encounters a strange tree and falls deep within its roots. A strange caterpillar-like being make contact with Ymir, transforming her into a titan. Ymir overtime works for King Fritz acting as the winning piece in several battles as Marley conquers tribe after tribe. She also bears three children (Maria, Rose and Sina) as Ymir desires to be loved. One day, a surrendering soldier attempts to kill King Fritz but Ymir takes the hit. King Fritz is unfazed by her sacrifice as he knows she can survive, however she decides to finally let go of living. Fritz then orders his children to eat her in order to somehow continue her power. As he dies of old age, he tells his children to bear as many descendants as possible to keep Eldia in power forever. We then see young Ymir in the Paths build an endless amount of titans with sand in an eternity. The memory ends as Eren hugs Ymir and tells her if she was the one that called to him all those years. That he knows that she desires to be loved and is a person with a choice not a slave. Her bare expressionless face turns human with Ymir tearing up. Soon after in the real world, the colossal titans within the walls awaken. Shattering the walls and we see Eren’s head connect back to his body by the same being that connected to Ymir all those years ago. Eren uses the power of Ymir to talk telepathically to all Subjects of Ymir explaining his reason for what he plans to do. To have Eldians continue living and for Eren to use the Rumbling to eliminate ‘their’ enemies from afar. Mikasa and Armin are utterly confused during this as well as horrified of what is to come.
‘From You, 2000 Years Ago’ brought us lore of the past explaining the history of the titans from its inception. Starting with Ymir, a figure that has been revered throughout the series with characters taking names after her. Her tragic tale of wanting to be loved, free and only to be used by an absolute monster. Having been granted with a power that if she could’ve used for herself instead of King Fritz. Eren understands her and believes strongly in his fight that he manages to convince her to help him. She literally sent cries of help throughout history and for her being all of eternity. That’s grueling but Eren has arrived and now has the power from Ymir. Thus ignoring Zeke’s supposed royal blood that is absolute. Now with Eren having unleashed the Rumbling as well as transforming into an absolute demon in the last shot of the episode. What the heck is going to happen? We saw numerous amounts of Eldians in the Paths as Eren talked to them, the ones living in Paradis and abroad. Will they accept Eren’s cause and let it happen? However, Mikasa and Armin sure didn’t see that happy about it and probably will see if they can talk Eren out of it.
It earns a 4 out of 5.
Leave a Reply