The first part of “Attack on Titan’s” final season came to a mid-season close on March 28, and fans are still reeling from the heart-pounding anime’s cliffhanger. 

Every so often, an anime will come along and leave its mark on the industry – “Attack on Titan” has been doing just that since its first season aired. Fans of “Attack on Titan” have spent the past seven years alongside characters like Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert and many others in their fight for humanity’s survival.  

Season 4 has set “Attack on Titan” apart from a lot of other anime because it recontextualizes the main plot of the show. With the original focus on the series being the fight for humanity’s survival against giant man-eating humanoid creatures known as Titans, it may have come as a shock at the end of season 3 that the fight for humanity’s survival shifted to being between the Eldians – a race of people that include the main characters of the series – and the Marleyans, their oppressors.   

The final season of “Attack on Titan” has been produced by Mappa Studios, and this change has allowed the show to push the limits of other anime that have come before it by combining stunning visuals with compelling storylines. The show expertly plays with the viewers’ perception of who they should root for by showing just how negatively war can affect the world and by showing Eren Jaeger’s descent into what might make him anime’s most complex villain rather than a hero. The series has reached a point where it’s nearly impossible to trust anyone – even your favorite characters. 

The last five minutes concluding part one has set up an excellent framework for the grueling battle that’s yet to come between the Eldians and the Marleyans. One thing is for sure in the finale: reconciliation for these characters has reached the point of impossibility and it seems like the only way the series can be resolved is if everyone loses their lives. The finale of the first part of the final season was a bleak endpoint and the stakes are so high that even the main characters are questioning every single one of their actions. 

Luckily for those who cannot get enough of the series, the manga is nearing completion and all of your burning questions can be answered within those pages. 

Unfortunately for fans who prefer to watch the series rather than read it, the final episode of season 4 has provided no resolution. In fact, the season ended with more loose ends than one could count, and fans will have to wait until this winter to see the conclusion of the heart-wrenching series.