Attack on Titan returned right on the heels of one of the most interesting plot twists so far: the discovery of Ymir being a titan.  Here are my thoughts on episode 5 of the second season named Historia.

The last episode of Attack on Titan the rookies in the tower were in dire straits with the brutal death of the seasoned soldiers who had their gear.  With no ODM gear and surrounded by titans, the fate of the rookies (Connie, Krista, Ymir, Reiner and Bertholdt)  was not looking good.  The last episode ended with Ymir jumping off the top of the tower with only a knife in hand, and we saw her transform into a titan.  Before she jumps, she makes Krista promise to remember the promise they made years before.

This episode opens with a flashback to an event in their training days.  It takes place in the middle of winter and the rookies are on some sort of trek and campout in what looks like a snowstorm.  Most of the rookies, dressed in snow gear, are at a base camp, but Reiner frantically informs everyone that Krista and Ymir are missing and are not back yet.  If they do not return soon, the snow storm and freezing temperatures may get the better of them. In  fact, the rest of the rookies are ordered to stay inside.  The seasoned soldiers will send a search party in the morning, but, as Eren quickly points out, it will be too late for Krista and Ymir.  Eren is determined to go after them, but is not allowed to go.

We then flash to Krista and Ymir.  Krista is trekking through the snow pulling along a stretcher with an incapacitated Daz on it.  Ymir is beside her, but is not helping her with the stretcher.  She even suggests that Krista leave Daz and save herself.  At this point, Krista stubborningly refuses and keeps trudging on.  We as viewers think that this is just Krista’s selfless nature, but Ymir suggests that Krista’s actions are spurred by much darker reasons.  Ymir suggests that Krista is doing this as a way to commit suicide and die a heroe’s death.  This death though will also lead to the death of Daz.  Krista vehemently denies this, but there seems to be some truth behind what Ymir is saying judging by the way Krista reacts.

Ymir goes on to tell her story.  She says that she used to “borrow” things from the church and one day, while she  was “borrowing”, she overheard a conversation between two high ranking members of the church.  They were talking about an illegitimate child, a girl, born to a noble family.  Since illegitimate children of certain noble families would never inherit, this girl was going to be killed, but they decided to allow her to live if she changed her name (thus renouncing her real name) and disappeared.  The girl changed her name and was forced to live with the common folk until she joined the cadet corp.  The girl was none other than Krista.

Krista is shocked to hear this story as she thought no one knew her story.  She also asks Ymir why she joined the Cadet regiment, and if she did it for Krista.  Ymir brings up an interesting point.  She says that she saw their fate as being similar which makes fans wonder about Ymir’s back story is.  One big difference between the two is that Ymir will not change her name no matter who threatens her, and she would never give up and try to kill herself as she sees Krista as doing.  She brings up a valid point: every day that she is alive is a way for her to get revenge on those who wronged her.  She tells Krista that she needs to do the same.

Krista seems inspired by the speech, but reminds Ymir that in their current situation, it doesn’t look good. The chances that they will reach the base camp and get out of the snow storm.  Ymir brings Krista to the edge of the cliff and points down.  At the bottom of the massive cliff is the base camp.  They are closer than she thought they were, but, with the stretcher, getting to the bottom was not going to be easy especially if they want to keep Daz alive.  Ymir suggests throwing the stretcher off the edge of the cliff and hope for the best for Daz.  Daz at least had a chance that way, but Krista will not let her do this as she knows that it could easily kill their fallen comrade.

Ymir then abruptly picks Krista up, walks a little into the forest and throws her down a hill.  Krista hits a tree and is covered with snow.  Fans are shocked by this treatment of the kind hearted Krista until they see the yellow flash that we as fans have come to know as the flash of a person turning into a titan.  Krista sees none of this transformation.  By the time she gets back up the hill, Ymir and Daz are gone.  We all know what happened, but Krista is puzzled.

Back at the base camp, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin are gearing up to go against orders and go out to find Krista.  Bertholdt, Reiner, Connie, Sasha and Marco are also going to go with them.  They all hear the blast of Ymir’s transformation in the cabin, and run out.

The scene switches back to Krista who comes back alone to the base camp to find Ymir waiting outside in the snow for her. Inside the cabin, Daz is fine and well.  Krista is perplexed by how Ymir accomplished what seemed impossible.  Ymir hints that one day she will tell Krista her secret, but not that day.  She makes Krista promise that the day she reveals her secret to everyone that Krista will reclaim her real name and live a life she is proud of.

The flashback ends and we are thrust into the current situation with Ymir jumping into the horde of titans and transforming into a titan.  Krista and the others watch in shock at this new development.  Ymir’s titan is small and fast and she fiercely attacks all the titans.  She quickly rips out the nape of their necks.

On the tower, Reiner and Bertholdt stare in disbelief and anger as Reiner recognizes Ymir’s titan as the titan that ate his friend which we saw in his flashback.  The tower starts to fall and Krista, who is too close to the edge, almost falls off until she is saved by Reiner.  Reiner is so angry though that he is unaware that his grip is too hard on Krista.  We see his distress.

The fight with Ymir and the other titans takes a turn for the worst for Ymir, who is starting to become overwhelmed by the titans.  It seems that Ymir does not want to damage the tower anymore as it will put Krista and the rest of the rookies in danger.  Krista tells her to not die or give up and tear down the tower.  Ymir does just that and gets her second wind.  She starts ripping out blocks and throwing them on the titans.

The shaky tower starts to fall on the titans.  Ymir jumps on the falling tower and tells them to jump onto her and she will save them.  The rookies jump onto her hair as they ride the falling tower down.  Unfortunately, the tower does not kill the titans.  They quickly recover.  Ymir jumps into action again to fight off the titans.  The titans dogpile her and start ripping her apart, but Ymir does not fight back.  She seems content to die until she hears Krista yelling out that she has yet to know her real name.

Krista, despite her lack of gear, runs towards the titans and her fallen friend.  In one horrifying moment, a titan starts to come after her.

When it looks like the titan is about to get Krista, we see Mikasa fly in and kill the titan.  The reinforcements have finally arrived and the scout regiment make short work of the titans there.  Even Eren gets his first kill without being in his titan form.

Once the dust settles, it soon becomes clear to the other members of the scout regiment of Ymir’s secret.  Ymir seems to be on death’s door as she is missing a leg, an arm, and her stomach is ripped out.  The episode ends with Krista telling Ymir that her real name is Historia.

This was such a dynamic episode.  It was dramatic and it gave such good insight into the back stories of two characters that have seemed, until now, as secondary side characters.  Having read the manga, I do know how important Krista or Historia really is to the grand scheme of things, but I won’t go into any further detail.  I also loved the action and reactions of both Reiner and Bertholdt when it is revealed that Ymir is the titan who killed their friend.  I also loved the end scene with the reinforcements swooping in to save the day, and how it ended with Krista revealing her real name.  Overall, I really liked this episode and can not wait for the next.