Attack on Titan Episode 57: That Day

Grisha and Fay, two children, venture beyond the security gate of their neighborhood into a larger city. A man curses them as "devil-bloods" for being Eldians. Grisha distracts Fay by showing her where an airship is expected to land. As they watch, two men from Marley Public Security approach them, asking if they have exit permits. Grisha, knowing they do not, panics. He chooses a beating over labor to avoid implicating his parents and offers to take Fay's punishment as well. One of the officers, whose partner is named Kruger, tells Kruger to go easy on Grisha and offers to escort Fay home. He leads her away while Grisha is beaten.

After the beating, Kruger sits with Grisha by the river, smoking. He tells Grisha that he and Fay were smart to keep their armbands on, as Eldians without them would be sent to "paradise." Grisha attempts to leave, but Kruger tells him to stay and see the airship.

The next day, Fay's body is found in the river. The officer who escorted her tells Grisha's parents that he took her back to the Liberio Internment Zone and then left, claiming he was busy. He blames Fay's death on the children for entering the city without a permit and on their parents for not teaching them correctly. Grisha knows the man is lying. Grisha's mother is devastated, but his father thanks the officer and promises to do better with Grisha. Grisha begins to hate both men and curses his own foolishness.

Grisha's father tells him a story about Ymir Fritz, who 1820 years ago made a contract with the Devil of All Earth and obtained the Power of the Titans. Upon her death, her spirit split into the Nine Titans, which formed the Eldian Empire. They defeated Marley and ruled the continent, beginning a period where the Subjects of Ymir oppressed other races. However, Marley stole seven of the Nine Titans and won the Great Titan War eighty years ago. The Eldian King retreated to Paradis Island, where he built three Walls, taking many of his people with him. Grisha's ancestors were left on the continent and live there by Marley's grace.

Grisha sees his father as debasing himself and insists the Public Security man lied about Fay. He speculates that the officer himself took Fay. His father yells at him, trying to reinforce that their ancestors did horrible things, but Grisha argues that he and Fay did not. His father asks if Grisha wants to get all of them shipped off to "paradise." Grisha, shocked, sees his crying mother. His father admits that modern Eldians have done nothing wrong, but to those who have been victimized, Eldians are still devils. He tells Grisha they should be grateful Marley lets them live and begs him not to do anything that would cause his family to share Fay's fate. Grisha accepts this.

Grisha grows up and, at eighteen, takes over his father's clinic. He notices an odd scar on a patient named Grice, who calls it proof of being a patriot. Grice reveals he knows about Fay's death and tells Grisha that patriots have an informant in the government and there are things Grisha should hear.

From the patriots, Grisha learns that Fay was torn apart by dogs. He cries and vows revenge on Marley. He joins the resistance to correct the world and restore Eldia. Their informant, "the Owl," leads the Restorationists from the shadows, sending them old documents. These documents detail how Ymir cultivated the land and built roads, developing the continent rather than conquering it. The Restorationists see this as proof that Marley's history is a deception. Grisha's companion is impressed by Grisha's ability to read the ancient language, but Grisha admits he cannot understand most of it, stating he believes in Ymir.

A woman named Dina Fritz enters their hideout, introducing herself as a descendant of the royal family and the last one remaining on the continent. She provides the Restorationists with information about the Titans that only the royal family knew, including that the King took the Founding Titan into the Walls with him. Grisha tells the other Restorationists that if they can reclaim it, they can control all other Titans and annihilate Marley.

The next year, Grisha and Dina marry. The year after, they have a son, Zeke, whom Grisha declares will lead them to victory.

A few years later, Marley begins recruiting Subjects of Ymir for its Warriors, who will receive one of the seven Titans under Marley's control. The families of those chosen would become Honorary Marleyans. According to the Owl, Marley is preparing for a resource struggle as technology advances and the dominance of the Titans wanes. There is a large cache of fossil fuel beneath Paradis Island, which Marley can no longer ignore, despite the Eldian King's warning that he would send millions of Titans within the Walls to flatten the earth if his island was interfered with.

Grisha is bothered that Marley now shares their goal: to infiltrate the Walls and capture the Founding Titan. The Restorationists are disheartened, but Grisha proposes a solution: he will have Zeke become a Warrior. Grisha and Dina drill Eldian history into Zeke so he will know his people's true heritage while hiding it from Marley and following their orders. Grisha later reflects that he was doing to his son what his own father had done to him, wondering if he ever saw Zeke as simply his son, rather than the hope of Eldia or a child of royal blood.

Zeke turns in Grisha and Dina to Marley Public Security to protect himself and his grandparents. Grisha is tortured for the Owl's identity. He claims he told them everything, but they do not believe him and cut off his fingers.

Later, Grisha is taken to a wall by the ocean. His blindfold is removed, and he sees a desert inland, realizing this is "paradise." The man behind him confirms it is Paradis Island, a penal colony for Eldian traitors, where Grisha will serve a life sentence as a Pure Titan. Grisha recognizes the man as the officer who beat him by the river when he was a child. Kruger seems surprised Grisha remembers, but Grisha finds it unbelievable he could forget. Behind him, Grice is led sobbing by another officer. Grice calls out to Grisha, asking why Zeke betrayed them, and calls himself an idiot for trusting Grisha, the Restorationists, and Dina.

Sergeant Major Gross finds Grice's breakdown lively and kicks him off the wall. He tells Grice to run north, hoping he will reach the Wall. Gross explains to a new subordinate that letting Grice run will make the newly formed Titans chase him and leave the area. As he speaks, Grisha recognizes Gross as the man who killed his sister. Gross orders his men to hurry, as they have many prisoners. The security officers begin injecting their captives. The Restorationists are kicked off the wall, turn into Titans, and chase Grice. Grisha shouts in horror. Gross tells Kruger that Grisha is too noisy, but Kruger says he wants to interrogate Grisha further.

To Grisha's horror, Dina is led out onto the wall. He says she should not be there, as he told them about her royal heritage. Kruger tackles Grisha to the ground, ordering him to shut up. Grisha realizes Kruger is trying to cover up Dina's heritage. Dina tries to comfort Grisha, assuring him that no matter what form she takes, she will find him. When she falls from the wall, she transforms into a familiar Titan.

In the present, Eren Jaeger wakes up screaming, realizing Dina became the smiling Titan who ate his mother and Hannes. Confused, he looks around his cell. Armin Arlelt informs him that he and Mikasa Ackermann are in the stockades for insubordination. In the next cell, Mikasa asks if he had a nightmare. Eren admits he did, feeling like he woke from the longest dream, but it was not a dream; he was connected to his father's memories. Eren cries, as Grisha had, as Dina joined the other Titans chasing Grice.

In the past, Gross taunts Grisha about Dina leaving him. Grisha tells him to shut up and confronts Gross about killing Fay fifteen years ago. Annoyed, Gross stops the officer escorting the last prisoner, and most of his men return to their ship, not wanting to see Gross's idea of fun. Gross says if Kruger is done with Grisha, he wants to make him dance. He decides not to turn Grisha into a Titan but to have him fight the other prisoner, whom Gross will turn into a small 3- or 4-meter Titan.

Numb, Grisha asks if Gross enjoys watching people get eaten by Titans. As he prepares the injection for the last prisoner, Gross explains that he sees it as a lesson in times of peace, so people do not lose touch with life and death and are ready for their own death. He claims it was educational to have Fay eaten by his sons' dogs. Gross states he understands Grisha's point of view, but Grisha and his sister are Eldians. He points to the newly formed Titan from the last prisoner, saying that is the true form of Eldians: a gigantic monster. Gross is unbothered by his actions, believing Eldians should be wiped out as they are murderers. He asks Grisha what the Restorationists would have done to Marley and if Grisha feels remorse. Grisha does not react, recalling everything he learned about Eldian history through the Restorationists. Gross tells him he can share it with the Titan below and tries to push him over the edge.

Before Gross can succeed, Kruger intervenes, shoving Gross off the wall, where he lands next to the Titan he created. Kruger asks Grisha if he finds it interesting to watch Gross get devoured, then reveals he is the Owl. He tells Grisha to watch closely to see how one of the Nine uses their power. Kruger cuts his hand and transforms into a Titan, which then breaks the Marleyan ship over its back.