Attack on Titan Episode 68: Brave Volunteers

Three years ago, a Marleyan ship approaches Paradis Island and sends a team ashore. After two hours without contact, the captain prepares to send more teams, but the Attack Titan lifts his ship into the air and carries it to shore. Hange Zoë welcomes the Marleyan soldiers, stating they are already friends with one of the earlier landing party members.

A Marleyan soldier named Nicolo is terrified and shouts for his captain to shoot. The Marleyan captain prepares to shoot Hange, but a woman named Yelena shoots the captain first. Half of the Marleyan crew turns against the others, preventing them from interfering, and Yelena accepts Hange's invitation.

Outside a tent, other Scouts are distrustful of Yelena and her motivations. Armin Arlelt is hopeful, believing Yelena's willingness to share information is fortunate. Eren Jaeger agrees they are lucky, as they stopped this landing by chance.

Inside the tent, Hange examines a pistol while Yelena briefs them on the size and scope of the Marleyan military, including its aerial capabilities. Hange, surprised by the aerial threat, asks why Marley took so long to return. Yelena explains that the Pure Titans previously unleashed would have hindered a land assault and that Marley is currently at war with multiple countries. She is impressed that the people of Paradis have seemingly rid themselves of all Titans surrounding their Walls. She adds that because they captured the Colossal and Female Titans, Marley's enemies noticed and declared war.

Hange guesses that Yelena and a man named Onyankopon are secret agents from conquered nations who infiltrated the Marleyan army. Yelena corrects them, stating they were forced into Marley's military. She says they were close to losing hope when they met a man named Zeke Jaeger, describing the moment like meeting a god. Under his command, they shot their superiors. They call themselves the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers and aim to free the Eldian people.

Back inside the Walls, Hange formally reports Zeke's request to Historia Reiss and the military. There is immediate resistance due to Zeke's past as a Warrior. Hange continues, relaying the requirements of Zeke's plan to save Eldians: the Founding Titan and a Titan of royal blood. Zeke will only reveal the plan itself if his conditions are met.

Eren believes Zeke is telling the truth because the only time he could use the Founding Titan's power was when he touched a Titan of royal blood, a woman named Dina Fritz. Eren deduces that Zeke must have figured out this is a way to work around the vow renouncing war, and with that power, they could wake the millions of Titans sleeping within the Walls.

Levi asks Eren why he did not share this information sooner. Eren replies he was protecting Historia and did not want to risk her being turned into a Titan based on a hunch. He apologizes for the omission, and Levi agrees to discuss it later. Hange realizes that if Eren's statement is true, then Zeke's plan is viable. The military is against housing Marleyan soldiers on the island, but Hange argues they need the Volunteers to protect Paradis.

Later, the Volunteers use their wireless radio to lure incoming Marleyan ships into a trap. Armin's Colossal Titan destroys the ships, and the Scouts capture the surviving soldiers who jump and swim to safety.

The Scouts learn that their world is more complex, with enemies across the sea but also allies. Among their discoveries is seafood, prepared by Nicolo, whom Yelena describes as a master of Marleyan cooking. A woman named Sasha Braus devours multiple lobsters and calls Nicolo a "food genius," surprising him.

As Eren practices shooting with a rifle, Armin informs him that the port is almost complete, thanks to the Marleyan engineers. Armin notes that while trust was difficult initially, he is encouraged that, given time, both sides can see each other as people and understand one another. Eren asks if Armin can see the memories of a man named Bertholdt Hoover. Armin admits he can, but has not seen anything helpful. Zeke has less than three years left, and Eren is concerned about their dwindling time. Armin agrees and asks if threatening to use the Rumbling is the only way to protect Eldians, as it would make them the devils the world already perceives them to be. He would prefer to talk first to clear up misconceptions.

Eren, however, does not see any misconceptions, believing the world is not wrong for seeing them as monsters who can turn into Titans. A woman named Mikasa Ackermann says that some Marleyans like them and suggests that with time, there could be more. Eren agrees, but to buy that time, they need to keep the world at bay.

In the present, ruminating over the loss of Sasha, Armin wonders if there could have been another way. He thought he understood Eren but no longer does. At Sasha's grave, Jean Kirschtein and Conny Springer stop a Military Police member from beating Nicolo and ask if he is okay. Nicolo is distraught by Sasha's death, and the two, along with Mikasa, explain what happened. Jean apologizes for letting his guard down. Nicolo wonders why he should care, as all he did for her was cook food. Conny comforts him, thanking him for letting Sasha eat such wonderful food.

Their gathering is interrupted by the arrival of Sasha's family, who have also come to grieve. Nicolo introduces himself to Sasha's father, telling him how much Sasha loved his food, and invites her family to dine at his workplace, on the house. Her father agrees.

Elsewhere, Zeke and Levi ride a carriage through town. Zeke notices the press is calling their recent battle a victory and calls ignorance a scary thing. He asks about meeting Eren. Levi tells him not to be in a hurry and that they have a fine hotel for him. In Dot Pyxis's office, Yelena has laid out all the Titan serum the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers stole from Marley, stating Paradis will have trouble reproducing it. Pyxis believes it is enough for them to manage. He wishes he could properly thank them, but with Zeke present, he needs to keep him on a short leash and has the Volunteers detained.

Zeke's "hotel" turns out to be a forest of giant trees, devoid of boulders he could use in his Titan form and helpful for omni-directional mobility gear. Zeke asks if he can show a girl named Gabi and a boy named Falco this natural wonder. Levi responds that whether they see the sights depends on him. Meanwhile, while she and Falco are detained in a cell, Gabi vows to kill Eren with a hateful expression, biting her right thumb.

At this time, Armin concludes that whether they helped Eren or not, the worst would have happened regardless. Still, they killed many people, including civilians, but without destroying the port in Liberio, Marley would have retaliated. Because of their actions, there is no longer any hope for peace, but they had no choice. Armin compares it to what it must have been like for a woman named Annie Leonhart as he speaks to her in her crystal.

In his cell, Eren tells himself that the only way to win is to fight.