Attack on Titan Episode 81: Thaw

As the Walls crumble, revealing the Wall Titans, Eren Jaeger uses the power of the Founding Titan to speak to all Subjects of Ymir. He declares his intention to use the Titans to trample all life in the outside world to protect the people of Paradis Island.

In Liberio, Eldians regain their senses after hearing Eren's words. Annie's father realizes that the Titans are coming to kill them all.

Back in Shiganshina District, an injured Reiner Braun limps after Gabi, who is searching for Falco Grice amidst the rubble. Reiner believes Falco is unconscious and without memories of recent events due to his transformation into a Titan. He tells Gabi that Falco was carried away, likely by Jean Kirschtein and Conny Springer, because of his value as someone who can transform into a Titan. As Reiner falls to his knees from his wounds, he explains to Gabi that his armor was undone when the Walls fell, and a chunk landed on him. Reiner laments his inability to stop Eren from destroying the world. The two take refuge in a house, and Reiner tells Gabi to go to the Marleyan airships in the south to escape and warn the world. Gabi questions the point, as they would have nowhere to run. She worries about their family and insists they must stop Eren, but Reiner has given up hope. Gabi, however, refuses to abandon hope and decides to start by finding Falco.

On a rooftop outside, Jean and Conny meet with Mikasa Ackermann and Armin Arlelt, who have Falco with them. Jean, though uncomfortable with Eren's actions, tries to rationalize them by suggesting the outside world provoked them. Armin feels this is going too far, but Jean points out how Eren has acted in their favor, from protecting them from Zeke's euthanasia plan to refusing to sacrifice Historia Reiss for the Founding Titan's power. He concludes that the Eldians on the island are the only group who will benefit from the mass genocide.

Sounds of battle interrupt their conversation, and they notice that the Titans Zeke transformed from former soldiers are fighting their own military. Armin is surprised, as Eren should be able to control all Titans with the Founder's power. Jean wants to help and suggests they could feed Falco to a soldier to bring someone back, as Falco likely holds the Jaw Titan. He begins to suggest Dot Pyxis, but Conny interrupts, stating they should save his mother, who is still in Ragako.

Armin argues against this, reminding them that Falco is like a little brother to the Warriors. Killing him would invite more conflict, and there would be no point in fighting them after Marley is destroyed. Conny takes offense, implying Armin doesn't care about his mother, and reminds Armin that he is alive only because he ate Bertholdt Hoover. Before they can resolve their argument, a Titan arrives. Conny uses the opportunity to escape with Falco, leaving the others to handle the oncoming Titans.

Inside the military fort, the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers panic as Titans climb the walls. Onyankopon tries to get Yelena away from the window, but she watches the Titans with interest, noting that despite being created by Zeke Jaeger, they don't appear to be controlled by him.

Outside, the Braus family and Nicolo flee from one of the newly created Titans. Most turn into a narrow alley, but Kaya, looking back, misses the turn and trips through an opening in a wooden gate, falling down stairs. The Titan crashes through the gate towards her, and she has flashbacks of her mother being eaten. She calls out for her big sis to save her when a shot from an anti-Titan rifle tears through the Titan's neck.

Gabi picks herself up and shouts for Kaya to get up as she charges at the still-living Titan. She jams the rifle barrel down the Titan's throat and fires, blowing off its head. Lisa Braus comforts Kaya as Nicolo marvels that Gabi hasn't left. Gabi tells him she is looking for Falco.

Just then, Scout Regiment soldiers find them and speculate that Gabi is the escaped Marleyan captive because she holds the anti-Titan rifle. Kaya, resolute, defends Gabi, saying she is not, and that they are a family who runs stables. Nicolo takes the rifle and claims he killed the Titan, stating that as a former Marleyan prisoner, he had the training. The rest of the Braus family quickly changes the topic to finding a path to safety, and Gabi marvels at their protection. Artur Braus tells Gabi to stay with them for now but to escape with Falco when she gets the chance.

As the soldiers escort the family, Gabi asks Kaya why she saved her. Kaya counters with the same question, given that Kaya tried to kill her. Gabi, in her view, is a devil. Gabi is unsure of the reason but says she herself is the devil, having killed many people for praise. Nicolo remarks that there is a devil inside everyone, which is why the world is as it is. When Gabi asks what they can do, Nicolo says they will have to escape the forest.

Back at the fort, Surma is nearly eaten by a Titan when Keith Sadies arrives and cuts down the Titan. He chastises the frightened cadets and tells them to get old sets of omni-directional mobility gear so they can follow him and live.

As Jean, Mikasa, and Armin arrive outside the fort, Jean shouts for those inside to gather on the top floor and bring all the Thunder Spears they have. They gather with the collected soldiers on the pinnacle of the fort and collectively jump off, firing their Thunder Spears into the gathered Titans.

Meanwhile, Keith leads the cadets through Shiganshina District. Using themselves as bait, they lead the city's Titans back to the fort where they can be slain along with the others.

As the group at the fort rearms, Armin, Jean, and Mikasa recognize one of the Titans as Pyxis. Knowing they cannot save him, they still head into battle. Armin acknowledges that they only made it this far because of Pyxis as he shoots a Thunder Spear into his Pure Titan's nape. The soldiers then proceed to eliminate the rest of the Titans.

After the battle, no Pure Titans remain, and the Marleyan forces have been wiped out. As Onyankopon and Jean watch the Wall Titans march away, Onyankopon asks if this means his homeland is doomed, but Jean does not answer. A soldier brings in Floch Forster. Floch is happy that Jean took care of the Titans, though Jean is less pleased to see him alive. He walks up to Yelena, who is sitting dejectedly, and points a gun at her head, telling her to summon the Volunteers for detainment.

Elsewhere, Artur Braus has found Armin and Mikasa and leads them to his family and Gabi. Noticing their surprise, Gabi quickly explains that she just wants to find Falco and then they will leave. Seeing the distress on their faces, Gabi realizes something must have happened. She learns about Falco's kidnapping and why Conny wants him but finds herself unable to give up on Falco. She asks if Eren could turn back Conny's mother with the Founding Titan, but Armin suspects he cannot, otherwise he would have turned back the Titans recently transformed by Zeke. Undeterred, she pleads with Armin to talk to Eren, to ask him if he could just target military bases instead of killing everyone off the island.

She mentions that this should be possible since Eren stripped Reiner of his Titan's armor, which surprises Armin. He asks her when Reiner's armor came off, and she replies that it was as soon as the Walls came down. Armin realizes that Eren undid all Titan hardening, not just that of the Walls.

In a basement, an uncrystallized Annie Leonhart lies on the floor and takes a few ragged breaths of air.