Wall (Chapter)

Wall is the third chapter of the eighth volume and the 33rd chapter overall.

Summary
The vapor rising from Annie and Eren's transformation gets noticed by Commander Erwin and Chief Nile. At first, Nile only sends a small group to investigate, Commander Erwin tells him to dispatch all available troops and to act under the assumption that titans have made an appearance. Given their location at Wall Shina, Nile is initially confused. However, he quickly begins to suspect that Erwin knows something.

Closer to the action, a small congregation of wall worshippers are praying to the walls. Suddenly, Annie crashes through the ceiling, killing most of the buildings occupants. Amidst the rubble, the priest gets up and is in disbelief at the sight of a titan. Trying to escape, Annie makes a run for the wall hoping to scale it, with scouts behind her in pursuit. As a small group of scouts closes in, she desperately swats at them, knocking over a bell tower and sending debris flying toward them. While she's distracted by the group behind her, Mikasa swoops in and slashes at her face. Believing she's responsible for Levi's injury, she makes it her personal mission to take down Annie before she gets away. She barely finishes the thought before she notices the clearing of flat land in Annie's escape route. Not wanting to leave themselves vulnerable they consider going around, but fear that they won't be able to catch up to her if they do. Fortunately, Eren shows up to fight Annie hand-to-hand, leaving Hanji relieved to see that he's in control this time. As Eren gets closer, Armin worries that Annie might make a last attempt at capturing him.

Noticing Eren, she quickly turns and readies herself. Eren thinks back to when they were trainees and notes that it was the only time she looked like she enjoyed herself; then wonders what her reasons were for turning on everyone. He lunges at her, attempting a strong right cross, but Annie quickly counters with a low kick that cuts his leg off below the knee. Without missing a beat, Eren jumps up with his remaining leg and puts all of his weight into a blow to her head. The force drives her back, but she recovers and jump kicks Eren in the face; crushing the back of his head against a building. She is surprised to see that Eren has clamped down on her leg with his teeth, trapping her there.

The scouts see their chance and move in, while she desperately beats on his head trying to get away. The scouts get close, but she manages to get free and runs to the wall. She unexpectedly hardens her fingertips into sharp points and begins to climb the wall, to the astonishment of the scouts. Armin realizes that catching up to her by using 3DMG would be impossible, and instructs titan Eren to throw Mikasa upward, towards Annie. She reaches Annie just in time, and slices off her fingers. She looks almost terrified as Mikasa does the same to her other hand causing her to fall.

Plummeting to the ground, she remembers her father. He tries to ask for forgiveness for something but changes his mind saying that it's "too late". Instead, he requests that she treat the whole world as her enemy. When she lands, Eren moves over to her body, along with the group of soldiers and removes her head. Nearly in her captors hands, she finishes the conversation from long ago. He promises that even if the whole world hates her, he'll always be on her side; then he makes her promise that she'll come back. Pulling her out of the titan's body, she has tears in her eyes and in one last act, she erupts in an explosion of light.

When the light fades, they find that Annie is now encased in crystal. Unfortunately, that isn't the only mystery. Mikasa notices that the wall is crumbling from Annie's climb. When the pieces start to fall, she stunned to see the head of a titan in the hole, as if the wall had been built around it.