Whereabouts of His Left Arm: The Struggle for Trost, Part 5

The Left Arm's Trace is the ninth episode of the Attack on Titan anime. It was produced by Wit Studio and Production I.G. This episode introduces the several members of Survey Corps in action against the Titans while Eren and others face the soldiers in an attempt to prove that they mean no harm to humanity.

Overview
The Trost District attack was terrible to the army due to the fact that the Survey Corps were outside the Walls in an expedition. On that trip, we see how Levi and some members of his squad, like Hange, kill Titans without too much effort. Levi almost saves one of his comrades but he is finally dead, even when Petra Ral tried to help him. The Survey Corps are ordered to go back to town by Erwin Smith.

After Eren was eaten alive, he experienced quite traumatic experiences inside the Titan's stomach. He sees both corpses and people alive, cursing their destiny. This makes Eren reaffirm his promise to kill all the Titans. This surge of motivation triggers his first transformation into a Titan.

Back to the present, we see how Eren, Mikasa and Armin are being threatened by Kitts Woerman, who thinks that Eren is a dangerous Titan. Meanwhile, the rest of the trainees are safe and are trying to make their minds. Also Hannes is seen a top of the Wall, worried about the battle.

Back to Eren, the three friends try to calm Kitt, but he does not listen to them and order a cannon to shoot them. Eren, which remembers his father's words, triggers willingly his Titan transformation, which allows him so stop the bullet.

Summary
"One of the reasons why the Titan's attack on Trost District claimed so many soldiers' lives was due to the absence of the elite soldiers of the Survey Corps" states the narrator at the beginning of the episode. We go back to the day of the departure of the Survey Corps. Among the townspeople, Eren, Mikasa and Armin watch their departure. One of the townspeople spots Levi, and then says that in battle, he is worth as an entire brigade. Levi, hearing this, gets a little irritated. Hange Zoë makes a joke that they would be heartbroken if they knew how much of a clean freak he was.

Before leaving, Hange imagines what kind of Titans they will see. She hopes that they'll meet some abnormal ones and Levi comments that he can already see one which makes Hange search around. Levi then pats her and says to her that the abnormal one is right here, in front of him.

The soldiers entrusted with the mission this time are mankind's best and brightest soldiers. Even so, when troops advance into Titan's territory, the casualties still exceed thirty percent. While out for the mission, one of the soldiers is caught by a Titan. Half inside the giant's mouth, he threatens him, saying that humans will exterminate them, particularly Levi. As he says this, Levi shows up and disposes of the Titan. With reinforcements arriving, he orders Petra Ral to take care of the wounded soldier. He then orders the reinforcements to take the right flank, while he takes the left.

Elsewhere, Hange enjoys the mission. She confronts one of the Titans, and then says that they won't hurt it at all. The Titan ignores Hange's words and tries to grab her, but Hange quickly dodges and cuts its nape. She then lands on the ground, while asking the Titan if their attack didn't hurt at all before it falls.

As we go back to Levi, as he approaches a group of Titans, he thinks to himself that they are all the same; the same ridiculous faces. He gets blood on his hands when he finishes a Titan off, causing him to take pause and immediately clean it up. Taking a short break, he rejoins Petra and the soldier he saved earlier. The Soldier, with his last breath asks Levi if he had been useful. Encouraging him, he takes the soldier's hand and tells him he has done more than enough, which allows him to die in peace. Commander Erwin approaches them on a horse, informing them that they must retreat. When Levi questions him, Erwin informs him that the Titans are moving north - towards the city. Worried that the wall may already be breached, they leave.

Fast forward to when Eren was swallowed whole by a Titan right in front of Armin, the mouth bites down, tearing off Eren's left arm. Now in the Titan's stomach, Eren is surrounded by fellow dead or dying soldiers, one whispering she missed and wanted her mother, and sinking into the stomach acid. In disbelief, he remembers all of his training and how he's changed these past five years. He begins to remember his own mother. Questioning why the Titans took everything from him, he again swears he "will destroy them all!"

Eren, growing even more desperate and despairing, reaches towards the Titan's throat with his missing arm. Then, suddenly, an enormous arm explodes out of the Titan's mouth, causing it to stumble stupidly, before falling face first. As the Titan lay on the ground, the Rogue Titan emerges from the Titan's back in a shower of gore. But Eren isn't finished. Desperate for revenge, Eren decapitates the Titan that ate him with a single, powerful stomp, before engaging in unarmed combat with another Titan, and slaying it with his bare hands.

Returning to the present, a semi-unconscious Eren wakes up muttering "I'll kill you". Then he notices the frightened and misunderstanding soldiers, who want to kill Eren, as they believe that he is a Titan who wants to devour them all. The leader of this group is none other than Captain Kitts Woerman, and another officer named Rico. As the situation heightens, Eren appears to have no recollection of his time as a Titan.

Inside Wall Rose, Connie explains how they were able to refill their gas and escape from Trost with Ymir, Krista and the other soldiers. Krista asks about the rest of the soldiers that aren't there, and Connie announces their dooms with mournful expression. Ymir questions Mikasa's whereabouts, and Connie replies that he thinks Mikasa has come back late with Jean. She asks Jean if Mikasa was wounded, but Jean refuses to answer it, saying that he has sworn to keep it secret from the others, but believing that soon everyone will know it.

On top of the wall, Hannes talks about the new defense plan the technical crew created, but they still cannot let their guard down. When he reads the distress on his comrade's face, he asks what's wrong with him. His comrade answers that is concerned about his friends that stayed in the vanguard. Hannes encourages him to stay focused on interception, but then his comrade asks about Eren, Mikasa and Armin because he heard they also remained in vanguard. He apologizes for talking too much, but Hannes says that he believes in them.

Meanwhile, an ever-confused Eren is given a difficult situation; If he says something the officer considers deceitful or move even an inch, a cannon is ready to shoot him anytime. Then, the officer questions him, asking if he is a human or a Titan. Not understanding, Eren asks what he means. Losing patience, Woerman states that there were numerous witnesses that saw him coming out of the Titan, which in effect, makes him the enemy. Not wanting to risk any more soldiers, Rico suggests that they kill him while he's still in human form.

Mikasa overhears her, and threatens to brutally kill anyone who tries to harm Eren. Ian Dietrich informs Woerman that Mikasa is one of their best soldiers, and it would be a great loss if she were slain. While Armin suggests fleeing, Eren struggles to remember what has just transpired. He looks at his left arm, and he starts to realize that what he saw wasn't just a dream. When the officer asks again what he is, Eren knows that his answer affects his friends as well. Eren answers that he is human, but the officer doesn't buy it, and orders the cannons to fire on his command. Mikasa grabs Eren and Armin, and tells them to flee.

At that exact moment, Eren witnesses a key coming out from his shirt. Looking at it, Eren recalls his father giving him the key, telling him to keep it on him at all times, and then giving him an injection that damaged his memories of that moment. Then he remembers the basement of his former home, saying that although it would be an insanely dangerous journey, they would have everything they would ever need to destroy the Titans, once and for all. Time seems to slow down as one last quote rings through his head: "If you wish to protect Mikasa and Armin, you must embrace this power, and become its master". Remembering he has the power to save Armin, Mikasa, and humanity itself, Eren almost instinctively bites down on his hand and appears to catch the cannonball. When the smoke partially clears, it is shown that Eren has partially transformed into a Titan and did in fact save Armin and Mikasa by catching the cannonball with a Titan hand.

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