Borderline

"Grisha...I...no matter what I become...don't worry. I'll find you."

- Dina to Grisha Yeager as she is about to be transformed into a Pure Titan

Borderline (境界線) is the 1st chapter of the 22nd volume and the 87th chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Overview
In his journals, Grisha continues to explain his past.

After Zeke exposed the Eldian Restorationists, Grisha and the others were subjected to torture by Marley officers in order to reveal the identity of "The Owl." But when the officers got nothing, the group was sent to the borderline of Paradis Island to be transformed into Pure Titans as sentence for treason. On top of the Wall, Grisha recognized Kruger and reunited with Grice, who blamed Grisha for Zeke's betrayal. Annoyed by Grice's outburst, Sergeant Major Gross threw him to the sand dunes below. Grisha recognized Gross as the official who killed his sister 15 years ago, and several Restorationists were kicked off the wall and transformed into Titans, which then began chasing Grice. Grisha saw Dina being brought next to him to be transformed. He tried to protect her by shouting that she had royal blood and therefore was important to Marley, but he was silenced by Kruger, and Grisha noticed he was covering up that fact. Dina was injected and transformed into a Titan.

Eren wakes up screaming in a cell. Not remembering where he is, Armin reminds him that he and Mikasa are serving punishment for violating military law. Having connected to his father's memories after reading the books, Eren is disturbed by the notion that the Titan who ate his mother was Dina.

In Grisha's past, Dina's Titan went after Grice like the other Titans. Grisha reproached Gross for this and for his sister's murder, and Gross recognized Grisha as well and decided to transform another Restorationist into a Titan and have fun by making Grisha fight him. As the Restorationist was transformed, Grisha questioned Gross about the reason of his cruelty, and he explained that he considered Eldians alike to rats and wished for them to be eliminated from the world. Grisha complained that the story spread by Marley was false, but Gross did not listen and tried to throw him from the Wall. However, Kruger threw Gross instead, and as Gross was eaten by the Titan, Kruger revealed himself as the Owl. Kruger asked Grisha to pay attention as he injured his own hand, triggering a transformation into Titan and destroying the Marleyans' ship.

Summary
In his journals, Grisha Yeager continues to explain his troubled past, reprimanding himself for his poor treatment of Zeke as a tool for the Eldian cause.

Many years ago, Grisha and Dina taught Zeke of their intentions of setting him up as the King of Eldia, insisting that everything the Marleyans teach him is wrong despite the necessity to follow their orders. After joining the Marleyan Warrior program, Zeke turned his parents over to the Public Security Authorities, and the Eldian Restorationists were arrested.

The Marleyans tortured a naked Grisha, demanding to know the true identity of "The Owl." Grisha insisted that he knew nothing of the Owl's identity, but despite this they continued to cut off his fingers as punishment for disobedience. When Kruger arrived to oversee the torture, his subordinate expressed his concern for the threat of an Eldian spy within their own military and informed him of their knowledge of the Eldians' plan to obtain the Founding Titan and gain the support of the Eldians of the Walls. With this information, Kruger blindfolded Grisha as he was taken to Paradis Island by steamboat. Grisha felt that he recognized Kruger, and spent the duration of his journey trying to determine where he saw him before.

Upon arriving at the shores of Paradis Island, the Eldian Restorationists were lined up atop a thirty-meter Wall. Kruger, who oversaw Grisha, informed him of his fate: to become a Pure Titan, destined to a subconscious existence of seeking and eating humans with no hope of death. Grisha finally remembered Kruger as the man who beat him when he and Faye left their internment zone long ago. Kruger seemingly recognized Grisha as the child from that day as well. As they finished speaking, an officer brings Grice forward, the man who introduced Grisha to the Restorationist movement, and Grice spotted Grisha atop the Wall. He frantically demanded to know why Zeke would betray their cause, placing the blame on Grisha for the failure of their movement. As Grisha apologized, Sergeant Major Gross became tired of Grice's yelling and chose to let him go free, kicking him to the sand dunes below the Wall. Gross taunted Grice, advising him to run north to the Walls. He explained afterward that this method was effective for drawing their newly created Titans away from the shore. Seeing his face, Grisha recognized Sergeant Major Gross as the man that fed his sister to dogs fifteen years ago.

At Gross' order, the Marleyans injected the Restorationists with Titan injections before kicking them over the Wall. Grisha watched in horror as his old friends transformed explosively into Titans. As a Titan spotted Grice, they immediately began pursuing him as Grisha desperately tried to call them back to their senses. Gross told Kruger to inject Grisha, but Kruger insisted that he wanted to interrogate Grisha for a little longer. Next, Dina was brought forward. Grisha was confused, believing that he already told the Marleyans that she could be useful for their cause due to her royal blood. Kruger quickly silenced Grisha, claiming that he was tired of his nonsense. Grisha realized that Kruger must have covered up the information of Dina's heritage for his own reasons. As Dina was injected with a serum, she attempted to comfort Grisha, saying that she would find him no matter what happened to her. With this, Gross kicked her from the Wall, and on the sand dunes below Dina transformed into a grotesque, smiling Titan.

In a jail cell, Eren wakes up screaming. This wakes up Mikasa in the cell next to his, and Armin sitting in the hall. Eren walks over to Armin, asking why he is there. Armin reminds him that he and Mikasa have been detained for violating military law. Armin and Mikasa note a strangeness in Eren's speech, and Eren explains that he feels as if he has had a long dream. However, he realizes that this dream is in fact his father's memories, and that the Titan who ate his mother was Dina all along.

On the borderline of Paradis Island, Gross taunted Grisha as Dina's Titan wandered away, saying that she must have been more interested in Grice all along. Grisha expressed his realization that Gross was the man who killed an eight-year-old Faye fifteen years ago. Gross turned to his subordinates, telling them that he would handle Grisha and the rest. The officers complied, talking among themselves about Gross' behavior. Gross chose to let Grisha continue being human, but would have him duel a Restorationist who would be transformed into a 3-4 meter Titan. Grisha asked the man why he did what he did, and Gross explained that it is human nature to be entertained by sights such as humans being eaten after such a long peace in freedom from the rule of the Eldian Empire. He claimed that unlike others in society, he was prepared to die when his time comes, and considered feeding Faye to his sons' dogs as a form of education.

As he kicked the serum-injected Eldian over the Wall, Grisha wondered whether or not Gross' heart hurt from his deeds. Gross admitted that his heart ached at the thought of his sons meeting their fate at the hands of Titans, but felt no remorse for killing an Eldian child. Pointing to the new Titan below, he told Grisha that the Titans were the true forms of the Eldians. Gross explained that the Eldians are the only race capable of becoming Titans after being injected with Titan spinal fluid, and that it was a necessity to exterminate such beasts in human skin, as was the wish of all humanity. Gross compared the Eldians of Marley to an infestation of rats that, if tolerated, could lead to an epidemic. Gross then asked if Grisha's heart would ache at the deeds the Restorationists were planning in bringing back the Eldian Empire. Grisha insisted that Marleyan history was false, and that Ymir Fritz accomplished great deeds for the world with the power of the Titans. Tired of Grisha's talk, Gross prepared to throw him to the mercy of the Titans below. However, at the last moment, Kruger held Grisha as he pushed Sergeant Major Gross over the Wall.

As Sergeant Major Gross is slowly eaten by the Titan, Kruger asked Grisha if he was amused at the sight. At Grisha's confusion, Kruger revealed that he was the Owl all along. At the docks, Marleyan officers began making their way back to the Wall, hearing Gross' fall to the Titans below. As he drew a knife and slit his hand, Kruger advised Grisha to observe him and learn how to use the power of the Titans. With that, Kruger transformed into a large, muscular Titan, picking up the Marleyan steamboat and crushing it over his head as Grisha watched from atop the Wall.

Trivia

 * The Eldian Restorationists that were injected with Titan serums and turned into Pure Titans appear to be some of the same Titans that invade Trost District. Specifically, they appear to be the Titan that ate Eren and nearly ate Armin, the Abnormal that ate Thomas Wagner, the Titan that bit off Eren's leg, and the Peering Titan that ate Mina Carolina.

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