A Sudden Visitor: The Torturous Curse of Adolescence

Sudden Visitors is the second OVA episode of the Attack on Titan anime. It was produced by Wit Studio and Production I.G.

Overview
In the year 847, Jean Kirstein, after an argument with his mother, decides that he will join the Military Police. Two years into his training, Jean with the 104th Trainees Squad are sent to his home town of Trost for a defensive training exercise. Following the exercise, Jean gets into a fight with Sasha  and a drunken Dot Pixis intervenes stating that they should settle their differences with a cooking contest, with Pixis as the sole judge.

After failing again to secure supplies for food, Jean is visited by his mother Ms. Kirstein who delivers to him his favourite food, her home-made omelette. Embarrassed, Jean again drives his mother away, but after realizing how much she means to him, decides to prepare his own omelette for the cook-off. Jean defeats Sasha and the two make peace. Jean then muses that he will pay a visit to his mother.

Summary
In the year 847, Jean, in bed and under covers, intently sketches a picture of a girl who shares similar features with Mikasa. Suddenly, Jean's mother enters the room with supper in hand, and an embarrassed Jean yells at her for not knocking. His mother states that she has been trying to tell him that his omelette is ready, but Jean angrily drives her away. Frustrated, Jean tears his drawing apart before vowing that he will join the Military Police and secure a pampered life far away in the interior Walls.

Two years later, the 104th Trainees Squad are sent to Jean's home town of Trost for a mock defence drill. Word of a monstrous wild boar roaming the nearby forests is currently the talk of the town, and Connie mentions how he has never been to Trost before, while Sasha states the town should have plenty of delicious food. An arrogant Jean boasts that Trost is perfect for them, and once he joins the Military Police and Connie and Sasha wind up in the Garrison, he'll visit them. Armin and Marco wonder if Jean will visit his mother, but Jean angrily refuses to even consider the idea.

On the first day of practice, Jean teams up with Armin and Annie, and, knowing that Garrison Commander Pixis is watching, Jean takes his group far beyond their designated post. Armin notices this, and warns Jean that their mission is only to handle targets that pass the front line, but Jean reminds him that it is their duty as soldiers to attack Titans, and Annie comments that Jean is only thinking about looking good. Locating a Titan target, Jean is cut off by Mikasa who swoops in for the kill, and Jean, rather than being too upset, silently compliments her. Finding more targets, Jean is again cut off, this time by Connie, Sasha and Reiner, who take down the targets before Jean has a chance, much to his frustration.

After the practice, Jean confronts Connie and Sasha, calling them cheaters for stealing the targets he found. Sasha states that all's fair when it comes to hunting, though Jean states he doesn't want to hear "Potato Girl's" hunter logic. Insulted, Sasha and Connie demand Jean apologize for his insinuations, and Connie teases that Jean is on edge because he misses his mom. Enraged, Jean nearly turns the confrontation physical, but is stopped by Reiner. Just as Jean declares that they will settle things during their next practice, Pixis enters, finding their exchange interesting. Pixis insists that Jean and Sasha settle their dispute by having a cook-off that night, which he will personally judge. Jean is hesitant, but Sasha accepts the challenge and, after some goading by Connie and her, Jean accepts, declaring that he will win and put Sasha in her place. Eren and Mikasa look on in confusion.

Assisted by Armin and Annie, Jean heads into the forest to hunt for something to cook. Annie wonders why they need to help, but Armin sees it as their duty as Jean's team mates. Jean declares they will hunt the forest's Colossal Boar, believing that serving its meat will ensure victory. At that moment, Sasha, Connie and Reiner appear, also intending to hunt the Colossal Boar, and guided by Sasha's meat-detecting nose. Armin reminds that this is Jean's forest, so they will have the upper hand. Unfortunately, Jean's team winds up completely lost, meanwhile, Sasha's superior hunting skills allow her to track the boar and find it sleeping. Intimidated, Reiner declares that catching the animal is impossible and that they should go home. Sasha hits Reiner twice, knocking him to the ground, and hysterically cries that his ancestors and the world would be ashamed of him. Reiner, though confused, apologizes and decides to stay. Suddenly the boar awakens and Sasha's team charges it, with Reiner making sure he takes up the rear. Hearing the commotion, Jean's team pursues the animal, too, but it's too fast for them, so Armin tries to lure Sasha away from the boar with some potatoes, though the allure of meat is too strong for Sasha to be distracted. Sasha kills the beast with an arrow to the head, and her team hauls the Colossal Boar back to Trost for all the towns folk to see. Jean curses in anger.

Later that evening, Eren struggles to unload a crate from a wagon, while Mikasa is able to lift three crates at once with relative ease, much to his mortification. Just as she attempts to assist Eren (who embarrassedly pushes her away), Jean's mother appears, looking for her son. At the mess hall, Jean contemplates how to beat Sasha's boar meat when his mother arrives, asking why he hasn't visited. Embarrassed, Jean urges his mother away before finally yelling at her to leave when she continues to act motherly towards him in front of the others. Dejected, Jean's mother leaves, and Eren suggests Jean should be nicer to his mother.

As the cooking competition draws near, Jean proposes he, Armin and Annie should steal meat from their superiors' storeroom. Armin freaks out at the thought of stealing and flees in a hysterical panic, and winds up slipping on the stairs, injuring his legs. In no condition to be stealing anything, Armin opts out of Jean's plan, as does Annie, who states getting caught is not worth winning a competition.

Jean decides to try stealing the meat on his own, determined to win the cook off and prove he's not a momma's boy. As he nears the storeroom, Jean's superior finds him and delivers a bag, stating it is from Jean's mother. Jean opens the bag, finding it to be a homemade omelette. Jean remembers all the times he and his mother have been there for each other and realizes how much she means to him. With new found determination, Jean cooks with all his heart, but Sasha is just as intent on proving the power of meat.

The cooking competition is soon upon the trainees, with a very intoxicated Pixis ready to judge Jean and Sasha's dishes. Sasha goes first, presenting a magnificent pork steak. Pixis takes a bite and, overwhelmed by the delicious taste, spirals into a bizarre hallucination, raving of the majesty of meat while slaying several Titans, growing to Titan-size himself, forcing Connie, Krista, Armin, Jean and Mikasa to shift into Titan form to stop him. Back in reality, Pixis sits in a daze, making it clear that Sasha's meat will be nearly impossible to beat.

Next, Jean presents his dish: a humble omelette. The audience and Pixis are taken aback by Jean's simple dish, but Pixis proceeds to eat it, regardless. With his meal finished, Pixis takes a moment to decide his winner. Finally, after much consideration, Pixis announces Jean the victor of the cook-off. Baffled, Sasha demands to know why her delicious meat lost. However, Pixis reminds Sasha that meat is only meat. Ashamed, Sasha breaks down, realizing that her confidence in meat blinded her from using other ingredients. Jean offers the defeated Sasha a hand, stating she was simply doing her best, like him. Sasha accepts, and the two make peace. With a new day dawning upon the trainees, Jean muses that he will pay his mother a visit. At his home, Jean's mother awaits, with an apple and letter laid upon Jean's bed.

Trivia

 * This OVA features Jean as the main character, with actual main characters Eren and Mikasa placed in minor roles, and Armin as a supporting character.
 * The OVA takes place during the 104th Trainees Squad arc and before the Battle of Trost District arc.
 * In the opening, the first intro of the series with the song Feuerroter Pfeil und Bogen was used, but was heavily altered to revolve around Jean in a comedic tone, with him taking Eren's place in most scenes and overshadowing him in others.
 * In the scene where Mikasa turns to look at Eren, is Jean who looks at Mikasa, a reference to his [unrequited] crush on her.
 * Dot Pixis was drunk for the entire episode.
 * This OVA features five of the eight fake volume previews drawn by Isayama:
 * Vol. 4 - Sasha cooking.
 * Vol. 7 - Jean's mother entering his room without knocking.
 * Vol. 8 - Armin hurting his legs on the stairs.
 * Vol. 9 - Sasha slapping and elbowing Reiner.
 * Vol. 12 - Fake Titan forms for Mikasa, Jean, Armin, Historia, and Connie.
 * Both teams have Titan Shifters present. Sasha's team had Reiner, and Jean's team had Annie.
 * Sasha states that she does not appreciate the nickname "Potato Girl."
 * Only Mikasa seems to regularly accompany Eren. Meanwhile, Armin is able to comfortably socialize with others like Annie and Jean.
 * No human or Titan was killed in this episode.
 * Eren appears to be much weaker than Mikasa, as he struggles to lift one crate while Mikasa can lift three at once without effort, although this may have been an exaggeration for the sake of comedy.

Navigation
Visiteurs inattendu