Two Brothers (Episode)

"Only too well do I know the feelings for one's brother. So... It's a shame."

- Zeke Jaeger declines Colt Grice's plea to spare his brother Falco

Two Brothers (兄と弟) is the 19th episode of the 4th season and the 78th episode overall of the Attack on Titan anime, produced by.

Overview
Colt Grice pleads with Zeke Jaeger to not use the Beast Titan's scream so his brother Falco is not transformed into a Titan. However, Zeke refuses and transforms not just Falco, but every soldier in Shiganshina District who drank his spinal fluid. The Titans begin attacking the invading Marleyan military and Zeke commands the newly transformed Falco to attack Reiner Braun and free his own brother, Eren.

Zeke is shot through the nape by Theo Magath and his artillery crew, but survives by playing dead and allowing his Beast Titan to dissolve. Realizing this, Eren traps Reiner by grabbing him and hardening his Titan, while escaping out the nape. He runs on foot to join Zeke, but is decapitated by Gabi Braun, who shoots him through the neck with a high-caliber, anti-Titan rifle. Eren wakes in the Paths with Zeke, who explains that this is where the royal family would command their ancestor Ymir to do their bidding. When Eren refuses to go along with the Eldian euthanasia plan, Zeke vows to use her power to force Eren see things his way.

Summary
Eren Jaeger limps his Attack Titan towards his brother Zeke's fallen Beast Titan, but is interrupted by a bite to the leg from Porco Galliard's Jaw Titan. He smashes the Jaw Titan's head and back before his Titan's arm is blown off by an artillery shell shot by Theo Magath. Before Magath can shoot again, Floch Forster and his squad attack the Cart Titan and its artillery crew.

On the ground, Paradis Island's military spreads to avoid taking the Marleyan forces head-on. Armin Arlelt suggests to his friends that they sneak around behind their enemies.

As Zeke rouses, Eren grapples with Reiner Braun's Armored Titan and Galliard receives a memory from his brother Marcel about why Reiner was chosen to become a Warrior.

Magath notices Zeke rise and Eren reaches out, wide-eyed, as the Beast Titan inhales for a scream, but it is Colt Grice whose shout Zeke actually hears. Colt pleads for Zeke not to scream since his brother Falco has swallowed some of Zeke's spinal fluid. Zeke listens to Colt in horror, and admits he knows what is it like to care for the well being of a brother, but he refuses his request and uses his Titan's scream anyway. Falco screams for Colt to get away, but Colt holds on, saying that he is there for him.

Throughout Shiganshina District, soldiers transform into Titans and begin attacking the Marleyan army. Zeke commands the newly transformed Falco and sends him at Reiner, knocking him away from Eren. Reiner manages to pin both Falco and the weakened Eren, but realizes he cannot handle them both and he does not want to kill Falco. When Eren temporarily breaks free, Reiner grabs him by the ankle to bring him down again, though this leaves him open to Falco, who bites at his nape.

Having defeated most of Floch's soldiers, Magath fires another shot at the Beast Titan, blowing a hole into its nape. He then turns his attention to Eren, but is disrupted by an explosive attack from Armin. Mikasa Ackermann arrives as well and begins attacking the artillery crew.

On the ground, the Beast Titan dissolves to a skeleton. Realizing that Eren can no longer use the Founding Titan without Zeke, Reiner ponders whether it is okay to let himself go and for Falco to eat him.

However, Falco lets go of his nape, to Reiner's surprise, and he sees Galliard has left his Jaw Titan. Galliard says he no longer has the strength to heal his body, but he will not die for nothing. He knows now that Marcel was trying to protect him and that is why Reiner became a Warrior instead. As he always suspected, Galliard was better than him.

Falco devours Galliard, leaving Reiner free to focus on Eren, who hardens his Titan while the Armored Titan's fist is trapped in his Titan's mouth. Eren escapes through the nape and runs on foot towards Zeke, who is actually alive and only allowed his Titan to wither in order to pretend to be dead. Reiner breaks free, but is forced back by dual attacks from Conny Springer and Jean Kirschtein.

However, before Eren can reach Zeke, Gabi Braun shoots him with the Anti-Titan rifle she has taken from the now deceased Colt. The blow decapitates Eren and sends his head flying towards Zeke.

Back when the two brothers reunited in Marley, Zeke confirmed his stance about Eldian euthanasia and asked if Eren agreed. Eren recalled the memories he had received of when his father killed the royal family. If Grisha had not killed the royal children, they could have reclaimed the Founding Titan, dooming humanity behind the Walls. However, Eren told Zeke he disagreed with Grisha's actions. If Eldians had not been born they would not be planning the attack they were now, that would result in mass casualties. There would be no greater salvation than never being born.

Moved by Eren's agreement to work with him, Zeke offered him a baseball in lieu of shaking his hand since it was best for them to not make physical contact yet.

In the present, Zeke catches Eren's head in his outstretched hand before Eren loses complete consciousness. Memories spill out and the two brothers emerge in the Paths. Eren is standing and turns to find Zeke sitting, chained to the sand beneath him. Zeke explains that those with royal blood come here to use the Founding Titan. He has been waiting in this timeless land for Eren to wake up ever since they made contact, since they managed to do so before Eren passed on. Now they have succeeded in unlocking the power of the Founding Titan.

A young girl approaches them and Zeke says she is Ymir, the Founder, because that is the only person who would make sense in a place like this. He explains how she rebuilt his body and this must be where she makes Titans. Zeke tells Eren to command Ymir. He is unable to move freely himself because the chains that bind him are the vow to renounce war.

When Eren is silent, Zeke urges him to ask her to make Eldians unable to bear children, saying that the Rumbling can wait. However, Eren refuses, saying that he could never go along with such a plan. He just manipulated Zeke to get himself here.

Eren walks up to Ymir and asks her to lend him her power. Ymir walks right past him though, continuing on towards Zeke, who is grappling with Eren's betrayal. She stops in front of Zeke and drops to her knees. Zeke explains that he learned a lot while waiting for Eren to wake, including that Ymir can make anything as long as one of royal blood wills it. He stands, breaking the chains he had created by his own command, and says that he is here without being tainted by the First King's ideals so he has managed to nullify the vow to renounce war. Zeke describes Ymir as being a slave with no will of her own and says she will accept those of royal blood as her master, thus giving him all the powers of the Founder. Eren was simply a key he needed to unlock them.

Zeke is glad to know Eren's true feelings, but does not blame him, saying that it is the fault of their father. Now he intends to save Eren the way that Tom Xaver saved him. Zeke plans to fix Eren by using the Founder's power.

Scream
''Eldians who have ingested Zeke Jaeger's spinal fluid transform into Pure Titans from his "scream." Losing their own will, these Titans obey Zeke regardless of who they are or their lives before.''

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