Attack Titan (Anime)

"No matter which era this Titan has found itself in, it has pushed ever forward, seeking out freedom. For the sake of freedom, it fights."

- Eren Kruger as he prepares to pass the Attack Titan onto Grisha Jaeger

The Attack Titan (進撃の巨人) was one of the Nine Titans that could see through the memories of both its past and its future holders, and has fought for freedom throughout the generations.

Future memory inheritance
While all of the Nine Titans could receive memories of past inheritors, the Attack Titan could also receive memories of inheritors yet to come. These memories led those with the Attack Titan to move forward, fighting for freedom. Eren Kruger received memories of Grisha Jaeger telling his son to protect Mikasa Ackermann and Armin Arlelt, although he did not know whose memories they were. Grisha Jaeger knew of the Founding Titan's bloodline restriction from the future memories of his son, Eren. Grisha also saw the Rumbling, and, horrified, begged Zeke to stop Eren.

Eren saw that he was able to reach the Coordinate in the unknown land after seeing the future from Grisha's memories. However, just like how memories from the past were often incomplete, memories from the future were incomplete as well: Eren did not know that Ymir Fritz only obeys those with royal blood.

History
The Attack Titan, like all the Nine Titans, was brought into the world after the death of Ymir Fritz. Though this Titan was presumably caught up in the conflict of houses between the eight Titans of the Eldian Empire subservient to the Founding Titan, it is said that the Attack Titan always fought for the freedom of Eldia no matter the day and age. During the Great Titan War as Marley gradually gained control over seven of the Nine Titans, the Attack Titan evidently never fell into Marley's hands and remained on the mainland while the Founding Titan remained overseas on Paradis Island where the 145th Fritz King, Karl Fritz, relocated the capital.

In the year 819, an Eldian spy in the Marley Public Security named Eren Kruger inherited the Attack Titan from an unknown predecessor. During the thirteen years he held the Attack Titan, it is unknown how often he used it, if at all, until the year 832 when he brought Grisha Jaeger to Paradis Island. At the borderline, after the Restorationists were turned into Pure Titans and sent to wander the island, Kruger made use of the Attack Titan to destroy the Public Security and their ship before disposing of all evidence of the event. Afterward, Kruger entrusted Grisha with the mission to obtain the Founding Titan from the King of the Walls and passed on his Attack Titan.

Upon inheriting the Attack Titan from Kruger, Grisha used his Titan to head northwards towards the Walls, where he was found by soldier Keith Sadies of the Scout Regiment. After his arrival in Shiganshina District, it is unknown how often Grisha made use of his Attack Titan, if at all.

The Fall of Shiganshina arc
After holding the Attack Titan for thirteen years, Wall Maria comes under attack by the Warriors of Marley, and Grisha decides the time has come to negotiate with the Founding Titan or take it by force. Arriving at the Underground Chapel, Grisha pleads with Frieda Reiss for the sake of Eldia and the Walls, but his cries are neglected. Although insistent about taking the Founding Titan by force, Grisha is unable to until he is pressured to by the future holder of the Attack Titan: his son Eren Jaeger. Goaded on by the memories of his family, his comrades who died before him and the mission he was entrusted to fulfill by his predecessor, Grisha used the Attack Titan and overpowered Frieda, stealing the Founding Titan and killing her along with the rest of her family, except for her father, who escaped.

That night, after Wall Maria's breach, Grisha reunites with his son. In tears and on the verge of hysteria, Grisha gives Eren the basement key and forces him to take an injection that causes him to lose his memories. As he is injecting Eren, he tells Eren that he must get to their basement, and that Eren must learn to control his power in order to save Mikasa's, Armin's, and everyone else's lives. The injection causes Eren to transform into a Titan, and Grisha is devoured by his own son.

The Struggle for Trost arc
For five years, Eren Jaeger lived his life unaware of his possession of the power of the Titans until the year 850, during the struggle for Trost. Upon being caught and eaten by a Titan, Eren's injuries and burning desire to slaughter the Titans trigger his first transformation into his Titan form. In a nearly mindless state, Eren wanders Trost as a Titan, slaughtering many Titans throughout the day all while avoiding bringing harm to the human cadets around him. His Titan eventually exhausts itself, and Eren emerges with healed wounds.

Completely clueless as to the nature of the Attack Titan's powers, the Trost Garrison takes Eren into their custody and questions him about his Titan nature. When it becomes clear that the Garrison soldiers present cannot be reasoned with, cannon fire is used against Eren, but he successfully accomplishes a partial transformation of his Titan and protects himself and his friends from the blast. Upon Commander Dot Pyxis' arrival in Trost, the military decides to make use of Eren's Titan to seal the breached gate of Trost.

Upon reaching the boulder needed to seal the breach in Wall Rose, Eren's next transformation goes awry when his Titan falls into a feral state and attacks Mikasa Ackermann before incapacitating itself. The Attack Titan lies dormant for a short time before his friend Armin Arlelt manages to communicate with Eren himself through the nape of his Titan, and Eren regains control. Carrying a massive boulder through the streets as members of the Garrison Regiment and Cadet Corps defend him, the Attack Titan seals the hole in the Wall, securing humanity's first victory against the Titans.

The 57th Exterior Scouting Mission arc
Some time afterward, Eren joins the Scout Regiment after his change of custody is made official in a military tribunal. During his first month in the Scouts, the Attack Titan is subjected to a variety of studies by Section Commander Hange Zoë. At this time, the Scout Regiment discovers the dependency of the Titan's power upon a fixed goal in mind before transformation in addition to the drawing of blood. After the month's passing, the Scout Regiment sets out on the 57th Exterior Scouting Mission. However, the scouting mission is sabotaged by the arrival of the Female Titan. Within a Forest of Giant Trees, the Attack Titan battles the Female Titan, but he is defeated. While Eren is later rescued from the Female Titan, the scouting mission is cut short and is considered a failure.

Assault on Stohess arc
A few days later, the Scout Regiment corners Annie Leonhart, holder of the Female Titan, in Stohess District, and she transforms into the Female Titan once more as a last resort. After some hesitation, Eren battles her a second time with his Titan. When he is overpowered late in the battle, his Titan undergoes a sudden change and catches fire in a berserker-like fit of rage. The Attack Titan gains the upper hand over Annie, though the assault comes to a close when Annie uses her hardening ability to encase herself in a crystal-like substance to avoid capture.

Clash of the Titans arc
The next day, Eren joins the Scout Regiment's efforts in dealing with the sudden Wall Rose invasion. At this time, Reiner Braun and Bertholdt Hoover reveal their respective identities as the Armored Titan and Colossal Titan. When the two transform into their Titan forms, the Attack Titan battles the Armored Titan. Despite initial difficulties, the Attack Titan gains the upper hand and nearly defeats the Armored Titan until Bertholdt's Colossal Titan cuts the battle short in a last-resort effort to capture Eren.

Royal Government arc
During the week after the invasion, the Scout Regiment goes into hiding as Military Police action against them dramatically increases. Hange Zoë runs experiments on Eren's Titan in the wilderness, where they discover that Eren is unable to harden his Titan body. Some time later, Eren is captured by Rod Reiss, who desires to feed Eren to his daughter, Historia, in order to return the Founding Titan to the royal family. While captured, Eren gains memories of his father using his Titan to devour the Founding Titan, and slaughter the majority of the Reiss family. Eren also sees the moment where he ate his father to gain the Power of the Titans.

During Eren's rescue, he ingests a bottle labeled "armor," and gains the ability to harden his Titan's skin in a manner similar to the Titans inside the Wall and Annie's Female Titan. Eren uses this new armor ability to protect squad Levi from the collapse of the Underground Chapel set in motion by Rod's transformation. The next morning, Eren uses his powers again to shove gunpowder filled barrels into the mouth of Rod's enormous pure Titan. The resulting explosion blows apart its body and allows squad Levi to finish the job.

After the end of the coup d'état, Hange Zoë utilizes the Attack Titan's hardening ability to create the Executioner from Hell, although the effort required causes Eren's nose to bleed.

Return to Shiganshina arc
The Attack Titan's hardening ability becomes an important part of Erwin Smith's plan to retake Wall Maria. Upon the Scouts' arrival to Shiganshina District, Eren switches to Titan form and uses his ability to successfully plug the hole in the Wall, then reverts to human form in order to hide from the Warriors suspected to be preparing an ambush.

The mission is interrupted by the sudden appearance of the Beast Titan and the Armored Titan, beginning the battle of Shiganshina District. The Attack Titan battles the Armored Titan a second time, with this duel ending in Eren's favor due to his new hardening ability.

Before Reiner can be killed, Bertholdt comes to his rescue and wards off the Scout Regiment soldiers before transforming into the Colossal Titan. Eren attempts to attack the Colossal, but he is kicked into Wall Maria and is incapacitated.

Armin once again brings Eren back to his senses and formulates a plan for him to defeat the Colossal Titan. As Armin distracts Bertholdt, Eren's Titan falls to the ground near the breached north gate of Shiganshina and hardens itself. Thinking that Eren has succumbed to a concussion, Bertholdt thinks nothing of it, but soon realizes that he is seeing the hardened shell of a Titan, and at that moment of vulnerability, Eren in human form strikes at the nape of the Colossal Titan, pulling Bertholdt out of his defeated Titan form.

In the aftermath of the battle for Shiganshina, the survivors of the battle arrive at the basement of the Jaeger family's home, where Grisha Jaeger had left three books which, in addition to information of the outside world, detailed his past as well as the moment when he inherited the Attack Titan from Eren Kruger nearly twenty years ago.

Marley arc
Through the years 851 to 854, the nation of Marley sent a total of 32 scouting ships to Paradis Island, all of which ended up missing. Zeke Jaeger speculates that the ships were blocked from escaping by the Attack Titan and one other Titan.

As Eren confronts Reiner in Liberio, he declares that he will continue to move forward until he wipes out his enemies. Just as Willy Tybur declares war on Paradis, Eren transforms into the Attack Titan and breaks out of the building, killing many from the debris, and crushes Willy before devouring him.

The Attack Titan proceeds to destroy the rest of the stage and attacks the Marleyan military. It soon notices the War Hammer Titan's transformation and charges it, landing numerous blows before it can fully generate a body. Suddenly, a large spike shoots up from the ground and impales the Attack Titan in the air. After the War Hammer Titan forms its hammer and swings it, the Attack Titan breaks free from the spike and narrowly avoids getting hit, only to be pinned to the ground by numerous smaller spikes and bombarded by anti-Titan artillery. The Attack Titan can only harden its hands and forearms to deflect an incoming swing from the War Hammer Titan. It fails, and the Attack Titan is decapitated by the blow, though Eren survives the devastating strike.

Later, while Mikasa engages the Titan, Eren transforms into the Attack Titan again to sever the cable connecting the War Hammer Titan to its wielder. The Attack Titan is about to consume her when it is caught by surprise by an ambush by the Jaw Titan. The Attack Titan, along with Levi Ackermann, are able to fight it off. However, that gives the War Hammer Titan enough time to recover and impale the Attack Titan in a web of hardened Titan flesh.

The Attack Titan attempts to devour the War Hammer's crystal again, while still trapped in the confines of the hardened structure. Its teeth shatter on the crystal, and Eren is forced to eject his trapped Titan form, yet immediately transforms once more. He takes the crystal back into his hand, and watches the conflict's progression from across the battlefield. After the Colossal Titan's transformation down at the port breaks the warriors position, the Jaw Titan attempts to charge Eren down.

The Jaw Titan avoids an attack by Mikasa and starts to repeatedly slash at the Attack Titan. The Attack Titan suffers considerable damage to its face but is able to divert a few strikes using the crystal holding the Lara Tybur. As the Jaw Titan momentarily breaks off from its attack, the Attack Titan notices that the claw marks have damaged the crystal. Soon after, when the Jaw Titan is brought down by Mikasa slashing its legs, the Attack Titan grabs and finishes dismembering it. It then jams the crystal into the defenseless Jaw Titan's mouth, and begins to squeeze its jaw in an attempt to finally break through the crystal protecting Lara Tybur. The strain causes the crystal to fragment and shatter, killing her. The Attack Titan consumes the fluids coming out of the crystal, granting Eren the powers of the War Hammer Titan.

Eren then turns his attention towards the Jaw Titan, using the Attack Titan's strength to put an end to its struggling. Eren prepares to devour the Titan, though he pauses upon seeing a bright flash caused by Reiner's transformation.

Eren turns around and is able to incapacitate Reiner in one punch due to his lack of armor. As he sees Reiner's limp body, he notices that Reiner grabbed the Jaw Titan out of his other hand once he was punched. After deciding that he does not have the energy to take back the Titan from Reiner's grip and eat it, he leaves his Attack Titan, for he has nothing more he can do in his state of exhaustion, and flees.

War for Paradis arc
After the Jaegerists effectively take control of the Walls, Eren returns to Shiganshina District. Coming into contact with Pieck, Eren is led to the roof of the military HQ, where he transforms after being ambushed by the Jaw Titan.

The two briefly fight before the Jaw Titan retreats. Eren ignores Yelena's instruction to escape underground and goes to engage the Marleyan forces. He soon encounters the Armored Titan and they fight a third time, with the Attack Titan gaining a slight advantage. When the Jaw Titan reengages to fight alongside the Armored Titan, Eren is forced to use the War Hammer Titan's powers to keep them at bay.

Two incapacitating shots from the Cart Titan to his head lead to the Armored Titan to pin the Attack Titan. The two then violently wrestle, until the Beast Titan arrives and knocks off the Armored Titan with a projectile thrown from the Wall. The Attack Titan attempts to close the distance between the Beast Titan and itself, with Zeke protecting Eren by barraging the Armored and Jaw Titans upon their approaches. Eventually, Zeke is sniped by the actions of General Magath and the Cart Titan, falling off the top of the Wall. Eren nevertheless continues to Zeke's position, defeating the Jaw Titan along the way by repeatedly bashing on the Titan's head. While doing so, another anti-Titan artillery round is fired into the Attack Titan's head, allowing for Reiner to catch up to him and begin grappling with him.

In the fallout of Zeke's scream, a transformed Falco Grice attacks Reiner, allowing Eren to begin escaping the Armored Titan's grip. Falco's Titan eventually breaks off to devour Porco Galliard, allowing an enraged Reiner to continue his assault on the Attack Titan. However, Eren traps the Armored Titan by hardening, and exits his Titan to begin running to Zeke on foot.

After Eren's death, the Attack Titan ceases to exist together with all Titans.

Trivia

 * The Attack Titan shares the same Japanese name with Attack on Titan: 進撃の巨人.

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