Mercy: Assault on Stohess, Part 2

Mercy (慈悲) is the twenty-fourth episode of the Attack on Titan anime. It was produced by Wit Studio and Production I.G.

Overview
Days before Eren is escorted to the capital, he is told by Erwin and Armin that they have a plan to capture the person they believe to be the Female Titan and is shocked when they tell him it's Annie. Back in the present, Eren, Armin and Mikasa manage to escape a collapsing tunnel while being hunted by the Female Titan. Eren tries to transform but is unable to which Mikasa suspects his feelings for Annie is preventing him. When another tunnel collapse traps Eren, Mikasa and Armin distract the Female Titan away from Eren.

Meanwhile, Commander Nile Dok of the Military Police demands an explanation from Erwin on what's going on as his men hold him on gunpoint. As Mikasa and the rest of the Survey Corps distract and tries to capture the Female Titan, Armin and Jean try to free Eren from the rubble. Armin tells Eren he has to fight Annie as anyone who refuses to sacrifice anything can never change anything. As Eren thinks about what Armin said, he remembers his hatred for the Titan who killed his mother. Eren finally transforms into the Power Titan and delivers a fearsome blow to the Female Titan.

Summary
As Eren witnesses Annie's true identity, he recalls the time from a few days ago. While he and Levi are waiting for Erwin and others, Levi wonders why it is taking so long, claiming constipation issues to be the cause, much to Eren's amusement. Eren then apologizes for making a wrong choice, however Levi once again states that it wasn't possible to predict the outcome. At that moment, Erwin finally arrives, claiming that they have the last chance to capture the Female Titan and explains the upcoming operation in the Stohess District. Eren is horrified when he realizes who they are suggesting is the enemy.

Back in the present, Annie has just transformed and the flashback of Erwin's voice recites her name. Eren, Armin and Mikasa are forced to run from Annie in the tunnels as she reaches out to grab them. Armin says Annie knew the operation was a ploy from the start, and they review the plan to make Eren transform so he can fight the Female Titan. Up ahead they see two Survey Corps members in the tunnel, one soldier asking if the plan was successful, to Armin's dismayful reply. They are suddenly stopped by Annie who stomps through the roof of the tunnel, killing the soldiers and forcing the group to withdraw. Eren begs to help them but Mikasa refuses, shocked at how Annie would let Eren die. Armin says that Annie made a bet that Eren wouldn't get crushed, and that she will do anything to retrieve him.

Eren bites on his finger attempting to transform, but fails for some reason. Mikasa suspects it may be due to Eren's disbelief that Annie is really the Female Titan, or other "feelings" he may have for her. When Armin comes up with a plan to distract Annie, Eren returns back to when they discuss the identity of the Female Titan, with Erwin revealing their suspect as Annie. Armin gives multiple reasons why, much to Eren's dismay. Back in the present, Armin and Mikasa leave the tunnels, with Mikasa stating that the world is a cruel place as a response to how Eren can't understand how they could fight Annie.

Annie kicks through the roof, crushing Eren in rubble. As Mikasa and Armin attempt to fight her off, Jean abandons his disguise and goes to aid Armin. Erwin prepares to help, but he and Levi are then surrounded by troops of the Military Police, guns ready, told by Nile Dok that they are against the King. Jean attempts to help Eren out, but Annie keeps on fighting the military, throwing more rubble around, some of which lands on Eren and traps him even more.

Armin sees Annie fighting off more Survey Corps members and confronts her, attempting to distract her by saying that if she doesn't kill him now, her bet is meaningless. This gives Jean enough time to sneak up behind her and strike her neck, however she protects it, and Jean scurries away and calls Armin to follow him as they further lure Annie across Stohess.

Moblit and Hange are atop a building, with Moblit saying Hange has a crazy look in her eyes. Just then Annie is running between the two buildings, and Hange sets off the Special Target Capture Weapon and successfully traps Annie as Jean and Armin attempt to escape. The Survey Corps members atop the building throw down a barbed net to pin Annie to the ground. Armin lands on the ground and Mikasa is there, looking concerned. Hange appears as well and tells Annie, who is currently immobilized, to be a good girl and stay put. She says that they're too far away from the Wall for other Titans to eat her again, and that this time around, she'll be the one to devour Annie of all information they can get. Annie's pupils contract and she kicks the Special Target Capture Weapon surrounding her, which catches Hange and the other soldiers off-guard, forcing them to use their Vertical Maneuvering Equipment to get into the air. Hange and Mikasa arrive atop a building, and as Annie is running the opposite direction, Hange commands the soldiers to follow and prevent her escape, Jean and Armin following suit.

The scene cuts to Eren being trapped under debris with a piece of wood in his chest. Eren remembers Armin saying that someone who can't sacrifice anything can never change anything. Eren thinks that's why he failed, because he clung onto his companions and his ties with them. Eren remembers the deaths of his fellow soldiers as well as his mother, which further infuriates him as he pushes through the wood impaling him and says that he will kill Annie. At that moment Eren transforms, with the subsequent lightning bolt catching the attention of Nile and Erwin, who are still at gunpoint. The ground shakes as Titan Eren sprints through the city. Annie is then caught off-guard when Titan Eren surprises her with a solid punch to the face. The episode ends with Annie being knocked into a building, and an enraged Titan Eren rushing after her.

Characters in Order of Appearance
Épisode 24