Response: The Struggle for Trost, Part 6

Kotaeru (応える) is the tenth episode of the Attack on Titan anime. It was produced by Wit Studio and Production I.G.

Overview
The rest of the Trainees Squad are put on stand by. They are pretty confused and worried about their future and Eren's. A loud cannon shot stops their conversation which makes some of the soldiers go investigate the source of the sound.

Eren manages to protect their friends with his power but another shot is being loaded. Eren makes up two plans: escape to Wall Maria with his Titan form, or make Armin tell the Garrison that they are friends of mankind. Armin then realizes that he is not a burden and he does what he can to convince captain Kitz Weilman and the surrounding Garrison soldiers. He even talks about recapturing Trost using Eren's powers. However Kitz does not believe him, and when he is about to order a second shot, Dot Pixis stops him and saves the kids for one reason: to use Eren's power to seal the Trost District's gate.

Summary
Inside the Walls, the soldiers are put on stand by. One of them, Daz, tells Marco that he is unable to fight anymore, as his comrades were devoured right in front of him while he was just happy not to end up like them. However, knowing that he might be the next one to die, he takes out his sword in an attempt to end everything, but Marco stops him. In an attempt to calm him down, he points out Sasha and her struggles, but she screams in agony, complaining of a stomach ache, and asking to go to the infirmary.

Hearing the commotion, Jean Kirstein is being questioned by Krista and Ymir of Eren and Mikasa's whereabouts. Jean says he is not permitted to disclose this information under orders from the Garrison Regiment; he thinks it is wise to not reveal Eren's secret as the news would spread among the soldiers and cause panic. At that moment exactly, a cannon shot is heard, and after finding out that it came from inside Wall Rose, Reiner, Bertolt and Annie rush to the Wall, followed by Jean.

Protected by the skeleton of Eren's partial Titan transformation, Mikasa and Armin silently watch as the Titan attempts to move, which disturbs Captain Kitz Weilman further. He orders the soldiers to stand by and prepare the cannon a second shot. Inside the Titan, Eren comes to his senses and gets out, surprised to see a figure of a Titan in front of him. Wasting no time, approaches Mikasa and Armin as the Titan starts evaporating. Eren also theorizes that his form was incomplete because he was only focused on stopping the cannonball. He states he now has two plans to escape. He explains his first plan: to become a fully-formed Titan and return to Wall Maria. He tells them that the basement of his house is an answer to everything and states that from now on, he must work alone, but Mikasa takes offense to this. While they quarrel, Armin ponders their predicament. Then he remembers that Eren and Mikasa always fought, for him and thinks to himself that even in the end, he acts as a coward.

However, Eren then reveals the second plan. If Armin thinks he'll be able to persuade the Stationary Guard that he is mankind's ally, Eren will stay. Armin is confused as to why they would rely on him, when Eren states that if he had not told Hannes to after them, they would've been devoured by Titans five years ago. Upon realization that Eren and Mikasa never thought of him as a burden, Armin decides to follow the plan, claiming that he will convince them, just as the cannon is loaded.

Armin walks out of the smoke and faces Weilman, and the rest of the soldiers. He tries to convince them that Eren isn't an enemy of mankind. He argues that back then, all soldiers could see Eren fighting the Titans and that the Titans viewed Eren as a prey. However, Weilman, overwhelmed with fear, refuses to believe this and orders the soldiers to be ready for an attack.

Refusing to give in, Armin salutes, and, for one last time, asks for permission to explain Eren's strategic importance, as they may even be able to recapture Trost with Eren's powers. Ian Dietrich tells Weilman that Armin's plan should be considered, but Weilman refuses to listen and attempts to give a signal for the cannon, but is stopped by Commander Dot Pixis. Pixis orders him to stand down, saying that he'd like to listen to what Eren and others have to say. He then orders Weilman to organize the reinforcements.

Pixis is then introduced as a man entrusted with complete authority over the key area of mankind's defenses. On top of the wall, he listens to Eren and others, asking Armin if he genuinely meant what he said or if it was just to save his life. Armin replies that it was both; he explains about the boulder in the middle of the city and that if Eren can carry the boulder over to the gate and seal the breach, the Titan advance will be halted. Pixis asks Eren whether he will agree on using his powers to move the boulder and block the hole in the gate. Looking behind himself, Eren witnesses the area that would be lost if the gate were to fall and ultimately agrees with the plan.

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