Colossal Titan (Anime)

"A god of destruction. I feel bad for those island devils. One day, that's gonna show up to kill 'em."

- A Marleyan analysis of the Colossal Titan

The Colossal Titan (超大型巨人) is one of the Nine Titans and serves as the major antagonist of the first three seasons of Attack on Titan series. This Titan is notable for its massive size and significant control over the steam emitted by its Titan body along with the user's control over the power of the blast released by its transformation. It is currently in the possession of Armin Arlelt. The Colossal Titan first appeared in the year 845 during the fall of Wall Maria and later re-emerged in 850 at Trost.

Explosive transformation
Although all Titans generate enormous amounts of heat and energy when transforming, the Colossal Titan takes this to the next level. The holder can control the energy produced during their transformation to create various effects. For instance, when Bertholdt Hoover attacked Trost, his transformation only caused a wind blast which knocked some cadets over the Wall. However, during the Battle of Shiganshina District, Bertholdt released an amount of energy akin to a small nuclear device, which ravaged part of the district and set the area in which he transformed in on fire, along with killing a great number of Scout Regiment soldiers. In addition, the explosive energy released from the transformation created a massive mushroom cloud of dust and rubble.

Steam emission
The unique ability possessed by the Colossal Titan appears to be significant control over the amounts of steam emitted by the Titan form. In normal circumstances, Titans emit steam from wounds, and their bodies evaporate completely into steam after receiving a killing blow. The Colossal Titan is capable of emitting great amounts of steam at will in order to prevent anybody from reaching its nape. This power can be used for a variety of purposes. By emitting immense amounts of steam at once, the pressure and force of the steam will burn and repel any individuals in proximity to the Colossal Titan that are not fixed in place. And if they are fixed to him, they will be constantly scorched by the incredible heat, at the Titan's mercy.

However, prolonged use of this ability takes a toll on the Titan, decreasing muscle mass gradually until only the skeletal structure remains. In some cases when it is necessary, the Colossal Titan is capable of evaporating its entire body at once, disappearing instantly. This puts the user in a position of great vulnerability, with no way of preventing a fall from a great height where the Titan form once was. However, this disadvantage can be alleviated if the user is wearing ODM gear. This was seen after the Colossal titan appeared in Trost and in order to prevent Eren Jaeger from reaching its nape, a large quantity of steam was released, which allowed Bertholdt to climb down the wall using the 3D maneuvering gear.

Size
The Colossal Titan is infamous for its incredible size, standing at a previously unseen, high enough to peer over the top of the Walls. Its body mass gives it overwhelming strength, but also makes its movements very slow. It is strong enough to destroy the outer gate of Wall Maria with a single kick, launch entire houses in the air, and send Eren's Attack Titan flying from the ground to the top of Wall Maria.

History
The Colossal Titan, like all the Nine Titans, was brought into the world after the death of Ymir Fritz. In the 1,700 years following her death, the Colossal Titan was held in the possession of one or several of the warring Eldian houses subservient to the Founding Titan. After these seventeen centuries when the First Reiss King abandoned the conflicts of Eldia and relocated to Paradis Island, the Colossal Titan was taken by the nation of Marley during the Great Titan War.

On the year 843, Bertholdt Hoover was chosen to inherit the power of the Colossal Titan. He would later make use of his Titan form in a war between Marley and an enemy nation, using his Colossal Titan to destroy a city containing enemy troops in a sneak attack after the Cart Titan placed him in position.

In the year 845, the nation of Marley sent out Bertholdt, Reiner Braun, Annie Leonhart, and Marcel Galliard across the sea to Paradis Island as the start of the Paradis Island Operation.

The Fall of Shiganshina arc
The Colossal Titan makes its first appearance outside Wall Maria when Bertholdt transformed outside the southern gate, terrorizing the population of Shiganshina and kicking a hole in the southern gate. Its actions allow the normal Titans wandering outside to enter Shiganshina, where they begin to feast on its many inhabitants, including Carla Jaeger. Bertholdt joined his fellow surviving Warriors in entering the walled territory during the chaos.

The Struggle for Trost arc
The Colossal Titan reappears five years later in the year 850 after the fall of Wall Maria, breaching Wall Rose after Bertholdt transforms outside the south gate of Trost District so that the Titans can once again devour the humans inside. Before he can escape, his Colossal Titan is confronted by Eren Jaeger seeking vengeance. Eren attempts to strike at the Colossal Titan's nape, but Bertholdt makes use of his steam emission control and prevents Eren from getting close. As Eren fights against Bertholdt's steam and comes in for the killing blow, the Colossal Titan vanishes instantaneously. As Eren attempts to comprehend the situation, Bertholdt escapes under the cover of his Titan's steam using his omni-directional mobility gear. This attack prompts the Garrison to enact the Colossal Titan contingency plan for Trost District.

Clash of the Titans Arc
Due to the discovery of Eren's possession of the Attack Titan, the Warriors postpone their plan to destroy the Walls and instead focus on capturing Eren, whom they believe possesses the Founding Titan as well. When Reiner, in a moment of exhaustion and desperation, reveals himself to be the Armored Titan and exposes Bertholdt as the Colossal Titan, the two transform into their Titan forms and battle against the Scout Regiment.

As Reiner's Armored Titan battles Eren's Titan, Bertholdt fights against the Scouts with a partially transformed Colossal Titan. When the soldiers led by Hange Zoë are ready to land a killing blow, Bertholdt once more uses his steam emission control to keep them all at a distance, and their ODM gear is unable to reach him in the continuous gusts of wind. Bertholdt's Colossal remains in this state of emission for a short time until Reiner faces imminent defeat in his struggle against Eren and calls for help. Hearing Reiner's signal, Bertholdt falls to the ground below. This causes a destructive explosion below, with the Colossal Titan evaporating into a gush of steam. Bertholdt leaves his Titan and joins up with Reiner, who had managed to capture Eren in the chaos.

Return to Shiganshina arc
The Warriors fail in capturing Eren and later flee to the ruins of Shiganshina District. For some months, Bertholdt presumably does not use his Colossal Titan until the battle of Shiganshina District, where he prepares to transform into his Titan above the district in order to destroy the city. However, his plan is stopped shortly after seeing Reiner alive and in peril, and he transforms at a later time after speaking with his former comrades. The blast from his transformation engulfs nearly all of the Scouts within Shiganshina and levels the central portion of the district, creating a mushroom cloud.

As the Colossal Titan, Bertholdt begins setting fire to the houses of Shiganshina with his Titan's heat and sends the structures soaring through the air, bringing great devastation to the town. Eren attempts to attack the Colossal, but his attempt is short-lived when he is kicked to the top of Wall Maria. Squad Levi attempts to attack Bertholdt with their Thunder Spears, but the Colossal's steam emission keeps them away. However, at this time Armin Arlelt notices the loss of muscle mass brought on by each steam blast and formulates a plan to defeat Bertholdt.

Armin brings Eren back into consciousness and informs him of his plan to defeat Bertholdt. Knowing his ODM gear will not stay attached to the Colossal's evaporating flesh, Armin grapples to the teeth of the Titan as Eren collapses to the ground below.

Wanting to kill Armin quickly, Bertholdt emits a huge amount of burning steam at Armin, scorching him alive until he can no longer remain grappled to his Titan. Armin collapses to the ground below, and Bertholdt turns his attention to Eren. He notices too late that Eren's Titan on the ground below is in fact merely its hardened shell, and in the moment of vulnerability, Eren, in his human form, strikes at the Colossal Titan, pulling Bertholdt from the nape as the Colossal Titan collapses in defeat.

On the rooftops of Shiganshina, the surviving members of the Scout Regiment are left with the choice of using a Titan injection in their possession to save either Armin or Commander Erwin Smith from the brink of death. The choice is left to Captain Levi, and after some hesitation, he chooses to save Armin's life. As a Pure Titan, Armin grabs Bertholdt as he comes back into consciousness and begs for his life. His cries go unheard, and Bertholdt is eaten alive by Armin's Titan, which inherits the Colossal Titan power.

Trivia

 * In the game Age of Gunslingers Online, a special Titan Mode was made as a tribute to the series. The final boss is heavily based upon the Colossal Titan and is fought atop a massive structure. A trailer of this mode can be viewed here.
 * During season 1 in 2013, the Colossal Titan appeared in the Pizza Hut promotional collaboration which shows the Colossal Titan eating a pizza with the pizza box on the other hand.
 * Before the San Diego Padres vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game on July 5, 2019, the person dressed up as the Colossal Titan and took photos with Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda who has the Colossal Titan designed baseball glove.
 * A photo shared by a Reddit user in November 2020 shows a sculpture of the Colossal Titan made of a banana.
 * Since its first appearance, the Colossal Titan has become one of the most recognizable iconic images of the entire Attack on Titan series.

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