Retrospective (Chapter)

Retrospective (懐古) is the 3rd chapter of the 32nd volume and the 129th chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Summary
Annie and Reiner continue to fight off the Yeagerists while Connie reflects upon how he killed both Daz and Samuel. Inside the building, Hange is taken back when hearing that the airship will require half a day to prepare the ship; she theorizes that even if everything went smoothly and by the time they finish, portions of Marley (including Liberio) will already be destroyed. Jean thinks back to the refugees the Survey Corps met and Theo Magath laments how they still would have no idea where Eren would be hidden. Kiyomi suggests they begin the prep work while sailing out to a Marley city called Odiha. Magath orders them to get the ship ready in fifteen minutes, while Jean and Hange set out to gather Levi and the others.

Mikasa flies to Annie and notifies her of the plan to cover the service workers while they prepare the ship for launch. Floch orders the Yeagerists with him to shoot the workers, only for them to be killed by Hange and Mikasa. He realizes their plan and frantically orders all the Thunder Spears available to be fired upon the ship.

As they observe from afar, Falco decides to join Annie and Reiner in fighting the Yeagerists; Pieck advises him against it and suggests that she will do it instead. Falco ignores this and, believing Galliard would do the same, charges towards the fighting. Pieck informs Magath of this while bringing Armin and Connie aboard. Mikasa and Hange debate on what to do with the oncoming train, when they see it suddenly derail and crash.

Eventually, the Yeagerists damage both Reiner and Annie enough to render them unable to move. Even with the Survey Corps defending them, along with Pieck and Magath at the ship, the Yeagerists close in when suddenly a flash of light occurs; Falco emerges from the bay as the Jaw Titan and tears through the Yeagerists, causing them to scatter. As Floch flies up and aims a Thunder Spear at the ship, Gabi shoots it and the spear explodes, wounding Floch and causing him to fall into the bay. When the Survey Corps regroup to head to the ship, Falco emerges behind them and begins to attack them; he eventually bites the Cart Titan and begins to bite through the nape, but both Pieck and Magath are able to get Falco to come to his senses in time.

Magath gets them on board and is saved by Keith Shadis, who kills a few of the Yeagerist survivors. The two spot a Marley cruiser and both agree to sabotage it so it can't be used to chase the Survey Corps and Warriors. As they barricade themselves in an artillery room, Magath advises Keith to leave the ship while he still can; Keith declines and resolves to stay. He muses on how much his former students had changed, revealing to be the one who stalled the Yeagerists for time. Magath and Keith share a few moments of reflection and introduce themselves, commenting how they will both be known as heroes in the future; Magath then loads a rifle and shoots at the live shells, killing himself and Keith, along with destroying the Marleyan cruiser and the Yeagerists trying to take over the ship.

Trivia

 * This chapter was originally scheduled to be released on May 9th, 2020, but it was postponed to the next month due to the, becoming the first chapter to be delayed since the manga began serialization.