Idol: The Struggle for Trost, Part 7

Gūzō -Torosuto-ku Kōbōsen (7)- (偶像 ―トロスト区攻防戦⑦―) is the 11th episode of the 1st season and the 11th episode overall of the Attack on Titan anime, produced by Wit Studio and Production I.G.

Overview
A top of the Wall, Dot Pyxis elaborates a plan with Eren, Mikasa and Armin. The three friends do not believe that the plan will be a total success. Pyxis begins explaining the plan to the soldiers, but some of them get mad when they hear about the idea of going back to Trost, like Daz. Others even want to run away. Then, Eren and Pyxis go for a walk on top of the Wall, where they discuss how the unification of mankind against a common enemy is impossible.

From the Wall, Pyxis gives orders to all the soldiers and explains the plan: Eren will transform into a Titan, carry an enormous boulder and seal the gate. The soldiers dislike the idea and a lot of them run away. Pyxis says that they will be pardoned, but that if they run away, their loved ones and all mankind will fall. This brings the soldiers back. Pyxis also creates an elite team whose mission is to protect Eren while the rest of the soldiers lure the Titans. The operation starts and Eren manages to transform. However something goes wrong as he tries to kill Mikasa.

Summary
On top of the Wall, Eren undertakes Dot Pyxis' orders, despite being unsure about his power. Pyxis smiles after hearing Eren's answer, declaring him to be a real man. Afterwards, he calls for a meeting to draw up a plan. Even though Armin believes that his plan is overly optimistic, Eren reassures him, saying that Pyxis knows the situation and will plan accordingly.

When the soldiers hear about the plan to retake Trost, many are discouraged, believing they do not have the technology to get it done quickly enough. Daz, once again, starts to panic and Marco Bodt tries to calm him down before he gets in trouble or starts to get to the others. Unfortunately, a nearby officer hears him and says that he could be executed, to which he replies that execution would be preferable to being eaten by a Titan. Daz then takes out his sword, resulting in Marco attempting to stop him. When the others hear Daz's rout, they start to desert, and begin leaving.

Meanwhile Eren and Pyxis, unaware of the situation with the soldiers, continue to talk on top of the Wall. Pyxis tells Eren about a certain legend in which humans stopped fighting against each other and united when a common enemy appeared. When Pyxis asks Eren about what he thinks about the legend, Eren answers that he never heard about such a legend and thinks that the legend sounds naive. Hearing Eren's answer, Pyxis laughs and says that Eren's mind is just like his own.

Eren and Pyxis continue to walk. They pass Hannes' group. Hannes sees him and is relieved to see that he is okay, but confused why he is walking alongside the Commander. Much to his annoyance, Eren motions to Hannes to focus on his own work. As they move to the edge, Pyxis takes out a bottle of a drink from inside his vest. After drinking, he offers it to Eren. Accepting the offer, Eren takes a sip, only to spit out the contents immediately.

The chaos continues to play out below the Wall, and seems to get worse when Pyxis and Eren take their place standing on top of the Wall to look down upon the crowd of soldiers. Pyxis takes a deep breath and addresses the soldiers below, obtaining their attention. He lays out the plan for the reconquest of Trost by sealing the hole made by the Colossal Titan. The soldiers are wonder how they'll accomplish this amazing feat, and Pyxis introduces Eren to the soldiers as the one who will seal it. His friends are shocked when they hear this, and Pyxis continues to introduce Eren as a part of the government's top-secret experiment to turn a human into a Titan. He explains that Eren can make and control a Titan's body. Conny tells Ymir that he does not understand the Commander's words and asks if he is just too stupid to understand, but Ymir just tells him to shut up. While Pyxis continues,  Armin explains the plan in greater detail to two elite soldiers of the Garrison. Using the information that Titans react to concentrations of humans, they will lure them to a corner of the Wall, on the other side of Trost. Then, they will be able to keep direct contact to a minimum and take out Titans via the cannons mounted on the Walls. A small group of elite soldiers will be assigned to protect Eren while he moves the boulder to plug the hole. Armin though, feels unsure about the plan.

On the ground, the plan is being met with resistance and disbelief. Large numbers of soldiers start to walk away, saying they would rather spend their last days with family. As more and more start to follow these examples, Kitz Woerman attempts to impose capital punishment, by killing the mutineers. Before he starts however, Pyxis informs the group that whoever leaves will be pardoned, gaining the attention once again of the crowd. Knowing that Titans are fearsome and fear is natural, he says they are free to go, but then states that they are also putting their loved ones in the position of facing that fear themselves. This causes them to give pause and after thinking about it further, they return to their positions.

Pyxis then talks about what happened four years ago at Wall Maria. "The sound of reconquest had a nice ring to it, but it ended up having an ulterior motive. The population couldn't sustain itself in the limited space that it had, so the deaths that resulted from the mission were deemed necessary for the survival of humanity. It was a sin that all of humanity was guilty of, including himself. However, if Wall Rose is breached, humanity will not be able to get off with just twenty percent of the population being killed. With only Wall Sina left for them to live in, less than half of the population would be sustained, which is why reclaiming territory this time is so important," Pyxis tells the gathered crowd. Eren, now feeling the full pressure of the request, resolves that he must succeed in his duty.

Before the operation begins, Pyxis orders Ian Dietrich, Rico Brzenska and Mitabi Jarnach to guard Eren while he worked on his end of the operation. Rico asks Pyxis if this 'human weapon' will work. Ian attempts to scold her, but Rico counters, saying that he is also unsure about the plan. Pyxis then asks the three if they like to lose to Titans that much, which they reply that they do not want to lose to them. Pyxis says that he too, does not want to lose to them and wants to beat them all. With this talk, the operation is ready to begin, Pyxis orders Ian to take lead in this operation. Ian feels he is not good enough, but Pyxis encourages him and he finally accepts.

Not so far from them, Armin is apologizing to Eren, because he has made Eren become responsible for everything. Eren tells Armin that he has believed in him right from the start. Meanwhile, Mikasa wants to be the part of the elite team protecting Eren, but Eren says that she can not come with him since she is part of the decoy team. Mikasa says she can not let him be alone, otherwise something bad might happen again to him. Eren replies with an annoyed tone that he is not her little brother, nor her son, which makes Mikasa think. Ian then calls her and orders her to join the group that will protect Eren which much to Mikasa's relief. He then orders them to go into their position. Before leaving, Eren tells Armin not to die, and Armin tells him the same.

With the operation underway, Eren, Mikasa and a small group of soldiers get into position. They head for the shortest route and find no Titans in their way. Rico tells Eren that soldiers are not pawns, because they all have names, families and feelings. She tells Eren that he has the responsibility that their death will have meaning, and she advises Eren to never forget that.

Commander Pyxis tells the soldiers in the crowd that if they accomplish their task, it will be humanity's first victory over the Titans. As Eren and his group reach the boulder, he bites his hand and transforms into his Titan form. Seeing him walking toward the stone, Mikasa states to herself that she believes that Eren will accomplish the mission, but things go horribly wrong; Eren takes one look at the boulder, and attacks Mikasa instead.

Trivia

 * After Eren finishes his intial conversation with Pyxis, he appears to have been given a new boot and shirt as his outfit shows no sign of damage, but his sleeve is shown as ripped again once the operation begins.

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