Board Thread:Manga/@comment-34196931-20200108165627/@comment-27125793-20200110174343

RuneLai wrote: This was a chapter I initially enjoyed while I was reading for the first time, but liked less on second read when I was doing it for the wiki's chapter summary, because in doing that, I realized that Chapter 125 is really just a collage of different scenes without a coherent story tying them all together. We spend a few pages here, a few pages there, most to less to catch up with most of our cast post-battle.

Some of this was good. I liked seeing Armin's breakdown, since he's always tried to make the best of a given situation, but he's finally at the point where he just doesn't have any heart left to spare.

I also find it interesting that Floch only knew of Eren's plan since ten months ago, since it seems like Eren should have had this ball rolling long before, and Floch came under suspicion for being assigned to Yelena soon after she arrived on Paradis. However, I disagree with Floch essentially being a male Yelena, killing people at the drop of a hat. Floch of the RTS arc was looking for a ruthless leader, but he also called himself a coward and freaked out about things. I miss that Floch.

Shadis's scene probably could have been cut. We would have presumed he survived even if we didn't see him again this chapter and unless Surma and the other trainees do become some kind of sleeper cell inside the Yeagerists (is there any time for that?) this is a setup that won't pay off.

Hitch and Annie reuniting was nice, though it was a little too on the nose when their dialogue specifically calls out that Annie is info-dumping her personal backstory to Hitch. Yeah, it's strange to hear Annie confiding in Hitch when she previously never talked about herself to anyone, but I would have accepted it as a narrative convenience. Having Hitch notice and Annie tell her that she needs to vent felt like panels that didn't need to be there.

It was nice finally seeing Hange and Levi at the end, after them being gone for so long, but like most of this chapter, it felt like it was mostly setup for things to come.

Now we know where (almost) everyone is, what they intend to, and they're heading on their way. Actually, Floch was assigned to her soon after the railroad was finished, on the very day it opened. According to Pixis himself when he was interrogating Yelena, that happened 10 months ago (year 853-854), two or so years after Yelena first arrived (year 851). Eren probably informed Floch of Zeke's actual plan soon after Yelena told him of it.

I'm rather 'meh' on the Shadis scene myself. I like him and that he's getting some more screentime, but that whole part about staging an uprising later down the line after everything is over and done with seems a bit much and inappropriate at the given time.

I do agree that Annie's info dump could've been shortened. Not to say there shouldn't have been any exposition, but some things weren't all that necessary to add. However, their interaction overall was good, and I liked it.

Like most others, I agree that Armin's breakdown scene was really well-done. No further words necessary. I do think though that Kaya and Gabi hugging was rushing it a bit.

Honestly, I also liked Floch's part. I think it reveals his motivations a bit more. He's been ruthless thus far, sure, but in a very coldly efficient way. When we see him try to cheer up Jean, we see actual emotions on his face for the first time in a while; relief and joy. That leads me to believe that he's not really acting out of a sense of blind faith and patriotism, but more that bringing back the Eldian Empire will give him back the freedom he wants, that he can stop worrying about whether he's going to live to see the next day, the enemies across the ocean and the planned genocide they have for the Paradisians, and that he has the freedom to live his life the way he wants to.

I also have to disagree with the fact that the scenes aren't interconnected in some way. Armin's scene with Mikasa and his later one with Gabi are connected with Connie and Falco's obviously, and the rest of the scenes are all serving to set up something major that's goint to happen. 'Setting up' doesn't mean the plot isn't moving forward after all. It is.