Trust (Episode)

"Goddammit, it makes me sick. Nobody knows a damn thing about this world... Not us or anyone else. Except for those bastards at the center of it all."

- Levi complains about the state of the Walls to Hitch and Marlo upon finding out that they were clueless about Annie's true identity

Trust (信頼) is the 4th episode of the 3rd season and the 41st episode overall of the Attack on Titan anime, produced by and.

Overview
Hitch Dreyse and Marlo Freudenberg are caught by Squad Levi and agree to help them bypass a Military Police checkpoint. Meanwhile, Hange Zoë rescues Flegel Reeves and with his help they are able to publicly expose the cover-up used by the Interior Squad to accuse the Scout Regiment of murdering Dimo Reeves.

In Capital Mitras, Gerald interrogates Erwin Smith, but does not learn what the Scout Regiment knows. Nile Dawk arrives to tell Erwin about his audience with the King, and how they will announce his sentence then. Erwin warns him that he left something up to Dot Pyxis and when it happens, it will be up to Nile and "them" to decide.

Summary
Hitch Dreyse and Marlo Freudenberg search the forest near Stohess District for rogue members of the Scout Regiment. They find Armin Arlelt collecting water from a stream and tell him to turn around while they point their rifles at him. But before they can take him into custody, Levi and Mikasa Ackermann ambush the two of them and take them captive.

In Trost District, Roy and Peaure interview Commander Nile Dawk about the civilian who was supposedly murdered by the Scout Regiment. Nile says that the evidence points to that conclusion, but they cannot be certain yet. Peaure realizes that this admission likely means the involvement of the Interior Police, which causes Roy to take away his notebook and apologize for Peaure being a rookie. Roy promises Nile that they will not write anything about the Interior Police or their new ODM gear. Nile thanks him and notes to himself that the new ODM's buckshot ammunition is useless against Titans, but would be perfect for killing people. He further worries that, since the ODM gear was kept secret from him and the rest of the Military Police, it is possible that it may be used on them in the future.

Elsewhere in Trost, Flegel Reeves being pursued by the Interior Police before being rescued by Hange Zoë. Hange correctly concludes that Flegel is being pursued because he knows the truth about his father's death. However, Flegel does not want to speak out, since taking on the Royal Government will likely get him killed. Hange tries to force him to think about what is truly in his own best interest and takes him along with them.

Back in the forest near Stohess, Levi has Hitch and Marlo stripped of their gear with that idea that two members of his squad will infiltrate the Military Police Regiment in disguise and figure out where Eren has been taken. Before Levi can announce how the two MPs will be disposed of, Hitch angrily lashes out at him over the hundred lives lost in the battle in Stohess District. She blames a Titan pulverizing her roommate, Annie Leonhart, who she never got to know. Levi corrects her and reveals that Annie was actually the Female Titan in hiding, which shocks both Hitch and Marlo. Levi is bothered by how little anyone outside of the government knows and says that he will release the two MPs once they get out of here.

Marlo asks Levi to let him help on the grounds that he will do whatever it takes to correct injustice. Levi declines, being uncertain whether he is truly ready to make an enemy of the government, and tells Sasha Braus to tie them up. Jean Kirschtein asks if he can do it instead and Levi allows him.

Jean leads them away and informs Hitch and Marlo that the plan has changed. He draws a knife and says he will kill them because it is too dangerous to let them run free. The two protest, but Jean lunges at them. He trips, dropping his knife, which Marlo grabs as he tells Hitch to run. Jean jabs a stick under Marlo's chin and pretends to have a gun that he will shoot. He asks Marlo why anyone would want to join them given their present circumstances. In return, Marlo asks Jean why he is fighting. Marlo confesses he feels he joined the wrong regiment and that he will trust the Scouts as long as they keep fighting, throwing the knife away.

Jean is visibly relieved, only to be struck a moment later by Hitch who has attacked him with a branch to save Marlo. Marlo quickly stops Hitch, explaining that Jean was just testing them. He asks Jean why he was so willing to trust them, and Jean explains that he reminds him of someone. Satisfied with their dedication, Jean informs them that Levi should be willing to work with them now.

Hitch and Marlo lead Squad Levi to the least manned checkpoint, which the squad then charges with the use of horses and a wagon. He tells them to return to their posts before their crew gets suspicious and thanks them. They break through and Levi captures a member of the Interior Police.

Later that day in Trost, Flegel is chased into a dead end, surrounded by heavily damaged buildings. Roger, who is leading the Interior Police in pursuit of him, laughs at Flegel for running into such a dump. Panicked, Flegel asks why they killed his father, saying that he wants to know before he dies. Unimpressed, Roger tells Flegel that Dimo Reeves betrayed them by siding with the Scouts, and admits that Flegel's father had been forced to participate in the kidnapping. Roger also explains that if Reeves had refused to help, he would have been killed for knowing too much.

To Roger's surprise, Flegel's cowardice vanishes as he talks about the lesson his father had left him about following his merchant's nose, because that brought him to people capable of avenging him. Hange and Moblit Berner then attack the Interior Police and quickly subdue them. Hange asks if everyone heard that, and Roger looks up to see that the damaged buildings are actually heavily populated. However, he sputters that the witnesses do not matter because the government will decide the truth.

Flegel shuts up Roger's ranting by sitting on his head. He declares himself the new boss of the Reeves Company, which will protect this city. The witnesses applaud and Hange congratulates him on his new job. The reporters Roy and Peaure are among the onlookers.

Night has fallen and Levi interrogates the Interior MP regarding the location of Eren and Christa. The man is uncooperative, even in the face of Levi's beating. He tells them that if they do not turn themselves in that every Scout who has been captured will get the noose, starting with Erwin Smith. Undeterred, Levi puts his arm in a painful lock and continues his interrogation. This time the soldier admits that he does not know. Kenny Ackermann is too cautious. Both Levi and Mikasa Ackermann take note of Kenny's surname, but before Levi can continue his questioning, Sasha tells them that someone is coming. Everyone prepares to fight and the MP tells them that it is no use. The Scouts are done, one way or another.

The previous evening, before Hitch and Marlo's capture, Nile visits Erwin in his call and tells him that he has an audience with the King. That is when they will sentence him and decide how to dismantle the Scouts. Erwin asks Nile where his family lives and if they are doing well. Nile admits they are, but he has not been home in a while. They live in around the eastern part of Wall Rose. Nile asks him about all the strange questions and Erwin reveals that he entrusted something to Commander Dot Pyxis. When the time comes, Erwin will only watch and it will be up to Nile and "them" to decide.

The following morning, concurrent to Flegel's problems in Trost, Deltoff, Gerald, Aurille, and Roderich meet. Gerald reports that Erwin must not have learned any secrets from Pastor Nick. Historia can make any claim she wants about her name, but Gerald believes it will amount to nothing.

An aide arrives and informs them that Erwin has been brought for his audience and the group departs for the throne room. Aurille declares that once they execute him, the Walls' secrets will remain safe and the peace within the Walls will be protected. In the throne room itself, Aurille asks Erwin if he has any last words.

Chancellery
''An institution which unifies and supervises the various public organizations of administration, justice, and military which act under the royal government's will. Although it officially outranks other organizations, its authority is under constant contention.''

Trivia

 * This episode, along with the following two, are the only three to be rated TV-MA when it aired on American television, unlike the previous 40 episodes, which were rated TV-14-DLSV.

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Episode 41 Episodio 41 Épisode 41 Fiducia (episodio 41) Zaufanie 動畫第四一話：信賴