Shoukei to Shikabane no Michi

Shoukei to Shikabane no Michi (憧憬と屍の道) is the 5th opening theme of the Attack on Titan anime, and is sung by singer-songwriter Revo of.

It replaced Red Swan in Episode 50 and was replaced by My War in Episode 60.

Opening Animation
An explosion occurs in Shiganshina District which the Colossal Titan emerges out of. The title card is revealed.

Erwin, Dirk, and other Scouts jump off Wall Maria. Levi watches a line of Titans and draws his sword.

Three mugs and a kettle lay in the grass. Armin Arlelt, Mikasa, Jean, Conny, and Sasha turn their faces, looking surprised. Reiner, Bertholdt, and Zeke sit on top of Wall Maria, drinking from their mugs around their camp. It transitions to Reiner and Bertholdt each patting the other on the back, with Reiner facing inside the wall and Bertholdt facing outside.

Burning buildings collapse and are launched into the air by the Colossal Titan. Eren hardens his Titan knuckles. A horde of Pure Titans is created. The Beast Titan throws a boulder which shatters into countless debris that devastate the village outside Wall Maria. A cavalry of Scouts led by Erwin charge, firing their green signal flares.

Eren punches the Armored Titan, cracking its face. Jean, Sasha, and Conny zoom across with their ODM gear and launch their Thunder Spears.

Mikasa flings herself into the air and several Scouts face the Colossal Titan. Levi lunges the Beast Titan. A bloodied Hange Zoë is seen without her glasses. Bertholdt's Titan skull looks down, half of it is bones. Armin wakes up; his burned body briefly appears. Jean and others detonate the Thunder Spears in the Armored Titan's nape. Erwin and the Scouts charge at the Beast Titan, its horde, and the Cart Titan, everybody with their hearts glowing. The case containing the Titan injection is held by two people, one appears to be dying. Eren is seen crying.

Then, images flash by in rapid succession: Ymir Fritz and the Devil of All Earth, a blimp on a field, a seashell held by someone, the wall that separates Liberio's internment zone from the rest of the city, the door to the basement, and the Wall Titans flattening the earth.

Erwin holds up his arm. A soldier steps on grass and a blood droplet ripples. The photograph of Dina Fritz briefly appears. Historia turns around.

Erwin stands in front of his fallen allies. The Wings of Freedom split into two birds that fly away into the setting sun. A scene of going beyond the walls is shown, which transitions to a desert. Then everything rewinds to Eren's house from the beginning and it zooms in on the basement.

Throughout the opening animation, there are flashes of blurry images inserted between scenes, many of Shiganshina. They include the field where Eren took a nap; the stairs where Eren, Mikasa, and Armin were when the Colossal Titan first appeared; the inner gate of Shiganshina; the boats that carried the refugees out of Shiganshina; the aftermath of the Colossal Titan's explosion; a fence with barbed wire; the top of Wall Rose; etc.

Trivia

 * This opening references all the previous openings (and ending) performed by Linked Horizon.
 * The sequence where Mikasa and the Scouts swing with their ODM gear is a reference to Feuerroter Pfeil und Bogen.
 * The sequence where Levi zooms left is a reference to Die Flügel der Freiheit.
 * The sequence where Erwin charge at the Beast Titan, everyone with their hearts glowing, is a reference to Opfert eure Herzen!.
 * The sequence where a soldier steps on a field with a blood drop rippling is a reference to Requiem der Morgenröte.
 * The lyrics accompanying these sequences also reference the Japanese titles of the songs. In the lyrics, the first word of each line in this sequence is given a 'meaning' that is different from the spoken word.
 * During Mikasa's ODM sequence, the lyrics "An arrow shoots along the tracks" (弓矢の翔け抜けた奇跡) are sung, with "An arrow" (弓矢) being given the meaning "A crimson impulse" (紅蓮の衝動). Both "An arrow" (弓矢) and "Crimson" (紅蓮) are references to the first opening, Crimson Bow and Arrow (紅蓮の弓矢).
 * During Levi's sequence, the lyrics "The wings will take flight" (つばさを散らして) are sung, with "The wings" (つばさ) being given the meaning ”The resolution for freedom” (自由の覚悟). Both "The wings" (つばさ) and "Freedom" (自由) are references to the second opening, Die Flügel der Freiheit.

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