Titans

Titans (巨人) is the 3rd chapter of the 34th volume and the 137th chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Overview
Zeke and Armin are still stuck in Ymir's Paths and have a conversation about organisms multiplying in order to survive. Meanwhile, in the real world, the Warriors are having a tough time fighting the ancient Titans until Zeke and Armin wake up all Subjects of Ymir (such as Tom Ksaver, Bertolt, Grisha, etc) so their Titans help them out in the battle.

Summary
As both Zeke and Armin reside within the Paths, the former begins to tell the story about how life was able to form a long time ago due to the desire for it to multiply. However, it also dealt with the fear of death and extermination, eventually leading to the point where Ymir gave birth to the first Titan in an attempt to escape the pain and fear; upon her death, she traveled to the world of Paths where they reside currently. When Armin asks what is the ultimate goal of Ymir's, Zeke admits he does not know even after spending all this time trying to; he ponders that the reason for her staying here for so long, obeying the will of King Fritz was due to a lingering attachment to the world. Eren was able to understand that when Zeke himself did not, leading to Ymir to side with Eren. When Armin protests that he has not given up just yet, Zeke asks him what is the point to keep struggling and fighting; the fear and terror are still present to this day and brings up the fact that all living things will die at some point.

Armin glances down and notices a leaf; picking it up, he tells Zeke of a childhood memory of his when Eren challenged him and Mikasa to a race up a hill towards a tree. While there was no chance of him winning, Armin reflects how the memory served no purpose but felt good to him and has cherished it since; he goes on to mention other memories, such as reading at home, feeding a squirrel during a Training Corps exercise in the woods or spending time with friends in a market. While they are trivial to others, he holds on to them dearly. Zeke looks up and is shocked to see Armin holding not a leaf, but a baseball. Zeke takes it and remembers how happy he was playing catch with Tom Ksaver; he agrees that Armin is right and would have loved to stay in that moment. Just then, both turn around and notice many former Titan holders including Marcel, Porco, Ymir, Bertolt, Eren Kruger, and even both Tom Ksaver and Zeke's father Grisha. Armin converses with Bertolt about how he understands everything from his memories, while Zeke wakes the others; Zeke mentions to Ksaver how that even though their euthanasia dream may not have been wrong, he would go through being born again if he could play catch with him again. He then thanks his father and both Zeke and Armin ask the others to lend their strength.

Meanwhile, Pieck gets injured and Jean grabs her from getting killed by one of the Titans; while heading back towards Reiner, Jean notices that he is been struck by several of the previous War Hammer Titans and one prepares to kill him with a sickle. Further towards the back where Bertolt's Colossus Titan is, Annie is overwhelmed by several of the Titans. Just then, Annie, Mikasa and Connie are surprised to see Bertolt's Colossus Titan begin swiping at the smaller ones around Annie. Where Pieck, Jean and Reiner are, they spot Marcel, Porco and Ymir's Jaw Titan forms biting and fighting off the Titans surrounding Reiner. Mikasa spots the Beast Titan okapi and goes to engage it; suddenly, Gabi fires a round into its head and manages to stun it. Mikasa takes the opportunity to slash away at it to free Armin; after Armin shoots a Thunder Spear at it, the okapi spears Armin in the leg with its tongue as it begins falling. Connie manages to sever it and Armin is quickly caught by Annie.

As Falco flies overhead with Gabi and Levi, they both notice Zeke appearing from one of the many spines trying to get their attention. Zeke takes a moment and admires what a beautiful day it is, musing that if only he was able to recognize it sooner; he is then swiftly decapitated by Levi and his head falls away towards the ground. This causes the Rumbling to end and the Wall Titans to stop moving; Reiner prompts Jean to go to Eren's head and blow the charges. Calling Eren a suicidal blockhead once more, Jean detonates the explosives and Eren's head is blown off the spine from the Founding Titan. Jean spots the centipede like creature Gabi spoke of emerge from the neck and trying to reconnect with Eren; Reiner hurls himself past and grabs on, wrestling with it to keep it from the severed head. With Armin briefing everyone what is going to happen (and Reiner staying behind to keep the Founding Titan from rejoining Eren), everyone else evacuates from the Founding Titan aboard the Jaw Titan. Armin is perched within the hands of Bertolt's Colossus Titan and thanks the other Titan holders for their part; saying goodbye to Eren, Armin sets off a massive explosion as he transforms into the Colossal Titan.