Counterfeit

"I'm joining the fight! So am I!! Let us bring victory to the New Eldian Empire!! Devote your hearts!! Devote your hearts!! Devote your hearts!!"

- A crowd of people cheer for the "New Eldian Empire"

Counterfeit (偽り者) is the 4th and final chapter of the 27th volume and the 110th chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Overview
Zeke tells Levi about the time he transformed the citizens of Ragako into Titans. Levi questions him over this, though Zeke professes that he had acted to avoid suspicion. Yelena tells Pixis about her secret meeting with Eren. She explains that she only wanted Eren to recognize her and made a few requests. She claims that her actions had been for Eldia's sake though Pixis is wholly unconvinced that she is being truthful. Hange meets with Onyankopon, and discovers that he is unaware of Yelena's actions. Hange releases him and has him accompany her. Hitch discovers Armin while he is visiting Annie's crystal. They walk together to the military headquarters, and find a large mob protesting for Eren's release.

Mikasa joins up with Armin to request permission to visit Eren from Zackly. He denies them, due to believing Eren is under Zeke's control. Shortly after leaving, an explosion detonates in Zackly's office, killing the Commander-in-Chief and three others. Later that night, the military branches meet to discuss the developments, when a soldier rushes in and tells them that Eren had escaped. On a mountain path, Eren assembles with his Survey Corps followers, who had orchestrated Zackly's assassination. Eren tells the group that they are to locate Zeke. The next morning, while the Corps ride out, Pieck sits reading a paper, having successfully infiltrated the Walls.

Summary
At their camp in the Titan Forest, Zeke tells Levi about the method he had used to turn the citizens of Ragako into Titans. Zeke, along with Pieck, had watched from nearby as a small number of Marleyan soldiers released a gas diffuse with his spinal fluid that engulfed the village. He explains that once a subject of Ymir inhales this gas, they are paralyzed and etched with a coordinate that the paths sends Titan bodies towards on his command. Zeke was then able to impose his will on their Pure Titans due to their connection to his Beast Titan. Levi admonishes Zeke for his lack of concern for human life, though Zeke professes that he needed to carry out the attack to avoid Marley's suspicion. He asks Levi when he will be allowed to carry out his experiment with Eren, though Levi lacks the authority to answer. Both agree that it would be a mistake to wait around too long, however.

Yelena admits to Pixis that she had secretly met with Eren. Apologizing for having hidden this from them, she explains that she had grown impatient due to the Walls lack of urgency. As Eren felt the same as her, they had easily come to the agreement that the military needed to be stirred up. When Pixis asks her why she had not spoken to the Survey Corps directly, Yelena confesses that she had desired to be recognized by Eren, and that she had not conferred with the other volunteers. She says that Eren's attack on Marley was a justice better than she had imagined, and that together they were witnessing history in the making. Yelena finishes by apologizing for going behind the military's back, but swears that all her actions are for the sake of Eldia. Despite Yelena's show of emotion, Pixis is wholly unconvinced, telling her that a good lie would have mixed in truth.

Onyankopon meets with Hange, and expresses his disappointment that the Walls are doubting the volunteers. Hange apologizes for this shortly before panickedly telling him about the secret meeting. Onyankopon shows himself to have been unaware of this, though does not deny that it was likely. On Hange's request, he explains his understanding that Yelena had organized the volunteers, and had shown her loyalty to Zeke by her ruthlessness towards dissenting or suspect Marleyans among them. Hange finds it weird that Yelena had acted so ruthlessly towards Marleyans, while also being outspoken in convincing the islanders to respect the captive soldier's human rights. Finding Onyankopon to be trustworthy and innocent, Hange releases him from captivity and has him accompany her.

Hitch discovers Armin while he is attempting to touch Annie's crystal. Embarrassed, Armin insists that she had gotten the wrong idea and he was only attempting to unlock memories. They walk together to the nearby military headquarters, discussing the news headlines that displayed the public's growing distrust in the military. Outside the front gates, they find a large mob protesting for Eren's release. Hitch informs Armin that it was a similar situation outside all Corps offices in the area. As Hitch is called to help garrison the gate, Mikasa meets with Armin. Walking past some Survey Corps recruits, they travel up to Zackly's office, where they request permission to visit Eren. Zackly denies them, under the grounds that Yelena had admitted to having unauthorized contact with him, making it likely that Eren is under Zeke's control. He requests that they keep this fact secret. Shocked, Mikasa asks what will happen to Eren, but is unanswered by Zackly who only stares at his "custom chair". When asked about his chair, he explains that he had new recruits bring it to his office just now, as he had nowhere to put it. Despite Armin's plea, Zackly ends their meeting, explaining that the situation requires great caution.

Mikasa and Armin think about what Zackly had said, and find it likely that the military had already given up on Eren and looked to replace him. As Mikasa prepares to listen into Zackly's following meeting, an explosion detonates in his office. Zackly is defenestrated by the explosion, his dismembered corpse landing in full view of the protesters outside. In spite of the brutality, the crowd begins celebrating and gladly begin a chant of "devote your hearts".

At night, the military branches congregate to discuss the recent development. Rogue reports that the blast had killed four people in total and it is likely that a bomb had been planted in Zackly's "custom chair". Armin and Mikasa report that Zackly had about recruits moving his chair, and they had seen new Survey Corps members leave just before they entered. Suddenly, a soldier bursts in to disclose that Eren had escaped from his underground cell, using his Titan powers. As an order to fully mobilize a search is given, Mikasa fearfully wonders to Armin what is going on.

On a mountain path, Eren walks towards his group of followers from the Corps. Floch, who had been broken out of prison by co-conspirators, tells Eren that they have more followers, like the group who had assassinated Zackly. Handing Eren his black jacket, he tells Eren that he is the only one who can save the Eldian people. Eren frankly gives the command that they should locate Zeke. While the military ride out in the morning, Armin encourages Mikasa that Eren will understand them. The carriage rides past Pieck, who reads a newspaper in disguise, having infiltrated the Walls successfully.