Ymir (Chapter)

Ymir is the second chapter of the tenth volume and the 40th chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Overview
The Beast Titan is seen climbing up the wall while many Titans are seen swarming Castle Utgard. Nanaba and Gelgar continue to fight them off until Gelgar collapses, causing Nanaba to try and save him before running out of gas in front of many Titans. The trainee squad watches as the two are devoured and then sit down, terrified. While Krista throws stones at the Titans, Connie expresses regret for being unable to do anything in the situation. When Krista also wishes she was able to help Ymir bashes her claims and states that their superiors didn't die so she could commit suicide and then urges her to remember a promise they made during training. A flashback is then shown of Krista dragging Daz through the snow on a mountain tracing exercise and Ymir trying to tell her to leave him. When Krista denies and tells her to leave, Ymir accuses her of wanting to die a legacy and sending her off with the story. Krista denies and Ymir then takes Daz down a cliff by herself. When Krista returns to base she asks Ymir how it was possible for her to survive the cliff drop and she agrees to tell her on the condition that when she did, Krista would go back to living by her old name. After the flashback, the Titans are nearly demolishing the castle until Ymir jumps off the roof and transforms into a Titan, much to everyone's shock. While the others are horrified, Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover recognize the Titan as the one that ate their childhood friend many years ago.

Summary
The chapter starts with the Beast Titan climbing up the wall. Meanwhile the panel shows dozens of Titans swarming around Castle Utgard. This takes place 20 hours after the Titan sighting. Gelgar and Nanaba are engaging the Titans in combat and are doing a good job. Nanaba manages to take down a few Titans, even though she knocks down a convenient tower; Gelgar uses the little gas he has to take out a 7 meter class. The two continue to take out Titans but they're low on gas and their blades are almost completely blunt. Nanaba states the loss of the convenient tower may be a problem and both reiterate that they are out of gas. Nanaba asks Gelgar how many Titans they think they have killed and Gelgar replies with "I lost count". Gelgar being himself, says "Before I'm gone, I only wish I could have drank that bottle of wine". Nanaba has none of it and says he is talking crazy. Gelgar tells Nanaba he is sorry and that because of his injured head, he is unable to continue the mission. He then releases his 3D Maneuver Gear and a Titan grabs him. Nanaba then jumps to try and save him and succeeds in doing so by cutting out the Titan's nape. The dead Titan falls forward and smashes Gerger through the wall. Gelgar is happy about this as he falls next to some wine. He thanks God for this. Gelgar puts the bottle to his mouth only for nothing to come out. He says "How cruel, not a single drop left," and sheds a tear; a Titan is seen behind him. Meanwhile Nanaba is back up against the wall surrounded by Titans. This proves to be the end for both of them. Gerger is grabbed and wonders aloud who drank the bottle of wine.

The trainee squad witness all of this and Krista throws stones at the Titans thinking it would save their superiors. The trainee squad are traumatized and all sit down. Connie Springer starts pounding on the wall and wishes there was something they could do to help. He then calms down and says his life had meaning, but displays regret for not being able to complete the mission. Krista agrees and wishes she had a weapon, but Ymir calls her out on the remark. She tells Krista not to view her superiors' deaths that way and that they didn't die just so she could have an excuse to commit suicide. Krista says that Ymir is wrong. Ymir does not accept her lies. Ymir tells her that she should try to remember the promise she made her while they were training.

The chapter cuts to a flashback and the page shows a snowy mountain with Ymir and Krista. Krista is dragging a body bag up the mountain. Ymir tells Krista to give up and that Daz is standing at deaths door. A close up of the body bag is shown and Ymir says that Daz was a guy who could not evaluate his physical capabilities. The person in the bag was revealed to be Daz. Ymir says "If we keep walking at this snail pace all 3 of us will just end up dying." She then gives Krista a choice: her and Krista live, or all three of them die. Krista says that her choice is that they make it to the mountain cabin and all live. After a couple of minutes of silence, Ymir tells Krista that it would be easier if they both carry the bag, and why Krista has not asked her yet. Krista does not reply. Ymir wonders if Krista was attempting to save Daz. She then continues by saying "You said it was dangerous, I bet the only reason your trying is because you want to accomplish death." Krista tells Ymir that she is wrong and that she was doing it for the greater good.

Ymir tells Krista that Krista wanted her and Daz to die so that Ymir could return home and tell the world about how Krista was a hero. Krista keeps denying it. Ymir reveals that Krista is the illegitimate child from the house of mistress thrown onto the street. Ymir reveals that she knew this because she overheard a conversation about trying to kill Krista to make things easier. Ymir then promised that she wouldn't sell Krista out. Krista realizes that that was the reason Ymir joined the trainee squad. Ymir says that she has experienced similar things. She then takes it back and says that herself and Krista are completely different. She values life while Krista looks for any excuse to die. Ymir takes Daz and says that if she throws him off the cliff he would land next to a cabin. Krista says that it's a bad idea as the cliff is too high. Ymir and Daz go to the edge of the cliff.

The scene jumps to Ymir sitting outside the cabin. Krista runs to her and asks where Daz is. Ymir tells her that he is in the cabin. Krista asks her how Daz and her survived the jump. Ymir says "I will tell you but only if you promise to hold your head high and value your life."

The story comes back in the current time as the Titans are near-ready with demolishing the tower. Daytime has come and Connie is relieved he can still see the dawn before dying, when suddenly Ymir asks Connie if she can use his knife and when Connie asks why Ymir just replies "For fighting." She looks into Krista's worrisome eyes and asks for a wish, the wish that she lives her life with her head held tight. As she says this she starts running and jumps off the tower, despite Krista's attempt to hold her back.

In mid-air she cuts her hand while thinking back her life. When suddenly just before she falls into the Titans clutches, she transforms into a Titan herself and quickly disposes of a few Titans. The scouts in the tower are terribly surprised, except two of them, who look at the newly formed Titan with a look of fright and disgust. Reiner and Bertolt both remember that the Titan, Ymir, was the one which killed their friend.

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