What Needs to be Done Now: Eve of the Counterattack, Part 3

What To Do Now is the sixteenth episode of the Attack on Titan anime. It is produced by Wit Studio and Production I.G. In this episode, now former members of 104th Trainees Squad are pondering about their choice of squad while Eren and the Scouting Legion are preparing for the 57th expedition outside the walls.

Summary
With the two test subjects killed, the soldiers are being investigated for an unauthorized use of Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear. A soldier cannot believe that one can get punished for killing Titans, but another one says that they were valuable for them after all. Armin says that in reality, this was a blow to mankind. Connie states that he kind of understands the motives of the culprit, stating that he never wants to see a Titan again despite initially wanting to join Scouting Legion. He then remembers the night of the battle when Jean decided that he was going to join Scouting Legion as well.

Connie then asks Annie for her opinion, but she just tells him to decide on his own. Further discussing the matter, Annie praises Armin for his bravery, with Armin telling her that she is nice after all. At the Scouting Legion HQ, Erd and Gunter mention that the culprit hasn't been found and then wonder whether there are any trainees that want to join their division. They question Eren about this, however, he just replies that there were some who wanted to join, but he is not sure about now. Levi then arrives and all four head on a patrol.

Elsewhere, the soldiers are waiting while Jean, Connie, Armin and Sasha further ponder about their decision. A soldier then tells them to line up. Later, Irvin Smith stands before them in order to have the soldiers join his branch. He explains about the future mission of the legion and even reveals the information about the basement of Eren's old house, much to Armin's surprise who wonders if Irvin has some hidden motive. However, Irvin also tells him about the grim future of a Scouting Legion soldier - in the last 4 years, 60% have died. He ends his speech and then dismisses those who want to join other divisions and as many people begin leaving, Jean, Sasha and Connie state that they already saw how Titans eat people, but in the end, they stay and along with Mikasa, Armin, Reiner, Bertholdt, Ymir, Christa and other soldiers salute, as Irvin praises them for overcoming their fears.

The new members then begin their training, however, it consists mostly of remembering Irvin's long-range scouting formation. Eren also lears of this strategy and him and the rest of Levi squad then wonder if Irvin has any other plan that he hasn't revealed to the soldiers. Later, as Eren finishes cleaning, he notices Armin and Mikasa and heads to them to greet them, with Mikasa questioning whether Eren was tortured and the stating that she will take a revenge on Levi. Eren then meets up with the rest of his friends and is shocked to see that Jean is among the scouts, but not as much as when he finds out that Marco is dead. The former trainees then don their new uniforms, with Eren watching them in awe as he thinks about Marco.

Eren then questions if they are joining the operation as well, with Mikasa confirming it. Jean then begins asking Eren about his Titan powers, wanting to know if it's true that he tried to kill Mikasa. Despite Mikasa's reluctance, Eren confirms this and also the fact that he cannot fully control his powers. Seeing how bleak the situation is, Jean states that he wants to know what he is dying for, but in the end, he decides to count on Eren. Some time later, the bell starts ringing as a sign of the gate opening and the beginning of the 57th expedition, as Irvin leads the soldiers outside the wall.