Clash of the Titans arc

This article is about the fifth story arc of the Attack on Titan manga. For the anime arc, see Clash of the Titans arc (Anime).

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The subject of this article has no official name. It is a fan-given name as substitute for lack thereof, and should not be considered as part of the Attack on Titan universe.

Clash of the Titans arc
Information
Arc number	5
Manga chapters	35-50 (16 total)
Publication	July 9, 2012 - October 9, 2013 (15 months total)
Volumes	9-12 (4 total)
Chronology
◄ Previous	The Female Titan arc
Next ►	Royal Government arc

Clash of the Titans arc is the fifth story arc of the Attack on Titan manga.

Introduction

Suddenly, a group of Titans appears inside the Wall, signalizing a possible breach of Wall Rose. The members of the 104th Training Corps find themselves in a bloody fight against those mysterious Titans, however, unbeknownst to them, there is a danger lurking within the group, one that Eren Yeager and others will have to face in a decisive battle.

Chapters

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	35	The Beast Titan  (獣の巨人 Kemono no Kyojin?)	July 9, 2012
As the 104th Training Corps hear heavy oncoming footsteps, they are alerted by Nanaba that Titans are coming. They then begin preparing to head out in search of a breach in Wall Rose. Mike Zacharias smells nine soon to come Titans and warns Nanaba. Nanaba laments over the Survey Corps' apparent failure, but Mike offers her some hope. When everyone sets out, the Titans begin to chase them and Mike volunteers to distract them while the other soldiers escape. Later, Mike is seen on a rooftop. He has taken out five of the nine Titans and he decides it is time to retreat as he has bought enough time. He worries about a strange beast-like Titan covered in fur that appears to be an Abnormal. Mike is happy to see his horse return but is shocked when the Beast Titan picks it up and throws it at him. Mike falls off the roof and is caught in a small Titan's mouth until the Beast Titan crushes its head and frees him. It then begins to speak to him, asking about his vertical maneuvering equipment. When Mike is too terrified to respond, the Beast Titan takes it off his hips and leaves, telling the other Titans that they may do what they want with Mike. Unable to maneuver away, Mike is devoured by several Titans at once and dies.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	36	I'm Home  (ただいま Tadaima?)	August 9, 2012
Titans have been found in the southern part of Wall Rose and four messengers are sent to the major Wall towns. Dot Pixis is notified of the attack and the north squad is shown approaching Sasha's village. Sasha remembers a time when her father tried to take away some meat she was eating and told her that the forest was getting smaller and that they may have to change their hunting ways soon, much to Sasha's dismay. While riding towards her village, Sasha sees Titan tracks. In a new village, she finds a small Titan eating a woman's leg and when she is unable to kill it, due to lack of weaponry, she takes the woman's child and escapes with her. When her horse runs away and the child does not take her advice to run, she remembers a time Krista's friend Ymir criticized her way of talking and then urges the child to go on ahead, speaking as she did those years ago. She shoots arrows at the Titan, one landing in its eye and she then stabs her last arrow in its other eye. The Titan wraps its arms around her but she is able to slip away as the Titan is covered in blood. Sasha runs to escape and then runs into her father and village members who have the girl and then give her a horse to ride.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	37	Southwestward  (南西へ Nansei e?)	September 9, 2012
In a horse pulled cart, Hange Zoë is seen fiddling with a rock and when Armin asks what they will do next and why they are bringing Minister Nick with them. Hange explains that the Church of the Walls has known secrets about the Wall but hid them, making Eren get angry at him. Levi then questions why Hange is playing with a rock, and Hange reveals it is a piece of Annie Leonhart's hardened skin that did not disappear. Hange theorizes that it is what the Walls are made of and if Eren can harden his Titan over Wall Maria, they may be able to take it back. Armin suggests a night operation while the Titans are dormant. Once at Ehrmich District, Nick sees the sad faces of the civilians and Levi lectures him about not telling his secrets. Nick later says that there is a girl going under a false name in the 104th Training Corps who might choose to talk to them. Eren, Armin, and Mikasa run to find her. Earlier, Krista and Ymir are patrolling with Nanaba. When she refuses to let the two leave due to danger, Krista questions Ymir on her reasoning for join the military only to be told that it is for Ymir's sake alone. Later, Connie's squad arrives at his hometown, only to see a Titan laying in the wreckage of his house. The squad then sees the Titan's tiny arms and legs and wonder how it got there in the first place.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	38	Utgard Castle  (ウトガルド城 Utogarudo-jō?)	October 9, 2012
Connie is seen standing outside of his house in his home village. There is a Titan laying in his now crushed house staring at him while he grieves. They begin to leave for Utgard Castle with his Survey Corps squad when he hears the Titan in his house speak to him, saying "Welc...ome...home..." but before he can draw attention to it Reiner urges him to hurry up. At Wall Rose, Kitz Weilman's squad is shooting Titans with cannons while Rico Brzenska kills them. Nanaba and Gelgar's squads have not found any breaches in the Wall and after the search they take shelter in Utgard Castle. As the soldiers rest, Krista begins to speculate the nature of the Titans and when Connie speaks of the Titan in his house resembling his mother he is loudly dismissed by Ymir. Later, Ymir is seen searching for food when Reiner finds her and asks her what she is doing. As their conversation goes on, it is interrupted when Lynne tells the troops that Titans are swarming the castle. The Beast Titan is seen in the distance climbing the Wall and as the only equipped soldiers, Nanaba, Gelgar, Henning, and Lynne engage them. Hange's squad is seen elsewhere as Hange states that they are going to head toward Utgard Castle, unknowing of the attack.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	39	Soldier  (兵士 Heishi?)	November 9, 2012
The attack on Utgard Castle continues. While the soldiers fight Titans outside the castle, some small Titans manage to enter the castle. The new members of the Survey Corps are told to stay indoors and create defenses against the infiltrated Titans. Lynne tells them not to give up, while they start looking for ways to stop the Titans. Reiner finds a small Titan inside a tower. He tries to stop it without success, he is saved by Bertolt, who promises him that they will go back to their hometown. The other recruits then trap the Titan with an old cannon they find. However, when another Titan tries to eat Connie, he is saved by Reiner, making Bertolt think how much Reiner has changed. After some struggling, they finally throw the Titan out of a window. Suddenly, the surprised soldiers see their horses crashing on the castle and a giant boulder that kills Henning and Lynne, launched by the Beast Titan.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	40	Ymir  (ユミル Yumiru?)	December 9, 2012
The Beast Titan climbs down the other side of the Wall while many Titans are seen swarming Utgard Castle. Nanaba and Gelgar continue to fight them off until Gelgar collapses, causing Nanaba to try to save him before running out of gas in front of many Titans. The recruits watch 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 did not die, so she could commit suicide and then urges her to remember a promise they made during training. Years ago, Krista is dragging Daz through the snow on a mountain tracing exercise. Ymir tries 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. Back at Utgard Castle, 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.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	41	Historia  (ヒストリア Hisutoria?)	January 9, 2013
Ymir starts battling the Titans at the base of Utgard Castle while her comrades watch in shock. Krista wonders how this can be the real Ymir and Reiner asks if Ymir is really a friend or a foe of mankind. When Ymir is overwhelmed, she decides to fall off the tower so that it does not crumble, but Krista encourages her by saying that if the tower needs to be destroyed. She then causes the tower to fall on top of the Titans and saves her friends. However, some Titans manage to survive and Ymir is again overwhelmed by them. Ymir, Krista, and the rest of the recruits are saved by the arrival of some of the Survey Corps. Krista then finally reveals her real name to Ymir, Historia.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	42	Warrior  (戦士 Senshi?)	February 9, 2013
The soldiers come back to the top of Wall Rose, tired and wounded after their battle in Utgard Castle. Hange and Historia are talking about Ymir and Eren talks with Reiner and Bertolt about what they have been through. Remembering his hometown, Reiner confesses to Eren that he is the Armored Titan and Bertolt is the Colossus Titan. Eren thinks back to some hours earlier in Ehrmich District when the Survey Corps began to suspect this possibility. After confessing, Reiner understands that he must accept the consequences of what he has done and reveals his regenerative power by taking the bandages off his arm. After this, Mikasa tries to kill both of them, but fails and is only able to seriously wound them. The two then turn into their Titan forms and try to kidnap Eren. However, Eren also transforms and begins a battle between himself and the Armored Titan.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	43	The Armored Titan  (鎧の巨人 Yoroi no Kyojin?)	March 9, 2013
Eren begins the fight with Reiner Braun, the Armored Titan, by striking him. Mikasa watches and regrets not being able to cut off Reiner and Bertolt's heads. On top of the Wall, Bertolt, the Colossus Titan, fights with the Survey Corps. Having grabbed Ymir, along with another soldier, he drops them into his mouth. The soldiers try to fight him but are pushed back by the steam released from his back and Hange orders everyone to wait until Bertolt can no longer produce steam as they cannot attack him otherwise. Connie and Historia help rescue soldiers and Historia expresses fear for Ymir as Connie does the same for Reiner and Bertolt, not knowing they are the Titans. Meanwhile, Eren lies on the ground, regenerating his hand and part of his head. He remembers how trustworthy Reiner and Bertolt were and realizes that Reiner had been going easy on him during their hand-to-hand training. He notes that they have caused the most pain in the history of mankind as he remembers the fall of Wall Maria. Angry, Eren steps up and punches Reiner in the face, only to receive another crushing blow back from him.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	44	Strike, Throw, Submit  (打・投・極 Da - Tō - Kyoku?)	April 9, 2013
As Eren is being beaten down by Reiner, the Armored Titan, he recalls Annie Leonhart teaching him how to fight. At that time, Mikasa challenges Annie to a fight to see which of the two is stronger. Annie accepts the challenge and the two go into a battle stance. Back in the present, Eren gets up and continues his fight against the Armored Titan. The Survey Corps tries to convince Eren to retreat to the Wall, but Eren ignores them and continues the battle. The tables turn as Eren starts to rip Reiner apart with a series of strikes, throws, and submissions. Reiner unleashes a desperate cry for help, which leads to Bertolt Hoover performing a 60-meter body press as the Colossus Titan.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	45	The Hunters  (追う者 Ou-mono?)	May 9, 2013
At the top of the Wall, Hannes watches the Colossus Titan for the first time after five years. Before anyone can act, the Titan drops down the Wall, crashing above Eren and Reiner. Over in Trost District, Dot Pixis talks about the supposed breach. Soon after, a soldier comes back to inform, saying that three people of the 104th Training Corps are actually Titans. After the crash, Mikasa wakes up. Armin tells her that the Armored Titan kidnapped Eren, and with Bertolt and Ymir they ran off, both covered by the steam generated after the explosion. He says that nobody is following them because most people are hurt. Mikasa gets sad as she could not protect Eren, but Hannes comes and cheers them both. In a Titan Forest between Wall Maria and Wall Rose, Eren wakes up restrained along with Ymir by Reiner and Bertolt.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	46	Opening  (開口 Kaikō?)	June 9, 2013
Eren, Ymir, Reiner, and Bertolt are seen together within a Titan Forest. Eren has had both his arms cut off and as they re-grow he fumes with rage, trying to figure out why Reiner and Bertolt did what they did to humanity. As he is about to attempt to shift, Ymir stops him and tells him that it is useless as they are in deep Titan territory, surrounded by abnormal Titans, and trying to escape would lead to their deaths. Ymir then asks Reiner if the Titans around them can move during the night to which Reiner replies that they cannot, along with an implication that Ymir is also aware of why this could happen. The four then begin to discuss the giant "ape," the Beast Titan, and its importance in Reiner and Bertolt's task to get to their hometown. Eren, who has had enough, begins to yell and scream at the traitors and calls them "murderers." Reiner begins to get emotional. Ymir then asks Reiner which side he is on. Reiner ignores the question and continues to speak about being a Warrior and not a Soldier. Reiner then tries to convince Ymir to join their side by using Historia to persuade her.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	47	Children  (子供達 Kodomo-tachi?)	July 9, 2013
Eren, Ymir, Reiner and Bertolt are still within the Titan Forest. Ymir has fully regenerated and Eren, semi healed, starts questioning her about what they can do in order to escape and get information. Meanwhile, Bertolt is not sure about trusting Ymir, but Reiner believes in her. They are talking about going back to their hometown and revealing Bertolt's feelings towards Annie when they see signal flares, meaning that the Survey Corps are coming after them. They restrain Eren and Ymir and escape with the vertical maneuvering equipment but Ymir stops them, saying that she knows that Historia is coming and this is the time to bring her with them, as a proof of faith on her. Reiner finally accepts and Ymir transforms into her Titan form. When she spots Historia, she swallows her and runs away. She lands on Reiner's back as he had transformed into a Titan and is running away, while Hannes vows to bring Eren back.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	48	Someone  (誰か Dareka?)	August 9, 2013
The soldiers continue chasing after Eren and his kidnappers. Commander Erwin decides to let the Titans follow him and the other soldiers as he plans to use them to help in retrieving Eren. Armin and Mikasa begin to theorize about Eren and Reiner when Mikasa states that she will kill anyone who stands in her way. Meanwhile, Ymir and Historia speak and she explains that Historia must come with her. Historia then happily states that she will always be on her side and is convinced by Ymir's words so she decides to go with her, however in that moment Eren regains consciousness. Hannes and Mikasa see an opening on the Armored Titan and attack both Reiner and Ymir, but their attempts are futile. Other soldiers including Jean and Connie catch up to them and try to convince Bertolt to release Eren. However he refuses and before they can do anything, they are forced to flee due to a horde of Titans coming towards them, led by Erwin Smith.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	49	Charge  (突撃 Totsugeki?)	September 9, 2013
As the Titans led by Erwin Smith come closer, the soldiers on the Armored Titan are forced to leave him. The Armored Titan tries to run over them, but he is stopped because of their sheer number, forcing Ymir to fight. While Reiner and Ymir are distracted, Erwin Smith orders the remaining soldiers to charge at them in order to rescue Eren. Reiner also decides to fight the Titans. The charge continues even after Erwin gets trapped and some soldiers are killed. Mikasa surpasses the Titans and attacks Bertolt, but is caught by a Titan then saved by Jean. Armin reaches them and teases Bertolt, saying that Annie is being tortured non-stop. Bertolt is infuriated and Erwin uses this to free Eren. The soldiers are then told to run away, also rescuing Historia. However, Reiner throws Titans at them. After being knocked to the ground, a confused Eren and Mikasa see the Titan that killed Carla Yeager five years ago standing before them.

Cover	Number	Title	Release date
	50	Scream  (叫び Sakebi?)	October 9, 2013
While recalling the past with Carla, Eren and Mikasa face the Titan that devoured her five years ago. However, Hannes appears to defend the two, happy to get a chance to avenge Carla. The others attempt to help, but Reiner continues throwing Titans at the soldiers while Ymir is unsure on which side to take. Meanwhile, Erwin finds himself on his knees, with the soldiers around him dying as the Armored Titan finally reaches them. At the same time, Eren and Mikasa witness Hannes being devoured by his foe. Eren despairs, still finding himself to be useless as in his mother's case, but Mikasa claims otherwise, thanking him for teaching her how to live and giving her the red scarf. Eren gets up in order to defend her with his bare fists, and with Eren's fiery rage, a sudden power causes all of the other Titans to charge at the Titan, devouring it. This worries Reiner and his companions, and Eren warns them not to come close, causing the Titans to attack the Armored Titan. The soldiers begin their retreat, but Ymir decides to help Reiner and Bertolt, much to everyone's surprise. As they return to the Walls, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin recall their time with Hannes. Elsewhere in Shiganshina District, Bertolt asks Ymir why she bothered to side with them, to which she says that she owed them and did not want them to return home empty-handed. Bertolt thanks her as she reaches out to the moon, saying that being a goddess is not so bad.