Noor Malhotra
It is no secret that war begets destruction, oppression, and carnage. If you’ve been keeping up with the fourth season of ‘Attack on Titan,’ this is a recurring motif you must have made a note of. Episode 8 further highlights this by showing the aftermath of Paradis Island’s attack on Marley. Plus, none of us saw that major plot twist coming. So, let’s dissect it further, shall we? SPOILERS AHEAD.
Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 8 Recap
Reiner and Eren battle it out in their respective Titan forms, but the latter, momentarily, gains the upper hand. Along with Mikasa and the others, Eren retreats to the airship. Gabi, enraged by the actions of the Paradis soldiers, decides to take matters into her own hands. Falco runs behind her and tells her the truth about how Marley had attacked Paradis Island a few years ago.
However, Gabi doesn’t believe it, and the loss of her comrades, including Zofia and Udo, consumes her. She then kills a Paradis soldier before using his ODM gear to climb aboard the airship. Falco accompanies her, especially since he had promised Reiner that he would protect Gabi from the “dark future” that awaits them. Once onboard, Gabi shoots Sasha.
Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 8 Ending: Why Has Zeke Switched Sides?
Jean and Connie bandage Sasha up while the other Paradis soldiers beat up the Marleyan kids after Gabi tries to kill Jean. He then restrains them and takes them in front of the man behind the entire plan – Zeke. Gabi and Falco are absolutely shell-shocked to see the Marleyan War Chief in cahoots with the Paradis “devils.” In the meantime, Pieck recalls that the soldier who thrust her and Porco down the hole was actually Zeke’s follower.
While Sasha’s death is collateral damage in the eyes of Zeke, the Paradis soldiers are actually quite heartbroken at losing their comrade after the fight basically ends. A part of Zeke can afford to be nonchalant about the event, but he also realizes that this is the price they have to pay for the power of the Titans. We know that Zeke is all about freedom for Eldia, but what exactly is his plan, and why has he betrayed the nation of Marley?
First things first, we need to revisit the powers of the Founding Titan, which is possessed by Eren. We also need to keep in mind that Zeke has royal blood. Now, this is a lethal combination since Eren’s Founding Titan will basically become god-like once he gets in touch with his royal-blooded half-brother. They can control people, change their memories, and also, apparently, their body compositions. Plus, Eren is not bound by King Fritz’s peaceful ideology either.
For more concrete details about what Zeke has in mind, we need to refer to the eponymous manga, which the anime closely follows. When the Marley Mid-East War began, Zeke sent a couple of his followers to Paradis Island in secret. The ships contained wine mixed with the War Chief’s spinal fluid, and this was to be served to the highest-ranking officials in Paradis. So, from this, it is evident that Zeke wants to convert the powerful people into Titans.
While there is a lot that transpires, in the end, we find out that Zeke intends to sterilize all Eldians so that they can no longer reproduce. While the rationale behind this is hotly debated, there is this notion that if the Eldians can no longer give birth, then the population of the Titans is also directly affected there. This, in turn, could lead to Eldians not being mistreated for the sins of their ancestors.
Plus, it is ironic that after getting Grisha imprisoned, Zeke talks about wanting to free Eldia and its people from mistreatment. While his plan is extreme, there is no denying that the bullying and oppression against the Eldians would cease to exist if the race perished in the first place. Evidently, Zeke has some rather unique ideas about the plight of his people. But how he and Eren move forward to achieve glory for Eldia remains to be seen.
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