Part 2 of Season 3 re-establishes the stakes for the Survey Corps to retake Wall Maria for humanity, and for the Shiganshina trio's own motivations to return to their hometown. The Scouts enact a plan to use Eren's Titan powers to seal both the outer and inner gates of Shiganshina; Erwin halts the plan before the latter is complete when Armin figures out that the enemy is nearby and hiding. He figures out that they must be hiding within the walls, where they find Reiner. Levi attempts to mortally wound the enemy Shifter but he transforms anyway, prompting the Beast Titan to also transform outside Shiganshina along with a few dozen other Titans. Blocking their means of retreat with a thrown boulder, the trapped Survey Corps prepares for all-out battle.
Tropes:
- "Eureka!" Moment: Armin is left scrambling to try and figure out where the traitors are hiding and is close to despair... until he remembers the Titan found within Wall Rose and realizes that the traitors are hiding within Wall Maria itself to sneak attack Eren when he tries to seal the inner gates.
- It's Quiet… Too Quiet: The Survey Corps are unnerved by the lack of any resistance during their trek to Shinganshina and the fact that the city is completely empty of any Titans. This only gets worse when they receive no resistance even after they plug the outer gate. As it turns out they were right to be suspicious when an ambush led by the Beast Titan begins.
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Milestone Celebration: This episode is Attack on Titan's fiftieth and is a huge moment for the series as our heroes return to their hometown for the first time since the Titan invasion and a decisive confrontation with the villains responsible for humanities current state is about to begin. - No-One Could Have Survived That: Reiner manages to survive a surprise attack by Levi who stabs him through the neck and heart and is able to transform into his Titan form. Levi incredulously even wonders how Reiner could have survived that.
- Oh, Crap!: Levi of all people gets one on his face when Reiner survives his surprise attack despite getting stabbed through the neck and heart.
- Outside-Context Problem: Armin brings this up when confronted by his decision to look inside the Walls rather then around them based on nothing but a hunch; the enemy always catches them off guard by using Titan powers in a way no one knew they could do so if they keep trying to use conventional tactics they will always be a step behind. Armin turns out to be right when the Survey Corps find Reiner hiding inside the Wall near the inner gate.
- Slasher Smile: The Beast Titan gives on to the camera at the end of the episode after trapping the Corps inside Shinganshina.
- Where It All Began: As the title of the episode says this episode returns to Shinganshina, where the series began and Humainity was first driven to near extinction, for the decisive battle with the Titans and Reiner and Bertolt.
- You Are in Command Now: Erwin gives Armin his own squad of soldiers to try and find where Reiner or Bertolt are hiding reasoning that Armin's brain has saved the Corps more times then they can count. This proves to be a good decision when Armin manages to figure out Reiner's hiding spot within the Walls when nobody else could.
