Erwin's trial is underway and, despite stressing the importance of the Survey Corps to humanity's survival, the Royal Government is poised to execute the Commander. Suddenly a report comes in saying that Wall Rose has been breached and evacuees are incoming. Shocked by this turn of events the government orders Wall Sina closed off to refuges. However this is revealed to be Erwin's plan who reveals that the report was fabricated and exposing the government as self serving traitors. The various heads of the military overthrow the government and the Survey Corps are exonerated. Now they must find Eren and Historia before Rod Reiss enacts his plan.
Tropes:
- Actually Pretty Funny: One of the members of the government has to stifle a laugh when Pixis mentions that, if humanity killed itself in a civil war, the Titans wouldn't have anything to eat when they breached the Walls.
- Contrived Coincidence: It seems this way at first when news comes in of the Armoured and Colossal Titans breaching Wall Rose right after Erwin talks of the possibility of such a thing happening. However this is subverted when it is revealed that the report was deliberately fabricated to see what the governments response to said crisis would be.
- Hidden Disdain Reveal: After the successful coup Premier Zachery reveals to Erwin that he has secretly always hated the royals and admits that he would have probably tried to do exactly what Erwin set out to do before his life was over just out of spite.
- Hoist by Their Own Petard: The government send most of the interior police to hunt down the Survey Corps leaving very few remaining in the capital. This makes it very easy for Pixis to send the Garrison out to round up the remainder and overthrow the government.
- Military Coup: After the Royal Government proves that they value their own lives over that of the common citizens the various heads of the military stage a coup and overthrow the government leading humanity on a new and unknown path.
- Secret Test of Character: It is revealed that the report claiming Wall Rose had been breached was fabricated in order to see what the governments response to the crisis would be. Pixis even states that, if the government had shown they cared for the citizenry, he would have been willing to let Erwin die to keep the status quo going. However by ordering Wall Sina closed off to refugees the higher-ups proved they only cared for themselves thus leading to the coup d'état.
