Chapter Summaries

Arthur confronted Gu Shun in the consciousness space, where Gu Shun revealed that he had once controlled their body and showed Arthur memories of his past. The memories began to explain Gu Shun’s origins, ending with his adoptive father Gu Haitao being killed and Gu Shun abducted as a child.

• Arthur woke in the consciousness space, where Gu Shun attacked and mocked him, then challenged him to try to kill him with a summoned blade.
• Gu Shun explained that the darkness was his home when he was not controlling the body and revealed that he had controlled it in the original world.
• Gu Shun showed Arthur a memory of being abandoned as an infant and adopted by Gu Haitao, who named him Gu Shun.
• When Gu Shun was six, men in black suits abducted him from his home and shot Gu Haitao and his underlings.
• The men in black took Gu Shun away as a test subject, and Gu Shun resumed showing Arthur what happened next.

Gu Shun showed Arthur memories of the experiments that tortured him and his betrayal by Professor Cai Yong. After Cai Yong tried to kill him, Gu Shun’s powers awakened, and he escaped the experimental base.

• Researchers and soldiers dragged young Gu Shun from his cell and tortured him to study his rapid healing.
• Gu Shun told Arthur that the footage showed the nightmare of his past and urged him to keep watching for answers.
• As a young adult, Gu Shun worked with Professor Cai Yong, who promised to help restore his freedom.
• Cai Yong shot Gu Shun with a toxin designed to counter his regeneration and declared that Gu Shun had to be eliminated.
• Gu Shun’s body recovered, black particles appeared around him, and he killed Cai Yong.
• As alarms sounded across the experimental base, Gu Shun used his newly awakened ability to escape.

Gu Shun showed Arthur how his escape from Cai Yong’s experiments led to a life on the run, a massacre, and the destruction of an entire city. Arthur questioned Gu Shun’s justification for killing millions, but Gu Shun ended the visions when Arthur asked about Lin Yuqing, returning him to the real world.

• Gu Shun explained that Cai Yong had deceived him, tried to kill him, and driven him to slaughter the experimental base before escaping.
• After the organization branded Gu Shun a dangerous fugitive, armed personnel ambushed him at his hiding place, and he killed them and the landlady who had led them there.
• As more pursuers closed in, Gu Shun broke down, then vowed to make humanity suffer and killed everyone in a city with his black particles.
• Gu Shun and Lin Yuqing left the ruined city after he claimed that devouring its people had brought him closer to his goal.
• Arthur condemned Gu Shun for killing millions, but Gu Shun defended his actions and ended the visions when Arthur asked who Lin Yuqing was.

Arthur woke after two weeks unconscious to find the Survey Corps hiding from the Military Police and the Central Military Police Brigade, who were targeting Eren and Historia. He proposed exposing the group to draw out their pursuers, and began choosing people to impersonate the targets.

• Arthur woke in handcuffs, broke them with his increased strength, and reassured Levi that he was himself rather than Gu Shun.
• Mikasa and Historia told Arthur he had been unconscious for two weeks, and Hange explained that Erwin was imprisoned, Pastor Nick had been murdered, and the Survey Corps was on the run.
• Arthur learned that the Military Police and Central Military Police Brigade were hunting the group and planned to capture Eren and Historia.
• Arthur proposed deliberately exposing the group to lure out the enemy while using impostors to protect Eren and Historia.
• Arthur chose Jean to impersonate Eren, then looked toward Armin as a possible Historia impersonator.

Arthur and the Survey Corps used Armin and Jean as decoys to trace the kidnappers to a warehouse, where they caught Reeves trying to abduct them. Reeves admitted that a Central Military Police Brigade member had hired him, and Arthur left to check on Eren and Historia.

• Arthur and Levi led a plan in which Armin disguised himself as Historia and Jean as Eren, then let criminals carry them off while the group followed.
• At the warehouse, a middle-aged criminal molested Armin while Arthur and Mikasa watched from a window before leaving to report to Levi.
• Arthur, Mikasa, and the others ambushed Reeves and his men when they arrived, rescued Jean and Armin, and captured the kidnappers.
• Arthur pressured Reeves until he revealed that a member of the Central Military Police Brigade had promised him a greater future for his merchant association in exchange for capturing Eren and Historia.
• Arthur told the others to guard the prisoners and went to find Levi and check on Eren and Historia.

Arthur, Levi, and the Survey Corps were ambushed by Kenny the Ripper and his armed men, who captured Eren and Historia. Kenny escaped into Wall Sina with the captives, leaving Arthur and the others to plan their rescue.

• Arthur told Levi and Nifa that Reeves had confessed to working under orders from the Central Military Police Brigade, and Levi questioned why their methods seemed uncharacteristically amateurish.
• Kenny appeared and attacked Arthur, Levi, and Nifa, while his soldiers killed the Survey Corps members lying in ambush.
• Kenny's forces captured the unconscious Eren and Historia, but Arthur blocked their bullets with black particles and fought back alongside Levi.
• Kenny retreated with Eren and Historia toward the inner gate, threatening to shoot Historia until Arthur recalled Ghost and let them pass.
• Arthur and the others regrouped with Ymir, who erupted in anger when she learned Historia had been captured.

Arthur desperately sought information to rescue Eren and Historia, using Reeves to lure out members of the Central Military Police Brigade and then torturing two captured officers. He learned that the Reiss family was the true royal family and that Historia’s father had taken her and Eren, leaving the Corps to investigate Reiss’s territories.

• Arthur tried to leave camp alone to rescue Eren and Historia, but Mikasa and Armin persuaded him to wait.
• Arthur forced Reeves to lure out two Central Military Police officers, including the man who had tortured and killed Nick.
• Hange and Levi failed to make the officers talk, so Arthur interrogated them with his black particles until they revealed useful information.
• Arthur told the others that the current king was a puppet and that Lord Reiss was the real king who had taken Eren and Historia.
• Hange agreed to investigate Reiss’s territories to narrow down where Eren and Historia were being held.

After learning that Titans could be humans transformed to inherit a Titan power, Arthur and the Survey Corps tried to rescue Historia and Eren, but the government framed them for Reeves’s murder and arrested Erwin. The fugitives escaped a military search, exposed the Central Military Police Brigade’s plot, and learned that Kenny was also an Ackerman.

• Ymir explained that a Pure Titan who ate someone with the Power of the Titan could regain human form and inherit that power, and Hange revealed that Titans at Ragako had likely been transformed from humans.
• Arthur urged Hange to act quickly to save Historia and Eren, and Hange left with Moblit to report to Erwin and investigate Reiss’s estates.
• Reeves was found murdered, and the Central Military Police Brigade blamed the Survey Corps; Erwin and many others were arrested while Arthur’s group went into hiding.
• With help from Hitch and Marlowe, Arthur’s group escaped a military search and captured the officer guarding a checkpoint.
• Hange and Moblit worked with Flegel to expose the Central Military Police Brigade’s plot, restoring public trust in the Survey Corps.
• The captured officer revealed that Kenny’s surname was Ackerman, but gave no further useful information even after Arthur tortured him.

Arthur persuaded Pixis and Zackly to stage a coup against the corrupt Royal Government, using Erwin’s apparent execution and a fake report of Wall Rose’s breach to expose the false king and Parliament. The military seized power, the Survey Corps was cleared, and Arthur’s group regained their freedom, but Historia and Eren remained in danger as Hange found a possible lead to their location.

• After Flegel succeeded Reeves as chairman of the merchant association, Arthur secretly persuaded Pixis to help overthrow the Royal Government, and Pixis recruited Zackly.
• Erwin was brought before the false king and Parliament, where the officials sentenced him to death and Pixis appeared to support them.
• A soldier announced that Wall Rose had been breached, and Parliament ordered the gates of Wall Sina closed to refugees; Nile refused to carry out the order.
• Zackly arrived with armed soldiers and revealed the breach report was false, while Pixis exposed the king as a puppet and ordered Parliament’s arrest.
• The military took over the government, freed the arrested Survey Corps soldiers, and informed the public of the truth; Arthur’s group was released.
• Hange uncovered a possible lead to where Historia and Eren were being held, while Arthur remained worried about them.

Arthur and Hange’s group investigated the Reiss family chapel, suspecting it was connected to Historia and Eren’s disappearance. At the chapel, Historia and Rod Reiss unlocked memories that revealed Frieda’s fate and showed Eren that he had eaten his father, Grisha.

• Arthur questioned the report of the Reiss family massacre and concluded the rebuilt chapel held a secret where Historia and Eren were likely being kept.
• Eren woke in chains inside a bright cavern and saw Historia with Rod Reiss.
• Rod and Historia placed their hands on Eren’s back, triggering memories for all three of them.
• Eren saw memories of Grisha injecting him and Eren transforming into a Titan and eating his father.
• Historia remembered Frieda’s kindness, then Rod told her that Grisha had killed Frieda.

Rod tried to make Historia eat Eren so she could inherit the Founding Titan, while Kenny exposed Rod’s motives and the Survey Corps closed in. Historia rejected the ritual, defeated Rod, and ran to Eren.

• Rod told Historia that Grisha had murdered Frieda and the rest of their family, and claimed eating Eren would let her inherit Frieda’s memories and the Founding Titan.
• Kenny warned Rod that the Survey Corps had launched a coup, while Rod pressured Historia to inject herself with Titan spinal fluid.
• Kenny returned wounded, threatened Rod, and revealed that Rod had pushed his royal-blooded daughters to inherit the Founding Titan instead of taking responsibility himself.
• Kenny freed Eren’s mouth and announced that Arthur was slaughtering people as the Survey Corps broke into the cavern.
• Eren urged Historia to eat him to atone for his father’s crimes, but memories of Arthur and Ymir helped her reject Rod’s demand and knock the syringe away.
• Historia threw Rod to the ground with a shoulder throw, declared that she would not be suppressed again, and ran toward Eren.

Historia rescued Eren as Rod Reiss transformed into a colossal Titan, and Eren used a vial labeled "Armor" to crystallize his Titan and protect everyone from the collapsing cavern. After escaping underground, the group learned Rod was heading toward Orvud District and set out to stop him.

• Historia reached Eren and tried to free him while Rod licked up spinal fluid and transformed into a towering Titan.
• Arthur caught Historia and shielded the group as they freed Eren, who drank the vial labeled "Armor" and transformed.
• Eren's Attack Titan crystallized, protecting everyone from falling rubble as the Chapel collapsed around them.
• Arthur broke the crystal and rescued Eren, who told Historia he was sorry; she forgave him and accepted that her friends were still with her.
• Arthur dug a passage out of the cavern, and Hange told the group that the Rod Reiss Titan was heading toward densely populated Orvud District.
• The group mounted horses and a wagon and followed the Titan's scorched trail toward Orvud District.

After the Survey Corps failed to stop the Rod Reiss Titan, they returned to Orvud District to regroup. Levi told Historia that the leaders wanted her to take the throne, and she agreed on the condition that she would personally end her fate with the Rod Reiss Titan.

• Erwin joined the others as they followed the Rod Reiss Titan, while Eren explained that he carried the Founding Titan and proposed letting Rod eat him.
• Arthur tried to attack Rod with a spear formed from black particles, but the Titan's heat and winds scattered it before it could reach him.
• The Survey Corps returned to Orvud District, where Arthur confirmed that Historia had been safe during his absence.
• Levi told Historia that Erwin, Pixis, Zackly, and he expected her to inherit the throne after Rod was eliminated.
• Arthur and others objected to placing the burden of the throne on Historia, but she chose to accept it to prevent further conflict and civilian deaths.
• Historia asked Levi to let her end her fate with the Rod Reiss Titan herself, and Levi agreed.

Erwin’s forces lured the Rod Reiss Titan toward Orvud District, where Eren and Arthur helped destroy it. Historia killed the Titan’s nape and declared herself the true ruler before the watching civilians.

• Erwin ordered Orvud District’s residents to be kept in the dark and used as bait while soldiers prepared to attack the Rod Reiss Titan.
• The Rod Reiss Titan reached the wall, and its appearance sent Orvud’s residents into panic as Eren transformed and attacked with explosives.
• Arthur severed the Titan’s arms, and Eren detonated the explosives in its mouth, scattering its upper body.
• Arthur spotted the Titan’s nape and warned Historia, who used her gear to reach it and kill the Titan.
• Arthur caught the falling Historia, and she stood before the gathered civilians and declared herself the true ruler within the walls.

Historia declared herself the true ruler and was crowned queen of the Eldia Kingdom. After the ceremony, she punched Levi as a joke, and he thanked her and the others.

• The crowd celebrated Historia's claim to the throne, while Levi learned Kenny was his uncle and received a syringe of spinal fluid from him before Kenny died.
• Arthur, Mikasa, and Ymir helped Historia prepare for her coronation, and the procession carried her to the church as people cheered.
• Zackly placed the crown on Historia, and she saluted the crowd and proclaimed, "Long live the Eldia Kingdom!"
• After the ceremony, Historia punched Levi at Arthur's and Mikasa's encouragement, and Levi smiled and thanked them.

Arthur worked to strengthen Historia’s rule through political leverage, new forces loyal to the Queen, and policies for the people. The chapter ended with Historia arranging an intimate encounter between Arthur and Mikasa, which became a threesome.

• Arthur used evidence of their past wrongdoing to bring the nobles into line and learned that Kenny’s Central Military Police Brigade had killed Armin’s parents.
• Arthur planned a Queen’s Guard, a royal intelligence department, and a covert force to protect Historia’s authority, while urging gradual reform.
• Arthur drafted policies in Historia’s name and established an orphanage for children from the Underground District and within the walls.
• Historia visited Arthur at night and brought Mikasa, who confessed her feelings and kissed him.
• Arthur and Mikasa became intimate, then Arthur pulled Historia into the encounter as well.

Arthur, Historia, and Ymir joined the Survey Corps members at the nearly completed orphanage while Mikasa rested at the Royal Palace. After Eren recognized Keith Shadis in memories inherited from his father, Levi decided they would visit the instructor the next day.

• Arthur brought Mikasa and Historia sweetened tea, then told Mikasa to rest while he and Historia went to the orphanage with Ymir.
• Arthur, Historia, Ymir, and the Survey Corps members finished cleaning the orphanage and moved materials for a school as Historia played with the children.
• Jean, Marco, Connie, and Armin discussed the coming Wall Maria Retake Operation, while Arthur noticed Eren seemed distracted by his awakened memories.
• At lunch, Eren said he had seen Keith Shadis in his father's memories and suspected the instructor knew more about Grisha.
• Levi decided the group would visit Keith Shadis the next day to learn about Eren's father.

Arthur, Eren, and the others visited Keith Shadis, who recounted how he met Grisha and witnessed Eren’s father take him into the forest. Keith’s story revealed that Grisha came from beyond the walls, and Erwin received news that seemed to confirm his lifelong belief in humanity outside them.

• Arthur, Eren, and the others visited Keith Shadis at the Training Corps, and Hange explained why they had come.
• Keith recalled finding Grisha outside the walls twenty years earlier, bringing him inside, and seeing him meet Carla.
• Keith described becoming commander, stepping aside for Erwin, and later carrying an unconscious Eren back from the forest after Grisha took him there.
• Keith admitted that he had tampered with Eren’s balance aptitude test equipment because he hoped Eren could live safely with Carla.
• The group realized Grisha had come from beyond the walls and that Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie might have come from there too.
• Hange and Levi told Erwin that Grisha had come from outside the walls, and Erwin was thrilled by the news.

On the eve of the Wall Maria retake operation, the Survey Corps reviewed their plans and shared a final meal before preparing to rest. Meanwhile, Reiner, Bertolt, Pieck, and Lin Yuqing waited on Wall Maria, where they learned the operation was imminent and discussed Arthur’s abilities.

• Arthur and Historia’s arrangements helped the Queen’s Guard and intelligence department take shape, while the Survey Corps received resources and Hange’s Thunder Spears, which could break the Armored Titan’s Hardening.
• Erwin briefed the Survey Corps on sealing Wall Maria’s breach and reaching Eren’s basement, warning that Reiner, Bertolt, and the Beast Titan might be waiting for them.
• The soldiers shared a meal, where Sasha devoured a large piece of meat, Arthur teased Mikasa, and Jean and Eren brawled until Levi knocked them down and told everyone to rest.
• Arthur and Mikasa returned to their dormitory to sleep, while five people gathered around a campfire atop Wall Maria.
• Pieck told the group that the operation would begin the next day and that Historia had become queen; Bertolt asked about Annie, not knowing she had been captured.
• Lin Yuqing ordered the group to seize Eren and questioned Reiner about Arthur’s ability to summon strange beings, then privately wondered whether Arthur was Gu Shun.

The Survey Corps began its operation to retake Wall Maria, reaching Shiganshina District and sealing one breach with Eren’s Titan hardening. Armin discovered that Reiner and Bertolt were hiding inside the wall, and Reiner emerged and transformed into the Armored Titan after Levi’s attack failed to kill him.

• Arthur, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and the Survey Corps departed for Shiganshina District amid cheers from the people gathered below the wall.
• The Survey Corps reached Shiganshina District without major losses, and Armin noticed signs of a campfire on the wall.
• Eren transformed into the Attack Titan and used Hardening to seal a breach in Shiganshina District.
• Armin warned Erwin that Reiner and Bertolt were likely hiding inside the wall, so Erwin halted the operation and ordered the soldiers to inspect it.
• A soldier found a hollow section of the wall, and Reiner burst out and killed him.
• Levi attacked Reiner but failed to kill him; Reiner fell from the wall and transformed into the Armored Titan.