Rest in Peace to the Greats – Shingeki no Kyojin Ch 132 Review

Check out my review of SnK Chapter 131 here.

Wow, and here I thought the new Shingeki no Kyojin chapter wouldn’t be out until October. I decided to check Reddit on a whim and lo and behold, here we are.

So, this is going to be a shorter review than usual – as this was mainly set up and the culmination of two very powerful character arcs: Floch and Hanji Zoe.

Although I still don’t agree with The Alliance of Good Eldians and…whatever their ‘plan’ is, I thought it was nice how Hanji went out. I didn’t think she needed to volunteer to die (especially since Reiner was dying to –haha, get it?) but then I realized maybe she was just tired.

Why Did Hange Meet All Her Dead Comrades After She Died?

Being commander was hard for her, and with the exception of Levi, all of her friends were already gone.

So to see Hanji die, then immediately pop up as if nothing happened and meet all of her fallen comrades again was nice. I’m glad that she got that sort of closure, and that they are going to take care of her.

This also brings new meaning to how the cadets and recruits constantly talked about their fallen comrades.

“Could we face them (in the afterlife) if we don’t succeed in this mission?”

“What did everyone die for if we can’t even get through this?”

I like that Erwin, Moblit, Shadis and even Sasha are still watching the last of the survey corps from the grave – or rather – just another plane of life.

Their spirits live on.

Did Sasha’s Spirit Really Protect Kaya?

To be quite honest, I thought it was Sasha’s spirit who really killed that titan back when her little sister was in trouble, and not Gabi. I didn’t think it was a narrative device to frame Gabi as the new ‘hero’ and ‘protector’ of the weak, but really Sasha’s spirit watching over her sister.

I’m glad at least that with this new chapter, it confirmed my own personal beliefs regarding that and much more in this universe.

Also, this may be too soon to say, but would Erwin really support the now-fabled top breaches of the military turning tail and sacrificing the Island the Survey Corps tried so hard to protect? I mean, if Hanji meeting with Erwin and the rest of the fallen cadets means they also support doing nothing to defend Paradis Island…then I am seriously at a loss here.

The story is winding down though, and we are at the crux of what will come to be: the two people that were opposed to saving Armin with the titan serum are now dead.

Two people with very different ideologies and core beliefs that they gave their lives to defend.

Floch Did Nothing Wrong

Say what you will about Floch, I know I have – but he was a solid character from beginning to end.

During the Return to Shiganshina arc, Floch became the person we see today.

Eren and Mikasa choosing to save their friend over the experienced ‘demon’ leader of the survey corps shook him hard. To Floch, he viewed Commander Erwin Smith’s tactics as necessary in order to gain freedom.

In Floch’s final moments, we see why he supported Eren – he became the same devil leader that Erwin had to win their freedom. In Eren, Floch found someone who was willing to do anything for their people, even at the cost of their own mental and personal detriment.

And we’ve seen just that – Erwin’s breakdown to Levi just before the Survey Corp’s suicide run.

Eren’s mental regression (or PATHs shenanigans) back to that of a child – away from the chaos The Rumbling brought to the world.

Even more in support of Eren, Floch followed The Alliance of Good’s boat for who knows how many nautical miles, and when he resurfaced? He just wanted to shoot the plane.

This man’s dying words really were just pleading for them to leave Eren to his plan.

From Yelena’s exposition, we learned Eren really just intended to cripple the other nation’s ability to retaliate against Paradis.

So in other words, Eren literally just meant for the wall titans to take out naval ships, airplanes, and other objects of war. It wasn’t this genocidal and impulsive thirst to ‘kill the rest of the world’ for lack of plan, as The Alliance of Good has calculated.

No, it was literally just to protect the island at the core of it. Eren made a choice, unlike the rest of those cowards who still have no plan but to “stop Eren”.

Or, try to blow him up with a few measly explosives?

The Impact of Hange and Floch’s Deaths

I mean, I don’t want to diminish Hanji’s death. I respect both her and Floch’s character arcs. But, they were the moral juxtapositions of the story.

And, The Alliance of Good are still operating under a spot of bad intel, in addition to a lack of adequate leadership. Yes, I know Armin has been appointed the 15^th Commander of the Survey Corps but for now his plan seems to try and talk no jutsu Eren and if that doesn’t work, throw some explosives in his mouth and pull him out like they did Reiner in the past.

In their haste to “stop The Rumbling” and “keep trying “ until it succeeds, they are operating under the false pretense that there will be retaliation for Eren and the Yeagerist actions.

The Global Allied Army is gone.

From what we can tell, Marley is gone.

There are no superiors, no presumed survivors. The Alliance of Good even underestimated the speed of the titans, causing Hanje to volunteer for her death.

Also, we all now know steamboats can’t outrun those titans – so I don’t see the Azumabito clan surviving this one. Annie, Falco and Gabi are another story, I’m sure they’ll be fine.

Their plan hinges on retaliation – but there is no body left to retaliate against.

Therefore, they still have no damn plan.

But on the other hand, Eren might not either. I didn’t see many people talking about this online, but Miksasa is no longer wearing her scarf.

Eren’s whole thing months ago was trying to change the fate he kept seeing through PATHs by slight deviations. One of those deviations was letting that creepy girl steal Mikasa’s scarf. When she got it back and began wearing it, Eren was depressed. 

In his vision, Miksasa had on the scarf.

Now, she no longer wants to wear it.

So, something has changed. As for what? I guess we’ll have to wait until the next chapter.

I’m still with Eren and the Yeagerist at this point, wholeheartedly.

What do you think about the death of Hanji Zoe and Floch Forster?

Does it bother you that the last of the titan knowledge in the world was most likely in Hanji’s head and she just volunteered to die and wipe it from conscious existence?

Will the last standoff between Eren and The Alliance of Good be in the mountains of Marley at the aerospace center?

Do you think Jean will turn on them?

Is it wrong for the Eldians to want to exist?

And, who do you think the real enemy is in Attack on Titan?

(Because I’m kind of having a hard time telling right about now, haha.)

Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for Shingeki no Kyojin reviews!

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