Attack on Titan - Episode 47 Discussion / Poll

[Klashikari]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Attack on Titan, Episode 47.

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[Kanon]

Kenny's backstory was interesting. There was a lot more to him than his serial killer persona. We also learned more about the First King in the process through Uri.

All hail Queen Historia! That punch was really cute.

And back to the titans at the end. The beast titan shows once again he is to be feared.

[Haak]

That was an amazing episode. Kenny really turned out to be a fascinating multifaceted character. I liked the bit where he realised his sister never taught her own son their family name so Kenny didn't say it either. I thought it was weird that Levi never knew but now it makes sense. His desire for the King's power makes more sense as well. He wasn't just after its power, though he thinks it is. He just doesn't understand that he actually admired the King and wanted to be like him. Its just he's so depraved that he doesn't know how to obtain anything other than killing.

I also have to say that he had great personality. I especially liked the "If you like dumb names, I'm also known as Kenny the Ripper", line.

[Tormenk]

AoT really has a knack of bringing out the human experience. Kenny's desire to be at peace does speak to me, even if I can't relate to his mindset of a killer.

[Wandering Soul]

They really did a good job developing Kenny beyond just being an obstacle to the SC. He may be a serial killer, but his inner wish to have peace and see if he could look at the world the way Uri did were fascinating aspects of his character.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Kenny's backstory was interesting. There was a lot more to him than his serial killer persona. We also learned more about the First King in the process through Uri.

All hail Queen Historia! That punch was really cute.

I loved everyone's reaction to it. Most everyone was terrified, Levi was amused, Historia put on a brave front...

[QS_Bilal]

The brief backstory was interesting, though I am curious as to who sent Kenny Ackerman for the assassination. Perhaps a further plot thread that might be interesting. It seems Kenny might as well have been Erwin if given the environment but he was truly born into a horrible world; it seems as though the Ackerman family took the brunt of whatever 'persecution' the First King thought was needed. That is what makes Uri unusual; why open up with grief/regret to an Ackerman and in the process make yourself totally vulnerable?

The ending dialogue also seems to hint that masses of people followed the Reiss into unknown plains (before the Walls where raised, I believe) may have been tricked, including the 'special' families. While there maybe be many criticisms that the First King may be subject to, forcing a will of potentially millions of people is truly arrogance.

With that said, Uri (and the First King) seemed certain the world is doomed. It has been a century, so the foresight seems a bit too much. It certainly cannot be something that has been raging for all these decades; a threat that can end Humanity must be brutally relentless or totally inanimate (think dinosaur extinction). With the way the world it set up, either there is a fakenews Mayan 2012-esk event that the entirely of Humanity believe to be coming or it is something from within, a reality that is slowing taking over people, like a plague. Perhaps it is an infection like that in The Walking Dead; i.e. everyone will become a dumb Titan, eventually?

Another interesting note; Kenny said that he needs to inject himself correctly or he may end-up transforming into a Colossal Titan.. perhaps it was dying speculation or maybe there's more to this, why be so specific? Where is the fluid coming from and why are there Titan steroids like the Armor Energy Drink? I think the 'outside' world is pharmaceutically advanced. Heck, even the ODM gear is shocking.. who designed it, who came up with the training regiment, etc. The whole Titan shifting appears to be weapons industry.

Lastly, very interesting the Reiner & Bertolt appear at the concluding moments in what appears to be Shiganshina District. S2 led us to believe that Reiner and Bertolt knew the Beast Titan; it seems almost sure now that he is a commander of some sort. Why else would he mention Annie? And him referring that the 'coordinate' would come to them indicates he is patient and cunning. Ymir said something about scouting 'our strength' when thinking about the Beast Titan, early in S2. He also looks to have made short work of Reiner's hardened outer shell.. wtf. He is trained/experienced in Titan combat and the previous mentions of Reiner being a Warrior, not a Soldier by Bertolt can be interpreted as meaning shifting Titans are like WMDs in an actual war. Beast Titan seems like he is Special Ops. I mean, it looks like Reiner was cannoned down (projectiles like Kimimaro?) with ease. Ridiculous. In the end, him fighting back shows hes the most sensitive of the bunch and is conflict about his actions. Reiner and Co. are stuck in-between a rock and tough place; they've no other option but to become supposed villains. Also, I think Ymir got execution..

Spoiler for off-topic:

I remember back in 2011, Claymore discussion threads would easily exceed a few hundred posts.. and that was not nearly as popular as SnK. What is going on with AS these days? Even last year, we'd barely be able to get to two pages on S2 episode threads.

What is going on w/ site traffic..?!

The main trio (Eren, Mikasa, and Armin) have relatively bland and one dimensional personas when stacked against Historia, Reiner, and many others. Kenny Ackerman was simply another example.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by QS_Bilal

The brief backstory was interesting, though I am curious as to who sent Kenny Ackerman for the assassination. Perhaps a further plot thread that might be interesting.

It was a random noble. It was stated in the episode Kenny spilled the beans and he was executed. Nothing to see here.

[QS_Bilal]

Originally Posted by Kanon

It was a random noble. It was stated in the episode Kenny spilled the beans and he was executed. Nothing to see here.

Nobles seem to be from 'special' families in the sense that their memories cannot be altered. With the Ackerman family, we know they may have served as the Royal Guard at some point and hold tremendous physical prowess. I would not be surprised if Mike Zacharias was also from a similar bloodline. Anyway, point is, they are not random and have been around for more than a century. Some deserted the Royals (Oriental and Ackerman families) but other have not (eating sh*t with the PM rn, literally). I am curious as what the motive was for the Noble and if he knew he was sending an Ackerman for the hit job.

On a sidenote, I noticed Levi hasn't been shown to have realized his Kekkei Genkai. He spoke to Misaka as if he did not know he himself was an Ackerman when talking of awakening strength and also seemed shocked Kenny was his uncle (and perhaps that he too was an Ackerman). In other words, Levi has just upped his awesome factors in my book. His baseline agility arguably exceeds that of Misaka and Kenny.. I predict his ragemode will be spectacular.

[Cloudedmind]

As Kanon, already stated, it was just a random noble, aka, a nobody, not overly important to the story, other then they were the catalyst to Kenny meeting the King, and were then easily replaced by Kenny himself. The show never even shows us the nobles face or tells us their name.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by QS_Bilal

Nobles seem to be from 'special' families in the sense that their memories cannot be altered. With the Ackerman family, we know they may have served as the Royal Guard at some point and hold tremendous physical prowess. I would not be surprised if Mike Zacharias was also from a similar bloodline. Anyway, point is, they are not random and have been around for more than a century. Some deserted the Royals (Oriental and Ackerman families) but other have not (eating sh*t with the PM rn, literally). I am curious as what the motive was for the Noble and if he knew he was sending an Ackerman for the hit job.

On a sidenote, I noticed Levi hasn't been shown to have realized his Kekkei Genkai. He spoke to Misaka as if he did not know he himself was an Ackerman when talking of awakening strength and also seemed shocked Kenny was his uncle (and perhaps that he too was an Ackerman). In other words, Levi has just upped his awesome factors in my book. His baseline agility arguably exceeds that of Misaka and Kenny.. I predict his ragemode will be spectacular.

What Cloudedmind said.

And Levi did in fact "awaken", he told it to Mikasa. At this point he suspected he was an Ackerman himself, when he confronted Kenny he even stated "that's apparently my last name as well" before asking him how Kenny was related to his mother. It just never occurred to him Kenny could be such a close relative.

[QS_Bilal]

Originally Posted by Kanon

What Cloudedmind said.

And Levi did in fact "awaken", he told it to Mikasa. At this point he suspected he was an Ackerman himself, when he confronted Kenny he even stated "that's apparently my last name as well" before asking him how Kenny was related to his mother. It just never occurred to him Kenny could be such a close relative.

He asked Mikasa if she had a similar experience as that of Kenny a long time ago; it wasn't explained how he knew Kenny had a similar near-death experience. He would have brought up the fact that he too had a similar experience and that he was an Ackerman when talking to Mikasa. I am not sure at what point he suspected he was an Ackerman but his lastname has been know since S1 in anime materials, etc (or maybe I read spoilers but in 2013 we weren't so far in the manga). It seems awkward that he'd have any knowledge of the Ackerman name as no one told him what his lineage was. "I'm Levi"; "I'm just Kenny".

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by QS_Bilal

He asked Mikasa if she had a similar experience as that of Kenny a long time ago; it wasn't explained how he knew Kenny had a similar near-death experience. He would have brought up the fact that he too had a similar experience and that he was an Ackerman when talking to Mikasa. I am not sure at what point he suspected he was an Ackerman but his lastname has been know since S1 in anime materials, etc (or maybe I read spoilers but in 2013 we weren't so far in the manga). It seems awkward that he'd have any knowledge of the Ackerman name as no one told him what his lineage was. "I'm Levi"; "I'm just Kenny".

He started suspecting he was an Ackerman when he learned about Kenny's name and confirmed with Mikasa that she and Kenny underwent the same "awakening" moment as him. He did in fact mention going through the same experience as them in that very conversation with Mikasa.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Kanon

What Cloudedmind said.

And Levi did in fact "awaken", he told it to Mikasa. At this point he suspected he was an Ackerman himself, when he confronted Kenny he even stated "that's apparently my last name as well" before asking him how Kenny was related to his mother. It just never occurred to him Kenny could be such a close relative.

I think he suspected he was even more closely related. He thought maybe Kenny was his father, and his mother just an old lover rather than another Ackerman.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

I think he suspected he was even more closely related. He thought maybe Kenny was his father, and his mother just an old lover rather than another Ackerman.

That makes sense. It's a logical conclusion to come to.

[Guido]

I honestly think that Kenny Ackerman has been one of the best characters season three has to offer.

He was violent not insane, as that was his reply being borned into that unforgiving and relentless world.

From what I understood from his friendship with Uri came as a result of Kenny choosing to get intoxicated with this dream to be a someone with power and feeling then seeing the things the same way that those who ruled the caged world previously did.

I guess that besides both fighting your way through this cruel world with violence and the revelation about Levi being an Ackerman, Kenny as well left youngster with another lesson and that is to be bound by any desire, whim, passion, dream, or goal in order to motivate yourself to keep moving forward with your life.

And, lastly, he left Levi as well with the last vial of titan serum, which I'm sure will serve its purpose when the time comes.