Zeke, Reiner, Gabi and Colt gather in front of the stage as Zeke has a cigarette when Udo, Sofia, Pieck and Galliard walk over.
"Oh, did you guys have fun?" Zeke asks as he looks at the two of them.
"Huh, where's Falco?" Colt asks as he looks at the two of them.
"He said he saw someone he knew and ran off" Udo says as he looks at Colt.
"Really? What's the matter with him?" Colt wonders as Galliard walks up to him.
"Can't you just loosen up for one day?" Galliard asks as he puts his arm around Colt.
"So many people" Sofia says as she looks around.
"Huh? Looks like he's back" Pieck says as she spots Falco.
"Mr Braun!" Falco says as he runs up to Reiner.
"Where the hell did you go?" Gabi asks as she looks at Falco.
"Can you come with me?" Falco asks as he looks at Reiner.
"Right now?" Reiner asks, concerned about the timing of this and the show.
"You'll be fine. It shouldn't start for a bit" Zeke says as he checks his watch.
"Come on. This way!" Falco says as he runs off.
"What's this all about?" Reiner asks as he follows Falco.
"You'll see soon enough" Falco says with a small smile as he points in the direction of the way they need to go.
Falco runs behind the stage and goes down some stairs as Reiner follows him.
"In here!" Falco says as he stands in front of a door.
"Okay" Reiner says as Falco opens the door.
"I brought him!" Falco says as he walks into the room.
"Hey. It's been four years, Reiner" Eren says as he looks at Reiner.
"Eren!" Reiner says as he walks into the room, looking at Eren.
"Um, huh? Aren't the two of you supposed to be old friends? And where's Mrs Smith?" Falco asks as he looks at Eren, "isn't that right, Mr Kruger?".
"I'm right here, Falco" Evelyn says as she walks out from the dark corner, "we have a lot to catch up on, Reiner. I don't even know where to start".
"Captain Evelyn" Reiner says in shock, "impossible. You two!".
--- backstage ---
"Lord Tybur. It's almost time" one of his guards says as he walks over.
"Right" Willy says as he looks down.
"My goodness!" the woman from Hizuru says as she stands at the entrance to the tents.
"Well, well! Come to give me a pep talk, Madam Azumabito?" Willy asks as he looks over at the woman.
"I hope I'm not a bother. I just came to see your face" Madam Azumabito says as Willy makes his way over to her.
"Given my stage fright, I'm sure I look hideous" Willy says with a shy smile.
"No, you look courageous. My whole clan knows how great you are" Madam Azumabito says as she looks at Willy, "I wish you the best of luck".
"I appreciate it, Lady Kiyomi" Willy says as he shakes Kiyomi's hand.
--- underground ---
"Sit down, Reiner" Eren says as Evelyn drags a wooden chair over for him, "we've got good seats, right? We can hear everything that's happening on stage. The building above us is all housing. It's behind the stage, but it's full of people waiting for the curtains to rise. Directly above us".
"Huh? Kruger? Did you hurt your hand?" Falco asks as he looks at Eren's finger.
"Yeah, it's just a scratch" Eren says as he opens his hand to show Reiner the cut, "Reiner, sit down".
"Well, I think I'll head back" Falco says as Reiner sits down.
"No, Falco" Evelyn says as she pulls up another chair, "you should stay here and listen".
"Huh?" Falco asks as he looks at Evelyn.
"Falco, just do as she says" Reiner says as he doesn't take his eyes off of Eren who sits across from him.
"Okay" Falco says calmly as he sits down on the crate next to Evelyn.
--- in the streets above ---
"Now then. Shall we leave?" Madam Azumabito asks as she looks back at her two guards.
"Oh! Long time no see, Mr Leonhart" Reiner's Mother says as she approaches Annie's Father.
"Miss Braun. Not since your son came home, right?" Annie's Father says as he looks up at Reiner's Mother from his seated position, "speaking of which, I heard Hoover passed away in bed, right?".
"Yes. He never failed to say how proud he was of his son's sacrifice for Marley" Reiner's Mother says as she sits down next to Annie's Father, "I'm sure your daughter also-".
"She's not dead" Annie's Father says as he looks down, "Annie is alive. She promised she would come back".
"To think, war will be announced in the internment zone, of all places" Commander Magath says as he stands on top of one of buildings opposite the stage.
"Whoa! Even General Calvi came to the zone!" Sofia says as she scans the crowd.
"The whole backbone of Marley's military is here!" Udo says in shock, "and all these famous families and ambassadors".
"Not to mention every newspaper in the world that matters" Galliard says as he looks around as well.
"It's like we're in the world's spotlight" Pieck says as she shakes Sofia softly by her shoulders.
"The Tyburs sure are powerful" Colt says as he looks at Pieck.
"Yet they're Eldians, same as us" Galliard says as he looks away.
The trumpets start to play which shocks Sofia.
"It's begun" Gabi says as she looks at the stage.
"Mr Braun and Falco aren't back yet" Udo says as he looks around.
"Warriors of Marley. Commander Magath has summoned you" a solder says as they walk over to the seven of them.
--- underground ---
"Eren, Captain Evelyn... how? Why are you here?" Reiner asks as he looks down.
"Same reason you did" Eren says as he looks at Reiner as Reiner starts to hold his head, "don't you get it? The same reason you did. Because we had no other choice".
--- onstage ---
Willy walks onto the stage as the cameras flash brightly. He stands at the front in the centre as he takes a bow.
--- underground ---
"Sounds like it started" Evelyn says as she looks up at the ceiling, "let's listen".
--- onstage ---
"Let's look back in time" Willy says as he addresses the audience, "roughly one hundred years ago, the Eldian Empire ruled the world with the Power of the Titans. From the rise of Founder Ymir until today, titans have robbed enough lives to eradicate humanity three times over. Countless cultures and people have been wiped out by titans; their histories stolen away. The Eldian Empire's path of slaughter became humanity's history. And when the Eldian Empire ran out of enemies, they soon began slaughtering one another. The Great Titan War had become. Families holding the eight titans waged a blood war. Using this to his advantage, one Marleyan sought victory. It was the hero, Helos. Thanks to his clever manipulations, the Eldian Empire was tricked into killing each other, one by one. By joining hands with Tybur family, they forced the unbeatable King Fritz to flee and retreat to the island. However, though he fled to Paradis Island, his power still remained. Tens of millions of titans await on the island to trample the world. To this day, the only reason we haven't been trampled is merely a fluke. Our scholars have no other explanation. To eliminate this threat, our motherland Marley sent four titans to the island, but they were beaten back and only returned with the Armoured titan. The darkest blot on humanity's history, the Eldian Empire, is alive and well".
--- underground ---
"Do you hear that, Reiner? Isn't that why you destroyed the wall?" Eren asks menacingly, "you guys were trying to save the world. Weren't you? But you never thought you'd come across Evelyn, the legend on the other side of the gate. And when you tried to eat her, you were unsuccessful, and the legend lived on in a com, unable to awake".
--- on the streets ---
"Jaeger, you're wanted at the gate" the soldier leading the warriors away says as they look at Zeke.
"Fine" Zeke says as he walks away.
"This way, you two" the soldier says as they start to walk off.
"I feel as though I've seen you before. Where are you from?" Pieck asks as she looks at the soldier.
"Out West by Lakua, but I was called here. I didn't come to chitchat with Eldians" the soldier says as he looks ahead.
"That's a shame. I kind of fancy your beard" Pieck says flirtatiously.
"Oh, it's Pieck!" some of the soldiers who usually work on the machine guns the Cart titan carries shouts as they wave at Pieck.
"The Panzer Unit! Thanks for all your hard work!" Pieck says as she runs up to one of the soldiers and hugs them.
"We should be thanking you" the soldier says as they look down at Pieck, "you're in a good mood today".
"What are you doing? Let's go" the soldier says as he looks at Pieck.
"What was that?" Galliard asks as he looks at Pieck.
"Since they ride the Cart titan into war and all, it's good if we form a bond" Pieck says as she walks over.
"Didn't you just put a rift in that bond?" Galliard asks as he looks at the soldiers who walk away.
"In here. Enter" the soldier says as he opens a door to a room.
"Where's Commander Magath?" Galliard asks as the two of them enter the room and look around.
"Porco!" Pieck shouts as the soldier cuts a rope, the floor falling in from under Pieck and Galliard as they both fall down.
--- underground ---
What's going on here? Why is Vice Chief Braun so scared? Aren't Kruger and Smith old friends of his? Old friend? Like, how many years ago? If its more than four, they met on Paradis Island. No, there's no way. Because that means... could it be-?
Falco wonders as his gaze switches between Reiner, Eren and Evelyn.
--- onstage ---
"Now then, the story I've told thus far is common knowledge" Tybur says as he continues his story, "however, the truth is somewhat different. What if I told you, even worse than that, the legend of the Restorationists, the one survivor of paradise, Evelyn, still lives. But worry not. We will kill her and the Restorationists will be no more".
"No way. Evelyn's just a rumour, right?" Udo says in disbelief.
"That's what I was always told" Gabi says as she looks at Udo, "but I can't believe Reiner fought her?".
"In passing down the War Hammer titan, the Tybur family inherited its memories" Tybur says as he looks at the crowd, "I will now reveal the truths we learnt for the first time ever. Some one hundred years ago, it was neither Helos nor the Tyburs who ended the Great Titan War. The one who ended the fighting and saved the world... was King Fritz. He anguished over the Eldian Empire's vicious history, tired from the endless infighting, and above all, he was pained by the endless oppression of Marley. When he inherited the Founding titan, he schemed with the Tybur family and they fabricated a Marleyan hero. His name: Helos. The King moved as many Eldians as he could to the island and closed the gates. He claimed that if they were threatened, thousands of titans would be unleashed as revenge. However, this was never his intention. King Fritz made a vow renouncing war so his ideology would be inherited. Because of this, Karl Fritz's ideology has been passed down, and the titans have never left the island to attack. That is, the one keeping our world safe is the 'vile' King of the walls. Karl Fritz, and his desire for peace. Peace was all he wanted. But if Marley grew strong and came to take the Founding titan or his life, he would accept it. He believed the sins of the Eldians were so grave, they could never be atoned for. 'However, until that day of retribution, let me savour a brief paradise, free of conflict within the walls. That is all I ask of you'. That was his last request".
Gabi gasps as she looks around, realising this means Paradis Island were never really a threat.
"Yes. In exchange for our safety, the Tybur family joined hands with Karl Fritz and sold out the Eldians to Marley" Willy says as he looks down, "we're no more than traitors lavishing in crookedly earned honour. The reason that I stand here and willingly part of this sham is because I know our world is in peril".
--- where Galliard and Pieck are ---
"Shit, that hurt. What the hell is this?" Galliard asks as he supports his broken arm.
"Must be a pit to restrain warriors" Pieck says as she holds her broken legs, "it's a classic trap. Too cramped for one of us to transform, let alone two".
"Yeah, we'd be squashed to death. Why'd that scrawny soldier even do it?" Galliard asks as he looks up.
"I don't know, but I feel like I've seen them before" Pieck says as she looks at Galliard.
--- onstage ---
Stand there and watch. This is my atonement.
Willy says as he looks at the people offstage.
"Using the power of the Founding titan, Karl Fritz erected three walls" Willy says as the drums start up, "these walls, formed by tens of millions of Colossal titans, have served as a spear and shield, safeguarding peace. But recently, an uprising took place on Paradis Island. King Fritz's peace was undermined by the person who stole the Founding titan. Once again, there's a threat to our world, a rebel against peace! His name: Eren Jaeger!".
--- underground ---
Falco listens to Willy's last world as Eren unties the knot in his trouser leg.
"You tricked me and here I respected you" Falco says as he watches Eren heal his leg, "but you tricked me. Both of you".
"I'm sorry Falco. But we needed your help" Evelyn says as she looks at Falco.
"The letters! The ones you had me send! What were they?" Falco asks worriedly.
"They didn't reach my family, but they did reach my comrades. Well, I guess they did reach my brother-in-law" Eren says as he glances over at Evelyn.
"No way! You're kidding!" Falco says as he starts to cry.
"Your comrades?" Reiner asks worriedly.
--- onstage ---
"The threat of Paradis Island is the stampede of millions of Colossal titans-- a rumbling" Tybur says as he looks out at the crowd, "as I mentioned, the vow renouncing war prevents the King's bloodline from fully using the Founding titan. But currently, this 'Eren Jaeger' who possesses the Founding titan may begin the rumbling at any moment. Once the rumbling is set into motion, there is nothing that we can do. Nothing but tremble at the footsteps of doom, fleeing in vain. All lands and civilisations will be trampled, literally razed to the ground".
--- underground ---
"That's right" Evelyn says as she looks at Reiner, "it's like Willy says-- Eren's the bag guy. He might just destroy the world. But I'm here to try and convince him otherwise. Eren already knows this. But to us, you were the bad guys, too. That day, when the wall was destroyed and titans invaded our hometown, our Mother was eaten. We couldn't understand. Why, Reiner? Why was our Mother eaten?".
"Because on that day, we broke the wall" Reiner says as he looks at Evelyn.
"Why did you break the wall?" Eren asks calmly.
"To sneak in during the chaos and see how the King would react" Reiner says as he looks at Eren.
"What was your mission?" Evelyn asks calmly.
"To retake the Founding titan and save the world" Reiner says as he looks down.
"I see. If it was to save the world, you didn't have much choice" Evelyn says as she looks down.
"Back then, you told me Eren: 'I'll make you guys suffer and die in the worst way possible'. Isn't that why you came?" Reiner asks desperately as he looks at Eren.
"Oh, I vaguely remember saying that" Eren says as he recalls his words, "just forget it. True, I saw everyone on the other side of the sea as my enemy. But then, we crossed the sea, slept under the same roof as them, ate the same as them. Reiner, we're the same as you. Sure, there are jerks here, but good people, too" he says as he looks at Falco, "across the sea, within the wall, it's the same. But you guys were taught everyone within the walls were devils. You were children who knew nothing, but it was drilled into you. You were just kids. What could you even do? Right, Reiner? Hasn't that been eating away at you?".
"No, you're wrong, Eren. Captain Evelyn" Reiner says as he gets on his knees and puts his head to the ground, "that day, when Marcel was eaten, Annie and Bertolt tried to turn back and end the mission. But I talked them into it and made them go on! I wanted to be a hero! I wanted people's respect! It's my fault! Your Mother was eaten by a titan because of me!".
--- onstage ---
"I cursed the blood I was born with" Tybur says passionately, "more than anyone, I wished the Eldians were wiped out".
--- underground ---
"I'm sick of this... of myself. Just kill me!" Reiner says as his voice starts to break.
"Like I thought, I am the same as you" Eren says as he stands up and he holds out his hand to Reiner, helping him stand up, "I think we were born this way. I keep moving forward. Until I destroy my enemies".
Lightning sparks around Reiner and Eren's hands.
"Eren, what are you doing?" Evelyn yells as she grabs Falco and covers him, Reiner trying to cover the two of them as Eren transforms, breaking through the stage.
Eren grabs Willy from the stage as he throws him up in the air and opens his mouth.