Over the next two months, as Queen Historia opens an orphanage, Hange guides the invention of “Thunder Spears,” rockets which can be affixed to and launched from the arm harnesses of ODM gears, and “The Executioner from Hell,” a large guillotine-like device for killing Titans that is built into the walls across Paradis. After these two months, a squad of a hundred soldiers, led by Erwin Smith, ride to Shiganshina to reclaim it. The Warriors, now joined by Pieck, decide to rally at Shiganshina to claim the Founding Titan from Eren.

The Battle of Shiganshina unfolds over a single day, and it’s a pyrrhic victory for Paradis. The warriors are defeated (Zeke by Levi, Reiner by Hange and Mikasa, and Bertholdt by Eren and Armin), but all except Bertholdt escape thanks to Pieck’s Cart Titan form. Only eight of the Paradis soldiers (Eren, Mikasa, Levi, Hange, Jean, Connie, Sasha and new recruit Floch Forster) survive. Both Erwin and Armin are mortally wounded, and Levi ultimately uses the spinal fluid to save Armin, letting his friend rest.

The Titan Armin eats Bertholdt and inherits the Colossal Titan. As the others recuperate, Eren, Mikasa, Levi, and Hange make it to the Yeagers’ basement and unlock it, discovering the secrets of the outside world within. The Warriors return to Marley and find that, due to their failure and loss of two Titans, the country now faces a war with the Mid-East Alliance.

The Survey Corps survivors return and are honored by Queen Historia. Over the next year, Paradis is completely rid of Titans and the lands of Wall Maria repopulated. In 851, Levi’s Squad sets out on a new expedition, reaching the shores of Paradis and seeing the ocean for the first time.