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The following article contains major spoilers for Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Chapter 132 and Attack on Titan Final Season Part 3 (Part 1). Read ahead at your own discretion!
As a fan of Attack on Titan and Hajime Isayama’s narration style, I am no stranger to major characters dying in crucial moments. In fact, it was given that I’d have to witness major character deaths as the series came close to its grand finale.
However, the death of Hange Zoe in Chapter 132 of Attack on Titan, and it latest anime instalment could have been more convincing.
The Alliance force, which includes the remaining members of Survey Corps 104th Training Squad along with the Marleyan Titan Shifters and the Azumabitos, arrived on the southern city of Odiha. The city seemed deserted, but the alliance still had enough time to service their ship before the rumbling hit them.
I was sure that Floch hadn’t died when Gabi shot him and was expecting him to show up sooner or later. And show up he did. He staggers in as the survey corps are getting ready to lift off and punches some holes in the fuel tank of the flying ship.
Floch’s loyalty makes me wish I had a friend like him. He is eventually taken down by Mikasa but the damage had been done. The Azumabito would need another hour or so to fix the ship, but they didn’t have that sort of luxury at their hands because….
…THE RUMBLING HAD REACHED THEM ALREADY!!
Now what follows is a swan song for Suvery Corps commander Hange Zoe. She decides to buy time for her comrades by taking down some colossal titans that were coming their way.
She makes Armin the next commander, jokingly asks him to boss around Levi (even shares an emotional moment with Levi), before zipping off to face off the Colossal Titans.
And the moments that followed were very Hange-isque as she admires the huge titans, before taking down three of them. By the time she took down the third one, she was engulfed in flames, thanks to the heat emanating from the colossals.
Armin and the others could do nothing but look on.
Hange wanted sign off in a cool way. And that she did. It seemed as if her last moments were almost glorified. Was Isayama trying to give a proper send off to a fan favourite? Maybe it was so, and that’s why it didn’t feel so right.
Given the situation, there wasn’t probably anything else that Hange could have done. But comparing their previous tight escapades, Hange and Armin could have come up with a better plan which did not involve one of them throwing away their life.
What was wrong with Hange’s death?
Hange ventured too close to the Colossal Titans to slash at their nape after using up her thunderspears. She ended up being burnt to cinders. I wonder if the outcome would have been different if one more of the survey corps members would have been there with her?
What if Mikasa had joined her? If they had taken out 3-4 Colossal Titans that were close to the hangar with their spears and returned, would Hange have been alive?
With a brainy person like Armin around he should have come up with alternate solutions. Or is it just the fanboy in me who refuses to accept that I won’t be seeing the crazy Titan-loving four eyes commander anymore.
That said, i would have been convinced even if Floch was the one who took down Hange.
The surprise and the deceit would have suited Isayama’s “dark” style more than the current scenario. The heart-wrenching pain would remain. But the dissatisfaction at how the events played out wouldn’t be there.
Seeing Hange reunite with her fallen comrades in the afterlife is both wholesome and sad. I bet they would all be cursing a certain someone for being an unruly brat.
Sayonara Hange Zoe! Rest in Peace!
Attack on Titan Final Season Part 3 (Part 1) did have some meaningful character interactions and mostly sets up the scenario for Armin, Mikasa and Eren showdown.
However, the important question is, how will the world react after the rumbling is indeed stopped. Will the ostracization of Eldians continue? Or will the actions of the Survey corps members in their efforts to stop Eren portray them in new light?
Well, if you have read the manga, you’ll know the outcome!
So till the next part of the anime releases this fall, I shall mourn for the beloved fallen commander. What are your opinions about Hange’s death? Were you satisfied with the “apparent glorification” that she received? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
I don’t think there was a better way for her to go out. There’s been plenty of dark knife in the back deaths and this one just couldn’t be one of them, considering the circumstances. How one could be dissatisfied after watching that scene with heart wrenching background music and a heroic sacrifice of one of the best characters I cannot understand!
The scene was executed better in the anime, we agree!
I have no words to say..