Yeah but who are they and who are they fighting and why is what I’m confused about

Who are marleyans and who are eldians? Go rewatch the end of last season lol

I feel like you should rewatch it . All of those answers were hidden within this episodes dialogue

All of those questions could either be answered by rewatching the last season or waiting like 3 episodes

Marley is the nation that’s revealed in the previous season (when they get to the basement), Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie and Zeke are from there. In this episode we see marleyan soldiers ( the kids ) fighting a middle eastern nation, that’s what’s said in the episode and the way they’re dressed shows this nation is from the middle east. Marley and this nation has been in war for 4 years.

Yeah I definitely need to watch a recap video lol

Bruh isn’t all the s*** that was in this, in the trailer, except NOT cgi? Smh

wonder if they’ll censor the scene where Reiner tries to kill himself

Cgi isn’t even that bad, honestly, this probably is better than if Mappa made this scene in 2d animation, usually insignificant scenes in 2d animation aren’t animated as well as more important moments ( and there’s a lot this season ) most anime are literally slideshows at times. I’m happy with the outcome tbh, this is not as bad as that rod reiss s***

In terms of timeline, this is taking place 4 years after the last episode of last season correct? That’s what is kind of throwing me off. That and the fact that I vaguely remember the whole Marley vs Eldian story. Aren’t the people on the island Eldian? What is the difference between them and the Eldians fighting with the Marleys?

Yes there’s a 4 year timeskip from the last episode of season 3 to this episode. It’s kinda implied in this episode as well. Zeke says our defeat 4 years ago is the reason why this war started (against middle easter nation), they lost the colossal titan and Annie MIA. The other nations of the world don’t fear marley as much. Titans are also slowly becoming obsolete. All the descendants of Ymir are Eldians. That means all the people from Paradis. There’s eldians in Marley. Eldians are the only ones with the power to turn into titans.

Edit: didn’t read your post correct, the difference between the eldians in paradis and marley is culture and the way they’re brought up. Think people from a non western country brought up in a western country and the people that still live in that non western country. The eldians in Marley are treated harshly and are indoctrinated to hate themselves and the eldians living on paradis.

They seem to despise the people on the island though despite the fact that they are one in the same. Is there a reason behind that I’m not remembering or has that not been revealed in the show yet?

I’m just here to explain the Eldian and Marley conflict since the other posters told you everything else.

Ymir Fritz gains the power of the Titans from an unknown source, becoming the Founding Titan. Thus the Fritz family rules and oppressed the Marleys for the next 1,700 years

Ymir dies 13 years later due to, known later as the, "Curse of Ymir". As a consequence her "soul" is split into nine titans.

The Nine Titans wage war against the nation of Marley, the dominant nation of the land, taking control of the continent and establishing the empire of Eldia

The 145th monarch of the Eldian empire inherits the Founding Titan and gathers most of the Fritz royal family to Paradis Island, Eldia's last remaining undisputed territory and moves the capital to that island, abandoning the conflict. The Founding Titan being the balance between the Nine Titans on the continent now gone creates a power imbalance resulting in the Great Titan War.

Over the course of the war, the Marleyans succeed in gaining the power of six more of the Nine Titans possessed by Eldia: the Colossus Titan, the Armored Titan, the Female Titan, the Beast Titan, the Cart Titan, and the Jaw Titan. Meanwhile the 145th King of Eldia uses the Founding Titan to create and order countless Colossus Titans to form the three concentric Walls—Maria, Rose, and Sheena—to protect the remnants of Eldia.

The Great Titan War ends. The Eldians who did not flee overseas would become low-class citizens of Marley, forced to live in internment zones separate from the rest of the population.

The animation looks amazing, I’m so relieved that AOT got a good studio

What’s undisputed is the tone Mappa have set, it’s gritty and unforgivable right down to the facial expressions.

I do miss the thick outlines wit had for characters

135 some asspull this series fall off so hard since the invasion arc

Cgi looks good go watch dragon ball super is u want bland trash

Go watch MHA normie

Props!

Can’t wait!

How was 135 ass

Flying titan to save the day

Lol don’t try to justify this s***

I’m just against it in anime... always have been. It’s disheartening