Plenty of anime capture their audience’s attention and are transformed into totems of pop culture, but for years Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan has been viewed as one of the top anime obsessions. Attack on Titan is set in a compelling dystopia where man is stuck in a war against hungry, mysterious monsters. However, each season of Attack on Titan impressively expands the series’ scope and reframes the identities of the real heroes and villains.
The gorgeous animation, stunning battle choreography, and copious carnage are all reasons that Attack on Titan has found success, but the series’ seismic plot twists can also not be underestimated. Attack on Titan is full of surprises, but the most shocking twists and reveals still have fans reeling.
10 Reiner And Bertholdt Are Revealed To Be The Titan Traitors
Attack on Titan juggles so many ongoing mysteries that there’s a lot of nostalgia that surrounds one particular surprise that forever changes the future of the series. Paranoia is at an all-time high when the Survey Corps try to figure out the identities behind the Armored and Colossal Titans.
The reveal that Reiner and Bertholdt are these traitorous Titan shifters happens so casually that it almost feels like a prank. There are so many episodes of buildup, only for Reiner and Bertholdt to show their true colors when they recognize a moment of opportunity. It’s a major twist that casts Reiner and Bertholdt in very different lights.
9 Zeke’s Beast Titan Talks
One of the most satisfying elements in Attack on Titan is gradually learning more about these titular giants and the many complexities that surround them. Titans are plentiful when the anime begins, but the first few seasons carefully establish that there are nine superior types of Titans, each with unique powers and advantages.
The Titans function like mindless monsters who are beyond rational thought, which makes it come as such a shock when Zeke’s Beast Titan actually speaks and engages in fluent conversation. There are more powerful Titans than the Beast Titan, but this moment still hits hard because it turns the tables on these monsters by revealing the humanity that resides in some of them.
8 Grisha’s Backstory And The Contents Of His Basement Are Revealed
The first three seasons of Attack on Titan put a lot of stock in the cryptic contents of the Jaeger family basement. Eren is pushed away from his home, but his father’s basement becomes a beacon for the character that’s inevitably returned to, and what’s discovered does not disappoint.
Right from the start, Attack on Titan is clearly set in an alternate version of the world. However, this look into Grisha’s past highlights that the world of Titan is much bigger and more civilized than initially indicated. Eren and the rest of his Shiganshina District allies are stunned by the rich world that they infiltrate, as well as the many new dangers that it contains.
7 Armin Inherits The Powers Of The Colossal Titan
The majority of Attack on Titan focuses on the trio of friendship that’s forged between Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. Armin spends most of the series as an earnest voice of reason who’s ultimately forced to step up as a leader following the passing of Erwin Smith. Eren’s Titan state is a genuine surprise, but it’s an even greater shock when Armin Arlert experiences this transformation.
Armin’s consumption of Bertholdt to become the new Colossal Titan hits even harder because right beforehand, it looks like Armin has finally met his end through extreme steam burns. It’s a gamechanger to not just have Armin alive, but in control of one of the most intimidating Titans.
6 Sasha Meets Her End
The top soldiers and the best fighters regularly receive the most attention in Attack on Titan, but Sasha Braus is one of the anime's most popular characters, and her value goes far beyond her combat skills. Sasha's love for food and the simple perks of life turn her into a deeply relatable character.
Everyone loves Sasha, but she experiences a devastating fate once Eldia and Marley properly clash. Gabi's execution of Sasha turns into a major spark of conflict between these two factions. It's the point of no return for many, and a lot of levity is permanently lost following Sasha's exit.
5 Floch Turns Into A Blood-Thirsty Revolutionist
The endgame of Attack on Titan finds new dramatic weight in the fragmentation of its human characters, who turn out to be even more deplorable than the monstrous Titans. Floch Forster doesn’t make a huge impression during the start of Attack on Titan, but he slowly forms a hateful grudge against humanity and becomes a leading member of the violent revolutionaries, the Jaegerists.
Floch gets lost in the delusion that Eren’s destructive ways are necessary for society and the only path forward for the “New Eldian Empire.” It’s shocking to see Floch embrace this role, especially after he starts to execute anyone who opposes the way of the Jaegerists.
4 Falco Inherits The Jaw Titan
The final seasons of Attack on Titan wisely shift their perspective over to Marley’s Warriors in an earnest attempt to humanize the “enemy.” All of these burgeoning soldiers have the potential to become Titan shifters, and Gabi Braun and Falco Grice quickly emerge as important players.
It sadly looks like Falco’s fate is sealed as a mindless Titan drone after Zeke activates his Beast Titan’s Scream. A strategic coup allows Falco to consume Porco Galliard and become the new Jaw Titan in the process. This turns Falco into a crucial player for the series’ final arc.
3 Eren Breaks His Alliance With Zeke And Goes Rogue
There are a lot of themes and ideas that Attack on Titan explores, but at the center of the series is the concept of the sins of the father and generational trauma. Eren and Zeke, estranged siblings and the sons of Grisha, end up on opposing paths.
Eren and Zeke begin as rivals, but the final season teases a mysterious alliance between them that will forever change the world. This partnership is a surprise, but it turns out to just be the first stage in Eren’s elaborate plan. Eren uses Zeke to accomplish what he needs, but he betrays his brother and manipulates Ymir in order to acquire the powers of the Founding Titan.
2 Gabi’s Shot Connects With Eren And Takes Off His Head
Attack on Titan begins as Eren’s story, so it’s only natural to assume that he’ll remain the audience’s surrogate throughout the entire series. Eren experiences a controversial change of heart in the show’s final seasons, with the character’s true motivations being kept extremely close to his chest. A huge part of Eren’s strategy involves him making contact with Zeke, which will trigger a cataclysmic transformation.
One of the most surprising moments from the entire series is when Gabi successfully snipes Eren, shooting off his head and seemingly ending the character. In reality, this is far from the end of Eren’s journey, but it’s still a major surprise when Eren loses his head.
1 Eren Separates From His Friends And Becomes The Greatest Threat To Humanity
It takes a lot of courage and trust in a show’s audience to gradually transform the hero into the ultimate antagonist. Admittedly, Eren Jaeger’s pivot isn’t quite so simple, but the final seasons properly segregate him from his old friends as he embarks on a harrowing solo mission.
Attack on Titan is never more exciting when Eren recedes into the shadows, and former enemies are forced to cooperate as they take on this common enemy. Eren is ready to bring forward the Rumbling and leave the free world trampled by his decision.