‘Attack on Titan’ Episode 86 Ends Tragically for These 2 Characters
Things are heating up as Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 2 nears its finale, and recent episodes of the anime have shown no mercy when it comes to taking characters’ lives. Attack on Titan Episode 86 ends on another tragic note, with two major players taking their final bows in the hopes of stopping the Rumbling.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Attack on Titan Episode 86, “Retrospective.”]
2 characters give their lives in ‘Attack on Titan’ Episode 86
Attack on Titan Episode 86 sees the alliance doing whatever they can to defeat the Yeagerists and stop the Rumbling. This means killing their former comrades and even giving up on Marley and Liberio. It also leads two characters to sacrifice their lives for the cause: Theo Magath (Jiro Saito/Neil Kaplan) and Keith Shadis (Tsuguo Mogami/Patrick Seitz).
When the alliance realizes servicing the flying boat at the port will take too long with the Yeagerists around, they decide to travel by water to the city of Odiha. There, the mechanics can get it up in the air without disturbances. Of course, someone needs to make sure the Yeagerists don’t pursue them with the other remaining ship.
Magath chooses to stay behind and detonate the other vessel, sacrificing himself in the hopes of stopping the Rumbling. But when he gets to the boat in question, Shadis is already there. As it turns out, both men had the same idea to stop the Yeagerists. And they both blow up the ship together, one final act for their pupils (and humanity).
Theo Magath and Keith Shadis share a touching moment
Attack on Titan Episode 86 may mark the end of Theo Magath and Keith Shadis’ journeys in the anime. However, the installment gives them time to reflect before they sacrifice their lives. During their final moments together, the two have a heart-to-heart. As it turns out, they have a lot in common.
Shadis admits he decided to work against the Yeagerists when he saw the alliance working together to stop Eren. As their former mentor, he was “moved” by their decision. And Magath has similar feelings about the kids he trained, even if they come with plenty of regrets.
Although Magath refuses to count himself a hero, Shadis tells the other man he’s proud of him. The two detonate the ship together, leaving things on a tragic note heading into Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 2’s finale.
Will ‘Attack on Titan’ kill more characters before the end?
Attack on Titan Episode 86 leaves viewers waiting for the final confrontation, and it seems like a given that more characters will die in the next installment. In fact, many soldiers besides Magath and Shadis perish in this week’s episode. Even Floch Forster (Kensho Ono/Matt Shipman) finds himself in a worrisome situation, though we won’t count him among the dead until the anime shows a body.
Likewise, the final moments of “Retrospective” return to a question Annie (Yū Shimamur/Lauren Landa) asked Mikasa (Yui Ishikawa/Trina Nishimura) when the alliance first formed: can she kill Eren? With the anime consistently bringing this up, it’s very possible it could eliminate its biggest character. Only time will tell if it actually does.
Attack on Titan Episode 87 comes out on April 3, 2022.
