Attack On Titan Season 4 Episode 27 Review: Battle for the Flying Boat

Just an episode after many fan favorite characters form an unlikely alliance, Armin and Connie are forced to kill two of their oldest friends. This heavy emotional ride and more will be explored in this Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 27 review.

The Jaw Titan gets cooler with every new inheritor, and Falco’s is the best yet. Also, this episode’s fast yet consistent pacing compliments the ongoing battle.

Attack on Titan is available on Hulu.

This Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 27 review may contain spoilers.

Story: Friends at an Impasse

This episode begins with Armin and Connie on the docks moments after Daz and Samuel had figured out that they were trying to steal the boat. With two of their friends standing between them and a means to stop Eren, Armin and Connie are forced to kill Daz and Samuel. This moment is so powerful because these four characters studied together as cadets back in Season 1, when they were just children.

Now, many years later, they find themselves at an impasse. Armin and Connie want to stop Eren from killing all life outside of Paradise Island. Daz and Samuel believe that Eren’s conquest is the only path to peace. This difference of ideology manifests itself in the actions of stealing and defending the flying boat, which forces these four friends to spill each other’s blood.

Samuel with bullet holes through his face.

That scene does a brilliant job of depicting what the pursuit of moral superiority has reduced the people of that world to. Somewhere along the line the point of no return was passed. Now, friends must spill the blood of friends, with hopes that their sacrifice is for the good of humanity.

Characters and Performances: A New Jaw Titan

The exchange between Connie and Samuel is particularly well done. They are trying to kill each other, but there is no anger in their eyes, only sadness and regret. This situation is tragic, which is why they’re both in tears. Even in trying to kill each other all they can feel is regret for what the circumstances force upon them.

Floch falling toward the water.

Previously in Season 4, Zeke turned Falco into a Pure Titan. While in that feral state Falco ate Porco Galliard, thus becoming the new Jaw Titan. This causes Falco to feel extreme guilt. Even though he was not in control of himself when he ate Porco, he still feels responsible for depriving his new alliance of Porco’s combat prowess. Falco then joins the battle because of those feelings.

So, the audience gets to witness Falco’s first transformation into the Jaw Titan, and what a transformation it is. The Jaw Titan gets cooler with every new inheritor. See Falco’s Jaw Titan design in the video below. It has two sets of teeth, which ends up making the actual jaw look like some sort of helmet. Also, it has sharp bird claws along with blonde-ish fur. These animal features could be due to Falco consuming the Beast Titan’s spinal fluid earlier in Season 4. This is one of the coolest titan designs of the series.

Pacing and Editing: A Change of Plans

There’s a brilliant exchange of close ups early in the episode. The alliance’s plan is to use the Armored and Female Titans as cover to safely transport the mechanics to the flying boat, so that they can get it ready to fly. However, before this plan gets underway the mechanics inform Magath and Hange that it will take half a day to get the boat ready to fly, which is much more time than the titans can buy. Then there’s an exchange of close ups between Hange and Magath in which they both express terror and shock at the realization that their plan won’t work. They bet all their marbles on this and now they’re caught between a rock and a hard place. Luckily for them they find another way to move the boat, but Hange and Magath’s faces in that moment are priceless, nevertheless.

This episode has a lot going on, so pacing is key to making every moment effective. The pacing of this episode manages to get the most out of every scene by not focusing on one group of characters for too long at a time. Each scene lasts about one to two minutes. That fast pace does a brilliant job of capturing the tensity of the ongoing battle.

Mikasa telling Annie that the plan has changed.

Cinematography and Sound: Don’t Cross Mikasa

Excellent cinematography is the highlight of this Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 27 review. After being shot in the face, Armin looks down at Daz’s body sinking in the water. While looking down at the water with both tears and blood coming out of his face, Armin reaches out as if he is trying to grab hold of Daz. As mentioned before this moment is so powerful because these characters trained together as cadets, and now they must kill each other.

Armin isn’t only reaching for Daz, he is reaching for his childhood self. Daz sinking symbolizes Armin’s vision of who he wanted to become when he first joined the Scouts, fading away. He wanted to save humanity from the titans that threatened to eat them alive. He was a boy with pure and noble goals. Little did that boy know the path to peace would not only be through the blood of titans, but it would also be through the blood of the very soldiers he was training with. So, Armin is watching that pure child with noble goals sink, and he is forced to embrace his new reality. 

Armin reaching toward Daz.

It’s always fascinating to watch Mikasa fight. She cuts through the Yeagerist forces like a hot knife through butter. The clashing of metal and flesh is brutal. At one point her eyes end up covered in blood, which is obviously symbolism. But what does it symbolize? What is she looking at through the blood? One might suggest she is looking forward at the peace she hopes will come of sacrificing the enemy forces. However, in the actual scene she is looking at Jean through the blood.

Jean’s vision a few episodes back reveals that he loves Mikasa. So, is this shot hinting that maybe Mikasa feels the same way? Is she looking through the bloodshed at a future with Jean? His fans certainly hope so.

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