The most recent season of Attack on Titan finally gifted fans with some long-awaited answers regarding what Eren's father was hiding in the basement of their childhood home and where the Titans came from. But with those twists came new questions -- and those will need to be addressed in the anime's upcoming fourth and final season.
If the recently released trailer is anything to go by, Attack on Titan's final episodes will be full of new information -- along with the action worthy of a series conclusion. The new clips tease even more world-building as the anime wraps up, as well as some major surprises that link back to the beginning of the series. Here are eight things we learned from the Attack on Titan season four trailer.
There Will Be A Time Jump
Watching the fourth season trailer for Attack on Titan, it becomes obvious that there will be a time jump at some point during the upcoming season -- that is, if the new episodes don't start out years after the third season finale.
All of the characters fans have come to know and love have been aged up in the trailer, with Reiner sporting a beard and Eren looking much older with a ponytail. Even Levi looks like he's aged a few years. As far as the plot goes, this means fans may have missed some major developments off-screen. Hopefully, we'll get some flashbacks to let us know what our characters have been up to in the interim between narratives.
New Characters Will Be Introduced
The beginning of the trailer showcases a number of new faces, meaning that fans will be meeting some new characters during the upcoming season. With the show wrapping up, it's surprising the anime would put such emphasis on these new characters, particularly when it needs to round out so many storylines surrounding the series' main cast.
But given that the new characters look fairly young -- and that our heroes are fighting for the fate of their world -- it's possible these newbies are there to highlight the stakes. After all, they'll be the ones left to deal with the consequences of Eren and Zeke's war.
It Will Expand Upon The World
The third season of Attack on Titan opened up the anime's world through flashbacks of Eren's father, but it seems fans will be getting even more world-building in season four, perhaps even journeying to Marley, where Reiner and Zeke are from, alongside the characters.
Technology is something viewers have rarely seen throughout this anime, but the trailer shows trains, ships and planes, all new territory for this series. It'll be interesting to see how different things are in Marley -- and whether or not our main characters can achieve the same level of normalcy before the series is through.
A Closer Look At The Villains
From the looks of the trailer, viewers will be getting more insight into the villains of Attack on Titan during this upcoming season -- most notably, Reiner and Zeke.
There are numerous glimpses of Reiner in the trailer, including some flashbacks to his time with the other recruits. It seems like all that cognitive dissonance he's had over being a traitor may come to the forefront this season, as he appears to want out of the war -- even if it comes at the cost of his life. Fans are also likely to learn more about Zeke, the man behind the Beast Titan, and his motives and past during the new episodes.
Armin Seems To Have Mastered His Titan
There's some brief footage of the Colossal Titan in the fourth season trailer, and we know from the end of last season that Armin has taken up that role following Bertolt's death. From what fans have seen of Eren's journey to mastering control of the Attack Titan, it takes time and work -- but Armin seems to be faring well if the trailer is anything to judge by.
It's very possible the time jump will skip over Armin learning to master his new Titan, but it'll still be fun to see him in a new light -- and with abilities that make him more powerful than most of the other characters for a change.
Annie May Make A Comeback
Speaking of quick shots, the trailer also shows fans a glimpse of Annie trapped in the ice she was placed in after the events of season one. Her storyline has never quite been resolved, but it looks as though that might change this season.
The trailer shows Armin kneeling in front of the ice, an interesting choice -- but then, fans know these two have had a strange respect for one another even after realizing they're on opposite sides of this war. Could Armin free Annie? Could we see a team-up between the Female Titan and the Scouts? Anything's possible at this point.
Mikasa Has A New Look
There isn't much of Mikasa in this trailer, but fans do get one look at her future self -- and boy, does she look different than last time we saw her. Not only does she have a new haircut (perhaps signaling that she can't have any disadvantages heading into the coming war), but she seems to have all new fighting attire.
That attire matches what viewers see Connie and Sasha wearing during the trailer, though, oddly enough, Levi's still donning the usual Scout uniform. Could this be a sign that an elite squad will be formed? And do these uniforms give the characters more leverage over the Titans? Perhaps Marley isn't the only place using technology to its advantage....
There's Going To Be Plenty Of Action
If one thing is clear from the new trailer, it's this: There's going to be plenty of action in Attack on Titan's final season, hopefully bringing the anime to a satisfying close. The trailer alone features numerous fight sequences, which is no surprise given that it's the last season of the show.
Season four needs to bring the ordeal with the Titans to a close one way or another -- and whether it works out in our heroes' favor or not, that means there's going to be an all-out war during the anime's final run. It'll be interesting to see who comes out on top, and whether the characters we've been following can find a way to create a better world for future generations.