SPOILER ALERT: Warning, this article may contain spoilers from the Attack on Titan manga which could appear in the upcoming Season 3 of the anime. Proceed at your own risk.
In what feels like the blink of an eye compared to the incredibly long wait for Season 2, Attack on Titan Season 3 is already right around the corner. As the manga is way ahead of the anime at this point, we know that there are plenty of exciting developments ahead.
This upcoming season is sure to contain plenty of world-building, character exploration, and answers to some of the most longstanding questions in the series and these are the five discoveries we’re looking forward to seeing the most.
Levi’s Origins
Levi is a fan favorite character for many reasons. He’s killed dozens of Titans by himself, he’s as tough as nails, and he’s a surprisingly strict neat freak. However, we don’t know anything about his family, background, or what he did before he joined the military. Season 3 is set to answer these questions.
Levi is a stoic and emotionally distant character, even by the standards of a world where a giant monster can eat anyone at any time. It’s clear that he must have endured some pretty harsh circumstances to turn out the way he did, but it’s difficult to imagine what could have warped him so much further than nearly any other character in the anime. Season 3 will show what made Levi who he is now and create some surprising connections between him and other characters.
Building the World Inside the Walls
The world of Attack on Titan is fascinating beyond the presence of thousands of giant naked people who want to eat non-giant naked people. Attack on Titan’s nation within the walls consists of a monarchy with overt classist overtones. The anime hasn’t yet explored these elements of the show’s world but Season 3 is set to change that.
Season 3 looks like it will focus on a political struggle between the crown and the Survey Corps. While Eren and his team want to explore the outside world and gain the resources necessary to leave the safety of the walls, the king and his secret police wish to uphold the status quo and prevent their departure. While titans may make less of an appearance this season, we will finally learn about the inner workings of this strange nation and its government.
The World Outside the Walls
While it’s difficult to say which storylines will fit into the upcoming 24-episode season, there’s a solid chance Season 3 will finally depict the world beyond the walls. The state of the larger world is perhaps the biggest mystery in the series and seeing it is the primary motivation for many of the main characters. In the manga, this revelation marks a significant turning point in the series and brings about a major shift in the direction of the series.
Longtime fans of the anime are desperate to learn how exactly titans appeared and how humanity was able to barricade itself inside of walls made of titans. After years of speculation, fans will finally get answers to these questions and a wealth of new characters and relationships to learn about as well.
Kenny, the New Antagonist
With every new season of Attack on Titan comes a new foe to face. While wandering titans are always a threat, Season 1 saw the survey corps battling Annie as the female titan and Season 2 had them facing off against Reiner and Bertolt as the armored and colossal titans respectively. However, Kenny is a league above these foes.
Kenny doesn’t have any titan powers like previous villains in the series. He’s merely a violent man who will do anything to achieve his selfish goals. Not only does his introduction force several characters to examine the morality of killing people instead of titans, but he also makes Levi confront his troubled childhood.
Grisha’s Backstory
Eren’s father Grisha is one of the most mysterious characters in the series. How he gave Eren his powers and what mysteries lie in his basement are questions introduced back at the beginning of Season 1. Answers to these questions are likely to appear in Season 3 and will denote a significant narrative shift in the franchise.
Grisha is a fascinating character with circumstances that are pretty unusual for an anime character. Grisha’s backstory is also directly related to the opening up of AoT’s world and serves as a great narrative device. After half a decade of raising questions, it’ll be great to see some of the biggest mysteries in the franchise finally solved.
