Ymir has been an important figure in Attack on Titan. Considered the mother of Titans. Ymir was a slave, who was orphaned by the Eldians. There cruelty extended to cutting out the tongues of the survivors. When Ymir is blamed for a pig escaping, she sentence to be hunted. While fleeing for her life she falls into a pool of water. There she comes into contact with a spine-like creature who turns her into the first Titan. Ymir doesn’t use her newfound power to liberate herself and her people but she serves Fritz, using her Titan form to build massive wealth for the Eldians. Ymir then becomes Fritz “concubine,” giving birth to three daughters: Maria, Rose, and Sina. Ymir’s devotion to Fritz costs her life, when a spy tries to assassinate him and she jumps in front of a spear. Fritz maintains Ymir’s power by having his daughters eat their mother.

In the Paths, Ymir builds Titans for her descendants to command. Eren embraces Ymir and tells her that “he will end her slavery,” and that she “has a choice.” Ymir has been waiting for someone to free her for 2,000 years, Eren is that someone. In Shiganshina District, a creature similar to the one that birth the first Titan, connects Eren with his body. The sky darkens and the walls begin to crack. The Titans emerge from the walls. Eren transforms into a massive Titan and marches the wall Titans toward Marley. However, Armin deduces that the number of Titans are unnecessary to defeat Marley, Eren must have something else in mind. Suddenly, Eren speaks to the Subjects of Ymir. He tells them he wishes to protect the “people of Paradis Island,” and since the outside world won’t stop hunting them, he must “trample every inch of the world beyond the island until nothing is left alive.”

Let the rumble begin

Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 21 marks the major turning point in the series. Ymir Fritz’s backstory was depressing to say the least, but being enslaved made sense. The Eldian race have been tools for others power for centuries. Eren has always sought to free Eldians from their bondage. While this episode explained the origins of the Titans, I now want to know where the spine-like creatures come from. I doubt we would get that origin story. MAPPA has been making a point of zooming in on the detailed eyes of the character’s. However, in this episode Ymir and the Eldian’s eyes are “scratched out.” I can’t figure out what it means but it does have a major effect when Ymir begins to cry.

I was disappointed that Ymir didn’t just kill her enslavers but it’s understandable that a slave would accept their position in life. I would have been better to at least hear what Ymir was thinking as an adult. We also don’t get other details like why did the slaves turn Ymir in? Regardless, Ymir’s life is full of betrayal and brutality. I makes perfect sense that she would have rage. Which makes her very similar to Eren. Both are justified in wanting revenge and I’m excited to see if they get it.