WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Attack on Titan Episode 86, "Retrospective," now streaming on Funimation, Hulu and Crunchyroll.
In the most recent episode of Attack on Titan, Hange’s resistance group is pitted against Floch’s Jaegerist militia in a battle to capture the Azumabito's flying ship. In an effort to prevent the show’s newly formed group of heroes from escaping the port via a ship docked in the harbor, Floch attempts to use his last remaining Thunder Spear to blow up the vessel.
However, just as Floch manages to pull the trigger, he is shot by Gabi, who is standing on the boat’s helm. This leads Floch’s rocket to spiral out of control and explode in the water, leaving the ship unscathed. The last time that viewers see Floch, he is shown falling from the sky with blood pouring from his body. Is it possible for Floch to survive his wound and the fall and still have the strength to get himself ashore?
Did Floch Suffer a Fatal Wound?
As Floch is falling from the sky, it is clear that the blood coming from his body stems from his right shoulder. While this has typically been depicted as a non-lethal area of the body within forms of media, it's certainly possible to die from this type of wound. Since the shoulder contains the subclavian artery, which feeds into the brachial artery (the main artery of the arm), it can lead the victim to suffer from extensive bleeding.
However, the likelihood that Floch, or anyone else, would die from such a wound is still very low. Furthermore, without being able to analyze Floch’s injury more closely, it's possible that Gabi only grazed his upper-right shoulder.
Could Floch Survive His Fall?
In order to determine whether Floch could have survived his fall, the height from which he fell must first be known. This can be calculated using a mathematical equation, since it's possible to approximate the time it took for Floch to fall to the ground.
From the moment that Floch is shot by Gabi to the point his body reaches the ocean, it takes roughly five seconds. This means that Floch fell from a height of approximately 122 meters, which is over double the record of the world's highest professional dive. Consequently, it seems highly unlikely that any person without Titan powers would be able to survive this type of fall.
Could Floch Get Himself to Shore?
Even if Floch has managed to survive both his wound and the fall, it might prove difficult for him to swim his way back to the port. Floch’s injuries and the height from which he dropped might have caused him to go into a state of shock, which could leave him unable to swim to the surface in time to catch his breath.
Secondly, the gunshot wound that he received to his right shoulder may make it just as difficult for him to get safely back to the port. However, while many of the Jaegerists were killed in action during the battle, there were likely survivors that could lend their support in Floch’s rescue. Since many witnessed Floch being shot, it's highly probable that many of them would attempt to locate his body after the ship left the harbor.
Although it seems very unlikely that Floch could have survived, it’s important to remember that this isn’t real life; many characters from this animated show have previously survived far worse injuries. The fact that Levi is still breathing after his encounter with Zeke’s Beast Titan is a testament to this. Floch will almost certainly reappear in Attack on Titan’s next episode and be back with a vengeance.
