WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Attack on Titan Season 4, Episode 24, "Pride", now streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu.
With each passing season of Attack on Titan, it becomes more and more difficult to find the same action and adventure thrill prevalent in the shonen genre. Though this was definitely the vibe of Season 1, the series continued to grow darker with each new story arc. This rings truer than ever in the final season as Eren Jaeger initiates the Rumbling, a disastrous event that will bring the world to its knees and is propelling Attack on Titan to its climax.
In spite of Eren's genocide plan rendering a strong feeling of helplessness into both the Eldians and Marleyans, Episode 24 ignites a flame of hope -- one previously thought to be extinguished -- as beloved characters rise up in an Avengers-level fashion to take on their greatest enemy yet.
Following Eren's transformation into the Founding Titan, Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert and co. fumble to deal with the Jaegerists, the revival of Pure Titans and all other damage left in his wake. The Rumbling is a catastrophic event meant to destroy all life in its path, which makes it a seemingly unstoppable plan to the point that even the Survey Corps' greatest soldiers are unsure what to do. But at the end of "Pride," Reiner Braun wakes up to see Mikasa, Armin, Annie Leonhart, Connie Springer, Falco Grice and Gabi Braun all standing before him, resolute and teamed up, ready to take on the impossible.
This epic ending shot of the remaining members of the 104th training corps -- minus Eren and Historia and plus Falco and Gabi -- is incredibly reminiscent of the Avengers standing over Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's The Avengers. The MCU's version of this shot is everything heroic and satisfying after Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye come together as the ultimate dream team to stop the God of Mischief's devastating attack on New York. Additionally, the Survey Corps' mission to save the world despite the enormous odds stacked against them is very Avengers-like.
This scene in Attack on Titan is also similar to the climactic point in Avengers: Endgame when the Avengers get back together after being dusted for five years to take down Thanos, who by all means succeeded in his own genocide mission, killing billions for his twisted version of peace. In this case, Eren is similarly planning on wiping out millions to bring peace to the Eldian people -- and it looks like he's set up for an easy win.
While the Survey Corps' plan has not been revealed, some familiar faces do return to join the final battle. Annie is freed from her crystal prison while Hange Zoë and Levi Ackerman re-enter the story. As the lines between Pardis and Marley blur, the Eldians team up with the Marleyans to take down a now-common enemy in Eren. Though on a smaller scale, this combination of forces does feel like the long-anticipated reunion in Endgame as they prepare to take on an Avengers-level threat.
But the MCU is far more hopeful and optimistic than the heartbreaking chaos Attack on Titan has become. While Thanos did win in Avengers: Infinity War, the Avengers managed to obtain a second chance and undo what he'd done, bringing back all those they'd lost. Unfortunately Mikasa, Armin and co. do not live in a world of magic and infinity stones and only have one chance to save the world. Still, just like the Avengers, they are willing to risk everything for that one chance.
