WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Attack on Titan Season 4, Episode 14, "Savagery," and Episode 15, "Sole Salvation," now streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu and Amazon Prime.
The fourth and final season of Attack on Titan has just one episode left until its purported end, and, as of Episode 15's cliffhanger, the finale may well go ahead without two major characters. Following an interruption to the scheduled broadcast of Episode 14, "Savagery," the two aired back-to-back, giving fans Zeke and Levi's much-anticipated rematch in full. After the revelation that Paradis' military, on an unknown scale, has been spiked by the widespread distribution of wine laced with Zeke's spinal fluid, we knew the Beast Titan had an ulterior motive.
In these two most recent episodes, Zeke sets this secret plan in motion and plays what he assumes will be a winning hand -- leaving the surprised Captain fighting, alone, for his life. However, both combatants end up underestimating each other, and the cost could be fatal to them both.
The battle kicks off as news reaches Levi of the Jeagerist revolt in the city. Until they know what's going on, he decides its best to return home, stop the insurrection and transfer Zeke's power to a captured Jeagerist until they can pass it on to Historia. The Captain thinks nothing of Zeke's query concerning the camp's depleted wine reserves, something which Levi was skeptical about his 30-strong squad even having. (The Captain is a tea man, of course.) But this throwaway remark is a prelude to something far greater. Zeke makes a dash for it and, as he races past Levi's squad -- stationed in the trees -- he awakens them as Titans via his Beast shout. Levi has immunity by way of his Ackerman blood, and Zeke no doubt intended to turn his imprisonment into a death trap for his jailer.
Zeke, who continues his escape with a triple Titan escort, is confident that even Levi, "humanity's strongest soldier," won't be able to make it out alive. Even if Levi did have the strength and agility to escape the jaws of that many Titans, surely the faces of his former comrades will stay his blade, right? The veteran Warrior couldn't be more wrong. Levi is just as ruthless as Zeke -- putting aside personal feelings to become the cold, elite Titan-killer we've always known him to be. After slicing and dicing his way through Zeke's Titan flunkies, a few Thunder Spears to the Beast Titan's nape are enough to turn Zeke into an ashy husk.
Levi knows he can't finish the job, which turns out to be his tactical error. With Zeke bound and pinned to the floor of a cart with a Thunder Spear, Levi is certain that the older Jeager brother thinks too much of himself and his mission to risk an escape -- blowing himself up in the process. To make extra certain, the Captain also periodically removes Zeke's limbs as fast as he can regrow them. Unfortunately for Levi, Zeke, recalling the promise he made to his adopted 'father' in Marley -- to end the Eldian race -- decides the gamble is worth taking. He sets the Thunder Spear off. All we can make out is Levi's body flying through the air from the force of the explosion.
If only one of the pair makes it out alive, the safer bet is on Zeke, who has regenerative powers. What we don't know is how extensive that ability is and how much -- if any -- of the Marleyan soldier remains. As for Levi, he was standing right above Zeke when the Spear was set off. Levi's quick, but is he quick enough to dodge an explosion at point-blank range? Attack on Titan's anime finale is right around the corner. It'd be a real shame if Levi weren't a part of it.
