Armin awakens to find himself surrounded by Connie's squad. As Connie shakes him back to his senses and questions him on the whereabouts of the rest of his squad, he only breaks down into tears. Ymir deduces that everyone else is dead due to the destruction around them. As Connie offers his help, Armin declines and make his way back to the rear guard. While maneuvering through the city he painfully accepts the reality of their world, likening it to hell and recalls that he tried to be strong so that he could walk the same path as Eren and Mikasa. He encounters Hannah trying to resuscitate a presumably dead Franz and bursts into tears at her hopeless struggle to save him. Meanwhile, the city's top merchant tries to force his cargo through the small evacuation gate and refuses to let anyone pass until his cargo is safe. As the crowd grows impatient due to panic, a lone Titan starts approaching at high speed from the rear, but is cut down at the last second by Mikasa. As she surveys the scene in front of the gate, she threatens the merchant, who yields and allows the citizens to pass through. Afterwards, as Mikasa has a word with her squad leader, she recalls the past incident in the year 844 when her family was murdered by a group of men who sought to sell her because of her Oriental blood lineage. As Dr. Jaeger and Eren discover the scene at Mikasa's former home, Dr. Jaeger orders Eren to return home. Although Eren disobeys and instead is able to track down the murderers to a nearby hut and kills two of them in an attempt to save Mikasa. When the third assailant shows up, he strangles Eren out of rage. Eren desperately convinces Mikasa to kill the man, which she does after she has the realization that their world is surrounded by death and if you don't fight, you'll die. In the aftermath, the Military Police show up and Dr. Jaeger scolds Eren for his reckless actions. As Mikasa laments that she has nowhere left to call home, she is invited by Dr. Jaeger and Eren to live with them, while the latter of whom gives Mikasa his red scarf. Back in the present, as the weather takes a turn for the worse, Mikasa slays more Titans and goes to help the other squads evacuate, while thoughts of Eren give her strength.