Previously on Attack On Titan:

Despite the Female Titan, the Survey Corps changes course to the forest of giant trees. The Spec Ops Squad follow Levi and the supply squad through the middle of the forest but things get hectic when the Female Titan finds Eren! Spoilers Ahead!

The Spec Ops Squad continue on their course out of the forest with the Female Titan hot on their heels. Eren struggles with leaving his comrades to die but the rest of the Spec Ops Squad keeps charging forward. Things get desperate when Eren contemplates turning into a Titan, but a few words from Petra & Levi cause Eren to think about his connection to the squad and his own powers.

This episode has little action but the air is ripe with tension, even with the flashback the episode really boils down to a 23 minute chase scene, but its a damn fine one.

The Female Titan is still a threat as she kills a few more soldiers as she continues to chase down Eren’s squad.

Although the star of the episode is the Spec Ops Squad and their relationship with Eren. As the group travelled through the woods Levi reveals the Squad’s real mission, to protect Eren, he also tells Eren to believe in himself when the young soldier contemplates turning into a Titan. This was nice as it shows that Levi isn’t a total douchebag and that he is also afraid of Eren to a degree, not as a Titan, but as a person.

The rest of the squad also gets development. Hanji makes a welcome return as the episode flashbacks to before the operation. They try to test his Titan powers by forcing him to climb his way out of a well, but for some reason Eren can’t do it. He contemplates with the rest of the squad why he can’t do until he suddenly manifests a Titan’s arm when he tries to reach a spoon that fell on the ground.

Suffice to say the rest of the squad gets a little on edge and surprisingly it’s Levi has to call them down and make sure they don’t kill Eren. We see that deep down they still don’t trust Eren (well Hanji does, but it’s Hanji), but what do you think when they have to team with someone who turns into their mortal enemy? They do later reconcile when they see how Eren has to deal with things.

On the subject of his powers, it is revealed that not only does he have to hurt himself, but he also has to have a command or a goal in mind to execute the transformation. I found this interesting as it makes sense and it also fills in the “what if he stubs his toe or accidentally cuts himself” plot hole.

Erwin’s plans are also set in motion as it is revealed that he set up a trap in the woods that succeeds in catching the Female Titan. Suffice to say not everyone is happy with the lack of knowledge of the plan or how many soldiers had to die to see it succeed.

“Bite” is a pretty good episode that’s running over with tension and develops a few more things. Levi is cast in a different light, we see more of how Eren’s powers work as well as his relationship with his squad, and the animation remains great. The war to survive continues next week as the Survey Corps deals with the captured Female Titan.

4/5