Ned Dennehy as Mider in Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog, S1E30, “Mider: King of Temra”, Part 3
Now human sized, Mider effortlessly seizes the throne of Temra, exiles Queen Maeve and turns Toq into a toadstool. Even five minutes into his reign, this is clearly too much excitement for one little dark fairy.
A little over two years since I posted Part 2... here it is! The long awaited Rivamika Timeline - Part 3. The Uprising Arc might be long over in the manga, but the Rivamika hype has not faded... far from it.
This post covers chapters 71, 72, 74, 78, 83, 84, 85 & 89 from the Return to Shiganshina arc and chapter 93 of the Truth of Marley arc, as well as the new ANSWERS databook and anime Season 2′s episodes 28, 30 & 33.
[Part 1] - Everything up to the Clash of Titans arc, anime Season 1, INSIDE KOU databook (2009~2013)
[Part 2] - Uprising Arc (2014~2015)
[07/09/15] Chapter 71
Chapter 60′s (Trust) cover art, featuring Levi and Mikasa, is again pictured on the cover of Bessatsu Shonen Magazine.
[08/09/15] Chapter 72
Unlike during Eren’s trial in chapter 19, Mikasa didn’t stop Eren and Jean’s fight, and when Levi steps in to discipline them with his usual method of violence, she lets him do it anyway!
Even more shocking is the fact that this time Mikasa doesn’t become even a little bit angry at Levi for kicking Eren, since he asked for it... even the poor boy can’t believe it.
At the end of the chapter, in a clear parallel between Levi’s past Special Ops’ squad and his new squad, Mikasa replaces Petra behind Eren in the squad formation pictured on the cover of Volume 5.
[10/09/15] Chapter 74
After Hange leaves, Eren is left with Levi and Mikasa to protect him from the Warriors.
Later, when the Captain swoops down to strike Reiner, Mikasa uses her arm to keep Eren from going after him, knowing that Levi has it covered.
[02/09/16] & [06/09/14] Chapter 78 & Chapter 58
Somehow Mikasa has learned how to throw blades at the enemy, just like... you guessed it right.
[07/09/16] CHAPTER 83
The following page marks the beginning of the biggest shitstorm the SNK fandom will ever experience. Levi tells Eren and Mikasa that he’ll use the serum on Armin to save him, but changes his mind in the blink of an eye when he discovers Commander Erwin needs it just as much.
The shock of it makes Mikasa throw caution to the wind, draw her blade and advance menacingly towards Levi.
Levi quickly looks back and sees Mikasa’s tearful, panicked face as she approaches him, blade in hand, much to his shock. Despite the camaraderie they built during the Uprising arc, the tension that has built all this time between these two reaches its boiling point. The lives of their loved ones are at stake, and despite the good intentions from both sides, their clash seems inevitable.
[08/09/16] CHAPTER 84
After an excruciating month of waiting, the most intense chapter in SNK’s recent history hits the web. Ladies and gentlemen, the long-awaited Ackerbowl is here! This is the most significant Rivamika interaction ever since chapter 63′s Ackertalk, as well as the longest.
Mikasa creeps closer to the Captain while he glances warily at her... but when Eren tries to grab the serum box from him, Levi violently punches him.
... and that’s all Mikasa needs to snap and charge at Levi, who looks alarmed.
Mikasa ackerjumps Levi, toppling him over. It’s an iconic scene that marks the true start of the Ackerbowl!
They hit the ground and he manages to grasp her sword arm, but she forces it back, positioning her blade against his exposed neck to lock him in place. [Ackerstraddle panel count: 1.]
Panicked and tearful, Mikasa grasps Levi’s wrist tightly and pins down his lower body with her shin, but instead of fighting back, Levi still tries to reason with her. [Ackerstraddle panel count: 2.]
Levi could’ve perfectly used force to drive her away, but he doesn’t. He lessens his struggling, but doesn’t let go of the serum box yet. At the same time, Mikasa is taken by surprise, wondering why Levi would do that. Despite her desperation, she hesitates to take the box from him by force.
While she hesitates, Levi tells Mikasa that humanity needs Erwin’s strength. [Ackerstraddle panel count: 3.]
It seems Mikasa doesn’t have an answer to that. Flocke also tries to reason with her, but one look from her enraged face is enough to make him back down. [Ackerstraddle panel count: 4.]
Mikasa doesn’t move from her position on top of Levi. [Ackerstraddle panel count: 5.]
Eren is back in the game, and tries to change Levi’s mind again. [Ackerstraddle panel count: 6.]
Eren’s speech leaves both Levi and Mikasa shocked. [Ackerstraddle panel count: 7.]
Mikasa tries to wring the serum box from the Captain’s hand, but he doesn’t let go so easily. Then, despite the situation they’re in, she asks for it... nicely. Clearly she also wants to stop their struggle at once after Eren’s words.
Flocke tries to butt in in the Ackerbowl again, and Mikasa tells him to shut up. Levi doesn’t move or say another word. [Ackerstraddle panel count: 8.]
Flocke’s words finally reach them, and it seems to make something snap in Levi’s mind.
When Flocke tries to separate Levi and Mikasa, Mikasa quickly turns the blade on its blunt edge and is ready to drive him away. On the other hand, Levi, now free of the blade against his neck, desperately tells her to stop instead of overpowering her... [Ackerstraddle panel count: 9.]
...and finally, Hange enters the fray, forcefully extracts Mikasa from Levi and puts an end to the Ackerbowl! [Ackerstraddle panel count: 10.]
Ten. That’s how many times Isayama has drawn Mikasa straddling Levi in this chapter alone. Despite the possibly disastrous effect it could have on their relationship, the Ackerbowl far surpasses anything the Rivamika fans could’ve asked for in the manga!
I’ll say it again. Levi and Mikasa fight and struggle on top of each other for the most part of chapter 84.
[08/09/16] ANSWERS Databook
On the very same day Chapter 84 is released in Japan, Kodansha releases the newest SNK databook, titled ANSWERS. While the first glimpses of the databook would take more than three weeks to surface on Tumblr, when they do they take the Rivamika fandom by storm...
In an interview with Isayama, he explains the Ackerman ‘liege’ mechanism shared between Levi and Mikasa towards Erwin and Eren respectively, stating that Levi and Mikasa have guardian roles that match their personalities / nature.
Isayama also states that Levi recognizes that he’s “tethered to his own strength”, that Mikasa is the same and that Ackermans can unleash extraordinary power when they devote themselves to their respective ‘lieges’.
...and he also gives a name to Mikasa’s clan, or “asian” bloodline - the East Sea Clan.
Lastly, the page that put an end to the “Rivamika is incest” argument. The fundamental bond between Levi and Mikasa. The Ackerman and East Sea Clan family tree!
It confirms the information Grandpa Ackerman shared with Kenny in chapter 65 and the fandom’s assumption that Levi and Mikasa are third cousins at the closest, and probably much less related.
This page also has an interesting revelation: The East Sea Clan - not just the Ackerman Clan - also served the King of the walls long ago. Back in chapter 65, Grandpa Ackerman had only mentioned that they were a separate bloodline immune to memory manipulation just like the Ackermans, and they had some sort of status that they gave up when they turned their backs on the monarchy. What makes the East Sea Clan so special, then, besides their physical appearance...?
[09/09/16] Chapter 85
Levi lightly kicks Eren for not telling everything about the Serumbowl to Armin, but Mikasa doesn’t react.
She seems very nervous this time, because she knows she overdid it when she confronted Levi during the Ackerbowl. While Levi’s comment is a jab at both Mikasa and Eren for their insubordination, it’s also a reminder that clearly both of them really cherished their friend, and it’s meant to comfort Armin.
After a tense month of waiting, fans were expecting Levi and Mikasa’s relationship to face a very bumpy ride because of the Ackerbowl. However, Levi proves once again how soft-hearted he is by forgiving Mikasa and Eren for doing everything in their power to save Armin, complete with head ruffles and a flustered, sweating Mikasa! Not only that, he comforts them, telling them to not regret their decision (his special No Regrets™ speech), with ultimately means he respected the outcome of their fight and in a way forgives them for the unfortunate things that happened (Even though Eren and Mikasa wouldn’t come out of this without being punished...).
This is the very first time we see Mikasa a little intimidated by the Captain, since she knows she went overboard by attacking him. Rivamika fans were blessed with a cute yet bittersweet scene, and while things between these two might be a little more complicated from now on, it looks a lot less worse than what everyone was expecting.
Shortly after that, Mikasa and Levi are seen working together to lift up wooden beams.
After being forgiven and having her hair ruffled by Levi, Mikasa starts to react nervously to his actions, just like Eren. She’s quick to obey him despite the Captain calling them brats.
[12/08/16] Chapter 88
Levi and Mikasa are featured together with Hange and Eren on the cover of Bessatsu Shonen Magazine that month.
[01/09/17] Chapter 89
Levi interrupts Mikasa’s small talk with Eren as soon as they’re reunited out of jail, and while she doesn’t look very pleased she’s not angry either.
[04/15/17] Episode 28
The anime team splits the carriage scene from chapter 37, “Southwestward”, into multiple parts and alters Levi’s dialogue towards Mikasa.
While his “I don’t know why you’re so attached to Eren” and “use all your skills to protect Eren” lines stay, his last line - “control yourself, don’t make another blunder” - is now directed at Eren, and not Mikasa.
Levi also looks a lot more stern than in the manga when he scolds Eren.
[04/29/17] & [06/29/13] Episode 30 & Episode 13
The anime team makes a series of small changes to the scene where Mikasa saves Historia, turning it even more into an almost exact parallel of the Episode 13 scene where Levi saves the EMA trio.
[04/08/17] Chapter 92
Mikasa, Levi, Armin and Eren are featured in a meme pose on the cover of Bessatsu Shonen Magazine.
[05/09/17] Chapter 93
Acker-revelations. Nine months after the Ackerbowl, Isayama drops a new bomb: the Ackermans - who are actually the stuff of legends told by the royal family - seem to be byproducts of titan science, which would explain their extraordinary power. Zeke is deathly afraid of Levi and Mikasa. But how did he know Levi’s identity? That’s a whole ‘nother mystery...
... and it seems it’s not just Zeke who’s afraid of these two - the Ackerduo also appears haunting Reiner’s dreams after his close encounters with swift Ackerdeath.
[05/20/2017] Episode 33
The anime team adds flashback scenes from episode 22′s battle between Rivamika and the Female Titan during Mikasa’s tearful conversation with Armin on top of the wall.
[08/09/2017] Chapter 96
Levi and Mikasa are featured yet again together with Eren and Armin doing a meme pose on the cover of Bessatsu Magazine.
Another Rivamika timeline comes to an end, and our ship is bigger and stronger than ever - it’s one of the few surviving SNK ships ever since the Uprising and Return to Shiganshina Acs ended. As we head to the series’ finale, the waters will be as dangerous as ever. Will the next Rivamika timeline be the last? Tune in as we stick with Rivamika... to the very end!
Ned Dennehy as Mider in Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog (1998-99), S1E30 “Mider: King of Temra”, Part 2
When Queen Maeve isn’t really very thrilled about his offer to make him human sized and reign by his side, Mider can at last trick the druid Cathbad to turn him into the much more powerful human size.
