This is perhaps the only episode of Attack on Titan I would willingly watch if I were to sit down and put it back on.
Way back in the early days of season two.
Doesn't matter how much time has passed since the finale, my love and appreciation for Sasha has never wavered. And this episode here, where she showed us what she was truly made of should have been the start of much greater things for our legendary Potato Girl.
Her courage in this episode cannot be overstated. Armed with nothing but a bow and arrow, she finally managed to cast aside her fear of the Titans to save her hometown, and in doing so she saved the girl who she'd later take in as her own sister. Sasha has always been one of the most noble characters on the show, and nowhere is that clearer than in the moment she stays behind to ensure Kaya's escape.
Her character growth in the span of a single season is nothing short of impressive. She went from the odd one out among the recruits to throwing herself in the clutches of these monsters all to save an innocent life, and LIVED to tell about it.
It's from that moment that Sasha went from a silly, self-indulgent farm girl into the kind of warrior the Scout Regiment needed.....And one who earned her right to wear the Wings of Freedom. Not many who can say they fought their way out of the arms of a Titan with only an arrow for self-defense.
Sasha proved she's much stronger than she appears, her sense of justice and her compassion for others is what makes her stand out among Eren's circle of friends. And it's moments like this episode that are why I believe so strongly that Sasha had the potential to rival even Mikasa as the main heroine of this story. She's a girl with no extraordinary superhuman abilities, just a strong will to live and to stand with those who need her the most.
And we FULLY DESERVED to see a whole lot more of what this episode promised than what we ultimately got. We deserved to see more of Sasha becoming the big sister figure she was to Kaya. We deserved to see more of her with her father who was so proud of her, her mother who we NEVER saw share even a single scene with Sasha....with Mikasa her supposed close friend and roommate, with Niccolo the man who abandoned his prejudiced mindset because of her....with freaking Eren who she had once trusted.....And YES, even with the Gabi Braun, who could have learned much from Sasha without the story taking the extreme turn it did on the heels of Sasha's incredible growth......
....And Hajime Isayama owes us DEARLY for denying us all of the potential laid out by this episode.
This episode offered so much towards one character, and it could have gone even farther. Even without outright killing a Titan, something else we absolutely deserved to see at least once, this was Sasha's proudest moment. We needed more episodes/chapters like this where Sasha could show what she was truly made of.
Sasha Braus, truly the most noble of them all. ❤️ ⚔️ 🥔 ⚔️ ❤️
And with that said, "I'm Home" is also the one episode where my other favorite gal, the too often overlooked Lynne gets her introduction.
Definitely another gal for whom this episode should absolutely have been the start of something much greater.
May be weird that I feel such a strong attachment to a character who was not long for this series, but Lynne still left her mark on me. Like Sasha she is beautiful, compassionate, and rock solid in the face of danger, striking back with the same ferocity as the Titans who are constantly on the attack.
She's a capable member of Squad Miche, and her kindness and care towards Conny and the other members of the 104th make me wonder what kind of relationship she would have had with the main squad if she had been given that chance. No doubt she'd have been a force to be reckoned with, and a force to keep up with, given her gallant stand at Castle Utgard.
Truly a character who deserves a second chance to shine. And this episode gave us a great introduction to what could have been. But once again, we were robbed of that by an author who never acts on the potential he puts onscreen. But that hasn't stopped me from exploring what she could have been, what her story might've looked like, and giving her the spotlight she's overdue for.
Remember her face, because she deserves that much. Lynne earned her Wings of Freedom. ❤️ ⚔️ ❤️
Long story short, this is the one episode of Attack on Titan I'd put on if I were to do so again. This episode gave us much, and it should have been the foundation for far more than what ultimately ended up being.
Two great characters, both who richly deserved so much better.
And that's not all I have to say about this episode, guys. We'll be back on this one soon enough, so stay tuned.
