These episodes continued to ramp up my expectations for the anime. Along with another titan, we get another dose of shock and awe as we continue this series.
Episode 2 was mostly a precursor for the time skip, once again hammering in how desperate the outlook is for the people who live in these meager walls. The only way for them to escape to the abode of the inner walls is through boat, and even the gates could not hold the titans back as another unique titan charges through the gates and breaks into another layer of the walls. Hope is slowly fading as you have people jumping onto the boats to try to stay alive for yet another day. The food shortage is resolved by sacrificing a majority of the population in order to decrease food consumption, which is a brutal yet realistic way to solve the problem.
We are left to wonder about the mystery of the key, however. What could Eren's dad have injected him with, and how does it relate to the key? Earlier in episode 1, Eren's dad says “When I come back, I'll show you what's inside the basement/attic”, and references the key. Manga readers will know what the key foreshadows, but until then, it remains a mystery.
Episode 3 basically jumps to the time skip, in which Eren, Mikasa, and Armin have all grown up to become soldiers in training. Eren finally begins to realize his dream of fighting off the titans, starting with basic training. However, unlike Mikasa who is already perfect in training regimes, Eren falters and his emotions are wavered when he realizes that he cannot even complete the basic training. Although he barely gets help from his fellow recruits, it is eventually revealed that his equipment was simply faulty and to be able to finish training with faulty equipment already sets him apart from the rest. I'm really looking forward to the results of his training.
Until then, fight onwards, Eren.
My apologies for the late post, as I just finished my exams. Next week will continue as normally scheduled!