Why is this (so far) the best scene from Shingeki no Kyojin?

There are a few days left before the premiere of the third season of the anime Shingeki no Kyojin (Wit Studio), and we remember one of the highlights of the second season and, in my opinion, the most successful scene in all the animated adaptation so far: the transformation of Reiner and Bertolt into titans, in the episode "Warrior."

It is a scene that gathers all the layers we find in the manga: the tension, the revelation, the denial, the betrayal. We see that Reiner and Bertolt talk nervously with Eren, after being attacked by titans (Reiner is injured) and we notice that this conversation becomes crucial and gives us a very important revelation. This is contrasted with the fact that it appears to be casual; in the manga this is evident, as Reiner is in a corner of the panel talking to Eren when he confesses that he is the Armored Titan, and that Bertolt is the Colossal Titan, as if it were anything unimportant.

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In the anime we have the same feeling, as the scene is not centred on conversation, and we hear Reiner's revelation in the distance.

Eren does not react as expected to this news, but takes Reiner's statement as a joke and assures him that he is talking nonsense because he is tired. The incredulous glances of Reiner and Bertolt show us the internal conflict between the two characters at this moment.

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Then, we understand that Eren's reaction is because the Recon Corps already had suspicions about the two soldiers, and he tried to pretend he didn't care about the conversation to lead them both to an underground place where they couldn't become titans.

At this moment, Reiner's two personalities, the "soldier" and the "warrior," are in a confrontation inside him. Reiner arrived on Paradis Island with a mission: to obtain the power of the Founding Titan. And at this point, his closest objective is to capture Eren, who is the bearer of the Attacking Titan (and we will discover that he is also the Founder's), and take him to Marley to obtain his powers. However, Reiner Braun's heart is divided... He was raised in his own country as a second-class citizen, accustomed to staying behind walls because he was "a descendant of the blood of the devil." He understood from an early age that the only way to atone for the sins of his race and save the world from destruction was to completely eliminate the "demons" from Paradis Island.

The surprise for Reiner, Bertolt and Annie was that these "demons" were not such. They were ordinary human beings, locked behind walls that protected them from their own neighbors, relatives, and their own blood, without knowing it. Marley's punishment against Erdia. They came with a mission to kill the threat of this world, but what they did was destroy the lives of innocent people. For this reason, in his monologue Reiner says:

I see... That's it. I've been here too long for my own good. It's been three long years surrounded by idiots... We were just kids who didn't know anything. If I'd never known there were such people, I wouldn't have become the pathetic bastard I am now! It's too late. I don't know what's right anymore. But my only option now is to face the consequences of my actions and, as a warrior, to fulfill my duty to the bitter end.

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In the anime, we can see that the grey sky clears to show the sunlight. But this is not a light that represents hope; this light represents a revelation, an epiphany.

It is at this point that the wound on Reiner's arm begins to heal, giving the signal that he will transform. As Eren looks at him in shock, Mikasa is the quickest to react and tries to kill the two soldiers, failing because she hesitated at the last moment because they were her friends. Severely wounded, Reiner and Bertolt transform, showing the titanic form of the traitors.

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This scene is accompanied by the musical theme "YouSeeBIGGIRL/T:T - Vogel im Käfig 2.0" (composed by Hiroyuki Sawano and performed by Gemie), which immerses the viewer in the emotions experienced by all the characters. It's not just Eren's horror and the feeling of betrayal. It is also the pain and conflict of Reiner and Bertolt who are, in their own way, victims of war. They are warriors carrying out a mission they do not wish to carry out, but they cannot fight against their destiny, against that for which they were trained.

Reiner takes Eren and, as he runs, in the moment of greatest despair of our protagonist, as he remembers all the good moments he experienced with his companions, we see in his gaze a transition of emotions: from sadness to hatred. Eren lets himself be consumed by the wrath of betrayal and becomes the Attacking Titan, leaving us at the mercy of one of the best cliffhangers in the series.

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From all this, we highlight the very successful work of Eren's (Yūki Kaji), Reiner's (Yoshimasa Hosoya) and Bertolt's (Tomohisa Hashizume) voice actors, who perfectly projected the characters' emotions.

Here I leave you with the scene so that you can enjoy it to the fullest. And let's wait for the third season premiere of this wonderful masterpiece.