Attack on Titan episode 79 comprises a string of flashbacks from past seasons and beyond. Here's every Grisha memory Eren and Zeke observe.
Here are all of the Grisha Jaeger memories Eren and Zeke walk through in Attack on Titan episode 79. The Subjects of Ymir work in mysterious ways - especially when it comes to their shared memories. Every single Titan is connected via the Coordinate, which sits at the heart of the Paths collecting every strand of Titan consciousness from across time and space. When Eren's Founding Titan collides with Zeke's royal blood, the older Jaeger brother gains access to the Coordinate. Zeke's first order of business is insisting he and Eren binge-watch their father's memories, combing through every single moment from Grisha's life within the walls.
Eren and Zeke Jaeger's marathon through Attack on Titan history stretches from Eren's birth, all the way to Attack on Titan's very first episode. Some of these memories Attack on Titan fans would've seen before, others plug narrative gaps, a few change Hajime Isayama's mythology completely. Though it's not explicitly stated how long the brothers spend in Grisha's mental slideshow, Eren complains about wandering for "years," suggesting Zeke isn't just rolling the highlights.
Some memories are rapid-fire, others are afforded more time to play out. Some are pivotal to the Jaeger family's past, others just add a splash of color. Nevertheless, every single one represents a meaningful step on the Jaeger brothers' journey across time. Here's a complete road map of their episode 79 misadventures.
Zeke begins Attack on Titan's magical memory tour in the immediate aftermath of Eren Jaeger's birth. Since he's trying to prove Grisha brainwashed his brother, there's no point dredging up anything earlier, like their father's arrival behind the walls, or that romantic first date with Carla. In this idyllic flashback, Carla laughs as Grisha has the deer-in-headlights expression of a first-time father, unsure how to handle his newborn son. Unbeknownst to Carla, this isn't Grisha's first parenthood rodeo. But because he only ever considered Zeke a means to restore the Eldian Empire, Eren is the first child Grisha actually treats like a child, explaining why he's all fingers and thumbs as a new parent. Eren Jaeger's fashion sense has, thankfully, improved.
The Jaeger bros. next observe Grisha teaching Eren to walk for the very first time, with the youngster toddling straight into his father's arms. Seemingly just an innocuous family memory, this scene holds two hidden meanings. For starters, the image of Eren learning to walk whilst chasing a butterfly is symbolic of his future struggle for freedom. The butterfly flying away effortlessly, Eren figuring out how to stand on his own two feet, etc. Butterflies also hold deeper significance to Attack on Titan season 4 - the current intro sequence even ends with a giant Wall Titan stamping one. Chasing a butterfly as a child could foreshadow Eren's dark road ahead.
Zeke shows Eren how their father wormed his way into Wall Sina's nobility by exploiting his job as a physician. While healing the most wealthy and powerful residents of Paradis Island, Grisha learned the Reiss family was secret royalty, and located their hidden cavern. This third flashback shows Eren and Zeke's undercover dad in action, which the latter mistakenly considers proof his father's Restorationist ideals never vanished.
A quick, transitional step in Attack on Titan episode 79's procession of flashbacks. Grisha, Carla and Eren tuck into a humble evening meal, happy, united and content. There doesn't appear to be any great metaphor behind this memory, but the innocent family dinner stands in stark contrast to Zeke's upbringing, and paves the way for Grisha's shock decision several stops down the line.
When Attack on Titan begins, Hannes is one of Shiganshina's long-serving Garrison soldiers, well-acquainted with Eren and his two ever-present companions. This flashback shows Eren as a tot meeting Hannes (possibly for the first time?), and the soldier teasing Mr. Jaeger's young son with his bottle of booze. The memory calls back to simpler times for the residents of Paradis Island, but also gives a beloved season 1 character his final farewell as Attack on Titan draws to a close.
One of the more ambiguous Grisha memories in Attack on Titan episode 79. Night has fallen, and Grisha is searching through a draw by candlelight, as an unseen figure sleeps in bed. From the room's decor, this is the same building Eren and Zeke were watching their father treat a noble several flashbacks prior. Having already earned this family's trust, Grisha apparently returned under cover of darkness and searched for clues pertaining to the Eldian King. The way Eren looks uneasily at the sleeping resident might imply Grisha quietly killed his patient to avoid detection.
Still in the same building (the wallpaper remains consistent, helpfully) Grisha hurriedly makes his exit, having obtained the documents he came for. As he leaves, a nearby guard takes note. Said guard is none other than Kenny Ackerman, uncle to Levi, and a member of the Military Police loyal to the Reiss family. While Kenny could've been hanging around any number of important nobles or politicians, he was chiefly the bodyguard of Uri Reiss. If the timelines line up, this house could belong to the Reiss family.
The first memory in Attack on Titan episode 79 that truly alters how the audience perceives Grisha Jaeger occurs at the Reiss family's secret crystal cavern. Having discovered the true royal family, Grisha arrives at the Reiss church, many years before Wall Maria's fall (when Eren and Zeke believed their father made this discovery). Instead of pursuing Kruger's initial assignment to kill the King and eat the Founding Titan, Grisha abandons his Eldian cause and returns home, hugging Eren tightly. This change of heart proves the difference between how Grisha raised Zeke, and how he raised Eren. Finally, the man who once prioritized Eldia's comeback above all else is now putting family first.
Grisha Jaeger may be making a better fist of raising Eren than he did Zeke, but that doesn't automatically redeem the former Eldian resistance zealot. Doing right by a second family doesn't mean much if Grisha is pretending his first family never existed. Set in Grisha's secret basement, this flashback redeems Eren and Zeke's father in full. Away from Carla and Eren, Grisha quietly mourns the son he lost, wishing he could've done better, and uttering apologies to Zeke from across the ocean. Having already chosen his new family over obtaining the Founder, Grisha's remorse over Zeke is the final piece in his character development puzzle. As a side detail, the books Grisha has sprawled across his desk are the ones the Survey Corps find after finally reaching Eren's basement in Attack on Titan season 3.
This brief glimpse of Eren and Armin as 9-year-olds introduces more familiar versions of the young protagonists, closer to how they looked in Attack on Titan season 1. Though largely just a setting for Zeke to tell Eren, "Hey, turns out you weren't brainwashed," skipping ahead to Eren aged 9 signals the fall of Wall Maria is rapidly approaching.
A flashback Attack on Titan fans will be deeply familiar with - the day Eren and Mikasa killed the bandits who attacked the Ackermans. Eren uses this memory to show Zeke how the will to fight wasn't brainwashed into him by Grisha - he already possessed it. From a scarily young age, Eren risked life and limb in the name of freedom; both for himself, and the people he loves. While there are parallels to his more recent actions, Eren protecting Mikasa carried a sense of justice, whereas his battle for freedom in the present has cost innocent lives lost. The most important detail in this flashback is how Eren lingers to watch his younger self wrap a scarf around Mikasa, which confirms - if any doubt remained - that the lost hero does still care deeply for her.
Eren and Zeke watch as their father continues to treat families and children across the Walls of Paradis Island, but one carries an emotional connection to Zeke's past. As Zeke reaffirms his desire to save Eren, he says, "Just like Mr. Ksaver did for me." As this name is uttered, a father and son play ball in the background, alluding toward Zeke's days in Marley throwing a baseball back and forth with his Beast Titan predecessor.
This flashback sees Grisha complete the documents left behind in the Jaeger family's basement, writing one final message on the rear of his photograph with Zeke and Dina. The memory ends with Grisha looking horrified while Eren stares his father intently in the eye. Since we now know the Attack Titan can see the future via its successors, it's likely Eren is showing his father a memory in this moment - perhaps a vision of Wall Maria's fall, which pushes Zeke to seek out the Reiss church once again...
Eren declaring his intention to join the Survey Corps and Grisha promising to show his son the mysterious contents of their basement is an iconic scene from Attack on Titan's very first episode. Season 4's flashback is virtually identical, albeit with slightly changed art and the two grown-up Jaeger brothers loitering in the background. This time, however, we see Grisha's reaction to Eren's career choice - a flicker of recognition as Eren passionately repeats the same ideals Grisha himself once swore by. There's also another intense stare between Eren and Grisha, indicating a second vision of the future is being sent from son to father.
Attack on Titan episode 79's flashbacks end with Grisha murdering the Reiss family. In another shock, Grisha refuses to go through with such a heinous act, but thanks to Eren manipulating the Attack Titan's ability of future sight, the slaughter happens regardless. During the act, Grisha's Attack Titan foresees the full extent of Eren's dark plans, prompting him to tell Zeke (who he can see via Eren) his brother must be stopped.
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