Armin awakens to find himself surrounded by Connie, Ymir, and Krista's squad. When Armin breaks down into tears after Connie asks what happened to his squad, Ymir correctly deduces that they have all died. As Armin heads back to the rear guard, he blames himself for being weak in not saving Eren. Meanwhile, a greedy merchant tries to force his cargo into the city's exit gate and refuses to allow the refugees to go first. As the crowd grows impatient, a lone Titan starts approaching but is killed by Mikasa at the last second. When she realizes the merchant is the cause of the hold-up at the gate, she threatens him to move his cargo for the refugees. As she is thanked by a mother and daughter, Mikasa starts to reminiscence her past. In the year 844, a year before Wall Maria fell, Mikasa and her Asian mother were targeted by slave traders. The slavers kill her father and accidentally kill her mother. As Dr. Grisha and Eren discover Mikasa's parents' bodies at her home, Grisha orders Eren to return home. Instead, Eren tracks down the slavers to a nearby hut and kills two of them in an attempt to save Mikasa. However, the third slaver shows up and strangles Eren, who tells Mikasa to kill the man if she wants to live, which she does after obtaining resolve. Eventually, the children are found by Grisha and the police. As Mikasa laments that she has nowhere left to go home, she is invited by the Yeagers to live with them and Eren gives Mikasa his red scarf. Back in the present, Mikasa slays more Titans and goes to help the other squads evacuate.