Does Hange Zoë die in Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3?

Attack on Titan isn’t afraid to kill off characters, but does this fate befall Hange Zoë in the newly released special episode?

Attack on Titan has been one of the most influential animes of recent years, so its conclusion is obviously a very big deal. Despite the fact that the final season has been stretched into three parts over almost three years – and this final part has been stretched into two movies – fans are still on the edge of their seats.

The anime, which first began as a take of the remnants of humanity fighting off giant monstrous titans, has taken many a twist and turn since it first came out in 2013, and its finale is set to be the most gut-wrenching chapter yet. One thing that sets Attack on Titan apart is just how willing it is to kill off its characters, including its leads.

No one is safe, which has of course led people to wonder if certain characters, like Hange Zoë, survive in the newest Special Episode of Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3, which just dropped on Crunchyroll today. So, does she die in the episode or not? We’ll explain, but first: MAJOR SPOILER WARNING FOR ATTACK ON TITAN. Obviously.

Does Hange die in Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3?

Yes, Hange Zoë dies in the newest episode of Attack on Titan. But thankfully, she gets to go out in a blaze of glory. Literally.

Hange Zoe is a kooky yet badass leader of the Survey Corps, who was always fascinated by titans. She is a great fighter, but has had trouble balancing her curiosity with her responsibility to keep the people around her safe.

However, that’s clearly not the case here, and in this episode she makes a great sacrifice, staying behind to fight the giant titans so that others can get away. She’s even excited about this, as she’ll be able to go out doing what she loves.

See, the episode begins with the Rumbling, an apocalyptic event that Eren has created, which sees ginormous Titans rampaging across the country. These Titans are trampling on everything in sight, from people to buildings to mountains, and it seems like they cannot be stopped.

Our heroes – that being Mikasa, Armin, Levi, and co. – attempt to get a plane flying so that they can escape the carnage. However, gunfire causes the plane to need more work before they can set off, and the Rumbling has almost caught up to the group.

Armin realises that someone must stay behind to hold the titans off, so that the others can live to fight another day. However, Armin is a vital component to future plans, and isn’t skilled enough to slow them down. Levi is injured, so he can’t really fight either. And thus, Hange makes the descision to stay.

She hands over command to Armin, wishes them all well, and begins to head towards her final battle. She has a brief last moment with Levi, who puts his fist on her chest as a salute of respect, and this is apparently the first time he’s ever done this. Hange laughs, and sets off on her manoeuvre gear.

While it’s clear that Hange won’t survive – the overwhelming steam around the titans is enough to set anyone on fire – she gets in some epic hits before going down.

She slashes one on the neck, causing it to fall, and multiple other titans stumble and crash over it. She slashes and explodes other legs, and with her incredible manoeuvring skills, none of them are able to stop her. However, as she’s doing all of this, the hot air begins to have an effect on her.

Her cape catches fire, then so does she, causing her to become a literal fireball in the sky. She gets in one last major hit, stopping yet another titan, before the flames finally consume her, and she begins falling to the ground. Our heroes can only watch as they fly away, as she blazes through the sky, and gets trampled by the Rumbling.

However, we do get one final moment with her, as we actually see her briefly wake up in a peaceful version of that same environment; no titans, only giant footsteps, and a bright blue sky. Surrounding her are characters that are also long gone, including Erwin, and he congratulates her on her bravery and her sacrifice.

It’s certainly an impactful send off for one of the series’ best characters.

Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3 Episode 1 is now streaming on Crunchyroll. For more coverage of Attack on Titan, click here.