The eighth episode marks the milestone point to the Battle of Trost story arc.
I was witness to both Armin and Jean's maturation in both skills and character development throughout the course of the battlefield. Last episode it was Mikasa, and for this one Armin and Jean became the relunctant heroes.
I guess to understand why Jean is likeable to me. He asseses the situation with a down to earth approach; he isn't a romanticist dreamer. Such contrivances in the hell of a world in which they are living can cost them their lives.
Meanwhile, we get to a detailed display of Armin as the intellectual planner. If Jean becomes the leader reeling from survivor's guilt because the lives he relunctantly put under his care are passing away before his own eyes, then Armin's the planner feeling guilty for putting the weight on the lives of his fellow soldiers.
What it has to be understood is that hell situations require to take drastic solutions with whatever is available and within reach. The use of the rogue Titan to keep at bay the other Titans roaming outside the building might have sounded such a suicide and crazy idea for Jean at first, but everyone took that bet and paid off to their favor.
Now for the revelation which became the pivotal milestone of this arc....
