Hello, friends, and welcome back after so long. I figured, what would be the perfect comeback than to discuss the hot topic that’s recently been going around worldwide: Attack on Titan Finale. This anime is considered a masterpiece in anime history, and we’re here to discuss why. Word got out that most fans were disappointed with how Isayama ended AOT, mainly targeting the ending he wrote out in the manga before the anime was released. However, other fans, along with myself, say this was the most perfect ending. So, let’s talk about it.
WARNING: IF YOU DO NOT WANT ANY SPOILERS, WE ADVISE YOU TO COME BACK AFTER WATCHING THE ANIME.
Let’s discuss the many reasons and points from the Finale that make it so perfect, or at least, was an ending that was meant to be:
Eren was in control the whole time.
If you’re a fan of Attack on Titan or just simply good at catching small details when watching something that is quite complicated to understand, you would already know or have an idea that throughout the anime it was basically according to Eren’s plan all this time. In S1 EP1, the anime starts with Eren waking up from a nightmare with tears in his eyes when he takes a nap by the tree, where he always does, according to Mikasa. This is actually because the nightmare was a memory the Future Eren showed his younger self to encourage him to go forward with his plan of killing the rest of humanity, and well, the ending that we now know. This already shows that no matter what happens, the future cannot be changed and therefore, as sad as it is, Eren would have to make sacrifices along with himself in the end for his loved ones to be “free”. Although we would expect or want a happy ending or for our beloved characters to have at least survived everything, unfortunately, some things were destined to have an end.
Mikasa was the key to Ymir’s freedom.
In S4 EP14, when Armin and Mikasa are finally able to speak to Eren, Eren says the most outrageous things to both Armin and Mikasa, shocking many fans. Eren states that Mikasa is only by Eren’s side all the time because of her Ackerman gene to serve and protect their “masters” and not because of love or friendship, but actually, Eren lied to her and it was Ymir who has been trying to get into her head all this time, with flashbacks and memories and not because of her Ackerman gene. This actually makes sense, because Levi is also an Ackerman and he doesn’t serve any “master” just a guy who will always do anything in his power to protect his comrades and the people he cares about. Not until Mikasa kills Eren in the Finale, she finally understand what Ymir has been doing and wanting for many years. Considering Ymir’s history, Ymir was deeply in love with King Fritz and despite the horrible things he did to her, she still protected him and remained a slave for 2000 years. As we know, Mikasa is one of the strongest characters in AOT as her determination to survive and protect her loved ones is the only reason why she keeps living, unlike Ymir who did not have the strength to go against King Fritz because of her love for him. Mikasa was the only person to free Ymir from her love for Fritz and being enslaved, thus Mikasa was the right person to kill Eren despite her love for Eren all her life.
Mikasa and the cabin.
Before Mikasa comes to her senses and eventually gains the strength to kill Eren, she goes into a dream-like phase which is the memory of Eren speaking to Mikasa. The memory shows Eren waking up Mikasa, sitting on a bench outside of a cabin, similar to her family home when she was younger. Mikasa wakes up with tears in her eyes, just like in the first episode when Eren wakes up from his nightmare. Eren explains that he could not go with the plan of destroying humanity hence why they ran away together, just like she wanted when Eren and Mikasa spoke in Marley. By running away together from all the conflict, is what Mikasa has always wanted but probably would have happened if she finally opened up her feelings to Eren that day when Eren asked how she felt. As Mikasa gives Eren a hug, Eren requests Mikasa to get rid of the scarf he gave her to forget him after he dies, considering the horrible things he has done it is best to forget about him and finally live freely. But, of course, Mikasa wanted to keep Eren in her heart and the scarf until her last breath. Other than Armin’s memory with Eren which gave more information, this scene was what touched many fans’ hearts, as this is what could have been if Eren had not proceeded with the rumbling.
Levi’s promise to Erwin.
After risking one of the most difficult and intense decisions throughout the anime of choosing whether to save Erwin or Armin in S3 EP18, Levi chooses Armin to take the responsibility to live again in place of Erwin and lets Erwin finally rest peacefully, knowing that he has done enough for humanity. Throughout the heartbreaking suicide battle between the scouts and the Beast Titan, Erwin says his final thank you to Levi, making him promise to kill Zeke no matter what. In the Finale, Levi's focus and priority were not only to stop Eren but to fulfill his promise to Erwin and find Zeke. They show a flashback of his final moments with Erwin before the scouts charge to their deaths, where Levi says that he does not regret his decision to choose Armin as everyone can see Erwin in Armin. When Armin manages to convince Zeke that there’s another way to be free, Zeke reveals his position, and without hesitation, Levi kills him with a broken look in his eyes. This shows that Levi felt one last hope that despite his comrades’ deaths and being the last man standing, he was able to keep the promise he made, knowing that his beloved comrades and friends were watching and guiding him all this time. That was Levi’s freedom.
Zeke and the baseball.
One of the most underrated scenes in AOT Finale was when Armin entered the Pathway/Coordinates and was able to talk with Zeke in Chapter 3. Zeke explains briefly about the plan and Ymir’s history and how Eren proceeded with the plan because he succeeded in having Ymir’s trust, instead of him. Armin picks up a brown leaf from the sand, explaining how he remembers racing with Eren and Mikasa on the hill when they were younger, and he even remembers how the wind breeze felt as he ran while watching the two people he loved from behind. This shows that Armin was at his happiest simply just being with the people he loved the most. Zeke then comes to realization when seeing a baseball instead of the leaf in Armin’s hand, explaining that all he actually wanted was to play catch and how he could do it for the rest of his life. Not only does Levi have a heartbreaking past, but Zeke is another sad character in AOT that fans don’t really realize or empathize with. Basically being abandoned by his father and not having the childhood and relationship he always wanted with his parents, he lived his life murdering innocent people. Zeke’s freedom was that baseball and he knew he could not live another day knowing what he had done, therefore revealing where he was hiding and having his last moments looking up at the sky before letting Levi end his life.
Sacrifices were not in vain.
In Chapter 4 of the Finale after Mikasa successfully kills Eren, a memory of Armin speaking to Eren before The Rumbling is revealed. During their discussion and Eren revealing his plan to Armin, he admits that he even sacrificed his own mother which was shown in S1 EP1, where she was eaten by a titan. He explains that Diana’s titan was originally going for Berlthot. Still, he knew that by keeping Bertholt alive, Armin would gain the Colossal titan, saving his life, being the one to stop Eren and save humanity. Along with fellow comrades who encountered unfortunate and sad deaths, Eren spared specific lives who were dear to him because he knew they would be the ones to push their feelings aside or were able to stop Eren. Not saying he never cared for other characters, such as Hange, Sasha, and Erwin, but it was clear that without their sacrifices, the plan wouldn’t have been what it was meant to be. Heartbreaking as it is, these sacrifices Eren had to make show that it has to be done whether it would be a happy ending or not.
Eren was right.
Back to the memory where Eren explains to Armin his plan, Eren’s explanation and reason for his plan was basically stating that no matter where you are, war and conflict will still happen. Eren also says, “I am a slave to freedom” indicating that in every war that will happen, every man will fight for their freedom that technically isn’t there due to the repetition of hate, anger, and conflict. However, Eren’s desire and sole mission in life was for his loved ones to be “free” in the sense of living in peace away from those things, which he actually succeeded shown in the timelapse of many years where everyone lived peacefully with no titans in the end credits until generations later war happened once again in Paradis. Although in the end credits, we see a glimpse of Mikasa with a child and a man visiting Eren’s grave by the tree, we see that Mikasa is happy and lived the rest of her life while still remembering Eren. Goes to show that everyone else whom Eren, and we, love dearly has finally lived freely like Eren wanted.
Eren did not want any of this.
It became very interesting that throughout the anime, Eren was portrayed as the protagonist who dedicates his life to wiping the titans and protecting his comrades and loved ones, ending with him becoming a mass murderer in history. However, the passionate and caring Eren we once knew has always been there even until the end. When speaking with Armin, he admits that he has always been trying to find other ways than resorting to The Rumbling which killed 80% of the population. Actually, there were a few scenes where Eren showed a sense of hesitation and remorse because of what he knows will happen. For example, in Chapter 2 of the Finale, a flashback is shown when Eren and the scouts first come to Marley. Eren saves a little boy from being beaten by grown men and cries to him, wailing for forgiveness. Although Eren has a heart, he doesn’t break down in tears because he feels bad for the boy, but because he is “disappointed”. What Eren means by “disappointed” is that all his life he was shown what it would look like outside the walls or what they believed would be; Nothing but land and sea. However, in this case, once he got out of the walls for the first time, he saw civilians, crimes, and hatred, just like how they lived inside the walls which made no difference at all instead, everyone was living their lives just like they were. This is the first time we see Eren show actual emotions, as he knows that the future cannot be changed and he had to do what he was destined to do in the first place.
So why is the ending of Attack on Titan a perfect close?
This is simply because all this time, the anime showed realism of how dangerous the world can be, even without any titans or supernatural events. The post-credits of the future itself are evident to this, even without the Titans’ existence, humanity will fall into evil, war, and hate, just like Eren said it would be. The cycle will continue to repeat itself and nothing can actually change that. Although there are some concerns regarding the anime and scenes that could have been changed or portrayed better logically, the context of the story is what makes Attack on Titan a masterpiece.
So how about you? Did you wish some things in the anime changed? Any theories you had of how it would or should’ve ended? Would you also consider AOT a masterpiece?
Until next time!
Lawrie Sabado 14/11/2023
