Would Erwin have Supported Eren’s Rumbling Plan?

Key Takeaways

• Erwin’s calculated ruthlessness may have supported Eren’s Rumbling plan as a strategic deterrent against Marley.
• Erwin’s pragmatism and strategic mind could have led to diplomatic solutions rather than Eren’s total destruction.
• Erwin’s legacy as a leader suggests he would endorse a tempered Rumbling, using it as a deterrent, not an apocalyptic measure.

In Attack on Titan, leadership and morality are deeply intertwined themes in which characters have to make impossible choices for survival. Upon the discovery of Marley and the outside world, the story tests the resolve of the characters by questioning how far they would go to protect humankind. While the method is different, leaders like Eren and Erwin have ideals set against each other; they share one aspect in common: to give up everything for an idea. The search for what moves these characters reveals a turn of personal and moral impasses in which they find themselves.

One of the most intriguing “what ifs” in Attack on Titan has to be: had Erwin Smith survived, whether he would have supported Eren’s contentious Rumbling plan or not. Much of his calculated ruthlessness was integral to many of the victories within the walls. The question is, does that pragmatism extend to a cataclysmic move such as the Rumbling? That’s anybody’s guess. Speculation, of course, is going to drive one to examine the character of Erwin, his motivation, and what kind of reactions might be forthcoming with regard to the threat posed by Marley.

Erwin’s Ideal and Ruthlessness

A Dream Enlightened by the Death of his Father

His journey began with the death of his father, who came up with the theory that beyond the walls was a place where humanity existed. This view was rejected, both by society and the government. It instilled a deep-seated conviction in Erwin to know whether this was true, even if it would cost his life. Unlike most people within the walls, he knew that somewhere in this world there could be life beyond, shaping his worldview to unravel the secrets kept hidden from the public eye. The mysterious circumstances of his father’s death only further solidified his determination to challenge the odds and, in the end, to prove his father right.

He often found himself in a gray moral area because of this drive to find the truth. He is known for his sacrifices, and Erwin weighed the greater good against his personal ambitions at every turn, just like Eren. In Erwin’s case, any risk worth taking was fair game, even if putting his comrades in harm’s way was the price. This beastly ambition, crossing ethics, would later bring parallels to the mindset of Eren against the Marleyan threat.

Erwin and Eren’s Mindset

Knowing Sacrifice Is Necessary For Success

Both Erwin and Eren express a certain level of single-minded determination that makes them relentless in the pursuit of their respective visions. For Erwin, this entailed gaining the answers he believed were beyond the walls, while for Eren, it was a matter of ensuring the safety and freedom of the Eldians at all costs. In furthering their agendas, each took morally complex actions to which they were amenable, appearing to be extreme to others.

In many ways, Erwin’s mentality parallels the determination Eren had in the series’ latter arcs. Erwin never did anything as drastic as mass murder, but many of his plans consisted of sacrifices that were thought of as a no-go by most people’s moral code. With the pragmatic nature of Erwin in mind, he would probably see the Rumbling as the lesser of two evils, but how far he would go in condoning it remains anyone’s guess.

Would Erwin Have Supported the Rumbling?

A Leader’s Calculations in The Face of Total War

If Erwin had lived to find out about Marley’s involvement and the oppression of Eldians, he may have adopted a more strategic solution to this new threat. His curiosity finally quenched upon uncovering the existence of Marley; Erwin’s ambitions perhaps would have moved toward the security of the Eldians without the need for total destruction. Instead of the Rumbling, he had a chance to create some kind of diplomacy or other method, as he had a great ability to observe situations in an overlooked manner.

At the same time, however, Erwin was a realist, and he knew that Marleyans had nurtured and passed down hatred against Eldians for generations. As such, he may have agreed to the Rumbling as a deterrent against further attacks, but not to Eren’s proposed course of action to wipe out most of humankind. Hence, Erwin probably presented a balancing argument, where one would be using the Rumbling more as leverage instead of an actual plan.

Erwin’s Reaction to Eren’s Actions

Guiding or Confronting a Former Comrade

Eren’s actions in the Rumbling, an extreme measure based on his wish to defend Paradis, may have gained some empathy from Erwin. He might have appreciated the usefulness of Eren’s powers to compel Marley and the rest of the world to negotiate their positions. Conversely, as a tactician, he would definitely have been against the scale of Eren’s plan and thus would instead have aligned in its controlled usage for the purpose of balancing rather than genocide.

Were Erwin to deeply oppose Eren’s methods, then he could have tried to stop him by proposing another solution, as we already know how desperate Eren was when he tried to force Hanji if she knew a better way, knowing what moral repercussions and at what cost total destruction may have brought to Paradis. Alternatively, he might have made negotiations with Eren, offering a vision that would protect Eldians without destroying the whole world. Such guidance might have altered the course of Eren’s plans and perhaps softened the blows of the conflict.

How the outcome could have been changed

Paradis and Eldia Taking a Different Path.

Had Erwin influenced Eren, the course of events in Attack on Titan would have been different. While Eren decided to go to full-scale war, Erwin would have steered the story toward a negotiating approach, appealing to the interests of both Paradis and the outside world. Maybe with his strategic mind, Erwin could have solved the issue at hand and saved Eldia without involving the world in chaos, thus tracing a new path toward peace.

Another example of this parallel universe would be whether Paradis needs to coexist in a condition of tension wherein neither Marley nor the world ends up being completely devastated. With Erwin at the helm, who would have led Paradis, there could have been as much preparation for the defenses in making limited shows of force to deter them from their diplomatic standstills to leave room for further alliances or understandings.

The Potential Impact on The Rumbling Plan

A Leader Torn Between Ideals and Realities

Erwin’s legacy as a calculated yet idealistic leader speaks to his approach being different from Eren’s toward the Marleyan threat. While he shared in Eren’s willingness to do whatever was necessary, Erwin’s strategic nature and pursuit of knowledge may have led him toward a solution nowhere near as destructive. If Erwin had supported Eren, it would likely have been a tempered endorsement aimed at using the Rumbling as more of a deterrent than an apocalyptic endgame.

The question of Erwin hypothetically participating in the Rumbling is complex: would his belief in realistic approaches be willing to embrace the course of Eren’s plan, or would his ideal thrust him toward a more balanced approach? A thing which fans can only speculate about, one thing still remains clear: the presence of Erwin would have left an indelible mark upon the storyline of Attack on Titan and perhaps brought it toward a fate far from what it actually met.