Summary
- Eren’s pursuit of freedom turned him into a slave, leading to a new world in Attack on Titan.
- Eren’s death allowed for the end of the Titan’s curse and the beginning of peace in Eldia.
- The realistic and cruel ending of Attack on Titan reflects the cyclical nature of human conflict.
Attack on Titan‘s iconic and complex story came to an end with Eren’s death. Eren’s path from being the protagonist to becoming the antagonist changed the course of the anime completely. He chased freedom for as long as he could remember. Was he finally able to reach it? How did his death impact the world left behind?
Whilst chasing freedom, Eren became a slave to freedom itself. He took millions of lives so his loved ones could have a chance at freedom. From freeing Eldians to changing the landscape of the world, Eren truly created a new world in Attack on Titan.
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How Eren’s Death Marked a New Beginning
The moment Eren came in contact with Historia, he saw the world destruction ahead of him. Being unable to avert the future, he accepted his destiny and distanced himself from his loved ones. He painted himself as the villain bringing an end to 80% of humanity. His death at the hands of his former allies allowed Eldians to be declared the heroes of the new world.
The Retrieval of Memories
The moment Eren died, major characters like Armin, Mikasa, Reiner, and others retrieved memories of talking to Eren. Before Eren went on a path of destruction, he used the Founding Titan’s power to connect with his former allies. He told them about the future that is about to come and his true intention to save others by making him the source of evil. He made sure to erase their memories so they could continue to fight him and stop him. These memories also allowed the viewers to better understand Eren’s actions and the emotions behind them.
The End of Titan’s Curse
As a part of the memories, it was explained that Ymir Fritz chose Mikasa to set her free. When Mikasa killed Eren, she freed herself from the suffering of selfless love. Mikasa actions also set Ymir free, and she could finally deny King Fritz’s commands after 2000 years. Ymir’s soul could finally rest at peace. As a result, the Titan’s curse came to an end. Eldians turned into normal humans who could no longer transform into titans.
“I think your love was nothing but a long nightmare.
The lives taken will never come back.
Still, I existed because of the lives you created.
Rest in peace, Ymir.”
– Mikasa, The Final Chapters Special 2
Characters like Reiner and Annie reunited with their parents, who were glad that their kids no longer needed to carry the burden of being Titan Shifters. Also, other humans who still lived as pure titans were turned back into humans, including Connie’s mother.
Mikasa’s Acceptance
After years of selflessly loving Eren, Mikasa was finally able to end his life for the greater good. But, unsurprisingly, she continued to love him. She took his corpse back to Eldia and buried it under the tree that they once rested under as kids. She went on to live a long life where she continued to visit his grave. Eventually, in death, she united with Eren as she was buried right next to his grave.
In the final scenes of the anime, Mikasa is seen heartbroken next to Eren’s grave. But a bird appears and accidentally wraps the red scarf around her. This symbolizes Eren’s love that continues to live in the form of freedom that he brought to Mikasa and others.
Eldia’s Fate
The Rumbling left Eldia as the only untouched nation. A fear of retaliation from the remainder of humanity caused Eldia to form a strong military force. Once again proving that humans continue to live in war and conflict. Historia stepped up once again as the leader of the Paradis Island. She believed that the world’s current state was not just a result of Eren’s choices, but the choices of humanity as a whole.
“I’m certain this outcome was not the result of Eren’s choices alone.
This world is an outcome wrought by all of our choices.
We must fight, so that we need fight no more.”
– Historia, The Final Chapters Special 2
Armin and others returned to the island as peace envoys. They once betrayed the island but now sailed back towards it in hopes of creating a new peaceful world.
Attack on Titan’s Cruel Yet Realistic Ending
The credits scene of Attack on Titan gave a look at what happened after the events of Attack on Titan. Eldia flourished into a successful nation. Years passed without conflict and peace was maintained. But thousands of years later, the timeline had reached the modern period and war sparked again. Eldia is seen covered in flames and the country is turned into nothing but scraps of war. This ending shows the realistic and cruel nature of human society.
Though peace was once achieved, humans went back to war due to conflict. Countless lives and history are once again wiped out. We are left with nothingness. In the final scene, we see a kid and his dog visiting a tree in a destroyed world. The tree looks similar to the one where Ymir first got her titan powers. This symbolizes the cycle of human life. Once again, a new beginning had started which would eventually lead to war and destruction, only to repeat itself again.
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Attack on Titan‘s story is a commentary on human society and politics hidden underneath action and fantasy. The show beautifully tells a realistic and painful tale about the unending pursuit of peace.
Attack on Titan is available to watch on Crunchyroll.