I don’t see a discussion thread for the recently concluded Attack on Titan anime series, so here it is. Mods, feel free to delete if inappropriate.
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I need a 45 minute video explaining what happened
So I have a few opinions as a non-manga reader. Based on the comments I’ve seen so far, it seems a lot of readers who hated the manga ending were a bit more ok with how the anime executed it, specifically with how they changed Armin agreeing to Eren’s genocide plan in the manga.
My one minor gripe is how Eren/Ymir undid the titan change of the secondary/minor characters (Jean, Connie, Gabi, Annie’s/Pieck’s/Reiner’s parents, etc.). I feel like the impact would’ve been greater if only the primary titans lose their abilities, and the rest died. Jean and Connie’s conversation before they turned was amazing and them coming back made it lose its impact. Then maybe Annie and Pieck go into self exile because of what happens and only Armin and Reiner return as ambassadors. Oh maybe Annie stays for Armin.
Question for the people who are more knowledgeable: I get Eren and Armin conversing on the beach and Eren wiping it from Armin’s memory until the after the end, but when does Eren and Mikasa hiding out in the countryside happen?
Since the power to wipe memories doesn’t work on Mikasa, it would’ve happened right at the end just before Mikasa knew Eren’s head was in the mouth.
Thanks. But the actual event itself where they are talking - did that actually happen in real life? Since Mikasa’s memories can’t wiped, was that actually a conversation they had in their minds and did not happen in reality like Eren and Armin’s conversations? Sorry it’s been so long and I don’t remember all the details of the previous seasons if there was a scene and setting like that.
The cabin scene happens in the Paths same as the Armin meeting. It’s Eren and Mikasa “dreaming” of the life they weren’t able to have together. Similar to Eren and Armin visiting the far away places they had dreamed of when reading Armin’s book together.
The cabin scene would’ve happened in a timeline where Mikasa had confessed her feelings to Eren when they were in Marley together. When Mikasa calls him family. If Mikasa had confessed her feelings instead, Eren would’ve left everything behind to go and live in peace for the last four years Eren had left before his Titan timer ran out. Of course as a result, in that hypothetical timeline, Eren doesn’t go forward with the rumbling and he therefore gives up his ability to guarantee his friends’ safety.
The thing is, there is no alternate timeline in AOT. The future Eren saw when kissing Historia’s hand was the only timeline that would happen. Mikasa wouldn’t confess her feelings, Armin and Eren wouldn’t be able to look at the wonders of the world together, and Eren would always follow through with the Rumbling, dooming himself while saving his friends in the process.
happens in the Paths same as the Armin meeting
Thanks for the clarification. One more thing, in the conversation between Eren and Armin at the beach, Eren tells Armin that he will wipe his memory and he will only remember what they talked about in the end. Doesn’t that mean it actually happened (there was a beach scene in the previous season) and did not just occur in the Paths?
Correct. That all happened in Paths. It’s all still “real” in that they do actually talk to each other before the end (all Eldians are connected to each other through Paths). It just didn’t happen in the physical world is all.
Having just watched it last night, I had the same gripe as you did regarding the titan changes coming undone, but now I think it kinda works well with the shift in tone we get when it’s revealed that despite the events that took place, the cycle is doomed to continue.
There’s a real sense of optimism after the fight that I think is actually pretty important to one of AoT’s messages about how even if we’re trapped in these awful cycles, there are moments within those cycles where things can be good and worth living for.
code geass spoilers
Wasn’t expecting Eren to go the lelouch route.
Also the Schindler’s list moment was great.
Code geass executed it much better.
Tbf Lelouch was portrayed as a political/strategic genius, and Eren as a suicidal idiot, so it makes sense Lelouch’d pull it off better
It’s not about the characters pulling it off better but the story. Justifying all the plot holes by calling Eren an idiot doesn’t mean the plot holes weren’t there.
Best example of a pathetic breakdown from protagonist done well is actually the Death Note manga. They foreshadowed it from the get go and the story was fairly logical.
Yeah, fair enough. I personally am just happy that we got an ending that works and sticks to its themes. Could it have been better? Absolutely, but after Game of Thrones, I’m happy AoT was able to give us an ending that works as a bow tie. On the foreshadowing bit though, Eren was always shown to be prone to hatred and violence, so I dont feel like any of his decisions ever seemed out of character
Does it? Does the AoT ending work? It left massive gaps and stuff that made little sense.
It wrapped enough of the story threads up to be a complete story, and it made its statement on the cycle of war and hatred. Not all loose ends need to be tied up for a story to reach a satisfying conclusion
Let’s agree to disagree. I don’t think it’s a satisfying conclusion at all.
Fr
It was the only logical solution if you ask me, Lelouch did that to redeem his mates/friends, so did Eren, he was not a full asshole, he was just so fucking stupid, and I think Isayama put that very clear.
I felt somewhat disappointed with the manga ending back when I read it. I even remember reading some quotes from the author where he said he thought he “didn’t execute it well”, or something to that effect. It all just left me feeling a little deflated.
This was a very difficult ending to pull off in the best of circumstances, and then it unfortunately had some problems with pacing and clarity. Nothing too major, really, but just enough to make everything feel a little off. It wasn’t a great way to feel at the end of an otherwise 10/10 story.
However, I am extremely pleased with the anime ending! I felt like they totally addressed the issues I encountered. The pacing in general felt so much better, and in particular I think the rework of the conversation between Eren and Armin was excellent.
I think this is the best version of the story. I’m glad it came out the way it did and that people are receiving it positively
I don’t have much to add what hasn’t been said already, but god I love a good epilogue. I was a bit scared that they’d just cut to black after Mikasa walks off with Erens head but they gave us propper few-months-later, few-decades-later and even a rare and elusive in-the-distant-future epilogue.
I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t really get why Eren did the Rumbling. He knew that ultimately he’d fail and conflict would come back to Paradise. Did he do it to make himself a sort of evil martyr or did he even have a choice?
Also, is Historia not the queen of Paradise anymore? Her home didn’t look very Queen like and I don’t think she was ok with that fascist movement happening there.
Also, what was up with the people at that fascist parade, why did they look like grown up Gabi and Falco and their (dead) friends? Is this just my face blindness?
Pure speculation but I heard a rather relevant quote recently that went something like
“The reason the Palestine conflict is so difficult to resolve is because of the power imbalance. One side holds all the power and is therefore unwilling to do any concessions”
By leveling the world’s and Paradise Islands population to equal numbers this power balance would be restored and thus both parties would now be open to peace talks
*disclaimer not sure if this is the correct interpretation, just my own.
I think he set himself as a badguy that only Paradis could take down so that the world would be less likely to just eradicate Paradis out of fear of their power like they were already angling towards wanting to do. I ALSO think part of the point was that this was a stupid angle to take, and it happened because those who end up in power during war arent always those who are great to have in power during peace times. I think Eren admitting that it ended up this way because he’s an idiot who couldnt come up with a different way hints towards this message
Watched this one last night before going to bed. Woke up this morning and haven’t been able to think of anything else today. The show nailed it. I generally liked the ending when I read the manga, but seeing it all animated last night, I can’t think of this story being told any other way. It was perfect for me.
