Attack on Titan, a popular manga and anime series created by Hajime Isayama, has recently concluded with its highly anticipated ending. However, the conclusion of the story has left fans divided, sparking intense debates and discussions within the fandom. In this article, we will discuss the reasons behind the mixed reactions to Attack on Titan’s ending.
Who is Eren Yeager?
Attack on Titan revolves around the protagonist, Eren Yeager, who witnesses the brutal death of his mother during a titan attack on Shiganshina. Driven by vengeance, Eren swears to eradicate all Titans. As the story progresses, Eren becomes a titan. Later it is revealed Eren Yeager became a Titan after inheriting the Founding Titan power from his father, Grisha Yeager.
Grisha obtained the power and injected Eren with it to save him from a dire situation. Eren’s transformation occurred within a few days of the initial Titan attack on Shiganshina. He was swallowed by a Titan and everyone thought he was dead.
The Controversial Ending: Why Some Fans Are Disliking AOT Ending?
There are many unanswered questions and plotholes in the anime ending. However, the ending was quite satisfactory for me but some fans are not satisfied with the ending.
One of the central moments involves Mikasa, Eren’s adoptive sister and love interest, who ultimately decapitates Eren to bring an end to his destructive rampage.
Unanswered Questions and Plot Holes
One of the key criticisms of the ending lies in the presence of unanswered questions and perceived plot holes. Some fans argue that certain plot points and character motivations were not adequately explained, leaving them feeling unsatisfied and confused.
For instance, the abrupt change in Eren’s behavior towards Mikasa in the final moments of the story has been deemed inconsistent and out of character.
Ymir and King Fritz
Moreover, the relationship between Ymir and King Fritz, characterized by unrequited love, has been met with criticism for its portrayal of an abusive dynamic. The lack of clarity surrounding this aspect of the story has left fans questioning the narrative choices made by Isayama.
Ymir served King Fritz, and he promised her a “reward” for her loyalty. Ymir desired love as a transformative force, and King Fritz played a role in her pursuit.
Ymir was a slave from a young age. Ymir thought love would be something that is an escape from misery.
Eren claims that Ymir loved King Fritz, suggesting a twisted, tragic love motivating her actions. Some argue Ymir’s love was a result of Stockholm syndrome, shaped by her prior misery.
Ymir was in love with her abuser and her story is not well explained in the anime and manga both.
The cycle of violence repeats
The portrayal of the cycle of war continuing even after Eren’s death has been seen as contradictory to the series’ overarching themes of breaking free from the cycle of violence.
In the final scene of the AOT ending, we see a young boy finding Eren’s tree, just like one Ymir did once. So, it means if the young boy enters the tree, he will gain the powers of the Titan.
This means the cycle will repeat itself. Eren sacrificed himself to achieve peace. It makes the ending really controversial because the anime has no resolution if Isayama is showing that everything will repeat itself again.
The anime ended like it began, Shiganshina is destroyed by the bombs. The war has finally reached the country.
Mikasa never moved on
Even though in the end, Mikasa started a family, she never disposed of the scarf Eren gave her. Eren insisted that she should get rid of the scarf. She never really moved on from Eren.
Did Eren Really Love Mikasa? Not Answered
It’s quite obvious Mikasa was in love with Eren from the start of the series. She has always protected Eren and always supported Eren. Fans always wanted Eren and Mikasa to be the end game.
However, it didn’t happen as Eren was destined to do something else. Eren tells Mikasa that her feelings are a lie because the Ackerman clan is programmed to protect the Eldia’s royalty and she has mistaken Eren for Eldia’s Royalty. Eren also tells Mikasa that he has always hated her.
However, in his final conversation with Armin, he confessed that he did not want Mikasa to move on.
Mikasa finding another man? I want her to think of me for the rest of her life. Even after I die I want her to hung on me for atleast ten years. Please dont tell Mikasa about this
I want her to be happy, I really do
The final conversation between Armin and Eren revealed that Eren was in love with Mikasa. Mikasa never really got to hear the confession from Eren.
Was Rumbling the only solution?
Eren’s mindset was like that of Nagato in Naruto. He was injected with the titan serum by his father. His father pointed him toward the truth about the world beyond the walls of Paradis Island.
He wanted to end the war and the bloodshed that was dominating their world. At first, he was hell-bent on killing Titans because a titan killed his mother. He made a resolve that he would kill all the Titans.
However, later after finding the truth and learning about Marleyans and Eldian’s conflict. Eren decided to achieve peace and his only solution was Rumbling. Eren’s resolve was to get rid of everyone except for Paradis.
Eren prioritized the safety and happiness of his close friends on Paradis, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being.
Rumbling involved eliminating the outside world to ensure Paradis’ survival. He managed to kill 80% of humanity and in the end, Mikasa killed Eren to stop the rumbling.
Final Words
Many fans came up with their own versions of the ending on Reddit. The ending of Attack on Titan has left fans divided, reflecting the diverse range of opinions and expectations within the fandom. While some appreciate the emotional impact and thematic exploration of the ending, others criticize its inconsistent character development and unresolved plot points.
Regardless of these issues, AOT was a masterpiece. It had a controversial ending according to fans but was it? I mean can you really achieve peace? Even in real life wars are fought over and over again and yet we never actually achieved peace. There will always be conflicts.
