The False Mask of Eren Yeager
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
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Music used:
Song 1 - Cold Light (Attack on Titan: The Final Season)
Song 2 - Another Ideology (Persona 5 Royal)
Song 3 - Mukashigatari (The Monogatari Series)
Hope you enjoy this video! It does not contain any manga spoilers. For those who aren't aware, I have started filming reactions to each episode of the current season. They are available here: th-cam.com/video/VZhb3qY2w7U/w-d-xo.html
Also, if you want to discuss each episode live with me, you can follow my Twitch, where I do episode discussions every Monday morning! www.twitch.tv/Aleczandxr/
One last thing - not sure why people are assuming otherwise, but I have read the manga.
Yeah, I’m not sure how you could’ve made this video if you hadn’t read the manga beforehand, considering how quickly things are progressing in the anime. I think people are just throwing around the term “anime-only” when someone has a different understanding of the story. Great video, by the way.
I gotta disagree with you in terms of him not having free will and being bounded by fate, it was more like he was bounded to the path that secured eldia future due to his personality and will power. The future in attack on titan is displayed as multiple futures, the individual has to choose these paths. One of the themes is that Free will exist in this universe it’s just that humans constantly steal each other rights to choose.
@@The_preserver_x16 A pretty important distinction is that I didn't say anything that contradicted the idea that free will exists in this universe. I just said that Eren is, to some degree, bound to the fate he saw. I'm not making any statements about free will as a concept or philosophy. Just that Eren, deep down, does not actually perceive himself as truly free to the extent that he says he is to Armin and Mikasa.
@@MackSaysWhat_ Cheers!
@@The_preserver_x16 I mean you're free to think that. But there is nothing in the manga or anime that suggests that in Attack on Titan there are multiple futures, I don't know where you got that from
In s1, Eren had no chill and we laughed
In s4, Eren still has no chill and we are terrified.
He was really always this way
Imagine seeing your future memories there is and nothing you can do to change them no matter how much you try. That sounds like a clever punishment for a religious tale.
Indeed. Which is sad. Eren is a great character. A tragic slave
Yup.
Like a wise man once said,
"It's not Eren that changed, it was our perspectives on him that did."
ngl I always found his ‘no chill’ terrifying…it’s what drew me to the series in the first place lol
@@MegaChidori17 you were ahead of the kurve, dude
I believe that Eren defines himself not with freedom itself, but rather the pursuit of it, and he realizes the sad contradiction that creates, because in order to pursue freedom one must not have it, therefore Eren *needs* the existence of that which takes away his freedom in order to define himself by taking it back, and what makes this even more tragic is that reaching absolute freedom is impossible, so he just wants to die fighting back and pursuing it as much as he could, he wants to live in a way that he will regret least.
The attack on highschool bits in the manga at the end of the volume allude to this as well. At least imo
🤓
This. People are so confused by the contradiction in his own path for freedom that they misunderstand the story and think he is truly free.
In other words, Yorokobe shounen.
@@wroughtiron6031 whats that?
4:21 That transition is amazing though, I got mad chills 😭😭😭 Eren is such a good character man...... It's so obvious how he's not nearly as free as he acts like he is, that he wishes he was, after so many moments in the series of failing to protect people he cares about. And of course he isn't free, being trapped inside a literal time loop that he had no choice but to carry out, and there's such poetry in that and how it applies to his character; even if he did genuinely hate Frieda's ideals and hated his father for not being able to stand up to her, his demeanor afterwards still makes it clear he hates what he had to do to them, another example of his own powerlessness. When I first started the show I never in a million years could have imagined that Eren would reach this point, and yet it's so impressive that I can look back on it all after Eren claims that this is who he's always been, and see that absolutely none of it feels out of character for him, and that this is such a natural place for him to end up. Love him, and love this video, AJ 💕
I thought it was Light Yagami
I get uu but I believe his free, I knw he is in a loop but this loop was created by him not imposed by it. You can say he's not free to leave it but Eren himself found it the only way to have wat he wants, Eran does not need saving n his no longer a victim not of fate, he is the author of it.
@@newt2120You know in a way Light Yagami and Eren are very similar in that they do terrible things out of sheer boredom, if we’re to include the Attack on Titan high school subplot, Eren’s bored and imagines starting a conflict in order to have something to fight for.
Everyone is to some extent shaped by their environment. Eren even more so than Zeke I would argue. Eren was born inside the walls. He was born into a class of livestock and that makes him angry. He wants to see the outside world and to break out of the walls that have defined him since birth. The Rumbling is the ultimate symbol of Eren breaking down the walls and setting himself and Eldia free. The walls that once bound him are now the weapons he uses to "Kill everyone over there to be free".
Everyone else lived within the walls has the same environment and didn't come to the same conclusion as eren. Eren is just naturally like this. The only people you could argue who have a desire within the walls about freedom could be the survey cops and even then grisha indicates that they are just special. I don't think Eren's environment shaped him as much as Zeke's environment did
@@billalzerouali2528 but if Eren want born inside the walls he would have never been like this. His goals ARE shaped by his environment, and just because he's uniquely disposed towards taking that action that's still because of the situation he was born into
This is actually not entirely true. In Attack on Titan School Castes, a series which Isayama has said could be useful in understanding certain characters, Eren lives in a world where he is already free. He becomes immeasurably bored, and at one point he has a dream about a zombie apocalypse, and in that dream he immediately reverts back to the Eren we know from the main series. When he wakes up, he is dissapointed because he is so bored that he literally wants something to threaten his freedom, to the point where he even considered creating that threat himself.
tl;dr: In a world without freedom, Eren fights. In a world with freedom, he considers creating an active threat just so he has freedom to fight for.
@@richunclepennybags1532 I was just about to mention the parallels to the Highschool castes au :)
Glad that someone else is also paying attention to it…
Even in the original aot world, Eren is just really bored as a kid.
“I wish something interesting would happen” he says.
It’s not until Armin shows him the book about the outside world that he gets his reason to fight.
Isayama said that school with AOT characters manga that he did create is essential to understand the main story
Something interesting to note is how the scene with Reiner changes if you consider that Eren knew he was going to start the rumbling.
Eren knows that it’s going to happen no matter what, it’s predetermined, and in that regard, he has no choice in the matter. It’s like Eren talked to Reiner to get closure on this and to absolve himself of guilt, because he wanted Reiner’s confirmation that he has no choice but to begin the rumbling, just like he thinks Reiner had no choice but to attack the walls.
But Reiner admitting that he had free will and chose to destroy the walls despite the fact that he’d probably get his Titan transferred if Reiner failed and returned to Marley shows that even someone in circumstances as restricted as Reiner has free will.
Thus, Eren also has free will, and Eren smiles at Reiner because while it’s optimistic for Eren to know that he still has free will, that also means that he will have to bear the burden of blood on his hands. Even if the future is predetermined, Eren still makes the choice, and thus he’s still guilty.
Very well said
I always interpreted it as Reiner admitted that he committed selfish acts for his own personal gain. He said to Eren that he did so because he wanted to be seen as a hero. Then Eren tells him that they are the same signifying that he was going to kill innocents for his own selfish gain.
ye
@shougo makishima did we read the same manga?
the last few chapters focus on how eren can't change the future because of the way his memories are intertwined, even the ones that haven't happened yet. there's literally a whole section dedicated to eren trying to break this path of predetermination, but he fails to do so and that's why he's crying when he returns the kid to the camp: he realizes there's literally nothing he can do to change what's going to happen, not even if it's not saving some random little kid that's going to die anyway.
and i'm not even going to mention the entire theme of "slaves have no need for two eyes" because that's a whole essay, perhaps you should read the manga again
@@intwined5115 The way I see it, this entire scene was Isayama tackling whether or not we have free will in a deterministic universe. The events in the future were caused entirely by the past. Eren simply saw what the outcomes of his actions would be. It didn’t mean that he has no free will, it means that he already knows what choice he will make and what it will result in. He has free will and the ability to make choices, and this results in the rumbling.
Eren saying “I am free I hate anything that isn’t free” is like Griffith’s speech about dreams and friendship. They’re both the ideal self instead of the actual self
Interesting take. I always knew Eren was obviously lying/not totally honest but thought that there was an element of truth to what Griffith said.
@@easschung9442 there is an element of truth to what Griffith said for the most part, but the reality that Griffith couldn’t accept is that he loves and values Guts despite Guts being a man without his own ambition. And in the manga at least we see that Griffith cared about Casca somewhat enough to want to save her despite being reduced to a twig
@@ASOtheprO yes, i hate it when people don't realise the complexity of griffith and call him pure evil/hate on him
Pretty nice example actually!
@@ASOtheprO Maybe I'm wrong. But I see Eren as a psychopath, for me his first instinct is always to kill. I can't like a guy with that mindset. The only thing I saw different from season four onwards is that they started trying to justify his killing spree. There's also the fact that he's become a more cerebral psychopath, rather than acting like a mindless zombie. No one will convince me that 100% of the countries in the world have united with a country that has slaves and uses Titans in war. It's a poorly told story that tries to justify Eren's genocide.
I love this dichotomy within Eren that you perfectly highlighted in this video!
I find it interesting that during the table scene Eren argues that Mikasa has an innate nature to her that has dictated her life and actions due to her Ackerman instincts. Eren uses this to argue that she isn't free and that she's a slave because she can't make any decision that goes against this nature of hers. Yet during that scene and also later with Zeke, Eren argues that he has a similar sense of nature to him in regards to being free and stealing other people's freedom. Though this time Eren says that his innate nature is what makes him free, which on the surface seems to make sense but can also seem quite contradictory since if he's been dictated by this innate nature of his, then it means he also can't make any decision that goes against it and it's what purely defines him. Going by this logic if Eren can't define himself outside of this nature just like he argued Mikasa can't outside of hers, this makes him just as enslaved to it as she is.
(I don't think I even need to mention how contradictory Eren's argument as to why Armin is a slave is. Arguing that having Bertholdt's memories has enslaved him. Meanwhile Eren has Grisha's, Kruger's, Freida's, Lara Tybur's and potentially many more memories flowing through his head creating, a clashing, confusing and contradictory mess to his psyche.)
Which leads into the argument that Eren is very much projecting his own insecurities onto Mikasa and Armin. And since we now know in the anime, Eren has seen the future, and all his actions are leading towards that future. He is simply living his life, like an actor reading off of a script. You could argue he's not even making his own decisions if they're all determined/decided by future visions he has no control over and can't change. Or you could spin it the other way and say the only reason the future won't change is because Eren would always make those decisions due to his innate nature regardless.
The topic of Free will in regards to Eren's character is one of the most fascinating aspects of him. How free he projects himself as, compared to how free he feels he is, versus how free he actually is. Depending on your views on determinism and how they apply to Eren, there are multiple different arguments that can be made about how much agency Eren really has. It's fascinating!
Great video as always AJ!
I feel like Eren has most likely not seen absolutely everything when he saw the future but only the biggest and most important moments. So in a way those little sequences inbetween are where he actually acts on his free will even tho those actions eventually lead to what he has seen anyways.
No, see, nothing is forcing him to take actions that realize that future. He could absolutely say no to the rumbling, or follow Armin's plan of partial rumbling. However, Eren must have a reason to choose to commit the atrocities that lead to the future. There can only be one answer, the future he sees is something he desires. That despite it all, what he stands to achieve outweighs all the horrible prices that need to be paid to get there.
If you've read the manga, you know where that road ends. And yes, Eren wanted that in the end. Every crime against humanity he committed was for that end, and while I can't say that's fine, I do think it's an acceptable choice on Eren's part.
@@wolfbrigade8042 He's acting on his "free will" at any rate-- the future would have been the future whether or not he saw it.
@@seg162 Yes I know that. My knowledge about Eren has been updated since I wrote that comment.
armin did call eren a slave and that got under his skin in the same scene
I fucking love this take. Never, ever considered that this could've been why he laughed after Sasha's death. Beautiful.
“You’re still as useless as you ever were” are the lines Eren is probably thinking at this moment, and it hurts. Finally realizing he was a slave to fate, he breaks down the same way he did in season 2. This almost made me tear up I can’t lie
@@sebay1571 he's not a slave to fate itself, just his future self. He's a paradox that serves his future self. That's all, he's not being dragged along by fate just because
@@CarlosSanchez-dv5iq Yeah, I understand that. I worded my comment wrong. He is more of a slave to his ideals, but it is because of those ideals that he can’t change the future. But he did realize that he couldn’t change the future so in a sense he was also a slave his future
@@sebay1571 gotcha
Well when he was finished laughing, he got frustrated. You could see it on face.
It's crazy when you think about it. His whole character is based on his desire to be free... Yet in the end, he's the ultimate puppet, pawn and hostage of the very thing that gave him ultimate power ... And it was of his own choosing. Imagine that. You identify with your freedom or mission to achieve it that you willingly imprison yourself completely and utterly
And yet he was willing to become a slave to his ideology so that his fellow friends and people of Paradise could enjoy the freedom that he yearned for. He gave up his freedom so that Paradise could be free. I surely can respect him for that.
Eren is a slave to himself
to his own idea of freedom.
I can relate to him. I often resolute to the idea that I might just be a slave to myself. My own ideas, my mindset, my weaknesses things I just can't help..
If the big question of aot is meant to be if we are truly free and not just slaves to fate.. in that sense I think an answer can be that we aren't! if WE are our own tyrants the good new is we CAN do something about it
We can change anytime we decide to.. And brake the shackles
According to Christianity
Theres the God and the Devil
The Truth and the deciever
The Freedom and the enslaver
Whatever enslaves us is a lie
So maybe in this case what truly enslaves us is the belief that we can't change? a lie of the devil..
And what else comes from the devil? Pride of course the beginning of the downfall
often people that never change are prideful
Eren's mask makes me wonder how many historical figures in our own world have worn a false mask (or been put on a false mask by their admirers and/or haters). The figure that we see in history books & the popular imagination may be very different from the actual person that lived.
Also, masks up everyone! COVID ain't over yet xD
doesnt matter what the feeling behind the actions are, the actions are what shape the world and should be judged. feelings are a luxury that are only self serving and redundant, the feelings you show are mostly self serving and arrogant.
Almost every single one
News media: "Trump's a monster!"
People who know Trump and have known him for years: "Actually, no he's not."
Me: "He was good on the economy/foreign relations, but was AWFUL at hiring choices, and trusted the absolute wrong people as advisors. Decent guy otherwise."
News Media: "If you don't hate the trump beast you're a monster too!"
Most of them do and sad thing is many have the burden thrust on them .
Just a tidbit that supports this thesis: The AU Attack on Titan high school manga written by Isayama (confirmed to be canon, despite being a joke) states that Eren would have this monster side to him no matter what. However, a blind man could see that certain events shaped the person he would become.
Yep, Eren was always going to have this need for freedom. But he was also shaped by key experiences.
The pursuit of freedom was an innate part of his nature, however in a world where he was already free, or could pursue freedom without evil, he would likely become a normal person or even a hero, like during the first three seasons of the story. The situation he was in made him a villain.
@@tristanboss7319 Yep
To me, Eren was born a psychopath. He has a very very limited few people he cares for, but the rest of the world (obviously) can go to hell. Even in the case of Mikasa and Armin, I think the main reason Eren kept them close is they were constantly enabling him. Whatever 'love' Eren has is very twisted and conditional. I can see him struggling with the rumbling obviously, but also on some level deep down he wanted to do it. If you go by the logic of Eren always felt powerless and weak and his freedom was really seeking being stronger than everyone else - then he certainly got it.
There is a bit of nurture there too. Zeke is in a similar vein a villain, but is doing what he does for supposedly 'noble' reasons. I think he is a bit more tragic, maybe because he wasn't an inherit psychopath like Eren, he wasn't going around murdering anyone at like age 8 ala Eren.
Then again, most of the characters are some level of morally gray. But I think Eren by far is the closest to black we get in AOT.
I think the dichotomy of Zeke and Eren can also be seen under a different light, not incompatible with the reading you gave.
Last year I found an excerpt from a paper by a certain Peimin Ni that analyses the difference between the concept of freedom in the West and the East, focusing in particular on Taoist philosophy. Both are defined as a state with complete lack of coercion and restraints, but while the first one is more focused on the external restraints, the second is a bit more focused on the internal ones.
To become free, someone from western culture has "to clear the external constraints and coercions on the individual's will or desires, and never involves a critical examination of one's own will or desires". The Taoist instead "focuses on modifying the self that can be in conflict with external constraints. Instead of being critical of the external environment and requesting the environment to give room to the individual's desires or will, the Taoist requires the individual to be critical of him/herself, and to be
in harmony with his/her environment."
I find very interesting the fact that these two concepts of freedom are fully embodied in their most toxic connotations in Eren and Zeke respectively, and as the paper says the answer is probably somewhere in the middle. I am a manga reader and I can attest that Isayama has still a lot in store for us but what his work says about freedom is one of the biggest things I got from the manga.
Also excellent video, and also very much needed. I kinda wish stuff like this existed before the manga's ending dropped ahah
Can I get a link to that paper if you still have it? I’ve been discussing conflict resolution and its effect on Happiness with a buddy of mine(philosophy major) and the topic of whether it is more fruitful to put in the effort to change external factors that impede your contentment or to look to change yourself to make yourself content in your environment is a common thread.
Sorry, but I can't read this without thinking "freedom is slavery".
I wouldn't say the answer is "somewhere in the middle". They are two completely different types of freedoms/slaveries. One can (and should overall try to be) free both intrinsically & extrinsically at the same time. One can also be enslaved intrinsically & extrinsically at the same time.
@@DBArtsCreators while in the middle may not be the answer, choosing either of the two is most likely not the answer too. It's more right to say a balance between the two. Both internal and external factors should be considered so as not to consume one another. Well, this answer still may be far from being right but being self aware and acknowledging both of them is always the first step.
The way I see it in essence is that freedom shouldn't mean just compensating by oneself for everthing that shackles oneself, nor should it be about destroying anything that can possibly limit oneself. Instead one should try and find a balance of responsibilities between the internal and the external (that's what I meant), and of course it depends case by case.
But I think that any answer I can give in a youtube comment wouldn't be nuanced enough, so I am going to point you at the paper (it's very short and to the point). The title is "The Taoist Concept of Freedom" and it's by Peimin Ni. TH-cam ususally doesn't allow me to use links in comments so I think that's all I can give you.
Eren was talking to Mikasa and Armin, like he was talking in front of a mirror.
and when he was talking to an actual mirror,down in the cells,he ordered himself to keep fighting, he has been trying really hard not to have a meltdown.
I dunno, I still think some of the things he says to Armin and Mikasa were true. Eren being disappointed in Armin really and calling him useless makes senses, Armin always had a plan to save the day but ever since the timeskip he's been too indecisive to do anything, and well ... useless. Also Eren being frustrated with Mikasas lack of self determination most certainly were somewhat true. He most certainty don't hate Armin and Mikasa but are most likely frustrated with parts of them during this critical moment.
@@Ismael-kc3ry when he did,it made sense he did lmao it humanizes his character,theres a breaking point somewhere. dont spoilerino
@@brattysubenthusiast aye no spoilers here 🤐
The one thing that bugs me is that people think Eren changed and that the “world made him this way.” When in reality he was just born this way, as the story and even Eren himself has said several times. All the hints were there and people refused to accept it. As a anime only I’am very excited to see where this goes
EDIT: basically what I’m saying is that the world didn’t make a demon, the demon was always there he just needed a perfect scenario to release it
@@HSnake5 if the story does change that’s some weird ass writing because that’s what they’ve been telling us unless I’m just retarded and don’t understand it
@@HSnake5 What are you talking about? Eren himself said it "I've always been like this, if someone attempts to take my freedom I take thems instead"
Not necessarily. Eren WAS changed by the outside world. Sure, he was always inherently pro-freedom, desiring to live a tranquil life with his loved friends. But when he witnessed the outside world, the one he had always yearned for, he felt utterly destroyed. These people aren't any different than Eldian's. They are the same, so why do they hate them? That fact did shake Eren, as per chapter 131.
@@HSnake5 How so?
@@TheDasilva1 Exactly. To add on, I believe Eren was born with this desire for freedom but this desire was developed throughout the story. There is a nurture aspect to Eren, but ultimately it is Eren’s nature that drove him forward
Yes dude great take on Eren laughing/crying after Sasha's death, he STILL feels useless and not strong enough.
holy crap, that part where you edited eren laughter from one scene to the other was literally magical. I seriously got goosebumps
I'm just hoping that you make a video about reiner and mikasa after the end of the anime (when everyone's character arc is finished)
@@As_Expected_of_Pieck
Excuse me did we read the same thing?
Reiner wanted to become a hero, which lead to all the shit happening
Only after he realizes that and wants nothing more than to die out of pure guilt and self hatred, he ironically becomes one of *the heroes*
Reiner along with eren is the most important/developed character
As for mikasa...... I kinda agree with you but there's still a lot to about her and her dependency issues even tho she's one of the strongest characters
@@bandarsalh1338 don’t mind them, they’re trolling
@@bandarsalh1338 I always viewed Mikasa as someone who has to be analyzed in tandem with Armin and Eren to be fully understood. Eren was never free, yet fooled himself into believing he was. Armin wasn't free, but kept fighting the good fight until he was free, unlike Eren. Mikasa knew she would never be free from Eren, yet fought for freedom in spite of that.
@@As_Expected_of_Pieck Lol what? Mikasa's character arc is subtle so maybe that's why u didn't understood it. In fact words that represent trauma stick with mikasa throughout the manga, from eren’s to carla’s request. She internalises them into her identity because, broken as she is, she hasn’t yet found her own purpose. Her journey is one of agency, self worth, and finding meaning, opening up to the world more and thinking more about the bigger picture which is the opposite of eren's arc, her dynamics with levi, authority, her shared themes about home and love are some great stuff about her character but i don't think u even want to understand that as shown by the way u refer to her.
@@As_Expected_of_Pieck sorry idiot don't expect me to reply to you when u Don't even have the decency to talk normally and properly. I would suggest taking some classes on how to actually talk with someone about something.
BTW idiot mikasa literally hanged on to eren's memories in trost to live on which is not the case at the end of the manga. Again read the manga. What an absolute dbass
"I might be a fake, but even so, I have to make this succeed... I have to become everyone's hope!" - The same Eren that we know in the Battle of Trost District.
Eren knows more than anyone that he isn't free in this world. But to make this succeed he has to believe so. Otherwise he will never be able to move forward.
Contrary to what we thought (myself included), he has precedents to his attitude in this season, and this is actually a more realistic way of portraying his development as he ages and grows older.
We have to remember and realize that he became a titan when he was, like, 16! This guy probably didn't had a light mustache at that age. It's truly messed up to think most of the cast were just teenagers fighting for their lifes as well as for what they thought were the last reminents of humanity.
You can't make a more disturbing and stressful teenage than this.
He had his titan from his dad at 10 and transformed for the first time at 14. I think it's awful to be called "the hope of humanity " as a kid and to be under military control at that age.
@@solesofwind9543 yes they literally started military training with 12
I agree and all but I have seen 16 year olds with almost a full beard tho
Personally, rather than Eren being a slave to follow the fixtures of fate at certain time points, I think it’s more so that Eren chooses that future he sees and works towards it since it ultimately leads into the end result of what he wants. To end the Titan curse. With the benefit of seeing his conjured up scenery of a new world starting from scratch, free from walls.
That path can’t be a path unless he paves it, unless he wanted it. That future he saw was only there not because the universe had the Rumbling as a fixed time point but because Eren would have done a Rumbling no matter what for his freedom, because it’s in his nature to.
Though Grisha was “fated” to steal the founding Titan that day, he wasn’t fated to do it without Eren. Grisha’s humanity and heart wouldn’t allow him to do it on his own, it was fated that Eren would manipulate him because it’s to Eren’s desires to always want to reach that end result.
He is so driven to achieving his definition of freedom that it’s extremely self destructive to him and he keeps doing things he doesn’t want to do but it’s to reach that result nonetheless, he just has to keep moving forward. And eventually those desires and powers have him so muddled he does the worst thing he could ever do to himself and that’s the twist in the final chapter.
I think if Eren really wanted to, he could have averted that fate, that those time points didn’t have to be fixed. As you said, he works toward it because something at the end of it compels him. To me, he’s not truly forced by “the universe” or fate, but rather by his own nature. Just as every other character is a slave to something in the story. He is a slave but not necessarily to some otherworldly cosmic fate or fixed timeline where critical points have to happen like some assembly line, but to his definition of freedom and his own choices, where he keeps doing things he hates because of goal in the far future, and that even with his powers, he still has to choose things along the away that result in bad consequences that he’s not aware of (like Sasha’s death).
I’m pretty sure I totally agree with the vast majority of this, it’s a great way to articulate the internal contradiction in Eren’s path. I don’t particularly think the specifics of why he reacted like that to Sasha matter as much as the sentiment of those feelings and how they echo the powerlessness he felt in Scream, for reasons I mentioned. Though just to clarify, I never referred to him as a slave.
The finale did a great job portraying Eren taking off that mask from himself and revealing that he was actually a slave to freedom.
Trash
Eren's path reminds me of Stanley Parable. To achieve "freedom" he has to act in accordance with a plan set out by someone else i.e. the future Eren.
The best way to describe Eren is "slave of freedom". He yearns absolute freedom so much that he is unable to stop himself from doing all the horrendeous things he does. Yet he is desperate that he can't change everything and is cruel to everyone as a result. Because he was not able to accept that he is not free completely, lost all his freedom at all and is a slave of himself much more than anyone else.
Maybe it's just the sheer contradiction of everything he's striven for playing out in front of his eyes. He yearns for freedom, and yet he's trapped by factors far beyond his control. He can see what's about to happen but he can't do anything about it. He's supposedly the most powerful being on the planet, and yet he's utterly powerless to change his fate, or the fate of others. And he's so exhausted from carrying that knowledge, of learning that everything he's believed in was a lie, of realizing that all of his struggles, discoveries, and achievements have brought him no closer to attaining freedom.
"Everyone had to be drunk on something to keep them going." - Kenny Ackerman
If someone doesn't get Eren's nature after he states it out-loud in plain terms, there's no helping them.
*cough cough* irl yeagerists
well isayama confirmed there are many layers to Eren's nature, and that's why he is an amazing character, one of the most complex indeed. For example, Isayama did confirm that Eren's disappointment to Ramzi was more the hostile mankind beyond the walls than simply mankind existing beyond them. Also, let's not forget 2 things about that moment: 1) Eren was referring to when he first read his dad's journal and the terrible stories it had, 2) That convo was way before his convo with Reiner, when Eren was a completely different person, and Eren shown there he described the before and after of his time in Marley, all the while carrying the guilt and hardship he knew was coming and never wanted to happen.
Attack on titan is the best written story i have ever had the privilege of seeing.
Yes, even the ending
Same
Same!!
you are right
except for the stupid ending
Excepr for Ending I agree with you .
Nah I think the majority can agree that the ending was bad ngl
Eren has always been stupid even in season 4 he was just pretending to be smart and the only one who could bring out the stupid under the mask was Hanji
remember in the prison cell how she irritated him and he slipped into idiocy for a second "tatakae tatakae" that was hilarious and then again he grabbed her and acted crazy to cover it up
He's consistently a character that acts tough but breaks down from pressure and starts crying, in episode 3 he's acting all tough then fails to use odm gear and his reaction is hilarious then in the cave he breaks down with historia calling him crybaby (that was sad and funny) and in that last chapter he did it again
Eren is a character that thrives on adversity who loves having something to fight for
Always gets ahead of himself and bites more that he can chew but he's also very determined and passionate and he's very loyal, he's complex he can be pathetic, frightening and inspiring i may have not loved the ending but i didn't hate it that much either i was almost neutral and i don't think it undid the complexity of his character
This take helps me to appreciate ch.139 even more.
The biggest give away was in OP
"All I ever wanted to do was save your life, I never wanted to grab the knife"
Exactly.
@@Tupadre97 tbh,... I don't think he ever tried to convince himself that he's not a monster or he's trying to do the right thing
He said he's born this way to zeke even he was so horrified by his extreme actions..... meaning he open admits what he's doing is extreme but he's not gonna change cause that's who he is......
But his expression after the deaths of royal family/kids says a little bit of humanity and emotions he hold for the extreme measures he took
Fuck this is deep.
It's like Eren lost his soul the moment he kissed Historias Hand in Season 3.
His conscioussness as already aware of what he was going to do anyway.
So he was like a puppet to serve to archieve the future he saw for himself.
It`s very deep man.
Saw someone asking if that beach scene was actually eren talking to his future self and it just changed so much
Damn..
Whenever someone close to Eren dies, Eren has a nervous breakdown.
I freaking love how the "Eren killing to save Mikasa" event is pretty much obvious to us as viewers (without it being spelled out) but cause they refuse to speak about or acknowledge the event, we as the viewers, overlook it completely. Eren has always been driven by the same ideals hes shown in the latest few episode.
One detail I like is that right after Eren lives past the memories that his future self showed him he seems to become himself again; the brash emotive type. From that point on everything is uncertain again and he is free to see things through via his own actions rather than being predetermined.
Eren, what a man you are!
This was a beautiful vid, as always. And this is something I wish certain "fans" of AOT would understand. Eren isn't some stoic, badass who knows what he's doing. He's as emotional as the boy who saw his mom getting eaten all those years. All he can do is maneuver around the bloodied world and pursue both his freedom and the right to help his people. THAT'S Eren Yeager.
HE is a stoic bad ass
and he already saw what was gonna happen so he knows what he is doing
killed his own mom lmao
I am incredibly excited to see how the Anime handles the "controversial" ending, I feel a few of the key points have been handled better so far and I hope that continues, as Eren's views/outlook weren't best explained in the manga leading to a lot of people misinterpreting the messages
the manga did a great job. but people who worship "chad" eren will always look the other way which they will with the anime as well unfortunately
When I first read chapter 139, I had this feeling that people would be more accepting of the ending once it was animated. I'm not trying to say that I'd assumed that the ending would be universally liked but just that there could be a way for people to consider different viewpoints and discuss the story with a sense of civility.
But recently I've been feeling like the online aot community(including the anime only fans) is more divided than I ever thought it would be...I don't think there is a way for the entire fanbase to be open-minded anymore and it most likely will be exactly as the previous reply states...but I guess all we can do is hope for the best
SPOILER REGARDING MANGA FINALE
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Yup, Eren has always been that kind of "extreme" person, the "me or you" guy, no gray zones: all black or white. That's why I felt let down with the "half measures" finale. After years, centuries of trying to find a half measured way to save both Eldia and the World, he understood and accepted the fact that such way couldn't be found. And he took the bad guy role, he took on his shoulders the genocide, despite, of course, being still a complex human, saddened by all those deaths. So... why stop half the way, why continue with that circle, just postponed by maybe 50-100 years? I don't understand.
And believe me, I didn't agree at all with his solution, never been a fan of "edgy Eren", but could see where he was coming from and, well, AoT was also interesting because it explored situations we are familiar with in the real world, problems we all can relate to, and took them to the extreme. But ye, it took them to the extreme until, in the end, it didn't.
I understand your point. Why wouldn't Eren go full on with his plan if there was the potential possibility of the remaining survivors of the rumbling (who possess better war technology) to retaliate and destroy Eldia?
The answer is simple: He was defeated by his friends. Eren did not manipulate the freedom of his friends and that was why he failed. Rather, he knew he was going to fail. The scene where they're on the boat Eren prepares a conversation for each of his friends before they fight, because he knew that they were going to defeat him. And simply there was no way for Eren to stop them without trampling over their freedom.
And Eren was okay with that. Why is that so?
Again, simple: He wanted them to have long and happy lives. At the very least he knew the rumbling would set back the world long enough to assure that (most) of his friends would live that way. I say most because, of course, Sasha and others died.
Imagine if Luffy clashed with Eren. It would be so cool since Luffy is like the polar opposite of Eren; he is the freest man in the world. I could imagine Luffy screaming to Eren and saying that fate doesn't matter or something badass like that.
Who is Luffy
Luffy's character is the embodiment of freedom
Eren's character is the pursuit of freedom
@@sibusisomkwanazi3124 That sounds metal af
"Rather than letting someone steal my freedom, I'll steal theirs first" - Eren Yeager
"I rather betray the world, than let the world betray me" - Cao Cao
People started calling attack on titan bad when they couldn’t handle too much character and plot complexity. People hate it because they don’t try to understand the complex themes it exhibits. Unlike classic shounen that you can watch once and enjoy the basic good vs bad flashy fights attack on titan goes deeper and deeper each chapter. Each time i re-read the manga, the story only gets better. The foreshadowing. The layout of the events and small and big events. Truly a masterpiece
@@Mugoflighterfluid because historia is a parallel to ymir while mikasa is the foil/antithesis to ymir.
@@Mugoflighterfluid it does though? historia gives birth to a daughter probably named ymir that ends up being the first eldian free from titan powers and ends the titan cycle that was started with founder ymir.
@@Mugoflighterfluid Historia is a parallel to Ymir whose child being born as full of individuality represents the end of the titan curse and the big contrast between them.
@@billalzerouali2528 What is the full name of Ymir though? Historia's Ymir?
@@MostWantedTH-camr idk whatever the last name of the farmer is
Of all Attack on Titan content creators, I enjoy your content the most by a very wide margin. You make extremely thought-provoking, at times even emotional (And I'm not an emotional person in the least), videos and I guess the only real reason I decided to comment was that I felt you deserved my thanks. As well as a sub/like, of course, thanks for the content bro.
You’re very welcome!
Eren is not a hero but he don't deserver hate for what he did because it's the war and if eren didn't start rumbling then rest of the world going to wipe out eldian anyways and than you guy's like *"ReSt Of ThE wOrLd DeSeRvE tO dIe"*. If you think rumbling is wrong than just think if he didn't start rumbling you will know why eren think rumbling is the only option, his plan was not justified but the right thing he can do to save paradise and his friend
*MY FIRST LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH SO YOU CAN FIND SO MANY GRAMMATICAL MISTAKES*
I think his motivation is especially in the final season to protect Mikasa and arman. Remember when Krüger talks to geisha at the sea wall.
Wow, who would've thought the guy who's always screaming about his will and the difference he can make in the world was actually insecure for all this time? Hahaha. Jokes aside, the video is great
Thanks!
"all i ever wanted to do was right things
i never wanted to be the king
i swear"
these lines right here characterize eren so well. all he ever wanted to do was help the people of the walls by joining the scouts to fight for freedom so they and him could be free, which he viewed as the greatest reward.
he never asked to be placed in a position leading the yeagerists and influencing the past and starting the rumbling or seeing the future. he never asked to be this figure of great power, influence and ideals to the world and leading a group dedicated to that ideology. all he wanted was for every eldian child to be born free. he didn't want to do some of the things that would lead to freedom, like killing the tyburs in marley and killing huge masses of citizens and getting armin to nuke the navy fleet with the colossal titan steam. he didn't want to kill the reiss kids. but he had to; because he's been placed in the position where he has to do these cruel acts to ensure that a specific future happens. this is because he knows that he's the only one who can make it happen as he saw the future when he kissed historia's hand and gained the memories of the future, he has 3 powerful titans in him, and he is in a unique position with the founder. he isn't of royal blood so he's not bound by the old king's will to keep the eldians in the walls, but he can touch zeke, a person of royal blood, to gain full access to the founder's powers. plus he can access the paths to influence events. so what i'm trying to say is that the only future where eldians are truly free rests solely on eren. eren didn't ask to have this much pressure and power. he sort of is the king of the walls. he holds the founder's power and literally controls the fate of eldia. and just like a king, he has seen many losses and has had to make huge sacrifices and hard decisions. he started as a little kid with big dreams, a strong will and an enormous amount of determination. and now he's in way over his head. and he's only 19 years old. imagine how hard doing what he did must be. the insane amount of stress and pressure he must be feeling. i 100% understand why he looks so broken at the table scene with mikasa and armin.
"all i ever wanted to do was save your life
i never wanted to grab a knife
i swear"
i think this one relates to the table scene a lot too. he wanted to protect mikasa and armin all throughout his life. he wanted to wrap mikasa's scarf around her and make sure armin saw the ocean. i think he honestly was trying to help them by showing them how they weren't free; mikasa by her ackerbond and armin by bertholdt's memories. he seemed really pained that they weren't free. you could see it in his eye. to him being free is the greatest salvation. i also think it was to push them away from him so they didn't get hurt by him.
he never wanted to hurt them but it was the only way to push them away, so they didn't get hurt and so they didn't oppose what were already hard decisions for him to make about his plans for molding the future. i noticed he hurt his friends where they were most vulnerable. the fighter mikasa with words and the strategist armin with punches. i also think there were frames of him with tears in his eyes in this scene.
anyway this is just my take and feel free to reply with any insights or anything that you feel that i've missed. this new op is literally the best thing i've ever heard. eren is one of the most complex characters i've seen in fiction ever. i can't believe that i used to be a levi fangirl lol.
> he didn't want to kill the reiss kids.
Nah, fuck them kids. Their family was escaping into some kind of paradise while their people suffered greatly. I dont feel sorry for them at all.
Tell me you dont understand eren without telling me you dont
I used to think everyone was wrong about the ending. I've read every take on it under the sun. Now I've reached the point where I don't know any more and I just listen to people who aren't dickheads that have some validity behind their words.
MANGA SPOILERS:
Eren's clearly stated to have a duality to his lust for freedom. As much as he creates his path out of his own will, it also binds him to a set path that opposes several things he stands for. Like he says, he had to do these things. But he also wanted to be stopped. His path was executed within the will of his core ideal. But it still trapped him and made him a puppet to things that would play out in ways he didn't want them to play out. If he had his way, he'd save Sasha. But he couldn't, because of his path. If he had his way, he wouldn't have killed the innocent boy in 131 (I forget the name, sorry). But he couldn't, because of his path. He wanted to save them, but was at the whims of the paradoxical trappings of the path set ablaze by his own will.
That is what is described in the video. Alex has read the manga and is incorporating that paradoxical two-sided nature to his path as proposed in the ending into it.
Some strange reason A.o.T manga fans can’t have a conversation about the series without throwing out something that hasn’t happened in the show yet.
Never seen it happen so many times with fans of any other series.
@@JohnDee633 I literally gave a spoiler warning you weirdo, I can talk easily without spoiling but this time I wanted to say something for manga readers.
NO, I DON'T WANT THAT! I WANT EREN TO BE A BASED-100%-RUMBLING-GRINDSET-AOE-KINO CHAD FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!
For ten years at least
Fucking yeagerists . They act nigh brain dead sometimes abt the ending . It’s an amazing story but they’ll never understand and downplay it
The whole "fixed in history" stuff is always garbage to me and never holds up because he could just stop what he's doing. Reiner literally said right there "enough already, you've suffered enough". Literally true.
I think problem is that we dont know why he cant stop. Attack on Titan did bad job in that sense that we dont know what would happen if Eren tried. Is he simply forced to act like that and cant choose otherwise? Because he did not try to change anything. If we had simply scene and he tried to rewrite something only for him not being able to do it or frozen story could be best accepted. But he just accepted that and completely give up to the future after halfassed attempt with Ramzi and Mikasa answering exactly what he saw he will answer? Steins Gate really did that better with entire Mayushis death being fixed point in time. Or if he future Eren at some point show up to his younger and explain him why he cant do that. But we got nothing. But then again time travel was only one of the problems for me with the series after the Return to Shiganshina arc.
Another manga coper. Listen there was no mask Isayama literally went this direction because he was scared of backlash.
If you say so. Thank you for watching and sharing!
I was happy that eren took of his mask when he was with armin towards the end of the manga
oh no he put on a pathetic mask in the end
@@jojomahmoud5752 yeah yeah you edge lords want some cool psychopath as the villain of the story or it wouldn't be cool enough but sucks to be you thus isn't the case
I think about it sometimes at how Eren couldve been a complete edgelord and I feel sick, especially after understanding his character. I'm so happy he went out this way.
Eren is one of the greatest characters ever conceived, from chapter 1 to chapter 139.
I thought about that self-despite he felt correlating so much this present events BUT NOT THIS DEEP holy. GOATed analysis as always
English, please?
Thanks xyro!
Great video, I am glad they always were upfront with who Eren was mostly.
I wonder if we ever given the reason why he had no issues killing at a young age before the Titans
Looking forward to your thoughts on the ending and how Similar is to another certain story you covered and I like very much.
The reason is he values his freedom more than another person’s life. His life and freedom were threatened in that moment and even as a child he went that far to defend his freedom. That’s exactly why he’s about to commit one of the most heinous acts ever portrayed in media.
I think he was just born that way just like he said to Zeke and Reiner. Some people are just born with a psychology that predisposes them towards violence, in comparison to Zeke who was born kind and agreeable, but was moulded into a killer by his upbringing, society, and general life experiences. Isayama said before in an interview that the whole idea of a person's nature deciding what you do is something he wanted to explore:
"Ultimately, I don’t think the series passes judgment on what is “right” or “wrong.” For example, when I read Furuya Minoru’s “Himeanole,” I knew society would consider the serial killer in the story unforgivable under social norms. But when I took into account his life and background I still wondered, “If this was his nature, then who is to blame…?” I even thought, “Is it merely coincidence that I wasn’t born as a murderer?” We justify what we absolutely cannot accomplish as “a flaw due to lack of effort,” and there is bitterness within that. On the other hand, for a perpetrator, having the mindset of “It’s not because I lack effort that I became like this” is a form of solace. We cannot deny that under such circumstances, the victims’ feelings are very important. But considering the root of the issue, rather than evaluating “what is right”…to be influenced by various other works and their philosophies, and to truthfully illustrate my exact feelings during those moments - I think that’s what Shingeki no Kyojin’s ending will resemble." - Isayama
@@josephs.4813 AGREED he wanted to protect Mikasa's freedom and his own.
The Eren we know will do anything it takes to win.
He has already read the ending. He's said multiple times he wouldn't make a video on it. I remember him having mixed thoughts on it, based on what I read on his Twitter.
Also, if you're hinting at code geass, spoilers :
Eren didn't pull a lelouch, it was mere pretext for him to destroy the world. He knew he would go through with killing a large chunk of the population before being killed by his friends, whom he could never bring himself to kill. He just wanted to experience the freedom he always wanted by reducing the world to what he saw when he read armin's book.
Hope this helps, in case it's indeed CG you're referring to.
@@CarlosSanchez-dv5iq Eren's motives are both selfish and altruistic, while Lelouch started everything only for his sister
i genuinly think that eren wants to save his friedns even if it means that he'll be resposible for the deaths of milions. in a way he *has* to bercome the worst monster imaginable so that his friends can save the day. i think he's a little bit like pain from naruto, but he's not doing it "for the greater good " but in fact for his own friends. only this way, by making the whole world his enemy. even if it hurts him, even if he doesn't want to. he *has* to.
Eren should win an Oscar for his acting.
He’s not really acting though, only lying to mikasa and armin. It’s said several times in the manga and anime that Eren didn’t see the whole future, only snippets.
Also a big thank you for not spoiling the rest of the story, unlike most manga readers...
He isn’t acting though
He isn't acting. He's a true monster.
I think there are two erens. one who despises the world and truly wants it to end, and one who is desperately sad and lonely and just wants people to be happy. I believe these two aspects of him are in constant conflict after spending so much time in Marley, the way that reiner developed split personalities from his stay in Paradis. not to say that I think eren has split personalities, but I do think there are two distinct aspects of his personality and he can't really settle on one
People always talk about being early but I've never been this early. Okay back to video!
Sorry I'm diverting the subject a bit, I needed to know a lot more to make judgements on Eren and also Zeke to some extent. For instance Zeke's euthanasia plan was devised in order to take away titan powers from the hands of humanity. But this not only way to take titan powers away. Eren knew about this, what about Zeke? Did he knew? Did he not? If so why? And what did Eren knew? Is his clairvoyance ends where his life ends? Has he seen further than that? If so how? Afaik there no answers in the manga so we can only speculate. Which sucks. There should've been answers.
Zeke is an anti-natalist. He believes being born is a cruel event, as there is no doubt you are sentenced to suffer in some way and die eventually from the moment you start to exist. However,opposite to Eren, he hasnt seen the "beauty" of existence,he has been alone his entire life and the only figure he had was a man who suffered immensely the moment the reality of being an Eldian struck. Remember, Ksaver had a Marleyan wife and son, said wife slitting her child's and her own throat when they found out Ksaver was an Eldian. To Zeke,being born Eldian is the greatest curse.
Eren has a couple of years left to live,and they already tried to sign laws in favor of the segregated Eldians. if peace is not an option, "what other option do I have,Hange?"
Eren has been impulsive and vicious throughout the story. He wants to complete the Rumbling,so the world may return to what Armin's book made him believe. Notably the reason we see his child form appear,a mirror of his childish carefree part, as it will in the next episode in the skies,proclaiming true freedom as he murders millions (im not spoiling,its in the opening lmao)
At the same time he has to end the cycle of the Titans and save his friends. Now to what end had he seen the ending of the Rumbling we might not know and I think he doesnt fully know either,he's completely brainfucked in the ending,Paths time distortion aint good for you. Eren does what he thinks best,even if he despises himself for it, and tries to distance his loved ones from the figure he becomes. And opposite to the smoothbrains who say he achieves nothing,he achieved his 2 goals precisely. Not adding details in order not to spoil anime-only lads.
@@brattysubenthusiast I think I might spoil things so you are warned anime onlies, if you still exist.
Zeke comes to an anti-natalist conclusion based on the information he has. I don't think this is a position he's not willing to think through. Earlier it made sense to me too, I wasn't enthusiastic about it but it made sense. Being an eldian means you're biologically a slave and it also gives your kind an edge against other kind of people. In aot Canon we have a pacifist king who changed everything but normally Id expect Eldians causing the extinction of regular people. It's the most logical thing to do by a founder's wielder. Eldians are not only your slaves but also they are physics defying super people. Somebody was going to do this eventually. It'd be really grim world, eldians forever living under biologically mandated absolutism. It makes you think "that future must be avoided at all cost". Now euthanasia is a really high price to pay. But if it's the only option it can be considered. That's my read of Zeke. But I do not know if he knew he can get rid of titan powers without the euthanasia plan. A lot people seem to believe he did he was obsessed with idea of "taking your pp" which treats him as a joke character.
As for Eren, it's facetious to say he achieved nothing but what were his other options really? Hard to speculate what they could be since we're not sure the extent of his power and how much diplomacy was involved. As in, what is Ymir can be convinced to do and then there is the worm. Did the worm had a mind of its own? Did it understand what Wren was doing? Simple answer is, we don't know. Manga didn't answer, it could be anything. Imagine how disappointed we would be if basement was given the same treatment.
If you want to get something, you must ready to sacrifice another... For me this statement explains every Eren's do's
Aleczander, I just want to tell you how much I appreciate these videos you do. While i like to think of myself as someone who is philosophical I've never been good at finding the words to express my thoughts and emotions to the rest of the world. You do an absolutely beautiful job of that in these videos and the way in which you break the themes of some of my favorite animes down is always a joy to watch. I know it might sound a little corny but I just really wanted to let u know that. AOT really is a great story and one I feel you can apply to the modern world in alot of ways. The stories that each group of ppl tell themselves to justify their actions and the truths behind those stories arnet always one and the same.
Thank you very much for letting me know - I’m very happy that you enjoy them so much!
I think this is a very valid conclusion to come too given how Eren has been acting post time skip. The way Eren flaunts his freedom, especially to those close to him is indicative of that.
I'd like to offer a counter argument regarding how knowing future fuels his insecurity. This video only covers content covered in the anime, so it might be a little disingenuous of me to bring up content not yet to be adapted, but its required for my counter argument. I apologize if you have not read the manga yet, and obviously for any anime onlys reading my comment, manga spoilers ahead, and likely in the replies.
*MANGA SPOILERS AHEAD* If you reread chapter 130, Eren states this in his inner monologue: "Even if it was all decided from the start... I wanted this... Everything... Everything that has happened." Would this not stand to validate his own freedom, instead of being something to be insecure about? Because the future ahead is something he desires, it would stand to affirm his true nature? That the things that are too come, are because he made choices of his own free will which would lead him down that path, thus making the deterministic future irrelevant to him?
Basically my question is, given the information revealed in chapter 130, do you still believe that knowing the future makes him insecure about his own nature?
No. Eren's clearly stated to have a duality to his lust for freedom. As much as he creates his path out of his own will, it also binds him to a set path that opposes several things he stands for. Like he says, he had to do these things. But he also wanted to be stopped. His path was executed within the will of his core ideal. But it still trapped him and made him a puppet to things that would play out in ways he didn't want them to play out. If he had his way, he'd save Sasha. But he couldn't, because of his path. If he had his way, he wouldn't have killed the innocent boy in 131 (I forget the name, sorry). But he couldn't, because of his path. He wanted to save them, but was at the whims of the paradoxical trappings of the path set ablaze by his own will.
That is what is described in the video. Alex has read the manga and is incorporating that paradoxical two-sided nature to his path as proposed in the ending into it.
What people forget as well is that history was repeating itself. The King of the walls said that if the island of Paradis was EVER attacked, the Rumbling would occur.
This was much bigger than Eren. He just happened to be the one who was fated to carry it out.
What type of normalcy can you have when you’re literally put to work, used by the military/government, and then the fate of your homeland is pretty much thrust upon you?
I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say Eren was saddened by the death of the Reiss Family. Especially when you see the pure hate in his eyes right before their death.
Eren has shown time and time again he will not hesitate nor regret killing people/things that threaten his goals or the people he wants to protect. At most I would say it’s sorrow for the strife he caused his father if it’s truly sorrow at all and not just discontent.
It’s a misunderstanding to think that Eren was directing his hatred towards the family. It was directed towards the Vow itself and the ideals of the first king. It’s not as if the children harbored those ideals, and it was clear that Frieda was trying to resist the Vow as well. It’s not something they could control and they were bound in that way, a feeling he is very familiar with and could identify with. And he was well aware of this. To repeat something he’s said about others - How could they have known? They “were just kids.”
With that said - I don’t think it’s a stretch whatsoever to say that he was saddened by that. He’s shown very subtle but very true sadness prior to destroying Liberio, we’re well acquainted with his internal pain, and he has shown to be completely open-minded and empathetic of the truths of the world and these different situations. Of course he’s also sad about the fact that he forced his father, who had just said that he would never kill children, to completely slaughter children. But even aside from that I think the killing of innocent children by his hand essentially is well within the range of believability for something that Eren would be sad about, and personally I actually think it’s a stretch to say that he *wouldn’t* be saddened by it given all of this.
LMAOOOOOOO no.
Read the manga. It's not a stretch AT ALL to say that Eren is saddened by this stuff. It's obvious already but you'll see even more.
"Everybody is a slave to something." *Kenny Ackerman*
Exactly!!! thanks for bringing this up!
iirc askeladd pretty much said the same thing
why he is doing all of this is explained in the manga, so SPOILERS below
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While I think it is true that Eren is acting in these certain ways to be able to keep a hold of himself and not fall apart, there is also a greater overarching reason. He has always wanted freedom more than anything, and he also wants his friends to be happy and live long lives. However, with how the world is set up, he knows that no matter what there will always be this hatred towards Eldians, and he doesn't want the people he loves to have to deal with that, he truly wants them to be free. So when he sees what he is going to do to the world when he kisses Historia's hand, he tries everything he can to desperately change it but eventually realizes he can't and evloves into what we see season 4 Eren to be. To protect everyone he loves and also ensure that they have futures where they can be free to do what they want to, he has to become the villian, one that is so catastrophic that every nation has to join together to fight against it and results in getting rid of the power of the titans once and for all. This way, not only are people more willing to see Eldians as normal people, but now they actually are normal people, therefore giving freedom to all of them, even though it means sacrificing his own. That is why he acts the way he does towards people, to push away the people he loves and make them hate him so they can join the fight against him in order to cause this outcome.
Yeah I’ve read the manga so I’m aware of what his plans and motivations are.
@@Aleczandxr fair enough, I liked the video I just love AoT and never get to talk about how awesome and like well crafted it is haha
Oh yeah of course, no worries! Was just clarifying.
Hearing 'Cold Light' in the background is fantastic stuff.
Self-despite, perhaps? "I could be better, I should be better. Why CAN'T I be better? Am I weak? Am I stupid? Why can't I be better?!?"
I really enjoy your analyses. You make me think. You make me want to be better. And more empathetic.
same
That's extremely flattering, I'm really happy you value them so much!
The very fact that gabi (the Eren alterego) is there with them and she's a child, therefore representing the new generation....
"If you can't fool your friends, how can you fool your enemies?"
Eren is the most broken person in anime history just look at his face pure sadness he's even more broken than itachi all he wanted was freedom all he wanted to see the world outside the walls but what they made him he saw everything and lost hope that their will ever be peace until he didn't do the rumbling in the last episode we can see how the marlians treating the eldians like they are some kind of bugs like it was their fault what their ancestors did in the past he even cried after seeing them how they are living and after the speech at council he lost all hopes of peace and just left and what he's friends did they betrayed him and joined with the people who wanted to wipe their whole existence to stop or kill the person who only is doing this for them to live freely and happily i can feel eren this world is also so pathetic and hopeless if i had erens power i would have also rumbled this pathetic world so whatever eren he did right
Aot ended at 131😀
I have argued with a lot of people who say that Eren's plan is the right one, that wiping out the world is the only way, or that they deserve it. I very much disagree with both of those but the analysis I do agree with is that Eren is a pawn of both fate and his own nature. Eren knows the future and has experimented with changing it, so it makes sense he believes that to be the only option. On top of that there is also his personality. Eren has always had a very black and white view of the world. Defeat the bad guys and live happily ever after. The problem with that is of course the shifting definitions of the "bad guys". At first it was the titans. They are big monsters so it's pretty simple. Then it was the warriors, but Eren could justify that by them being evil traitors. But then it turns out the entire world are the "bad guys", most of who are, presumably, good people. That is of course a lot harder for Eren to deal with. He doesn't want to kill the entire world, but he is still stuck in that black and white mindset, that the only way to get a happy ending is to defeat the bad guys. That is why I think Eren's character is so genius. In the beginning of the series the world was very black and white, and so Eren's mindset fit just fine, but then the world becomes gradually more complex. I think Eren is a really good example of a character unable to adapt to the growing complexity of the world around him.
Eran was never free and he eventually realized it, in the pursuit of said freedom u loose it, ur fight for a cause and not urself requires u to give urself up because to do that for the people he cared. And at the end of the story was the real eran finally being able to cry out
4:22 Tell me why Eren sounds EXACTLY like Light Yagami with that laugh of madness?
Manga Spoilers.
.
The Rumbling was 100% justified. Even at the end, when the Marley Eldians and Marlayans both were about to be stepped on they continued to bicker. They eventually united, but we all know that in time they would have found mutual animosity again, which would eventually lead to Marley trying to wipe out Paradis. The only way Paradis has any hope of surviving is a complete Rumbling, which doesn't happen, which then leads to Paradis being glassed in carpet bombings.
I believe that Eren also saw an alternate future where he didn't inact the rumbling and in that alternate future, his friends and the people of Paradis perished. Much like how Doctor Strange saw different futures in their battle against Thanos. Eren saw that the only way to protect those important to him was to inact the Rumbling thus he had no choice.
The kind of person so unwilling to give up his freedom he'd rip his hands off just to break free from his chains. The kind of person that would go against the entire world by himself to defend the lives and freedom of his people. The way he choses to use his freedom is to sacrifice himself for the freedom of others.
Fans: Eren is the greatest Antagonist.
Chapter 139:
I consider 139 not canon and the series ended at 131. Much like the horrible Star Wars sequels
@@spencerfoote6977 what no reading comprehension skills does to someone
You idiots calling eren an antagonist is proof that you don't know how to read... Just stop and let people who do jnow how to enjoy the series
@@sreenivas6071 Using … at the end of a sentence What being unable to pass 12th grade looks. Also you’re insecure. Everyone knows that 139 does not make sense and cope. Also no offense, but I am not here to write you essays and stop trying to gate keep Dunning-Kruger.
@@sreenivas6071 SJY ,or rather SJW using a Giga Chad picture does not make sense and you should go back to Reddit please. Also you saying that “you idiots calling Eren an antagonist is proof that you don’t know how to read…” does not make sense. What is this suppose to mean? Are you trying to say that people do not know the definitions of terms of antagonist and protagonist with confusing that with reading manga panels? The fan base is dumb when confusing those two definitions, but you’re even dumber. Go on queen be a smart @ss 👸 🤡 and project your insecurities. Not trying to be offensive or anything, but you have a low IQ. What a Mikasa fan looks like everyone.
So Armin was right. I think Armin is right about alot of things.
I personally can't wait to see how people react to the rest of the episodes. Amazing analysis my dude!
Thanks!
Eren Jeager reminds me of Captain Ahab from Moby Dick a bit. Both are determined to reach truth/freedom at any cost (except Isayama does a "sike" at the end of AOT). Anyway, here's the essence of Ahab:
"Hark ye yet again--the little lower layer. All visible objects, man, are but as pasteboard masks. But in each event--in the living act, the undoubted deed--there, some unknown but still reasoning thing puts forth the mouldings of its features from behind the unreasoning mask. If man will strike, strike through the mask! How can the prisoner reach outside except by thrusting through the wall? To me, the white whale is that wall, shoved near to me. Sometimes I think there's naught beyond. But 'tis enough.
He tasks me; he heaps me; I see in him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it. That inscrutable thing is chiefly what I hate; and be the white whale agent, or be the white whale principal, I will wreak that hate upon him. Talk not to me of blasphemy, man; I'd strike the sun if it insulted me. For could the sun do that, then could I do the other; since there is ever a sort of fair play herein, jealousy presiding over all creations. But not my master, man, is even that fair play. Who's over me? Truth hath no confines. Take off thine eye! more intolerable than fiends' glarings is a doltish stare! So, so; thou reddenest and palest; my heat has melted thee to anger-glow.
When someone has fought so long just to live, one can only live to fight. #ErenYeager
Eren Yeager without freedom: *unemployed meme*
I love how more people are starting to realise the actual depth to Eren's character after the knee-jerk reaction to the ending.
This video only covers up to episode 80 of the anime. Up until here, Eren's character made sense. However, the ending of the manga was completely out of character for Eren.
@@vasantjoshi5831 blah blah blah
@@vasantjoshi5831 The creator of the video has stated he has finished the manga
People who genuinely dislike the ending and progress of Eren don’t like challenging narratives.
You can’t just call people who disagree with you stupid
@@kmn9568 He didn’t call them stupid he just said they disliked challenging narratives. However, I disagree with him
Or perhaps just don't like the ending and Eren's change? I'm one of those people and I'm all for challenging narratives and character twists but the way Isayama executed the ending was bad. I'm not saying the idea behind it was bad, but the way he illustrated it clearly was.
@@kmn9568 call them stupid? where did he do that? Stop putting words into people's mouth just for the sake of creating an argument/conflict.
@@xyz_xyz575 I’m simplifying/exaggerating, he’s generalizing people of a certain opinion in a way that can only be derogatory (genuinely...just). I would also say that using disliking challenging narratives implies a lack of intelligence to an extent, or at least a lack of desire to engage thoughtfully with the material
I just realized that in AoT, the stakes are always at its highest!
“If we don’t do this the world will literally end!” In every single arc. The only thing that changes is the definition of “the world”.
this world is cruel yet beautiful
I scream while you stay cool and strong
through days of great impending doom
I've sent beyond our titan walls
this world is cruel yet beautiful
that's why we dedicate our hearts
and ride on wings of freedom towards the life in which my mother lost
so till that day, when I'm set free
I'll bear this painful memory
and keep on moving ever forward
till I destroy my enemies
Fantastic video as always! Eren really is the most ironic character in all of AoT... the boy who wants nothing more than freedom while in reality being nothing but a slave to fate. Very tragic character indeed.
Thanks!
Dude the ending could've been so much better if he'd just doctor stranged it and realized there was only one scenario in which he could get as far with his goals as he wanted to.
Enjoyed the video! Also, you might like Sages Rain's video on freedom concerning Eren and in general. I found that I enjoyed it quite a bit and it was something to think about.
Have a nice day everyone.
This is the first video analysis that I 100% agree on, so many people misunderstood erens character even after reading chapter 131
Really good video
every time i watch your videos i audibly say “this nigga spittin”
Were you really satisfied / okay with that ending? I find it rather incredible, if so.
From a storytelling point of criticism I would argue it destroyed much of everything it set up before.
Definitely ruined it for me, to say the least.
Did it destroy anything, or were you completely mislead about what was "before"?
@@seg162 Like I said.
@@MutesaasiraTM I keep reading that the ending "ruined" everything set up before, but the fact that I've seen just as much defense for it, and the lack of multidimensionality of some of those who claim that the ending "ruined" everything set up (not that those who like the ending can't also lack that multidimensionality) before leads me to believe that they didn't process much of what was "before". I'm also more inclined to believe that there _was_ intent behind the ending, meaning that the story would have had to be "ruined" for quite some chapters before, meaning that those who claim the _ending_ ruined the story are more likely to not have been paying attention.
@@seg162
I have to say I am both flattered and impressed by the way you worded that comment. You're trying to insult my point of view, but phrasing it in a way that isn't specific to me, but "those who were not paying attention."
The self conscious and the passive aggressiveness I know all too well, unashamed to say. Well, I suppose I appreciate it.
Anyway, I wrote a 27 page essay on my distaste of how it ended. If you really want to know my thoughts you could always watch the 50 minute video on my channel (not much of a self promotion considering I'm just starting out, but anyway.)
th-cam.com/video/M7P-nqCUFfc/w-d-xo.html
I’m absolutely okay with it, yeah. It’s got some flaws that bother me and it’s rough around the edges but overall it’s solid without a doubt and it enhances Eren as a character while driving the main theme home effectively.
Just saying man, if you ever change your name to something people can remember better i think you have the potential to be as big as super eyepatch wolf is.
not even kidding i still forget your name when i try to search your channel, so i always default to some video i remember
That’s what the subscription button is for ;)
In all seriousness, I appreciate the kind words and it’s very nice of you to be so supportive - though for quite a few reasons, I wouldn’t think about changing the name. In case you’re interested in an explanation - having been intimately involved with TH-cam for years now, that actually really isn’t the case and changing my name would do far more harm than good. I’m not as big as Eyepatch Wolf because I don’t have as widespread an appeal as him, and that’s fine. Analytics have been telling me for years that it’s much more about videos taking off through the algorithm than search results. By miles! The subscribe button and notification are for people who wanna stay up to date with the videos and if I changed my name now I’d completely lose a large portion of the subscriber base I’ve built up for years, because they recognize my name and changing it would undercut that and confuse everything. My name is unusual but it’s familiar and established, and changing it would be incredibly risky. And progress in the channel is extremely consistent and stable, I’ve got no complaints! Especially when I’m able to supplement it with Patreon support for reactions and my Twitch channel as well. Hopefully that’s understandable. And thank you once again for the kind words.
@@Aleczandxr No need to thank me :D
I guess if you are self sufficient and happy its all fine and dandy.
Hope you got a nice evening/rest of the day. Greetings from Germany
i never realized that the reason why he laughed coz he has seen Sasha's death and he couldnt stop it so he just laugh it off like a maniac. I thought he just laughed coz of grief, some people laugh when they are filled with so much grief but knowing how the Attack Titans work. Now i kinda understand why he laughed. He has no power to stop what is going to happen and probably all the things that happens, happened and he witnessed it, with the understanding that, he just need to keep moving forward. That's fucked up, IGNORANCE IS BLISS.
Very much disagree on this one. The table scene was not meant to convince himself that he is free but to set Armin and Mikasa free by pushing them away. We can see this in Mikasas actions later on. Eren cares about his loved ones the most and Mikasa has a loyalty to Eren he sees as abhorrent. By pushing her away she can finally be herself without conviction to Eren alone. That’s what the table scene was about
I’m not sure why you assume the function of the scene to be one dimensional. This isn't a disagreement and you missed I said within the video that he does these things to push them away. Obviously the prominent reason for that scene was to push them away. Nonetheless, one statement or behaviour can have multiple functions. What I said was one of them. What you said (and I said as well) was another. And they are not mutually exclusive, they can easily co-exist. And they do and always have in my mind, there is no contradiction. But there’s obviously no need to analyze or explain the most frontloaded reason for the scene since it’s very obviously spelled out to the audience. This is an alternate, additional interpretation that easily integrates with the main one.
I love the fact that the ending we got wasn't a happy one. It was true to the tone of the story and how the world can be cruel and is always unfair, whether that be in our favor or against it.
The ending shows how our moments of weakness - where we choose the familiar hell to an unfamiliar heaven - can have lasting effects. On us and those we surround ourselves with.
Happy endings are overrated and cliche. I'll always take a hard fought and bitter conclusion over anything else. They're retrospective and force us to look at things critically instead of rose colored lenses.
Isayama delivered a masterpiece.
The same ending that ruins Eren's whole character by contradicting it each chapter until the end?
I agree that a happy ending wouldn't fit AoT, but what we got was basicaly a pitiful piece of writing... No masterpiece at all.
Very well said bro. It's nice to see so many intellectuals and matured people standing up for the ending. This show would be talked about for years to come. A true masterpiece of our generation.
@@luniousm3246 if you like the ending, it'd because you didn't understand the show. There's no way around it.
@@agnuswulf there’s no way u watched this vid, and read the final chapter and thought the ending was horrible
Yea it also keeps true to the themes of human nature and the cycle repeating