"History is written by the victors". I love how AoT explores this concept. Especially with the history Marley tells, contrasted with what Grisha and the restorationists believed. One side could be true, neither side could be, or a little bit of both sides. It's hard to say when you don't have the full picture and a lot of evidence is being disposed of, since it's deemed "controversial". Like Pixis recently said "A good way to tell a lie, is to mix some truth into it". So many great lines in this show, that applies very well to the real world. Things are rarely as they first seem. This also applies to how characters are first judged, yet makes a lot more sense once we get their perspective. Another thing AoT is exceptionally good at!
Would Mr. Braus be an example of a freed Helos? He broke the cycle of pain by not avenging Sasha. It was like he freed himself and Gabi without causing new strife.
I don't know.. was he ever a Helos in the first place? He DID break the cycle but there was no pressure on him to be Helos like there is on Eren, Reiner, Erwin, Willy, warriors, etc.
@@soccerstuff8071 Hmm true. I guess a more correct way to phrase it would be that what he did is what should be celebrated/aspired to instead of what Helos stands for
I think Eren realized this at some level. Someone had to make a tremendous sacrifice to break the cycle of hatred. I think Eren chose to bind himself to "the chains of Helos" so the world and his friends could experience the freedom he so desperately wants. It's really heart breaking
To defeat the monster known as hatred, he chose to become a monster born from hate. To bury the cycle of Helos, he chose to become Helos himself. To achieve freedom for him and his people, he became the biggest slave to it. It's the irony of Eren Yeager, and it's a masterful character writing.
It’s such a shame to see Erwin become the Jaegerists’ Helos. After all he did for no other reason than to attain knowledge of the world, he becomes a symbol that will be used to manipulate and lie to people, a symbol that encourages ignorance and thoughtless violence, a mythological hero created by people who knew just how human and flawed he was. We thought his death was the end of the tragedy that surrounded him, but in death he only becomes more broken, his beliefs more compromised, and his mission more hopeless.
That's one of the most prevalent themes. Erwin betrayed his own ideals for this dream of his, and as a result he was misinterpreted and his legacy is a false ghost of what he really would have wanted to represent. It's very tragic and it's always been the thing I think about most in the manga.
Although I agree that Erwin's ideals and goals were twisted enough to make him appear as the Jaegerists' Helos, I cannot help but think that he would have supported the Jaegerists nonetheless. He would probably be overwhelmed with joy, since there were other people outside the walls. However, I feel like he would have lost it at that point and become mad towards the world. He might have project all that he had done, all the people he had had killed and blame it on the world. I feel like the constant questioning Levi put Erwin through in their final flashbacks, the ones about what Erwin would do if this goal of his were to be realized, was a subtle foreshadowing for this.
His motivation was to uncover the truth of the world. His beliefs was always putting the mission first to help his country even through sacrifices to get that victory. Just at the end it happened to be his time to lead the charge for that victory with certain death looming. What the Jaegerist are doing is for their people just that some see it as bad cause of their own people(namely fellow islanders) being killed by them. My problem with that is people seem to gloss over the fact Erwin green lit an operation in the capital to reveal Annie as a Titan even if many innocent people of his own country died in the process. So he has also killed innocents to realize Humanity's(Eldia's) path so no I don't see the Jaegerist as disrespecting Erwin's wishes. If anything the Jaegerist would've never happened on his watch cause he would've already tried to find contact with Zeke in Marley with the risk or Government approval be damned(Like Eren).
I know this is kind of your whole thing, but I must say I’m super impressed by your ability to understand the themes and ideas that lie beneath the surface in this manga/show, especially since the show has only recently started tackling them itself. Amazing video and analysis, as always! Can’t wait for part two of this season, you guys have no idea what’s coming.
Erwin betrayed his own ideals for this dream of his, and as a result he was misinterpreted and his legacy is a false ghost of what he really would have wanted to represent. It's very tragic and it's always been the thing I think about most in the manga.
@@carlitos366 he wanted to know prove that in the world beyond the walls are other humans he lead many scouts to death and in the end he didnt want to turn into a titan he didnt take the vaccine
@@carlitos366 His dream was to learn the truth, but he discarded that dream and died to keep humanity's hopes alive. See more in this video: th-cam.com/video/bVpRCySUx3Y/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Aleczandxr
There's an interesting coincidence with the name itself "Helos". In ancient Greece there was a town in region Laconia called Helos, which was found by Heleius a youngest son of Perseus. The interesting part to me here is the fact that this town was inhabited by slaves.
I'm absolutely in love with idea that Helos is this empty husk that only operates ideally in the realm of romanticized unreality. This is because when it makes the transition into reality usually through someone embodying him, the hollow husk has to be filled with the individual tragedies that work to build this person into who they are in order for them to become 'Helos' so instead of an heroic spirit, under the lens of reality Helos becomes this curse as a result of this ideal adapting to the human condition.
It boggles the mind how varied and diverse these "Heloses" are. This cast is wonderful and everyone plays a role, no matter how big or small. And so many of them are these destined "heroes." Willy, Gabi, Kruger, Eren, Ymir, Reiner, Zeke, Erwin, even Armin and Mikasa and Levi. It's so sad.
Banger title, banger music, banger atmosphere, banger points. Awesome and it encapsulates what AoT is all about while hinting at future manga content without spoiling anything for anime-only.
This one skyrocketed amongst my favorites of yours. SnK is truly a storytelling masterpiece. I hope we get to see the chains of Helos being lifted even though I’m doubtful about it.
I always understood Helos being faceless as propaganda, so Marleyans could imagine themselves in his shoes. But now I see it has other functions in the narrative. Great video.
I think that what you understood Helos to be and what was brought up in the video to not be mutually exclusive. Since Helos is a faceless symbol, that leaves room for someone to be molded into said symbol, to inherit the mantle of Helos. After all, the statue is empty, but all it takes is for a person, or even multiple persons on different sides of strife to embody the not-so-empty spirit and become what it was missing. However, as described in the video, it ends up being comprised of tragedy and trauma of whoever takes that role, which leads them into the chains of the myth of the "hero" they had to become. Only, in the end, they become the Devil in the eyes of others, that may not be swept up in the radiance of the supposed ideal that Helos stood for. All this does is perpetuate the need for another Helos, and the cycle continues. tl;dr: What you originally thought is still applicable.
“They all had something they were drunk on. They were all a slave to something.” Whether you want to be a hero, or to liberate your people, or to be free, until we die, we are all slaves.
Is there anyway to free yourself from this mental slavery though? How do you not become drunk on something, that's what I'm having trouble thinking about.
@@nadhifbhagawantahadiprayit975 Nope. An ending with undercooked characters and Eren being unraveled to a small child having a panic attack. This guy's channel can get so much money if he can look into what happened to Isayama and his production behind the scenes that caused this underwhelming ending with plot holes and retcons. Almost like critical drinker.
@@mr.unknown731 it is sad that so many people wish that everything MUST be explained to its core. Sometimes endings should be left for the reader to interpret. He should let his imagination go wild and speculate. This is the fantastic world of fiction. If everything is to be served in a plate, that would be sad actually. Nevertheless, Isayama did a phenomenal job at explaining and foreshadowing things until the very end. It is our turn to imagine why and how some things happened. That way we will never forget the masterpiece that AoT is.
Wow, when I first saw this title, I assumed the focus would be on Helos as an abstract concept to some extent, but also as a specific nod to Reiner carrying on the mantle of the concept within the structure of the plot, and how he ties in with what it symbolically represented in both negative and potentially positive manners. Which would be a great topic in itself theoretically, since I think Reiner is clearly enmeshed with the idea of being a hero, and it would be fascinating to delve into him more specifically (though I am biased, he's probably my favorite character of the story thus far). Instead, you surpassed my expectations brilliantly and made the very ideal of Helos as the perennial hero in the history of Attack on Titan's world into a larger commentary on the overarching theme of the entire narrative itself (even the name itself evokes the word "hero" rather clearly)! That larger narrative of course being the cycle of violence, of war, of hatred, and of the chains which define the story as a whole, as you so eloquently delineated in relation to Eldia and Marley, and even beyond them. I love how you brought in the vital notion of perspectivism into the mix, since this is a philosophical outline Isayama has clearly pursued with a lot of vigor throughout the latter parts of the story all the way to the end in the manga. Seeing all the different sides, understanding the very different perspectives that perpetuate the cycles at play but also justify the very human actions and reactions that dictate the history of this world, it all resonates so strongly with what AoT is all about on a thematic level. Tracing how each major character, and even integral minor ones like Willy, fit into the mold of Helos as a concept was truly awesome, and I really commend how you explored the deep-seated problems that defined the idea and its role in the story. Honestly, the central theme that you outline in this video genuinely is one of the most compelling elements that has helped elevate AoT so much as it matured both in storytelling style and substance, particularly following the timeskip and the Marley Arc's commencement. The relevance and parallelism to our own real-world history, the abstract themes of freedom and slavery, of violence and ideology...it all really feels like Isayama's setup ended up truly making these universal questions feel potent again within the context of his tale, in a story that I initially never would have imagined would pull it off quite this effectively. By way of an interesting comparison, some of what you covered in this video briefly reminded me of that argument Kiritsugu and Saber have in Fate/Zero (episode 16 I believe) regarding the true nature of heroes and honor, and of humanity itself. AoT constructed an entire glorious narrative around that idea instead, of course, but it still touches on many of those concepts, and of how heroes are used as propaganda to justify the perpetuation of human foolishness, trapping us all in the chains of romanticized violence and glory, linking to concepts like race, nationalism etc. Either way, it feels like there is so much to say on this topic, but the way you expressed it so succinctly through the metaphor of the chains of Helos and the idea of the hero in AoT's world, encompassing all the larger themes evolving throughout the story as a whole, really was impressive. Well done as usual, friend!
Well I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and thanks so very much! Reiner is probably the most direct parallel (though a few others come close) due to his Marleyan origin and his fixation on saving the world and being the hero, and I really love his character too! But yeah, I wanted to go in a different direction with this one. I totally agree on the Fate/Zero parallel, I think the "Helos" symbol is essentially the romantic "hero" that Kiritsugu despises the concept of. It's essentially one of the cruxes of Kiritsugu's ideology but it being an even more central concept in Attack on Titan is really cool given how distinct from one another the two stories are. It seems like you've read the manga but I don't know for sure so I won't spoil, but essentially (like I mentioned in the video) I sincerely doubt that any of this cycle will ever stop unless the constant need for this figure ceases. It didn't cease in Fate/Zero and the story continued. Hopefully it ceases in AoT, but we'll see!
@@Aleczandxr Thanks for the response man, as usual! I am indeed a manga reader, and I found this video particularly interesting in the context of the story leading into the final chapter! I wonder exactly how Isayama will incorporate the theme you're discussing here into the closure that he opts to go with. I really hope he pulls off something special with the ending, considering the progress the narrative of AoT has made over its run as a story from start to finish. What are your thoughts, generally speaking (and vaguely speaking, if we want to avoid spoilers for other readers of the comments), of the direction the story has gone as of chapter 138? Do you believe the ending can live up to how good the story has become, thematically or otherwise, or will it be difficult as it stands?
Well I've mainly been putting my thoughts about it after every chapter on Twitter but to sum up essentially overall I'd say that the Rumbling has been a very good stretch of storytelling (with arguably the best chapter of the series in 131) that overall isn't quite as masterful as RTS/Marley/WfP, but I love 137 and 138 and have confidence that Isayama can pull off a terrific ending - although at the same time I'm a little concerned because there is simply so much left to conclude, so many threads. But's we'll see how it goes!
@@Aleczandxr Yeah, I generally agree with that summary of your sentiments for the most part, as well as holding a similar sense of trepidation about how Yams will manage to cover all the relevant plot threads effectively for a really effective and comprehensive closure. I'm genuinely hoping the final chapter is double length at least, or something like that, because this narrative really deserves a fitting and strong ending!
Super well written and connected, applying the idea of Helos to beyond just Marley. Last chapter in a few weeks ... what a ride we’ve all been in 😭😭 Can’t wait to see how Isayama wraps everything up
Lol what a brilliant, tragic, realistic and impactful video essay of an amazing story and a subtle subtext. You're truly quite brilliant in your series analysis. Many times thanks
Well thank you! This symbol really does recontextualize a lot of the characters from earlier in the story too so I think it's a concept that Isayama always had in mind - he just put it into form through Helos in Marley.
Took me a few days to get around to watching this, but this is genuinely my favorite video of yours. I love the deep dive into the philosophy of not just the characters of this story, but of an entire archetype this story embodies.
Great video and a wonderful explanation, also great choice of visuals! It goes to show how great AOT really is once you actually start to break it down and discover all of its symbolisms. You know a show is well made and special when you can actually analyze its carefully chosen music + opening/ED themes all by themselves without even watching the show and still get a feel of what this show is about. The manga is really damn good but the amount of work and planning that went into making the anime feel the way it does is just mindblowing to me personally -sorry for poor grammar Thanks for all your work, most of us really appreciate this!
Man your voice is calming forget your Excellent content and together it's just a bliss to watch I only watch those anime you cover Thank you for Haikyuu
Sometimes I forget that you don't have 100+ million subscribers because you deserve all the glory. Great job as always. (When you review an anime I haven't watch I put it on my "to watch list" so I can watch your video breaking it down, you make me enjoy them better after the fact)
another vid, another amazing job done, and another manly shed tear. Even though my expecations just get higher and higher, your videos never fail to meet and exceed them, every time.
that was a really good video and im so happy you talked about Helos cause iv been waiting for a video like this for a while so im so happy you made this video
Another great video as always. I swear I've never watched somebody on youtube that can analyze things as well as you can. It's just hard to believe that in a few weeks time this brilliant manga will be finished. Plus the whole 139 thing with the meaning of 13 years and 9 shifters was sly on isayama's part lol
Helios = The Sun. The "natural" resource found only on Paradis from the titan cave is called *Ice* burst crystal. When Magath says the statue is hollow, alluding to the story and myth being fake, adds another layer. It would be ironic if the story ended with the world "trapped like birds in a (ice) cage" while Eren and the giants (Eldians) roam outside the giant ice walls (Antarctica)
Mikasa's line signature line in S1. "The world is cruel, yet beautiful at the same time." I want to believe that despite Helos being a means to an end, a symbol in chains used to perpetuate violence and cruelty, I want to believe that somewhere that it is a symbol that inspired freedom, of hope for a better future. I just don't know if its the beauty of that freedom is at its core, the symbol that inspires cruelty is at its core, or the tragic beauty that this symbol of freedom inspires cruelty. I just want to believe that Mikasa is right, that even within all the cruelty, beauty exists.
Amazing video. Such a great piece of content and symbolism that are overlooked in both the manga and anime. Your analysis adds so much depth and meaning to the story as a whole. Once I get my financial situation together I will be sure to support your content, as your videos enrich so much my experience of these shows. Please continue making those!
Thank you so much and I'm delighted that it was valuable in that way, that was essentially the intent. And I really appreciate your intent to support me, every little bit helps these days if I want to continue being able to make these! Thanks so much again.
Eyyy completely forgot this channel. Love your HxH stuff dude. I'll probably like this too when I finish this comment and actually watch it like a normal person :p
Really well crafted and unique analysis I've seen in a while. Bought up really interesting points which happen in future events of the series without spoiling. Can't wait to see your future analysis on Aot. Keep up the good work😆.
Ayeee! Another Attack on Titan video! I've been waiting for this. Wow, I was not expecting you to talk about Helos and his effect on the Attack on Titan world. Very good job man. I loved it. And I agree with the fact that there are no good guys or bad guys. They're all just fighting for what they believe is right.
You can actually tell that it's a lie just from the statue itself. The image is of Helios killing a Titan or delivering a "final blow" of sorts, but he's not stabbing for the nape of the neck at all. In fact, we've seen people stab a Titan in the mouth multiple times in the series only to be devoured moments later. It's obvious that the people in Marley are completely ignorant of how Titans are killed, otherwise they'd know something was up right away. Nice artistic foreshadowing to the Helios story being BS, even before anyone explains it.
AoT is definitely one of those once in a generation type of animes with the likes of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Monster, Akira, Legend of The Galactic Heroes, etc. Like I haven’t seen an anime written so goddamn brilliant in such a long time, with the last show I can compare to in recent time would be Death Note. AoT is simply beyond a masterpiece.
@@Therealblxckmale its really different lol I ended up loving it but I had to come at it from a different angle. It's more of a character study than anything.
Aleczandxr, great video as always my bro, I'm a trully fan of your analysis. What I'm about to say is not specific about your video, but for everyone reading this: All those cycles of war is not between Marlyans/World x Ymir, it is/was between Marlyans x Fritz Kingdom, Ymir just happened to be his slave for hundreds of years, the Ymir folks are literally slaves of Fritz kingdom, they are a tool, not the commander who decide things (until now ofc).
Now it makes even more sense why Eren was so obsessed with freedom right from the start. It reflects the irony due to how Eren himself becomes a slave.
So everyone seems to be a slave to some ideal, like freedom. Chained to it and unable to move away. AOT trully is a generation defining piece of anime/media. Whos influence would likelly be felt in decades to come, like Evangelion, Devilman or Akira.
Brilliantly video essay, eloquently expressed. A lot of your AoT analysis is how I often feel about the human condition. How societies are a parade of facades and futility, false prophets and ideals , comparable to Helos. A web of self imposed delusions that humanity has perpetuated in various cultures and points in history. So that we may allow ourselves to dream of peace. An endless cycle that never comes to fruition.
one of the first shots in the entire series is the statue of helos being melted/destroyed, in eren's dream. i wonder if this is supposed to represent the futility of the ideal he represents
This comment is misplaced. I’m aware of that, as evidenced by the fact that I articulated that in folklore/legend prose for the purposes of conveying the ingrained lies of history, and then went to talk about why it was propaganda.
“For everyone that falls another ten rise up to take their place, that’s a beautiful sentiment as long as you aren’t the corpse they replace” -CadianXXth
can we please talk about how smart that transition from reiner to eren at 1:51 is? i could not stop thinking about it for the entirety of the video 🥲 i always think the way magath mentions the statue of helos being hollow alludes to two possible things. on one hand, it’s like the symbol of helos himself is just an empty vessel into which soldiers and warriors can imprint themselves and their individual experiences-they are all trying to be their own types of heroes. on the other, it could be a reminder that the pursuit of helos’ “heroicism” is futile, that you will never accomplish what you’re seeking to do and that you’re all but a slave to the whims of forces apathetic to your struggles. or maybe i’m reading too much into it!
This video is entirely friendly for anime-only watchers at this moment, as long as you’re caught up with the episodes! Hope you enjoy.
I think Armin is the key of AOT
@@eco-techandtravel5258 Him, Eren and Reiner for sure
@@calcelmoanayru5870 i say Armin's approach only Armin story, perspective and view not show in AOT i think isayma willfully hide Armin.
Armins back story not show in show(it's only Armin and Armin is main character)
Armins perspective is best for AOT like situation.
@@eco-techandtravel5258 What??
*”Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future.”* - Unknown
I believe that quote was by Oscar Wilde. It's such a good quote.
Indeed it's Oscar wilde ......... I just finished playing dark pictures anthology little hope and that quote was just used lol
-j cole
"You've done great things, Zeke."
"Not yet."
And that hits HARDER.
I was already wondering about that line of his when he said it. I was like maaaaaybe it's some kind of foreshadowing :D
yeah...............
When was this said?
I don't remember where in the show/manga this was said. When did he say this?
@@szilveszterforgo8776 when did he say that line?
"History is written by the victors". I love how AoT explores this concept. Especially with the history Marley tells, contrasted with what Grisha and the restorationists believed. One side could be true, neither side could be, or a little bit of both sides. It's hard to say when you don't have the full picture and a lot of evidence is being disposed of, since it's deemed "controversial". Like Pixis recently said "A good way to tell a lie, is to mix some truth into it". So many great lines in this show, that applies very well to the real world. Things are rarely as they first seem. This also applies to how characters are first judged, yet makes a lot more sense once we get their perspective. Another thing AoT is exceptionally good at!
So it's like what Kenny said. They're drunk on being heroes.
*“All men are slave to their desires.”*
@@JEHOVAH-99 Buddha was correct to do away with desire.
All men and women are slave to their fate
Would Mr. Braus be an example of a freed Helos? He broke the cycle of pain by not avenging Sasha. It was like he freed himself and Gabi without causing new strife.
I don't know.. was he ever a Helos in the first place? He DID break the cycle but there was no pressure on him to be Helos like there is on Eren, Reiner, Erwin, Willy, warriors, etc.
@@soccerstuff8071 Hmm true. I guess a more correct way to phrase it would be that what he did is what should be celebrated/aspired to instead of what Helos stands for
@@ViRaL_Uno Definitely.
He's like a liberator of Helos. He's a beautiful man.
He did in fact break those chains
I think Eren realized this at some level. Someone had to make a tremendous sacrifice to break the cycle of hatred. I think Eren chose to bind himself to "the chains of Helos" so the world and his friends could experience the freedom he so desperately wants. It's really heart breaking
To defeat the monster known as hatred, he chose to become a monster born from hate. To bury the cycle of Helos, he chose to become Helos himself. To achieve freedom for him and his people, he became the biggest slave to it. It's the irony of Eren Yeager, and it's a masterful character writing.
@@Danny-zn3nz to defeat hatred, he became hatred. Well said
It’s like lelouch too. At some point he takes all of the world’s hate like some kind of savior without realizing how it won’t fix anything
@@TreyWayz44 I have always found Eren to be an incredibly unlikable character.
Lelouch's reincarnation
It’s such a shame to see Erwin become the Jaegerists’ Helos. After all he did for no other reason than to attain knowledge of the world, he becomes a symbol that will be used to manipulate and lie to people, a symbol that encourages ignorance and thoughtless violence, a mythological hero created by people who knew just how human and flawed he was. We thought his death was the end of the tragedy that surrounded him, but in death he only becomes more broken, his beliefs more compromised, and his mission more hopeless.
That's one of the most prevalent themes. Erwin betrayed his own ideals for this dream of his, and as a result he was misinterpreted and his legacy is a false ghost of what he really would have wanted to represent. It's very tragic and it's always been the thing I think about most in the manga.
Although I agree that Erwin's ideals and goals were twisted enough to make him appear as the Jaegerists' Helos, I cannot help but think that he would have supported the Jaegerists nonetheless.
He would probably be overwhelmed with joy, since there were other people outside the walls. However, I feel like he would have lost it at that point and become mad towards the world. He might have project all that he had done, all the people he had had killed and blame it on the world.
I feel like the constant questioning Levi put Erwin through in their final flashbacks, the ones about what Erwin would do if this goal of his were to be realized, was a subtle foreshadowing for this.
His motivation was to uncover the truth of the world. His beliefs was always putting the mission first to help his country even through sacrifices to get that victory. Just at the end it happened to be his time to lead the charge for that victory with certain death looming. What the Jaegerist are doing is for their people just that some see it as bad cause of their own people(namely fellow islanders) being killed by them. My problem with that is people seem to gloss over the fact Erwin green lit an operation in the capital to reveal Annie as a Titan even if many innocent people of his own country died in the process. So he has also killed innocents to realize Humanity's(Eldia's) path so no I don't see the Jaegerist as disrespecting Erwin's wishes. If anything the Jaegerist would've never happened on his watch cause he would've already tried to find contact with Zeke in Marley with the risk or Government approval be damned(Like Eren).
@@Kaanuzall on point
@@irshadtarsoo7734 I think the original comment is much more on point
The amount of symbolism and hidden meanings to analyze in this story is mind blowing. Great analysis, looking forward to more AoT content.
Truly pog
I've seen this guy comments on multiple videos across yt jesus christ your everwhere
@@daytimelantern6570 it's a bot
stfu
Hi,agin
I know this is kind of your whole thing, but I must say I’m super impressed by your ability to understand the themes and ideas that lie beneath the surface in this manga/show, especially since the show has only recently started tackling them itself.
Amazing video and analysis, as always! Can’t wait for part two of this season, you guys have no idea what’s coming.
Thanks so much for the kind words, I really appreciate them :)
Attack on Titan essentially does half of my work for me though, haha.
I swear he does this for every video. I've never seen somebody that can analyze stuff so well. It's really an amazing talent to have
@@darknesswave100 may I introduce you to any major philosopher
@@l1mbo69 yes actually please and thank you
@@sitowat lmao
Erwin betrayed his own ideals for this dream of his, and as a result he was misinterpreted and his legacy is a false ghost of what he really would have wanted to represent. It's very tragic and it's always been the thing I think about most in the manga.
Can you elaborate on this? What do you mean he betrayed his own ideals?
@@carlitos366 he wanted to know prove that in the world beyond the walls are other humans he lead many scouts to death and in the end he didnt want to turn into a titan he didnt take the vaccine
@@carlitos366 His dream was to learn the truth, but he discarded that dream and died to keep humanity's hopes alive. See more in this video: th-cam.com/video/bVpRCySUx3Y/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Aleczandxr
There's an interesting coincidence with the name itself "Helos". In ancient Greece there was a town in region Laconia called Helos, which was found by Heleius a youngest son of Perseus. The interesting part to me here is the fact that this town was inhabited by slaves.
Helios = Sun
I'm absolutely in love with idea that Helos is this empty husk that only operates ideally in the realm of romanticized unreality. This is because when it makes the transition into reality usually through someone embodying him, the hollow husk has to be filled with the individual tragedies that work to build this person into who they are in order for them to become 'Helos' so instead of an heroic spirit, under the lens of reality Helos becomes this curse as a result of this ideal adapting to the human condition.
It boggles the mind how varied and diverse these "Heloses" are. This cast is wonderful and everyone plays a role, no matter how big or small. And so many of them are these destined "heroes." Willy, Gabi, Kruger, Eren, Ymir, Reiner, Zeke, Erwin, even Armin and Mikasa and Levi. It's so sad.
Falco, Jean, Grisha, and many others as well.
AOT is a treasure trove of symbolism and hidden meanings, there's enough mysteries in there to last for 100 analysis segments
🤤🤤
Putain mais t'es absolument partout.
Based
Ayyyyyeeeee not only are you a man of gains but a man o culture too!
Banger title, banger music, banger atmosphere, banger points. Awesome and it encapsulates what AoT is all about while hinting at future manga content without spoiling anything for anime-only.
Much appreciated. Yeah I threw in some bits of stuff that manga readers will probably notice but it's fairly innocuous for anime only watchers.
@@Aleczandxr ...
Epic
This one skyrocketed amongst my favorites of yours. SnK is truly a storytelling masterpiece. I hope we get to see the chains of Helos being lifted even though I’m doubtful about it.
Brilliant to hear Joshua, I really tried to make this one special so that means a lot :)
Unrelated but the Chains of Helos sounds badass as all hell
Sounds like a special move from Saint Seiya
Actually that's pretty related since it's the title!
Sounds like an old school metal band name ngl
it actually does.
Am I the only one who finds Aleczandxr's voice extremely soothing?
Nope
I always understood Helos being faceless as propaganda, so Marleyans could imagine themselves in his shoes. But now I see it has other functions in the narrative. Great video.
Cheers.
I think that what you understood Helos to be and what was brought up in the video to not be mutually exclusive. Since Helos is a faceless symbol, that leaves room for someone to be molded into said symbol, to inherit the mantle of Helos. After all, the statue is empty, but all it takes is for a person, or even multiple persons on different sides of strife to embody the not-so-empty spirit and become what it was missing.
However, as described in the video, it ends up being comprised of tragedy and trauma of whoever takes that role, which leads them into the chains of the myth of the "hero" they had to become. Only, in the end, they become the Devil in the eyes of others, that may not be swept up in the radiance of the supposed ideal that Helos stood for. All this does is perpetuate the need for another Helos, and the cycle continues.
tl;dr: What you originally thought is still applicable.
"Even at this moment, I have no choice but to grip it firmly." That hits hard.
“They all had something they were drunk on. They were all a slave to something.” Whether you want to be a hero, or to liberate your people, or to be free, until we die, we are all slaves.
@@michaelyu6250 indeed. He’s always ready to give us some insightful knowledge about the themes of Attack on Titan
Is there anyway to free yourself from this mental slavery though? How do you not become drunk on something, that's what I'm having trouble thinking about.
@@ezekielwriter2620 Self-awareness, perspective, and empathy.
@@sanguis_aeternus-x Death
@@ezekielwriter2620 you can’t
I predict this will hold up well after chapter 139.
Me too, we'll see what happens!
By the way things are looking I doubt that
@@mr.unknown731 Let's hope that its fake.
@@nadhifbhagawantahadiprayit975 Nope. An ending with undercooked characters and Eren being unraveled to a small child having a panic attack. This guy's channel can get so much money if he can look into what happened to Isayama and his production behind the scenes that caused this underwhelming ending with plot holes and retcons. Almost like critical drinker.
@@mr.unknown731 it is sad that so many people wish that everything MUST be explained to its core. Sometimes endings should be left for the reader to interpret. He should let his imagination go wild and speculate. This is the fantastic world of fiction. If everything is to be served in a plate, that would be sad actually. Nevertheless, Isayama did a phenomenal job at explaining and foreshadowing things until the very end. It is our turn to imagine why and how some things happened. That way we will never forget the masterpiece that AoT is.
Wow, when I first saw this title, I assumed the focus would be on Helos as an abstract concept to some extent, but also as a specific nod to Reiner carrying on the mantle of the concept within the structure of the plot, and how he ties in with what it symbolically represented in both negative and potentially positive manners. Which would be a great topic in itself theoretically, since I think Reiner is clearly enmeshed with the idea of being a hero, and it would be fascinating to delve into him more specifically (though I am biased, he's probably my favorite character of the story thus far).
Instead, you surpassed my expectations brilliantly and made the very ideal of Helos as the perennial hero in the history of Attack on Titan's world into a larger commentary on the overarching theme of the entire narrative itself (even the name itself evokes the word "hero" rather clearly)! That larger narrative of course being the cycle of violence, of war, of hatred, and of the chains which define the story as a whole, as you so eloquently delineated in relation to Eldia and Marley, and even beyond them. I love how you brought in the vital notion of perspectivism into the mix, since this is a philosophical outline Isayama has clearly pursued with a lot of vigor throughout the latter parts of the story all the way to the end in the manga. Seeing all the different sides, understanding the very different perspectives that perpetuate the cycles at play but also justify the very human actions and reactions that dictate the history of this world, it all resonates so strongly with what AoT is all about on a thematic level. Tracing how each major character, and even integral minor ones like Willy, fit into the mold of Helos as a concept was truly awesome, and I really commend how you explored the deep-seated problems that defined the idea and its role in the story.
Honestly, the central theme that you outline in this video genuinely is one of the most compelling elements that has helped elevate AoT so much as it matured both in storytelling style and substance, particularly following the timeskip and the Marley Arc's commencement. The relevance and parallelism to our own real-world history, the abstract themes of freedom and slavery, of violence and ideology...it all really feels like Isayama's setup ended up truly making these universal questions feel potent again within the context of his tale, in a story that I initially never would have imagined would pull it off quite this effectively. By way of an interesting comparison, some of what you covered in this video briefly reminded me of that argument Kiritsugu and Saber have in Fate/Zero (episode 16 I believe) regarding the true nature of heroes and honor, and of humanity itself. AoT constructed an entire glorious narrative around that idea instead, of course, but it still touches on many of those concepts, and of how heroes are used as propaganda to justify the perpetuation of human foolishness, trapping us all in the chains of romanticized violence and glory, linking to concepts like race, nationalism etc.
Either way, it feels like there is so much to say on this topic, but the way you expressed it so succinctly through the metaphor of the chains of Helos and the idea of the hero in AoT's world, encompassing all the larger themes evolving throughout the story as a whole, really was impressive. Well done as usual, friend!
Well I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and thanks so very much! Reiner is probably the most direct parallel (though a few others come close) due to his Marleyan origin and his fixation on saving the world and being the hero, and I really love his character too! But yeah, I wanted to go in a different direction with this one.
I totally agree on the Fate/Zero parallel, I think the "Helos" symbol is essentially the romantic "hero" that Kiritsugu despises the concept of. It's essentially one of the cruxes of Kiritsugu's ideology but it being an even more central concept in Attack on Titan is really cool given how distinct from one another the two stories are. It seems like you've read the manga but I don't know for sure so I won't spoil, but essentially (like I mentioned in the video) I sincerely doubt that any of this cycle will ever stop unless the constant need for this figure ceases. It didn't cease in Fate/Zero and the story continued. Hopefully it ceases in AoT, but we'll see!
@@Aleczandxr Thanks for the response man, as usual! I am indeed a manga reader, and I found this video particularly interesting in the context of the story leading into the final chapter! I wonder exactly how Isayama will incorporate the theme you're discussing here into the closure that he opts to go with. I really hope he pulls off something special with the ending, considering the progress the narrative of AoT has made over its run as a story from start to finish.
What are your thoughts, generally speaking (and vaguely speaking, if we want to avoid spoilers for other readers of the comments), of the direction the story has gone as of chapter 138? Do you believe the ending can live up to how good the story has become, thematically or otherwise, or will it be difficult as it stands?
Well I've mainly been putting my thoughts about it after every chapter on Twitter but to sum up essentially overall I'd say that the Rumbling has been a very good stretch of storytelling (with arguably the best chapter of the series in 131) that overall isn't quite as masterful as RTS/Marley/WfP, but I love 137 and 138 and have confidence that Isayama can pull off a terrific ending - although at the same time I'm a little concerned because there is simply so much left to conclude, so many threads. But's we'll see how it goes!
@@Aleczandxr Yeah, I generally agree with that summary of your sentiments for the most part, as well as holding a similar sense of trepidation about how Yams will manage to cover all the relevant plot threads effectively for a really effective and comprehensive closure. I'm genuinely hoping the final chapter is double length at least, or something like that, because this narrative really deserves a fitting and strong ending!
This is my favourite piece of work about Attack on Titan outside of Attack on Titan.
Helos is just as important figuratively as Ymir Fritz is important physically.
So Helos is stuck in this constant cycle of conflict and temporary peace by reincarnating in different people. He's a slave to this reality
Just another day for alec hearing ‘grt job’
Haha, thanks! I appreciate them all nonetheless.
Lol. Can you really blame us tho?
The "Chains of Helos" is such a badass title wtf
It's like the best Harry Potter title ever
Gandalf was the best Harry Potter Wizard.
He wad probably my favorite character.
@@comradecameron3726 Gandalf is a lord of the rings character
@@comradecameron3726 although his actor did also act as dumbledore from movie 3 to 6
@@michaelromano611 no GAMBONS did Dumbledore and Ian mckellin did GANDALF
Super well written and connected, applying the idea of Helos to beyond just Marley.
Last chapter in a few weeks ... what a ride we’ve all been in 😭😭 Can’t wait to see how Isayama wraps everything up
The world is a cruel place.
Thank you, and I can't wait either!
Incredible work as always, it's a really interesting take on a symbol we didnt think more of in the show.
Thanks very much!
Lol what a brilliant, tragic, realistic and impactful video essay of an amazing story and a subtle subtext. You're truly quite brilliant in your series analysis. Many times thanks
Much appreciated.
The idea you brought up is quite possibly the most beautiful theory I,ve heard in *months*
Well thank you! This symbol really does recontextualize a lot of the characters from earlier in the story too so I think it's a concept that Isayama always had in mind - he just put it into form through Helos in Marley.
@@Aleczandxr I wanted to ask you do you have any future plans to for berserk videos ? They're one of the best berserk content imo
This is (part of) why Willy is such a great and underrated character.
Seriously your analyses are always on point, its a joy to watch
Thank you!
Took me a few days to get around to watching this, but this is genuinely my favorite video of yours. I love the deep dive into the philosophy of not just the characters of this story, but of an entire archetype this story embodies.
That’s awesome, happy to hear that! I definitely think it’s among my best so it’s great to see others agree. Thanks!
Great video and a wonderful explanation, also great choice of visuals! It goes to show how great AOT really is once you actually start to break it down and discover all of its symbolisms. You know a show is well made and special when you can actually analyze its carefully chosen music + opening/ED themes all by themselves without even watching the show and still get a feel of what this show is about. The manga is really damn good but the amount of work and planning that went into making the anime feel the way it does is just mindblowing to me personally -sorry for poor grammar
Thanks for all your work, most of us really appreciate this!
You're very welcome, it's a genuine pleasure to be able to talk about this story. Very glad you enjoyed, AND that you're enjoying the adaptation!
I just love how you created such a beautiful essay out of a made up character on a made up story lmao... love it
I swear this man could put out a video about the history of wallpaper and how it dries and I'd be thoroughly entertained by it lol
i have no idea what you’re saying magic man, but i like it. (but honestly though, i love the way how you analyze these things.)
Haha, cool.
BEAUTIFUL music. Those Pokemon themes are so fitting.
Glad you think so!
u deeped it to another level. and imma just be honest, this brought chills down my spine. the message u interpreted just blew me away
Thank you!
Man your voice is calming forget your Excellent content and together it's just a bliss to watch
I only watch those anime you cover
Thank you for Haikyuu
Much obliged :)
Just finished reading the manga, and I love how you chose to describe Eren as the "dictator of the plot". That's such an accurate depiction.
Watching this after reading the final chapter hits different. AoT is truly Pieck fiction
Thanks for making this amazing video about this monumental series
My pleasure! Thanks for watching.
What a great piece of narration ! Thank you for uploading
Glad you enjoyed it!
Sometimes I forget that you don't have 100+ million subscribers because you deserve all the glory. Great job as always. (When you review an anime I haven't watch I put it on my "to watch list" so I can watch your video breaking it down, you make me enjoy them better after the fact)
Aw, thanks so much! That gesture means a lot to me and I'm glad that the videos are so valuable for you.
Excellent analysis!
another vid, another amazing job done, and another manly shed tear. Even though my expecations just get higher and higher, your videos never fail to meet and exceed them, every time.
I'm happy that you enjoyed so much!
that was a really good video and im so happy you talked about Helos cause iv been waiting for a video like this for a while so im so happy you made this video
Thanks!
"Helos is a slave"... I dunno, but that sounds like Eldian propaganda to me. Damn devils.
Based
We woke would never.
Been following for a couple years and I’m really happy this channel is getting the recognition it deserves your videos a great keep it up!
Much appreciated :)
Great Work As Always , hoping for more on AOT
Thank you!
@@Aleczandxr Keep these coming, Great fan of you and AOT
This video still holds up after the ending! This has to be my favourite video about Aot, good job
Thanks!
Another great video as always. I swear I've never watched somebody on youtube that can analyze things as well as you can. It's just hard to believe that in a few weeks time this brilliant manga will be finished. Plus the whole 139 thing with the meaning of 13 years and 9 shifters was sly on isayama's part lol
Thanks so much! And absolutely, fingers crossed for a masterful final chapter!
Great work again! Really loved it.. The idea, way of speaking, music and editing everything was great
Thanks a ton!
It's always me on the toilet when I see a new Aleczandxr video. And it's about AOT too, this will be good.
Been waiting for another AoT video. LET’S GOOOOOO
Helios = The Sun.
The "natural" resource found only on Paradis from the titan cave is called *Ice* burst crystal.
When Magath says the statue is hollow, alluding to the story and myth being fake, adds another layer.
It would be ironic if the story ended with the world "trapped like birds in a (ice) cage" while Eren and the giants (Eldians) roam outside the giant ice walls (Antarctica)
Mikasa's line signature line in S1. "The world is cruel, yet beautiful at the same time." I want to believe that despite Helos being a means to an end, a symbol in chains used to perpetuate violence and cruelty, I want to believe that somewhere that it is a symbol that inspired freedom, of hope for a better future. I just don't know if its the beauty of that freedom is at its core, the symbol that inspires cruelty is at its core, or the tragic beauty that this symbol of freedom inspires cruelty. I just want to believe that Mikasa is right, that even within all the cruelty, beauty exists.
Amazing video. Such a great piece of content and symbolism that are overlooked in both the manga and anime. Your analysis adds so much depth and meaning to the story as a whole.
Once I get my financial situation together I will be sure to support your content, as your videos enrich so much my experience of these shows.
Please continue making those!
Thank you so much and I'm delighted that it was valuable in that way, that was essentially the intent. And I really appreciate your intent to support me, every little bit helps these days if I want to continue being able to make these! Thanks so much again.
Eyyy completely forgot this channel.
Love your HxH stuff dude. I'll probably like this too when I finish this comment and actually watch it like a normal person :p
Cool, hope you enjoyed.
Really well crafted and unique analysis I've seen in a while. Bought up really interesting points which happen in future events of the series without spoiling. Can't wait to see your future analysis on Aot. Keep up the good work😆.
Many thanks!
Always great to hear your thoughts!
Appreciated :)
Ayeee! Another Attack on Titan video! I've been waiting for this. Wow, I was not expecting you to talk about Helos and his effect on the Attack on Titan world. Very good job man. I loved it. And I agree with the fact that there are no good guys or bad guys. They're all just fighting for what they believe is right.
Thanks for checking it out, so glad you loved it!
I could listen to you all day long :)
ELITE analysis as always
Much appreciated!
You can actually tell that it's a lie just from the statue itself. The image is of Helios killing a Titan or delivering a "final blow" of sorts, but he's not stabbing for the nape of the neck at all. In fact, we've seen people stab a Titan in the mouth multiple times in the series only to be devoured moments later. It's obvious that the people in Marley are completely ignorant of how Titans are killed, otherwise they'd know something was up right away.
Nice artistic foreshadowing to the Helios story being BS, even before anyone explains it.
I could be wrong but I think the statue of him is supposed to be him slaying the Devil of All Earth.
dude this is impressive, im obsessed with this show but hadn't thought about this.
Please keep making aot related videos! Would love to hear your in depth analysis of some of its themes and characters. There's so much to talk about!
Amazing video! AoT has such depth and room for analysis
Thank you!
great analysis (like always lbh), I'll be sobbing in the corner now until next January
Thanks! And me too tbh..
Good work.
HOLY CRAP! FINALLY, A NEW AOT VIDEO
Damn last time I was this early, Marco was still whole
Bro..... too soon....
Man now is only half the person he used to be
Finally got around to watching this after praising the title and loved it.
Man, you make the best videos! Many thanks for making them ;)
My pleasure!
AoT is definitely one of those once in a generation type of animes with the likes of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Monster, Akira, Legend of The Galactic Heroes, etc. Like I haven’t seen an anime written so goddamn brilliant in such a long time, with the last show I can compare to in recent time would be Death Note. AoT is simply beyond a masterpiece.
Thanks for the anime recommendations lmao
@@djic np g. if you do like any of the anime’s listed i would also recommend Serial Experiments Lain and Ghost in The Shell as well.
Not gone lie. Neon was dookie water
I’d say Hunter x Hunter as well
@@Therealblxckmale its really different lol I ended up loving it but I had to come at it from a different angle. It's more of a character study than anything.
Aleczandxr, great video as always my bro, I'm a trully fan of your analysis.
What I'm about to say is not specific about your video, but for everyone reading this: All those cycles of war is not between Marlyans/World x Ymir, it is/was between Marlyans x Fritz Kingdom, Ymir just happened to be his slave for hundreds of years, the Ymir folks are literally slaves of Fritz kingdom, they are a tool, not the commander who decide things (until now ofc).
Now it makes even more sense why Eren was so obsessed with freedom right from the start. It reflects the irony due to how Eren himself becomes a slave.
I never thought of this. Amazing man.
This shot in the anime gives me chills.
I didn't really "like" Attack on Titan but I think this video put me over the edge. I think I get it now.
Well looks like Isayama concludes that the chains of Helos will remain.. it's that that they're not as tight as they once were, perhaps.
thanks for the cool video, man. you're my hero. 🔥🔥
You're very welcome!
So everyone seems to be a slave to some ideal, like freedom. Chained to it and unable to move away.
AOT trully is a generation defining piece of anime/media. Whos influence would likelly be felt in decades to come, like Evangelion, Devilman or Akira.
I think it's already as much (if not more) of a phenomenon as those, we'll see how influential it becomes.
...
I like Helos' design, I kinda want to cosplay him XD
The only anime content creator that if i watch i have to watch on 2x speed.
Great vid as always
Thanks!
Brilliantly video essay, eloquently expressed.
A lot of your AoT analysis is how I often feel about the human condition.
How societies are a parade of facades and futility, false prophets and ideals , comparable to Helos.
A web of self imposed delusions that humanity has perpetuated in various cultures and points in history. So that we may allow ourselves to dream of peace.
An endless cycle that never comes to fruition.
Well thanks very much! AoT is very reflection of humanity’s awful echoes throughout history so I totally understand what you mean.
This was awesome. Good job!
Thanks!
Finally a good reason to not continuously scroll through tiktok n waste another day😩
It was a great video but to be honest you shouldn't need a reason to not scroll through tiktok ;)
zoomer moment
one of the first shots in the entire series is the statue of helos being melted/destroyed, in eren's dream. i wonder if this is supposed to represent the futility of the ideal he represents
Great title to a great video
Marley isn’t a kingdom, it’s a military dictatorship. They even say this on a public information available page.
This comment is misplaced. I’m aware of that, as evidenced by the fact that I articulated that in folklore/legend prose for the purposes of conveying the ingrained lies of history, and then went to talk about why it was propaganda.
@@Aleczandxr “Kingdom of Marley” is bad terminology
Please read what I wrote. It was purposefully said in a false and ironic way for the purpose of the style of video.
“For everyone that falls another ten rise up to take their place, that’s a beautiful sentiment as long as you aren’t the corpse they replace” -CadianXXth
No one is truly free in this cycle, wow
I want to know your whole thoughts on the whole AOT
can we please talk about how smart that transition from reiner to eren at 1:51 is? i could not stop thinking about it for the entirety of the video 🥲
i always think the way magath mentions the statue of helos being hollow alludes to two possible things. on one hand, it’s like the symbol of helos himself is just an empty vessel into which soldiers and warriors can imprint themselves and their individual experiences-they are all trying to be their own types of heroes. on the other, it could be a reminder that the pursuit of helos’ “heroicism” is futile, that you will never accomplish what you’re seeking to do and that you’re all but a slave to the whims of forces apathetic to your struggles.
or maybe i’m reading too much into it!
WAKE UP BABE ALECZANDXR DROPPED AN ATTACK ON TITAN VIDEO