The ending of Attack on Titan has left an indelible mark on the history of anime, stirring a depth of emotions rarely paralleled in the genre. In the final episode of Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3, viewers were confronted with the culmination of Eren Yeager’s enigmatic purpose and an unraveling of his complex emotions, particularly towards Mikasa Ackerman. This climactic conclusion not only revealed Eren’s true intentions but also unearthed the profound depth of his feelings for Mikasa, adding a profound layer of poignancy to the series’ conclusion.
The Fallout from Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3
The big fight was back on as the Scout Regiment rushed to stop more damage caused by the Rumbling. It was super intense and scary because Eren was making it really tough for everyone. The scouts were in a big hurry, knowing that this battle was super important for all of humanity. Eren was like a powerful force that they had to deal with, and it felt like everything was at stake. The excitement was through the roof as everyone got ready for a huge showdown full of action and suspense, all to figure out what would happen next in the fight for survival.
Caution: This content includes spoilers for the newly aired finale of Attack on Titan. The viewpoints expressed here are solely those of the author and may not reflect the opinions of others.
The battleground transformed into a frenzied symphony of chaos as the Scouts relentlessly fought to halt Eren’s relentless advance. Titans clashed, ODM gear whirred through the air, and bone fragments littered the battlefield, signifying the intensity of the confrontation. The initial strategy to eliminate Zeke failed, leading to a desperate attempt to lure both Eren and Zeke by unleashing Armin’s Colossal Titan form to detonate the colossal bone structure. However, their plans were shattered when the ancestral spirits of the Nine Titans restrained Armin, plunging the Scouts into an overwhelming tide of enemies, with the sheer number of Titan duplicates threatening to engulf them all.
Amidst the chaos, Pieck’s valiant attempt to target Eren’s vulnerable nape was thwarted as the War Hammer Titan’s copy impaled her. With their situation spiraling out of control and the team facing the imminent danger of losing key members like Jean and Reiner, panic and desperation took hold. ODM gears malfunctioned, leaving the fighters in a dire predicament against the seemingly endless Titan horde.
In a moment of impending doom, a ray of hope emerged as Falco, Gabi, and Annie soared into the fray atop Falco’s Titan form, equipped with newfound wings. Their daring rescue mission granted a brief respite to the beleaguered Scouts, albeit at the cost of sacrificing the Azumabito boat for their swift arrival.
With a momentary pause in the chaos, Levi devised a dual-pronged strategy: one team would aim to save Armin while the other attempted to rescue Pieck and target Eren’s nape. The plan involved a coordinated attack on Eren’s skull and tailbone simultaneously, aimed at dividing and conquering the seemingly infinite Titan forces.
However, amidst the tumultuous battle, wavering resolve plagued the group. Mikasa grappled with the devastating prospect of having to confront and potentially kill Eren, while Levi found himself questioning the worth of their unrelenting struggle. As doubt threatened to undermine their efforts, Annie lent her support, guiding Mikasa’s focus toward rescuing Armin and enabling Levi to quash his own uncertainties.
Meanwhile, in the darkest hour of the conflict, Armin ventured into The Paths, witnessing the relentless devastation caused by the Colossal Titans as they stomped ceaselessly, obliterating everything in their wake. Amidst the turmoil within The Paths, a profound debate unfolded between Armin and Zeke regarding life’s purpose—multiplication versus survival. Armin rejected nihilism, choosing to cherish life’s precious moments, even the simplest joys like dead leaves dancing in the wind, while Zeke grappled with his own realization, finding solace in a baseball as a symbol of the precious things in life.
Their conversation shifted Zeke’s perspective, compelling him to aid the resistance by awakening Eldians to join the cause and allowing Levi to end his life. The combined efforts of Levi, Team 1’s attack on Eren’s nape, and Armin’s transformation ultimately halted The Rumbling, offering a fleeting moment of celebration amid the prevailing chaos.
But the battle was far from over. A colossal anomalous being, The Source of All Living Matter, resiliently survived and converted the remaining combatants into Titans, initiating a final onslaught toward Eren. Unyielding in his determination, Eren reformed into a formidable version of the Attack Titan, signaling the climax of the confrontation.
Faced with the relentless onslaught, the remaining Scouts summoned their last reserves of strength to confront this unending madness. Amidst the chaos, Reiner, Pieck, and Annie valiantly held back the anomaly while Armin, Falco, Levi, and Mikasa united to confront and ultimately decapitate Eren, finally extinguishing the looming threat. In this climactic moment, even the enigmatic founder, Ymir, appeared to smile as the turbulent chapter drew to a close.
Eren’s Last Moments: The Heart-Wrenching Farewell at the End
In the poignant climax of Attack on Titan, Eren, the series’ central figure, shared his final words with Mikasa and Armin within the ethereal realm of the Paths. Encountering Ymir’s intervention, Eren and Mikasa embarked on a haunting vision, an alternate reality prior to the Paradise invasion. In this surreal moment, Eren urged Mikasa to let go of him, to move forward, and to seek happiness with someone else.
The second encounter unveiled a powerful flashback between Armin and Eren, tracing their journey from childhood to their present selves. Eren revealed his motivations and actions, expressing that his driving force had always been the protection and well-being of his friends. He grappled with the reality that he had lost control since the night he was captured by the Reiss family.
In a climactic showdown, Armin confronted Eren, reminding him that life perpetually finds its way. Armin’s punch punctuated the bittersweet moment, guiding Eren to understand that, despite hardships, their paths would converge again. The restored memories of Armin and others, along with the eradication of the Titanic powers from the world, marked a pivotal turning point.
As a profound revelation, the veil was lifted on the reason behind the founder’s relentless commitment—a love for King Fritz akin to Eren’s actions. Ymir, liberated from 2,000 years of oppression by Mikasa, expressed gratitude as she departed, leading to the eradication of Titans from the world.
Amidst this tapestry of closure, the resolve for peace was on display as Armin echoed his past actions, this time standing against armed Marleyans, a symbolic moment akin to his earlier impassioned plea for Eren’s survival.
The relentless cycle of hate and vengeance, ingrained for generations, gradually dissipated as the world faced an imminent threat. The Jaegerists persisted, yet their animosity was countered by the persuasive words of Historia and the Scouts’ diplomatic efforts, a challenging but necessary task.
This theme of rejecting cyclical hate reverberated throughout the story, from Gabi learning to release her grudge to Reiner finding common ground with once-dehumanized adversaries. The pivotal moment when a Marleyan officer relinquished the grip of hatred embodied the culmination of these efforts.
The narrative, illustrated through a three-year time skip, elucidated the aftermath of war. An anime-exclusive scene depicted Gabi and Falco nurturing the land, symbolically planting trees near the colossal footprints, embodying the aspirational call for healing and restoration.
The denouement emphasized the core essence of Attack on Titan: the pursuit of enduring peace and the fruitlessness of violence rooted in the “sins of the father” doctrine. The heroes, now ambassadors for peace, succeeded in negotiating for harmony, guided by their poignant encounters with their departed comrades.
The epilogue, restructured and embellished in the anime rendition, resonated with a heightened emotional intensity. From the Scouts advocating for peace to heartbreaking scenes like Mikasa visiting Eren’s grave, every moment carried profound weight.
Centuries of peace on Paradis were secured, far removed from the trials of Eren and his companions, allowing the heroes to find solace, build families, and embrace tranquility. The promise of a lasting, peaceful era was finally within grasp, a testament to the heroes’ enduring legacy and their relentless pursuit of a world free from the shackles of conflict.
words from Hajime Isayama Sensei after the finale
Reflecting back on that now, he continued by saying, “It would have been nice if I could have changed the ending. Writing manga is supposed to be freeing.” “If true creative freedom were mine, altering the ending should have been within reach. I might have steered it differently, venturing into an entirely new path, empowered to make a narrative shift.”.
-Hajime isayama
In retrospect, the author reflected, expressing a poignant sentiment: “I wish I had the opportunity to alter the ending. The essence of creating manga is rooted in the concept of freedom.” He grappled with the realization that, despite the perceived liberty inherent in the craft, a profound sense of restraint existed. This restraint, he suggested, inhibited his ability to truly exercise absolute creative freedom, questioning his authority to steer the story in a different direction and ultimately pondering what could have been and the weight of such decisions in the realm of storytelling.
conclusion
The finale of Attack on Titan invoked a crescendo of emotions, concluding a narrative woven with intricate themes of sacrifice, friendship, and the futile cycle of hatred. The series’ culmination, while leaving some pondering alternate directions, stands as a testament to the complexities of storytelling and the burden of creative choices.
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