I
can’t believe it’s already been a year since I wrote the original
post on this matter. We got much more information about Eren now, and
it’s about time that I make an updated version.
Isayama
put a lot of development into Eren’s character during the first 5
arcs. While Armin and Mikasa didn’t get that much development in certain
arcs even though they are the main characters, Eren’s development was
in central focus in each arc. It showed us that he cherishes and
loves his friends, and that he values each person’s life. Levi
quickly realized this after meeting him, which is why he formed his new team with
Eren’s most valuable friends, because he knew that Eren would work
even harder to protect them.
But
many people seemed to forget who Eren really is. Everything that Eren
has done post timeskip contradicts his earlier development.
Four years ago, Hajime Isayama alluded to the possibility of the friendship between Eren and Armin coming to an end.
“[Armin’s story is] still up in the air for me, but I just don’t see ending things with him being best friends with Eren forever.”
– Hajime Isayama, Attack in Titan: The Anime Guide (2014)
Now, Chapter 112 has finally made this possibility real. Zeke has taught him much during their time together in Marley whether in person or through letters, and Eren now sees his friends in a new light because of it.
Some people are of the opinion that none of what Eren has said is true to him, and that he’s lying to his friends to protect them from whatever he is about to do for the sake of Eldia through Zeke’s currently unknown plan. But after some thinking, I’ve begun to see Eren’s conversation in a different light.
Eren is not lying to his friends. He is lying to himself.
When Reiner told Gabi and the rest of his family about the 104th, he described Mikasa as someone who’s blindly loyal to Eren: a boy “whose head is filled only with revenge.”
He didn’t refer to Mikasa (or Eren) by name, and I doubt Gabi knows the name of the solider who saved her anyway, but I find it rather poignant that Gabi was first “introduced” to Mikasa as someone who’s blindly loyal to a child’s need for revenge no matter what. Given the chance to prove Reiner’s words true, Mikasa instead saves Gabi, of all people, from a child’s revenge—instinctively, immediately, and without hesitation.
Okay but can we all give a huge round of applause for Sashas parents for not succumbing to revenge and taking their anger out on Gabi. Here we have them face to face with the person who killed their daughter and have every right to feel bitterness and hatred towards her.
And what do they do?
They take responsibility for how screwed up their world is by admitting that the faults and tragedies that continue to repeat themselves time and time again, is because Adults have continuously sent children to hell without taking any responsibility for themselves. Something we’ve seen plenty of with characters like, Annie, Eren, Reiner, so much tragedy and pain experienced by children when they shouldn’t have to go through that in the first place.
Here, in a world where we see plenty of hatred, violence and rage. They choose kindness. They choose mercy. A shining example that there is still good in humanity, even when things get bad.
I’m sorry Anon, I’m not quite sure what you mean! Are you saying Eren might “sisterzone” Mikasa or that the writing is? I’ll answer both, if that’s okay.
The writing definitely is not “sisterzoning” Mikasa. Mikasa’s feelings I think are abundantly clear after chapter 50, in which it’s entirely possible she was moving to kiss him during the Clash of the Titans Arc. For the record, I didn’t ship it until chapter 50, though I did always think she had feelings for him.
I don’t think it’s a realistic reading to deny that Mikasa canonically has romantic feelings for Eren–it’s kind of blatant. Furthermore, Falco’s feelings for Gabi also clearly have a romantic component; pretending to be siblings doesn’t really change that and I just don’t think that situation is the best comparison as I doubt it’ll have further relevance.
As for how Eren sees Mikasa, that’s a different story all together, and Isayama pointing out Eren sees her as a motherly presence is not the same thing as saying Mikasa sees herself in a maternal sense (but there is some Oedipal-ness there). And it’s true–Mikasa is always trying to protect him as Carla asked her to do, but she would have done that anyways because she pretty clearly sees him as a major part of her identity, even to an unhealthy extent which I’ve talked about before, and that protectiveness is actually pushing Eren away in some sense. I do think the end goal of Mikasa’s arc has to be growing away from Eren; that being said, it’s not unrealistic to imagine that Eren would realize they could have had a happy future if, if, if.
If the circumstances of their world weren’t so cruel.
If they didn’t have to constantly fight to survive.
If Eren didn’t have a time limit on his lifespan.
If he’d decided not to go to Marlay.
Eren’s arc is tragic as hell. Even looking at the symbolism in the scene from chapter 50. Mikasa is essentially telling him she loves him, maybe wants to kiss him, and he focuses on I want to fight to save you. In doing that, he saves her, but he also loses that moment.
Eren will probably help save humanity even if Armin is the actual hero, but the cost is pretty clearly going to be his relationship with his loved ones–though I do absolutely think Mikasa and Armin will love Eren no matter how they disapprove of his actions, and I think he will love them regardless. But the closeness and the future, however short, they might have had, is probably gone.
And Mikasa knows this as she says here:
There isn’t a happy ending for them together like she’d have wanted, but she’s still clinging as we see in recent chapters wherein her clinging almost leads to her and Armin getting blown up.
To save the rest of her loved ones, Mikasa won’t be able to save Eren. I think that’s definitely where the story is going, but I do think it’s also realistic that Eren and Mikasa will have a moment wherein Eren acknowledges what could have been, and that he loves her, regardless of whether there is a romantic component.
I personally think there is likely to be (the set up is obvious, like with Touka and Kaneki in TG or Ochaco and Izuku in BNHA–it’s def a darker story with no hope for a happy ending for them, but main female character + main male character in this kind of story with a scene like chapter 50 that is clearly designed to put romance in the reader’s mind, is almost certainly intended to be romantic, plus we know Mikasa feels romantically). That being said, I also think it doesn’t actually matter whether or not Eren acknowledges romantic feelings for Mikasa. I just want him to acknowledge, and tell her, that he loves her and is grateful to her–because he does and is, regardless of whether that is familial or platonic or romantic, and the exact definition of that love doesn’t matter to the overall tragedy and beauty of their story. But acknowledging Mikasa’s personal romantic feelings would be a beautiful ending, imo, but that’s just my preference.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Annie were to come out from her crystal after Armin manages to successfully exchange memories and feelings with her. If this happens, then Annie’s crystal will be broken in a way opposite to the one Eren used to destroy Miss Tybur’s.
In this way we will have two opposite approaches on how to overcome a person’s physical, but also emotional defenses (after all, Annie enclosing herself into a crystal is symbolic of her coping mechanism which is to isolate herself).
I think it would be a nice parallel and would underline once more the different POVs Eren and Armin have and which will create conflict between them.
“The sun will rise. Mikasa will support Eren.” It’s been the truth of the shingeki world for 109 chapters. Mikasa has disagreed with Eren plenty. There’s nothing new in that. But potentially withdrawing her support is ground breaking. It’s the sort of character development many of us have wanted, myself included.
Whatever happens I don’t want it to be forever. Life is too short (literally) for Eren, Armin and Mikasa to permanently part ways. But for now I’m very excited for this development.
Another thing that excited me about the last chapter was seeing Louise and the callback to an event I’ve talked about very recently concerning Mikasa’s development.
I’ve referred to her salute here as the beginnings of her development into a proud soldier and defender of the peace. What is especially significant about this development is that it is wholly separate to her love for Eren. So, seeing Louise give the same salute here in trying to convince her to help Eren ignites a certain cognitive dissonance within her.
She’s seeing, in an image, her duties as a soldier combined with her desire to help Eren.
midnight-in-town 