I’m 100% sure it’s the same Ymir. She has been stripped of her powers and that somehow turned her into a mindless titan. Those 60 years aren’t 60. She was either lying to Bert in order to keep her true identity secret or lost perception of time.
Evidence in favor of our Ymir being the ancient Ymir is that she can read a long forgotten language. Since Reiner didn’t recognize the herring cans, it wasn’t Marlayan. I’m going to guess that the language she read at Utgard is the same as the language in the history book Grisha was trying to decipher.
Part of Ymir’s personal narrative could fit the legend. Her tragic backstory is that at birth she was hated and eventually ‘sacrificed to bring happiness to people”. I can see this fitting with the story of ancient Ymir.
Also in favor, our Ymir must bear a strong physical resemblance to ancient Ymir. The titan who mistook Ilsa was a contemporary of Grisha. As such, he couldn’t have known our Ymir personally. Seeing Ilsa was a religious experience for him. He thought she was their God.
However, part of her narrative doesn’t fit at all. She wandered as a mindless titan for sixty years. She seems to know about the Marlayans and their great power. She understood what happened to Connie’s village. Ancient Ymir could not have known this history since she died thousands of years before the Titan Wars.
So the dots don’t easily connect. The timelines don’t match up. If I had to force a connection, I’d use this panel from chapter 40:
“I happened to get a chance for a whole new life. I was reborn as a new person. But when that happened, I didn’t hide my old name!”
I’d always thought this “rebirth” was when she ate Marcel and regained her human form. But maybe that’s not it. Maybe it’s something much bigger than that. Maybe 80 or so years ago, ancient Ymir was reborn (reincarnated) as our Ymir in the Marlayan Village, and as a child was sent to Paradis to become a mindless titan.
This would explain her unique blend of ancient knowledge as well as the more modern history.
( and thank you anon for the compliment that started this ask ❤ )
Sorry if anyone already pointed it out but I just remembered the King before Historia was King Fritz, bearing the same name as the first King and the very “ancestor” of the people (our Ymir maybe).
Anyway what’s important is that now it’s possible we know why the first king’s will forbids anyone to use his power, because “humanity did something horrible”: the first king was a Fritz but the Reiss family probably double crossed him to get his power at some point after the walls were built, resulting in him forbidding them to use his power.
That’s why the Reiss family couldn’t manage to use his power to protect the Walls. And that’s probably also why the Reiss family got the crown taken from them for King Fritz to sit on the throne.
Technically the rightful ruler was King Fritz but without the Titan power of his ancestor (stolen by Grisha and given to Eren), he was nothing more than a puppet. Maybe, had he gotten the First King’s power, he would have been able to use it…?
Again sorry if anyone pointed it out already, I’m rereading the series so I’m slowly remembering things I had forgotten.
In the beginning, there was only darkness and an eternal abyss known as Ginnungagap. But when frost and fire collided with each other, they melted together; and amid the hissing of steam- the form of Ymir was revealed.
Ymir was the first Jötunn and from his sweat, more Jötunn were birthed to life. They were his offspring and are directly descended from Ymir.
But the gods slew Ymir; tearing his body into pieces and creating the world from his corpse. They fashioned the oceans from his blood, the soil from his skin and muscles, vegetation from his hair, clouds from his brains, and the sky from his skull.
The gods eventually formed the first man and woman from two tree trunks. They built a wall/fence around the humans and called this world “Midgard” in hopes of keeping the humans safe from the Jötunn.
Within the world of Shingeki no Kyojin, we were given a creation myth that sounds very similar to this tale.
But there is an obvious difference between the two which leads one to suspect whether or not there should be a connection made between those two distinct differences.
In the Shingeki no Kyojin creation myth, Ymir died and was split into many pieces- creating nine titan powers that were passed through the generations.
The Coordinate
Reiss Family (Frieda)
Jaeger Family (Grisha -> Eren)
Colossal (Bertholdt)
Armored (Reiner)
Female (Annie)
Dancing (Ymir)
Beast (Zeke)
???
In the Norse Mythology creation myth, Ymir died and was split into pieces creating the world- which was made into nine separate worlds.
Midgard, the world of humans
Asgard, the world of the Aesir
Vanaheim, the world of the Vanir
Jotunheim, the world of the giants
Niflheim, the primordial world of ice
Muspelheim, the primordial world of fire
Alfheim, the world of the elves
Svartalfheim, the world of the dwarves
Hel, the world of the dead
Could there be a possible connection?
Of course, I’m speaking purely in symbolic terms. A character’s relation to a specific world might hold some clues to their role within the story.
I have a few guesses, but take these with a grain of salt.
The Coordinate could represent the world of Midgard since its been established that Midgard is the world of humanity while the Coordinate is the collective (titan) power of the people.
The Reiss Titan could represent the world of Asgard since these gods built a wall around their world. And they refer to everything as either “inside the wall” or “outside the wall” ‘cause they’re stuck up like that.
Zeke could represent the world of Vanaheim since these gods are seen as the ‘wilder’ and ‘more animialistic’ gods as compared to the gods in Asgard. These two tribes ended up having a great war against each other, so I’m not saying anything but that sounds alot like the Elodian vs Mare war.
Ymir could represent the world of Jotunheim since I theorize she comes from some completely different secluded fraction that probably existed on their own amid the Titans- which is why she would be seen as royalty by Titankind.
Of course, I could be completely wrong and there could be no connection whatsoever.
Apparently the number “9″ is a really significant number to the pre-Christian Germanic tribes. It was considered the mythical number and the significance of the number nine is found constantly throughout Norse Mythology.
So maybe Isayama just chose nine because its super important.
Hey Anon 🙂 Aww, great, I hope you’re enjoying SnK then! ^^ I got all the 11 questions and I don’t know if I’ll be able to answer everything, but I’ll do my best (it’s been a while since I read the older arcs) :3 Please bear in mind we don’t have all the answers in canon yet 🙂
Haaaa, well the beginning is still one of the biggest secrets. That dream Eren had (very probably about the future yes) is extremely interesting because it foreshadows a loop of some kind, which could explain the title.
I think I spoke of this with @thedarkestcrow too, and since Zeke said
we also were wondering if maybe this was a hint that someone would be writing down their memories so humanity wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Considering Armin was the narrator in the anime we were betting on him, but maybe Eren will be the one writing down his memories since it’s his story. 🙂 In any case, this can’t be answered now but this is one of the most interesting mysteries!
Mikasa’s mother was talking about her own clan, the Asian people. 🙂 And I believe Mikasa still has the bandage even if it’s hard to say for sure, seeing as she always wears long sleeves. The bandage is covering the brand which is most likely a mark/symbol/kanji that her mother carved into her skin (like a tattoo but without the ink :))
Well, unless I’m remembering something wrong, all we know is that there were Asian people who came to live behind the walls but they were erased during the last century (Mikasa is supposed to be the last one within the Walls).
We don’t know whether the population within the Walls is all from a same country or continent but considering what you said about “the same bloodline” it is likely to be one of the two possibilities (I didn’t see any other theories on this subject in any case, and it was said the three Walls covered a surface basically as big as a country like France if I remember correctly).
We also don’t know much about the situation outside the Walls though it does seem like Zeke’s kind is controlling the outside world.
Ah, another question to which I can’t really answer, basically because Ymir is a mystery. However it is very likely (considering that Titans were once humans) that this titan knew her from before they both became Titans since he mistook Isle for her (and they do have a few physical similarities) meaning he remembered what Ymir looked like as a human 🙂
As for “Ymir-sama” and the goddess part… well, I think she was indeed revered as a human 60 years ago (by that titan when he was human and other people) and my little theory is that this book Historia was reading with Frieda might be possibly inspired from her story.
In any case we can be sure that what happened to Connie’s village most likely happened to her people too 60 years ago.
About Erwin’s dad: Basically he realized that the world’s “history” in the authorized books was full of holes and inconsistencies and so he wanted to find out the truth about the history of this world but before he could, he was killed for showing too much curiosity. After that, Erwin swore he would prove his father’s theory and learn about the truth of this world, that’s why he wanted to go to the basement so bad.
About Armin’s family: hmm, this is really old in my memory… I know that in the anime Armin’s parents were killed because they tried to escape the Walls and then his grandpa died during the suicide expedition to recover Wall Maria. However in the manga, I think they were all sent on the expedition (parents and grandfather)? The wikia seems to agree with me on that lol.
Well, first of all not all Titans can harden and Eren couldn’t until he took that bottle (with ‘armor’ written on it) from Rod’s things. As for the rest of his “powers”, he took them from his father who took them from Frieda yes, meaning he has the ‘Coordinate’ power within him and that’s all we know (he might have taken Grisha’s specific abilities as a Titan if he had any but we don’t know that either). 🙂
Here’s how the explanation goes: the ‘Coordinate’ is a power that technically only the heir of the first king (the Reiss family) can inherit in order to protect humanity against Titans + they can also manipulate the memories of people with it (hence why Historia remembered things by touching Eren)
except for the Ackerman family and the Asian minority (Mikasa + Levi). However since they also receive the first king’s memories + will with it, no one was able to use that power against Titans yet because the will of the first king wouldn’t allow them to (because humanity “did something horrible”/”are sinners”, same speech as RAB).
Enters Grisha (who’s most likely from RAB & Zeke’s people, I think he might even be related to Zeke) who stopped the cycle by eating Frieda after Wall Maria was breached and who passed the power onto Eren and Eren, even if he’s not a Reiss, can activate a part of that power under certain circumstances (ch 50, because he was probably very desperate), though he surely will need what’s in the basement in order to overcome the first king’s will and use that power fully.
I hope it makes sense. 🙂
Ah, well the next chapter is soon, so these are just my thoughts on the subject but I think Armin has a plan and he just doesn’t think he’ll live through this fight (seeing as he’s not so much of a fighter like the others and there is basically no one but them left) hence his words.
However, I wouldn’t worry so much because I doubt Armin will die: he’s one of the main characters and there is a part of his dynamics with Eren that Isayama-sensei didn’t write yet (and it was more or less foreshadowed in interviews I believe, so… Armin isn’t dead yet I think 🙂 I hope so, please sensei don’t hurt him).
Hmm, I have no idea about “Before the Fall”. I personally read it but I never saw any mention of it in SnK so I wouldn’t call it canon, though if it’s being published I suppose it’s at least partially canon? Honestly no idea for this one.
However, “No Regrets” definitely got canonized, though it was only recently (ch76)!
I hope it makes sense and helps 🙂 Have a nice day Anon!
Hi, Anon, sorry for the delayed answer, I had to deal with exams 🙂 And wow a SnK ask, how rare! ^^
About your ask I don’t think it’s full of holes at all, it might as well be the real answer although if I recall correctly it hasn’t been confirmed yet in canon (Titans being once humans is canon though).
Actually this is my theory too because of several things, namely…
Ymir wandering outside the Walls for 60 years and calling it a “nightmare”.
Ymir being punished (according to Reiner and Bertholdt) and maybe killed because she ate one of the young shifters to become human again -> I’m guessing the rule is something like “don’t eat a Titan shifter to become a shifter because shifters are the ones making the rules and as a normal Titan you should obey them and not take their place”. They also don’t remember when they eat a shifter.
Titans eating humans even though they have no need or even organs -> then why do they eat them?
Chapter 50, when Eren used the Coordinate’s power by accident: Reiner, Bertholdt and Ymir remained unaffected though they felt it too, but the simple-minded Titans (so the not-shifters) were controlled immediately probably because they’re not conscious and are acting following their impulses.
Basically, I’m thinking that, when someone becomes a Titan, as we saw with Eren and Grisha, it’s all about trying to get back to being human because being a titan is probably not the greatest thing ever (hence Ymir calling it a nightmare). So they have this impulse to eat people to escape this situation because eating a shifter is the only way to go back to being human, but at the same time if they eat the shifters from Reiner and Bertholdt’s people (like Ymir did) then they’re in trouble.
That’s my theory so far, so I agree with you and I don’t think your reasoning is full of holes ^^
but considering what you said about “the same bloodline” it is likely to be one of the two possibilities (I didn’t see any other theories on this subject in any case, and it was said the three Walls covered a surface basically as big as a country like France if I remember correctly).
midnight-in-town 