Eren Yeager, once the Titans’ greatest foe, continues the Rumbling with the goal of annihilating humanity beyond the borders of Paradis Island. The end of the world is unfolding before our very eyes, and both Eren’s former enemies and loyal friends are trying to stop the apocalypse. The decision made by the turncoat hero of the Scout Regiment turned out to be too cruel. The question remains whether it will be possible to find some way out of the current situation, other than the most obvious – and therefore impossible – one.
Still from the anime “Attack on Titan”
The finale of “Attack on Titan” has long become a meme due to how drawn out the series has become. However, a full stop has indeed been put in the history of Paradis Island, which can be viewed in different ways, as shown by viewer ratings. It is not so difficult to understand those who did not like the finale: in the final analysis, four seasons seem to be trying to convey not the most complex idea - “history is cyclical” - and remind us that there is nothing good in war. As if this is not the conclusion you expect from a saga that lasted ten years. And on the plot layer, this is indeed the case, especially if you discard the emotional plane, which occupies a significant part of the story’s finale.
The Two Sides of the Finale
The last episode is quite clearly divided into two parts: the actual attempt to stop the Rumbling and the analysis of Eren’s motives, which are not as simple as they might seem. And it seems that the true message of the story is hidden in the scenes exploring the hero’s inner world and state.
Still from the anime “Attack on Titan”
The Revelation of Meaning
The true meaning of what happened is revealed in a simple, seemingly insignificant scene where Eren admits that he launched the Rumbling largely because of his inability to find a better option. He literally admits his own stupidity, which is usually achieved by a rare hero. More and more often, protagonists in one way or another try to justify decisions with some internal or external factors, even in the case of obvious erroneous conclusions. Admitting that you are a fool is extremely difficult, let alone a person who sees much more than others. Eren, despite learning a lot about the past, present and even the future, could not find a logical way to save his native Paradis, which is why he turned to violence. Although the goal differed from the one expressed, for Eren, genocide seemed to be the only way out.
The Horror of the Situation
And this is where the whole nightmare of the situation lies: Hajime Isayama literally shows that history is cyclical not just because, but because people, alas, are stupid. And how to break the vicious circle is a big mystery. Although Isayama gives a hint: as is often the case, the answer to anger and violence is love. However, even here there is no unequivocally correct path: in the finale, “Attack on Titan”, although it puts an end to the main story, leaves an ellipsis in place of the assessment of the characters’ actions. And, to be honest, it would be a huge impudence to try to solve the dilemma of the cyclical nature of war, which humanity has been struggling with for more than one millennium.
Still from the anime “Attack on Titan”
A Worthy Finale?
It is not so easy to say unequivocally whether the finale was worthy of a ten-year saga, which is called the “Game of Thrones of the anime world.” On the one hand, the epic scale of the plot results in a banal moral, derived by various authors hundreds, if not thousands of times. On the other hand, it is simply difficult to imagine some other ending: in a story where nations clash and wars are waged because of prejudice, bringing everything to repeatability due to the stupidity of the parties seems like not such a bad idea. And coming up with a more successful ending is also not an easy task - although fans made an attempt in the manga Attack on Titan Requiem, which offers an alternative ending to the story.
An important note: you should not skip the credits. Not only to make sure that the finale is really behind us and to see the cherished “The End”, but also to pay attention to a small but important detail that finally demonstrates the Nietzschean idea “Time is a flat circle.”
I want to believe that, despite all the controversy, “Attack on Titan” will be able to reach those who will understand and share the emotional side of the finale. After all, it is able to cause a powerful response inside, especially if you empathically connect to the characters - not only to Eren, but also to others who made it to the very end. After all, creativity should provoke emotions, which is perhaps more important than many things.