The ending of Attack on Titan: Finding peace in a turbulent world

Having a look at the transformative journey of Attack on Titan while acknowledging its chilling resemblance with the complex dynamics of the society we live in.

The final episode of Attack on Titan was released on November 4 and we couldn't have had a better ending to the saga. I watched the first episode in 2017, and nothing surprised me aside from the violence. If someone had asked me to summarize the show back then, I would have said, 'It's a show where humans fight giant monsters for survival', a trope that has been seen numerous times before when anime stories are discussed in general. But Eren Jaeger's revenge story against Titans has become a thought-provoking war epic, giving us one of the biggest drifts in modern anime. 

In Attack on Titan, two groups are locked in a bitter conflict. The Eldians believe that the people of Marley should be punished for their cruel treatment of their people, while the Marleyans continue to hold grudges against the Eldians for the crimes of their ancestors. They fail to understand or consider possibilities beyond their narrow perspectives. Additionally, there is a group of Eldians living in Marley who have been indoctrinated against Eldians on Paradis Island, using their aggression against a common enemy to manipulate them. Eldians on Paradis Island bear similar feelings towards the Marleyans. Eren Jaeger, who would do anything to save his friends and loved ones, doesn't hesitate to kill children on the other island, highlighting how people tend to be biased toward their groups and what they consider right and wrong based on their personal experiences.

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From the beginning, Attack on Titan has made us feel the losses experienced by our characters. With each death, we felt the terror of living in a world where one must wake up and fight to survive. Even when it is a story of humans fighting Titans, the show makes us have deep thoughts. With each season, it only grew darker as it delved into themes like politics, moral dilemmas, war, monarchy, racism, corruption, hierarchy, and more. Most importantly, it made us ponder on the reasons behind conflicts and why people fight.

As viewers, we might think that the conflict could be resolved through diplomacy, but the world of AOT wouldn't be so frightening if diplomatic conversations were the easiest thing to do. Having a perspective on why each character is the way they are, also helps us make sense of it all. We understand that some of them are driven to go to war by vengeance or because they were pushed into it. The war in question is the one that turns children into soldiers and sometimes monsters, and a conversation between Zeke and Armin reveals the complexities of this situation. Zeke asks Armin about his desperation to live despite the endless suffering, and Armin shares his happiest moments reminiscing about his childhood with Eren and Mikasa, treasuring seemingly insignificant moments and how they made his life worth living. Zeke, too, has his own moment on finding a buried ball that reminds him of the time he played catch with Mr. Ksaver. A moment that humanizes Zeke and being forced into this war by his parents shows that if he was given a choice, he would have preferred 'playing catch' forever over becoming a warrior. Every character in the series is motivated by the desire for everlasting peace, a thought that everyone dreams of yet finds equally unattainable.

The series illustrates that responding to hate with more hate perpetuates a cycle of violence and only by showing empathy can this cycle be broken. Even when 12-year-old Gabi kills Sasha, the main characters, despite their anger, choose not to harm her and forgive her instead. They could understand how circumstances were the reason for her to carry such hatred. The problem often arises from people struggling to understand other's viewpoints further emphasizing the importance of being open-minded towards others. While viewers may empathize with the Eldians due to their early introduction, as the narrative delves into the perspective of the Marleyans, it prompts us to consider the broader picture revealing how neither side can be seen as heroes.

So, how does the cycle of hate end in the show? Eren Jaeger wipes out 80% of the world's population to maintain a balance between those living on Paradis Island and the outside world. He aims to prevent one group from dominating the other. However, the story goes beyond this, as Eren ultimately ends the cycle of hatred tied to the power of the Titans by making the founder, Ymir realize the true meaning of freedom. Ymir had been in love with King Fritz and served him and his descendants like a slave for over 2000 years. When Mikasa kills Eren for the greater good, that helpedYmir find her freedom from her love for King Fritz, who had just exploited her for her power. This act breaks the curse of Ymir as she sees Mikasa choose humanity over the person she loves the most. 

Yet, the end of the Titans does not mean the end of all conflicts. As Historia points out at the episode's conclusion, 'Even if the Titans are gone, the conflict will never disappear,' suggesting that the monsters were never truly the problem; it is humans who will find reasons to fight. Even if one major conflict is resolved, humans will discover other reasons to kill and die for. Historia emphasizes the need to keep fighting(for peace) so that we never have to fight again.

Regardless of one's feelings about the ending of the show, the overall story of Attack on Titan is remarkable, and I'm glad to have witnessed it until the end. There aren't words to describe how it has made me feel all these years. A bittersweet feeling takes over us as I see the show end, but I am grateful to have experienced it.

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