The Complete Explanation of Attack on Titan's Ending

Article Overview

Attack on Titan's anime finale closely follows the extended ending of the manga, with a few minor changes, resulting in similar reactions from manga readers and anime viewers.

The global alliance joins forces with the Marleyan troops to halt Eren's devastating Rumbling, resulting in significant casualties but ultimately succeeding in reaching Eren with the aim of safeguarding the world. Armin's empathetic approach successfully unites the former Titan Shifters to oppose Eren's dominion, culminating in a decisive confrontation resulting in Eren's demise and the end of the Rumbling menace. Nonetheless, strife and aggression persist across the globe, leaving the potential for an enduring cycle of conflict.

After a decade and two anime studios, the Attack on Titan anime has finally concluded. The series finale follows a similar path to the extended manga ending, with a few minor adjustments. As a result, both manga readers and anime-only viewers can expect similar reactions to the conclusion.

With the Founding Titan's full power at his disposal, Eren initiates the Rumbling, unleashing Titans across the globe to eradicate everyone outside of Paradis Island. Despite recognizing the Rumbling as the only means to ensure their homeland's safety and lacking alternative solutions, Armin, Mikasa, Levi, and other former allies of Eren refuse to accept genocide as the answer. They join forces with some of the Marleyan forces to stop Eren.

Many more lives were lost in their journey, most notably Hange, but they still made it to Eren with the full intent of stopping him and saving the world.

How The Final Battle Against Eren Starts In Attack On Titan

In the first part of Attack on Titan's finale, titled "The Battle of Heaven and Earth," Armin devises a plan to destroy Eren's Titan form by utilizing his own transformation. However, before he can put his plan into motion, he is unexpectedly consumed by a Titan resembling an okapi. This unveils Eren's ability to summon a multitude of past Titan Shifters to join the fight, including familiar faces like Bertholdt, Galliard, and Ymir. Their combined strength overwhelms the Global Alliance, preventing Pieck from detonating explosives near Eren's neck. The situation appears grim, but just when it seems all hope is lost, Annie and Gabi come to the rescue, riding atop Falco who has now assumed a new Titan form.

With desperation reaching its peak, the Global Alliance reluctantly accepts the harsh reality that they must eliminate Eren. They divide into two teams: one tasked with destroying Eren's neck and the other with saving Armin. Unfortunately, both teams struggle to withstand the relentless assault from the ancient Titan Shifters. As Armin helplessly observes his friends risking their lives in vain, he begins to question the nature of his own thoughts. This leads him to the realization that he has been transported to the Paths dimension, where he unexpectedly encounters Zeke, who is busy constructing a sand castle.

Armin Proves That Compassion Was The Best Solution In Attack On Titan

In part 2 of Attack on Titan's finale, "A Long Dream," Armin endeavors to persuade Zeke to aid him in halting Eren. However, Zeke no longer finds meaning in life and dismisses Armin's plea. Yet, Armin manages to make Zeke understand that life's significance lies in the small, insignificant things that bring joy to people, prompting Zeke to reflect on the happiness he would have experienced had he continued playing baseball with Ksaver. This revelation summons the spirits of the deceased Titan Shifters showcased in the series, empowering them to resist Eren's control and confront him.

Aligned with the old Titan Shifters, the Global Alliance regains momentum and launches a counteroffensive against Eren. Mikasa frees Armin from the Titan resembling an okapi, while Zeke allows himself to be slain by Levi, thus compelling Eren's Titans to halt the Rumbling. Seizing this opportunity, Jean detonates the bomb around Eren's neck, expelling the worm-like creature that originally fused with Ymir Fritz. Armin attempts to obliterate the worm-like creature and Eren with the ensuing explosion from his transformation. With both Eren and the worm-like creature deceased, it appears that the threat of the Rumbling has finally been eradicated.

How Attack On Titan Ends Eren & Mikasa’s Relationship

Eren’s Death & True Plan In Attack On Titan Explained

In a final desperate attempt to continue the Rumbling, Eren emerges once again, this time in a new Titan form, ready to confront Armin. Meanwhile, a worm-like creature releases a gas that transforms all the surrounding Eldians into Titans, except for Mikasa, Levi, and the fellow Titan Shifters. These newly transformed Titans join forces in an effort to reunite with Eren. As Mikasa grapples with conflicting emotions, she is granted a vision of a world where she and Eren escape together and live in harmony while the rest of the world plunges into chaos. This vision strengthens Mikasa's determination, leading her to make a difficult decision. From inside Eren's Titan form, she beheads him and bids him farewell with a final kiss.

In the concluding segment of Attack on Titan's finale, entitled "Toward the Tree on That Hill," Eren and Armin rendezvous in the Paths dimension. Here, Eren discloses his desire for Armin and their comrades to become heroes, defeating him and gaining the necessary recognition to safeguard Paradis Island. He further unveils that everything has been predestined to liberate Ymir Fritz from her unwavering loyalty to King Fritz, a task in which Mikasa plays a pivotal role. Armin expresses his disapproval of Eren toying with Mikasa's emotions, and Eren concedes that he has no wish to perish but believes it is too late, particularly with the catastrophic consequences of the Rumbling, which have claimed the lives of 80% of humanity beyond the island's borders.

Armin finds all of this deeply disturbing, particularly Eren's insistence that this was the only viable path after attempting various alternative scenarios. Armin denounces Eren's plan for its potential to exacerbate the situation, and Eren acknowledges that he claimed inevitability out of his own foolishness, unable to manifest a different outcome. In a final act of empathy, Armin assumes responsibility for instilling in Eren a concern for the outside world and assures him that they will be reunited in the depths of hell. After sharing one last embrace, Armin returns to reality and tearfully affirms Eren's demise.

Attack On Titan’s Ending & True Meaning Explained

In contrast to the manga, Eren and Armin's previous exchange was characterized by a noticeable divergence. In this instance, Eren refrained from acknowledging his shortcomings, while Armin expressed his gratitude reluctantly for the sacrifice made by Eren.

With the death of Eren and the eradication of the worm-like creature, the Rumbling ceased and all Eldians lost their Titan powers, reverting to normal humans. Even three years later, tensions remain high worldwide, with the radicalization of the Yeagerists and the continued distrust of Eldians by the outside world. Despite understanding why people harbor animosity towards them, Armin and his companions hope that through dialogue, they can foster understanding and reconciliation.

Regrettably, the end credits reveal that Armin's hopes for peace on Paradis Island are shattered, as it is eventually bombed into ruins. The exact time frame and responsible party remain unknown, but this outcome suggests that despite Eren and Armin's sincere efforts, the cycle of violence persists. The final scene depicts a young boy amidst the wreckage of Paradis, stumbling upon the tree that marked Eren's burial site. This tree resembles the one where Ymir Fritz first acquired her Titan powers, hinting that the boy may also become a holder of Titan abilities.

If the Titan powers can indeed return, then the cycle of fighting may never cease. However, the current state of the world remains unknown. If it is a world devoid of violence, the newly acquired Titan powers could potentially be utilized for benevolent purposes or perhaps not used at all. The interpretation of events is subjective, as intentionally designed. For better or worse, the story of the familiar characters concludes with them peacefully living out the rest of their lives, which is one of the few optimistic aspects of Attack on Titan's poignant ending.

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Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about the ending of Attack on Titan. On the one hand, I am satisfied with the conclusion of the story and the way it wrapped up the various plotlines. The final battle between Eren and the alliance was epic and emotional, and I was particularly invested in the resolution of Eren and Mikasa's relationship.

On the other hand, I feel that the ending was somewhat rushed and could have been fleshed out more. The pacing of the final few episodes felt a bit too fast, and I would have liked to see more exploration of the aftermath of the Rumbling and the new world that was created. Overall, I think the ending of Attack on Titan was a solid conclusion to a great series, but it could have been even better with a bit more time and attention.