Uncovering the Mysterious Source of Titan's Power
The shining centipede-like creature is the source of Titans' power and speculated as the origin of all life on Earth It's an organic anomaly that bonds with other life forms, altering their characteristics The Founding Titan's power also stems from it, binding itself to the spine of each holder Its true nature remains a mystery
The "source of all living matter," speculated to be the origin of all life on Earth and the progenitor of all Titans, is an organic anomaly that gave Ymir Fritz the Power of the Titans almost 2,000 years before the events of Attack on Titan. The true characteristics of this entity are still unknown, but it existed symbiotically and bonded with other organic life forms to dramatically alter their characteristics. For example, the tree it originally resided within grew to a massive size compared to neighboring vegetation.
In addition to being the root of the Power of the Titans, it is also the source of the Founding Titan's power, binding itself to the spine of each holder. Ymir encountered the anomaly while being pursued by soldiers after freeing pigs belonging to the Eldian tribe. She stumbled into a massive tree and fell into a pool of liquid inside the trunk containing the entity. It bound itself to her spine, turning her into the first Founding Titan.
The entity has been known by various names throughout history, depending on which side of the Eldia-Marley conflict is narrating the story. Marley cast it as the "Devil of All Earth" in its propaganda about the Power of the Titans. Resembling the insect-like organism Hallucigenia from the Cambrian period, the source of all living matter can alter its size at will and displays a range of behaviors, from sedentary and inactive to autonomous and even aggressive when separated from its host. Understanding the true nature of this creature is imperative to understanding the Power of the Titans and the events of Attack on Titan.
Origins And True Nature
The entity, known as the "shining centipede" by Gabi Braun, emerged from Eren's decapitated body with a spiny appearance but lacking any discernible facial features. Its head and back were adorned with an array of feelers that extended to other parts of its body as it changed size and shape. Unlike typical arthropods, the entity's limbs and feelers were connected to its body, lacking any segmentation, resulting in an amorphous appearance that allowed it to take on various forms. Initially only a meter long, the entity grew to immense proportions comparable to Reiner's Armored Titan after bonding with Ymir's spine.
Zeke Yeager proposed that the entity could be the source of all life on Earth, but this theory was not confirmed. Although it seeks out hosts to aid in its propagation, the entity can act independently, as demonstrated by its ability to reattach to Eren's severed head or fuse with Ymir's spine. During the Battle of Heaven and Earth, it attempted to find a new host after being separated from Eren, growing increasingly aggressive when restrained. The entity's self-awareness is unclear, but its actions suggest a level of consciousness beyond mere instinct.
Granting The Power Of The Titans
As the reason for the Titans' existence, the source of all living matter also created the Paths that connect all Eldians across space and time. The origins of the Power of the Titans and the invisible bonds that link the collective consciousness of all Subjects of Ymir are believed to be a result of Ymir Fritz's fear of vulnerability and her desire to escape death, stemming from her servitude to King Fritz. The Paths even transcend death, allowing Titan shifters to access the memories of past holders. Titan bodies are transported through the Paths during transformations, described as magical. Additionally, a Titan shifter's regeneration can be attributed to the entity's ability to enhance life.
In addition to triggering and facilitating Titan transformations, the entity shares similarities with the Founding Titan's power. It is highly durable, as demonstrated by its ability to survive the explosive force of a Colossal Titan transformation at point-blank range in its exposed form. During the Battle of Heaven and Earth, the organism emitted a gaseous substance that transformed all Eldians who inhaled it into Pure Titans, similar to Zeke's spinal fluid. The Pure Titans were then commanded to aid the organism in fusing with its host body and resuming the Rumbling, repelling the Armored and Cart Titans.
A Mind Of Its Own
