Giants in the Mist – Shingeki no Kyojin Ch 130 Review

Check out my review of SnK Chapter 129 here.

Aaaaand just like that, Shingeki no Kyojin goes back to a horror manga.

Haha!

Seriously though, how on earth is Annie going to fight Eren? Especially when she couldn’t even handle the thunder spears by herself? This isn’t season one anymore…she wouldn’t even stand a chance.

The entire Alliance of Good couldn’t even take a rib off of Eren’s spine.

Speaking of which – how on earth is he even walking? It’s like the spinal parasite just decided to stop forming at his torso to instill massive, grudge-like inducing panic attacks in all who see him.

I mean it wouldn’t even be that bad just on its own, but the damn hair!

Eren Yeager’s founder titan was drawn with long hair like every single Japanese ghost in existence in folklore!

Wow!

I’m just so blown away by this chapter. I was excited to finally be getting an Eren pov, and thoroughly engaged in connecting the dots to the other character’s storylines…and then we get The Rumbling.

The actual Rumbling.

The actual wall-titans swimming daintily and synchronized to destroy the rest of humanity.

Soldiers realizing resistance is futile, and literally running for the hills. Others, being burned alive by the wall-titan’s steaming bodies.

Okay, I may be getting a little dramatic here, but Isayama-sensei was uber dramatic with that whole soldier pointing and slowly realizing “that’s…The Attack Titan!” before they all look terrified and run further.

On top of this, we have Eren remembering when Dina ate his mother and vowing revenge on every last titan in existence. Only…Eren pretty much has every last titan in existence with him now and he is using them to destroy his true enemies – the world.

Which I’m guessing…had he not succeeded, that world fleet would have been anchored outside of Paradis Island ready to destroy its residents – right?

It’s a scary situation either way.  Moreso thinking about the talk-no-jutsu The Alliance of Good Eldians are probably planning next chapter. Unless…they actually have a plan? My mind says no but we’ll have to see.

Eren Is The Father Of Historia’s Baby?

The insanity of The Rumbling aside, let’s talk about Eren and Historia. Because I think a major bombshell has just been dropped here.

Did Eren do everything he did thus far…because he is bringing a child into this world? Because he wants them to be free?

Meaning, that closing panel of Eren remembering his mother being eaten…is his trigger to ride the world of Eldia’s oppressors? So that his child will never grow up knowing the pain of losing a loved one or parent right in front of their eyes?

Although, Eren may not be completely sincere in his actions concerning Historia.

Theories On Why Eren Chose To Start The Rumbling

I was totally prepared to analyze the chapter as is, along with their dialogue, but I’ve come across a number of theories that might prove Eren’s true intentions otherwise.

Namely:

The Chapter 115 Panels Theory

The Chapter 120 Panel Tilting Theory

The Blood Relatives Theory

“Isayama being sneaky with this latest chapter”

With these theories in mind, let’s take a look back at the middle of the chapter.

The Panel Tilting Theory

We see the bird that symbolized freedom to Eren. Remember towards the beginning of the series, Eren was watching a bird fly?

In the season four trailer (and Ch 91) a bird is flying, symbolizing freedom to Falco on the battlefield.

The wings of freedom the birds possess is something Eren had always sought.

That is why he joined the survey corps, to explore the known and unknown world to Paradis at the time. Even before he realized he was in Paradis.

“When did it all start?”

This seems like Eren is reflecting on all that has happened.

Is he in paths?

Has the world already ended?

It is unclear. All we can discern is, that he has regrets.

The Marleyan ship carrying the alliance of good is tilted right.

The opening scene of the series, Eren sleeping under the tree with Mikasa looking on, is tilted right.

“Back then?”

The scene where Ymir is accused for losing the pigs is tilted left.

Does this mean that it all started to go left on Eren’s watch? And what had happened previously, was effectively in some way supposed to?

The panel of young father Grisha is right. “It doesn’t matter”.

Eren kissing Historia’s hand and downloading his father’s/past Attack Titan memories is left.

“I wanted this to happen. Even if everything was pre-destined…”

As he interacts with Historia tilted left… “everything that lies ahead of us…”

Grisha, Hanji, and Floch are right. The gang discussing who might inherit Eren’s titan after he dies is right. The birds flying to freedom right above his friends is right.

Mikasa speaking to Eren during the Liberio attack is left. Pieck threatening to shoot Eren is left. Eren hurting Armin is left. Eren touching Zeke while he is dying is left.

What looks like Bertholdt just before being eaten by Armin is LEFT.

I’m not sure who the old man is above Hanji’s panel, but he reminds me of someone in the military police. Or, it’s Eren’s paternal grandfather he met in Liberio.

The child soldier dying without freedom is left.

Yelena explaining the Euthanasia plan being the only way is…right. Floch overhearing the plan, and Yelena mentioning that Eren has Zeke’s trust is right.

Eren admitting to just pretending to follow Zeke’s plan is right.

Eren telling Historia the MP’s plan to feed her to Zeke is left.

Could this be because it was believed Yelena told Historia this, but it was really Eren? Had Eren already manipulated Historia’s memories at this point?

Eren admitting he will destroy the world is right. Even his eyes had that glowy, glazed-over, crazed look they usually do when he’s talking about revenge or the titans.

Eren Would NEVER Sacrifice Historia

Historia not being down with the plan is left.

Historia bringing up Eren’s mother is – odd.

Especially considering this panel from the Rod Reiss arc.

Zeke mentioning the Ackerman’s have no ‘host’ bond is right.

Zeke confirming that Mikasa just may possibly be in love with Eren, and that is the source of her loyalty, is right.

Then there’s the strange barrage of interwoven conversations that have led to much debate.

Historia’s “then, Eren…” seems like a request of some sort. But, it’s tilted left – meaning it’s a lie or false in some way (according to the theory).

Zeke and Eren continue their conversation about Mikasa’s feelings, a genuine conversation that leans toward the right.

Eren Reminds Himself Through Kruger To Start A Family

Eren states he only has four years left, and it appears that either Eren or Historia proposes the idea of a child, and it is left.

This sort of leads me to believe that Eren proposed having a child with Historia, and she wasn’t too keen on it.

He mentioned earlier something to the effect of manipulating her memories if the guilt of his ultimate goal was too much to bear. Frieda also manipulated Historia’s memories – which she eventually got back.

(Is Historia sitting around pissed that she is pregnant because she somehow unlocked the memories Eren had hidden from her?)

Did Eren do something to Historia to align with his ultimate goals of starting a family, and living on? As Eren Kruger suggested to Grisha and by proxy also Eren, through PATHS?

Then we have the montage of Eren harming himself to feign being a wounded warrior to infiltrate Marley and begin the war. All to what is presumed to be Zeke saying he “hopes” his kids would “live happily ever after” with long lives.

Zeke – the guy who is all about euthanasia of the Eldian race – cheering his brother on to have a kid despite wanting to take that ability away from ALL Eldians?

Something doesn’t seem right here. Either Eren is lying, or a lot of manipulation has been done somewhere in order for him to fully commit to these goals.

And why is the panel of the little boy from Liberio set straight – or neutral – in Eren’s pov while the death of Sasha is left?

Why are Gabi and Falco in the foreground as we are shown Eren clenching his teeth? The same way Grisha did when he didn’t want to do something, but was being manipulated?

The panel of the bird soaring in the sky next to his friends younger, happier. With Marlo, Sasha, (and Floch?) still alive and Commander Erwin still around seems to denote that this is when Eren felt the most free.

I’ll leave this review off with the final panel of the chapter, Eren’s titan.

Notice the marionette-like strings coming from the parasite’s spine, controlling his arms. Pushing his hand.

What is the ultimate goal, here?

And, do you think Eren has just been a pawn this entire time?

Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for Shingeki no Kyojin manga chapter reviews!

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