Update for 01/13/2022 – Hey everyone, since this post consistently gets a lot of traffic I just wanted to mention that I’m pretty sure we are getting an Anime Orignal Ending, and I’m working on a huge theory post with evidence.
If you’re interested, you can check out my thoughts on Jean and Mikasa‘s OVAs to see my research process and where I’m going with all of this. ☺
So I initially wrote this article after reading the second part of AOTNR – and then completely forgot about it.
I’ve left that section of the post unchanged, and will just put a paragraph topic marker when I transition over to the original purpose of this discussion.
I’m making this little update because I watched the official Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 2 trailer and… felt nothing.
Which shocked me, to say the least.
I thought I’d at least feel something, but nope. So, I guess I really am emotionally done with this series.
(I wonder if I’ll feel differently when it premieres in January this winter?)
When the trailer was playing, my reaction to the characters was kind of just like:
“oh, they start out with the scene that no longer makes sense – k.”
“Hmm, Battle for Shiganshina/ War for Paradis stuff”
“Hah, this fight was pointless”
“Wow, can’t wait to see this great scene with the Chaos Goddess herself Yelena animated from the manga”
“Hah, this is where Mikasa was an asshole to Louise. I hope they keep this part in so I have an excuse to openly dislike Mikasa before the series finale”.
I was slightly disgusted with myself that I knew which scenes were which from the source material just by looking at the characters. Not sure if that’s a good thing or bad thing, adaptation-wise.
(Meaning – are the rumors true that MAPPA’s animation is truly cookie-cutter based on the manga and even cause a staff member to quit – or will there be a little originality sprinkled in somewhere?)
Then I wondered how much would be retconned, changed, and straight up left out of the adaptation and made myself sad.
So…without further ado…
Should Attack on Titan Part 2 have a Different Ending to Completely Satisfy Disappointed Manga Fans?
Hmm so this is just going to be a short blog post where I want to pose a question and discuss something with you all.
Lately, there has been a lot of talk and speculation surrounding the possibility of an Anime Original Ending for the Attack on Titan anime. While I am undoubtedly not positive concerning that theory, I do remember hearing long ago that Isayama once stated the “anime is the final product”.
There have even been little additions here and there not originally in the manga, such as flowers being drawn when Eren transforms for the first time to symbolize (the source of all) life, or Falco’s added dialogue in Season 4 about having memories of using 3D maneuver gear on Paradis.
People have even been theorizing that Attack on Titan the anime and Shingeki no Kyojin the manga series are two different timelines. And that Eren being with Mikasa in chapter 138 was another failed timeline, as was chapter 139.
Meaning, the time loop from chapter 1 was never fully satisfied.
Obviously given how the series ended, I’ve been actively ignoring theories like this.
Far too hopeful for me in my current jaded mind regarding the series.
But…then I read the recent release of AoT no Requium Part 2.
I hit the forums and read what others were saying, and something stuck out to me – someone pointed out that final chapter 139 could be an alternate timeline, and the proof was what Kruger said to Grisha in chapter 89.
As you can see, Kruger tells Grisha to “have a family”.
To love someone in the walls, and if he doesn’t the same mistakes would be repeated. If he wanted “to save Mikasa and Armin, he would have to see it through”. Obviously, Grisha had no clue who Mikasa and Armin were, as they weren’t even born yet, along with his son Eren.
But Kruger implies that memories can be seen by someone else at a later time, and that he may have been seeing Eren Yeager’s memories.
So, where am I going with all of this?
Well, in Chapter 139.5 (affectionally known as the extra 8 pages) Paradis Island is destroyed.
Eren is still alive in a Founder tree similar to Ymir’s, and the tragic cycle is repeating once more.
Now this may be too much of a cope, but maybe it was 8 pages because 8 is a symbol for mugen – or the infinity symbol.
Because Eren never had a child with Historia, he lost the drive and motivation to oppose his friends.
He lost the resolve to completely genocide the world – only stopping at 80%. Because Eren did not “love somebody” within the walls, he did not have the resolve to fully see his goal of The Rumbling through.
Could Eren failing to complete the rumbling in the manga, but successfully having a child with Historia, “overcoming the father“, and breaking the cycle of hatred in an anime-only original signify two timelines in our story?
Two timelines, out of many explored if you believe the alternate reality theory.
Isayama did base the story of Attack on Titan heavily on the Muv Luv video game series, which involves massive creatures, alternate worlds, and genral shenanigans related to the ANR (Requiem) theory.
There are probably a few other things that can be explored, but for now what is your opinion on this (emerging) theory?
Another example could be Jean’s child with Mikasa.
In chapter 127, Jean imagines a quiet life in the interior district living with Mikasa and his child.
In the extra pages, Jean and Mikasa seemingly do get married, have a child, and the descendant has black hair and kind of looks similar to the kid from Jean’s fantasy.
But, tell me your thoughts.
Is there too much copium in my cup right now? Or was the butchered Attack on Titan manga series ending an elaborate rouse to troll the readers, and not a scummy cash grab by Kodansha and Creator Isayama wrecking his story to selling out?
Especially since according to Isayama’s editor Kawakubo on Twitter Beren: Next Generations depressing origin story and/or movie is pretty much guaranteed at this point (depending on how you interpret that tweet).
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for more Shingeki no Kyojin!
Recommended: How Will Attack on Titan End?
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