Attack on Titan Season 4 is Pieck Fiction!
My only regret is that they didn’t end the episode off with Eren’s sick one-liner to Zeke after jumping out of Grisha’s memories.
Check out our previous episode review here.
Ah man…where to begin? Let’s start with a flashback, or rather…
What Did Eren See When He Kissed Historia’s Hand?
In typical AoT fashion, let’s first go to the manga, and then we’ll cover the anime.
In Chapter 90 of the manga, Eren touches Historia’s hand during the funeral for the fallen after the retake of Shiganshina. We see bits and pieces of Grisha’s conversation with Frieda, who is possessed by Karl Fritz, the 145th King of the Walls.
Basically, this is the man who ‘overrides’ the will of any royal who inherits the founder, and subdues their consciousness to his ideology.
We get Grisha’s speech about coming from outside the walls, before the scene is cut and we can only see Eren’s grimace on his face.
In Season Three, Episode 22 of the anime it plays out pretty much the same, except Eren is severely depressed.
The 9 survivors of the last Survey Corps Mission (Levi, Hange, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Sasha, Jean, Connie, and Floch) ride out to the ocean, and Eren is upset to learn that the scenery is the same as his father’s memories.
Finally, in Episode 79 of the series, we got the full memory of what Eren saw when he touched Historia’s hand: his future self with Zeke, and his father the day of the rumbling.
Why Did Eren Manipulate Grisha?
Eren mentioned that he was ‘disgusted’ by his father’s actions that day during a conversation with Zeke in Marley. And…Eren wasn’t lying.
It’s very subtle, but by telling Zeke they are moving on to the next memory, it is revealed that Eren is actually controlling their journey through Grisha’s memories. Attack on Titan the Final Season Episode 79
Throughout the episode, you can catch little glimpses of Eren shooting nasty looks at his father Grisha, and casting a softer gaze on Mikasa.
Do you guys remember the speech Eren (Kruger) gave (his father) Grisha atop the wall in Chapter 88-89/S3 Episode 21?
The Attack Titan Can See The Future
Aside from the reminder to “love somebody inside the walls”, Eren also reminds himself and Grisha why they keep moving forward:
The Owl then hands Grisha a photograph of his family, that Kruger took from his home – no doubt in preparation for the vision he was shown by Eren via the Attack Titan.
Eren (Kruger) continues on…
“We sought freedom, and our brothers and sisters paid the price for it. There’s only one way to pay them back. Those actions will follow us until they’re repaid. Even IF we die, Even AFTER we die.
From Shingeki no Kyojin chapters 88 & 121, respectively.
After all…you started this story, Didn’t you?”
Eren had given Grisha that speech twice now, and still Grisha faltered when it mattered the most.
All inheritors of the Attack Titan had been belligerent since the beginning of time, never following anybody – striving to always move forward.
To always seek freedom.
Despite those receiving one of the nine titan shifters inheriting the will, or ideology of its previous inhabitant, Grisha refused to fulfill his mission – kill the Reiss family (except the father) and retake the founding titan.
Meaning: Eren had to influence Grisha yet again because Grisha simply would not listen, and fulfill his duty.
Why Did Eren Tell Grisha To Save Mikasa and Armin?
In order to push Grisha forward to fulfill his last mission as an Eldian Restorationist, he uses the trip to PATHs with Zeke in order to influence the past, and force his father Grisha to kill the Royal Fritz family within the walls.
Had Eren not manipulated Grisha, he would not have been born.
“Make a family…love someone inside the walls.”
Had Eren not manipulated Grisha, Historia would not be born (by the sparing of Rod Reiss).
Note: as many of you know, Eren’s Final Season ending theme is called “Akuma no Ko” which can be translated to “devil child” or “child of evil”. The Earth Devil and the Goddess make a pact, yet again. (Captions from the Ai Higuchi “Akuma no Ko” Anime Special Ver. on YouTube.)
“If you want to save them all…Mikasa, Armin, and the others…carry out your mission to the end.”
Eren (“Kruger”)
Had Eren not manipulated Grisha, Kruger would not have the photo Grisha used while writing his life history in the books recovered from the basement, letting Eren know who Zeke was beforehand.
Had Eren not manipulated Grisha, he would not have the titan serum he later used to turn Eren into a pure titan, before giving him the basement key and allowing Eren back on that PATH using the Founder.
The entire Attack on Titan story hinges on Eren figuring out his memories, jumping through various timelines, and piecing it all together memory shard by memory shard.
And with that, I think I’ll leave it here…
But, tell me your thoughts.
Did you enjoy this installment of the PATHs Reverse Uno saga between Zeke and Eren?
How about that freak out with Grisha over killing them kids?
And…
Do you feel bad for Frieda Reiss and how she was used all the way up until her death?
次のエピソード: Eren Starts the Rumbling
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