The latest chapter of the Attack on Titan manga was fantastic. Unlike some of the more recent chapters, this one had a more philosophical tone. Even yet, I’m baffled as to how this will all be resolved in the last two chapters. While we wait for Season 4 Part 3 of Attack on Titan, we’ve chosen to continue reading the manga to catch up on where the programme left off. We’ll be posting reviews, recaps, and responses to each of these “episodes” one chapter at a time. Chapter 137 of Attack on Titan, titled “Titans,” will be the subject of today’s review.
As a result of his belief that life is futile, Zeke has given up on it. As always, Zeke’s speech sets the tone for the rest of the chapter. It is as though he goes back in time to when life began on Earth. As I was looking at the drawings, I was hoping that he was going to discuss the origins of the Titans and the glowing spine. Hajime Isayama, on the other hand, appears to have done this on purpose, so we’ll have to wait and see where Zeke’s monologue takes us.
Zeke reminds Armin that life has always thrived due to its need to reproduce, adapt to its surroundings and take on new forms. Armin agrees. In fact, he informs Armin that he has come to the conclusion that the sole purpose of existence is to reproduce. A result of our drive to escape death, he says, is our dread, which is a penalty that comes with living. It’s interesting to see that Zeke now has a complete sandcastle in front of him, rather than just a lump. Since the last chapter ended, a lot of time has passed.) Intriguingly, he appears to misinterpret the origins of Ymir. As a result of her “desperate need to avoid that anguish,” he claims she gave birth to an “undying body.” For the sake of argument, let’s say she was discovered by the spine.
Although he made a mistake at the beginning, the end outcome was correct. After escaping to the Paths, he claimed, she was able to return to a world that was devoid of all fear, including death. Even though she was capable of breaking Fritz’s control, Ymir never did. Zeke tells Armin that he attempted to figure out why she didn’t. When he tried to explain it to him, he stated he couldn’t come up with an answer. Eren defeated him in the end because he had grasped that concept, whilst he had not. There’s a palpable sense of hopelessness about Zeke as if he’s given up on living. And who can blame him for that? He appears to have accepted the fact that the Titans will take over the world and wipe out all of humanity. According to him, we’re witnessing the annihilation of all life forms, including humans, that are controlled by fear. “A terror born of life-supporting activities that have no purpose at all” True freedom can only be found in death, he has decided. That said, he’s no longer interested in putting up any resistance against Eren.
To Change Zeke’s Mind, Armin Discovers a Mysterious Leaf
Here’s where things really start to heat up. Armin uses a leaf buried in the Paths sands to change Zeke’s mind. It’s not a leaf in the strictest sense of the word. When Armin looks at the leaf, he perceives a symbol of significance to him. Because that’s the thing that matters to Zeke, he views it like a baseball. We have no idea what it is. Is it Eren who left it? Ymir? Does anyone else want to come along for the ride? Is it Armin’s work?
A lot of mysteries surround these panels
Armin sees the leaf as a reminder of the brief times in his life when he was genuinely content. This is what he feels makes life worthwhile. He reminisces about chasing Eren and Mikasa to a tree, reading a book in the rain, or feeding a squirrel. It doesn’t matter how many times you have these experiences, they’re still beautiful and meaningful, he tells Zeke. Recalling his youth, Zeke views the object like a baseball, and it brings back memories of a simpler time. Many former Titan hosts emerge behind him the instant he realises this. There are two Galliards, Ymir, Ksaver, and an Owl. Only those Titan hosts that Zeke had a personal connection to are shown in this episode. This may have happened when Historia’s Ymir returned to Marley and was devoured by Porco Galliard with Reiner. (
In the Battle, the Winds of Change shift
After Zeke realises this, the fight shifts in his favour. As Ymir’s puppet, Bertolt was nothing more than a pawn. When he was a prisoner, he couldn’t assist Annie, but now he can. Armin is liberated as Gabbi takes advantage of the opportune time to shoot the Okapi in the head.
Several more Titans have joined the fight. Grisha or the Owl’s Titan may be seen aiding them. “Everyone who was asleep” in the Paths was awakened by Zeke, Armin explains. Since the “awake” Titans are still fighting other Titans who look to still be puppets, I’m not sure whether this is totally accurate. However, I believe he awoke all of the Titans he was directly acquainted with (which overlaps with the ones Armin knew too.) Because of Ymir’s “wanting something from us,” he was able to achieve this. Zeke asks Ksaver (and Grisha) for aid, while Armin asks Bertoldt, and Ymir observes them all. As long as euthanasia is no longer a viable option, Zeke believes that life is worth protecting.
Zeke then emerges through Eren’s ribcage. Gabbi and Levi are riding on Falco’s back, and he especially calls out to them. And Levi goes for it without a second thought, slicing off the man’s skull. In a way, it was almost amusing. Even though Levi had given up on achieving Erwin’s final order in the previous chapter, he ultimately gained his dream. He didn’t take a moment to think about it. Is Levi going to have a party in the upcoming chapter? The panel depicting Levi’s face reveals a determined Levi, not a cheerful Levi. Maybe even with a tinge of melancholy. However, it’s difficult to comprehend. In Levi’s view, Zeke is still the one who has killed so many of Levi’s friends, including Erwin, despite the fact that the book has made Zeke a more sympathetic character recently. So, to be honest, I’m a little surprised that Annie hasn’t encountered the same degree of opposition.
It’s over for Zeke. The Rumbling eventually comes to an end.
According to the evidence, Zeke’s continued connection to Ymir and the Paths was the sole reason Eren was able to attain the Rumbling. By now, it’s safe to assume Zeke is truly gone. At this point, I’m going to assume Zeke is actually gone. However, I believe Zeke’s state is distinct from that of the other titans who developed from Eren’s ribs (such as Zeke’s initial Beast form). At first, I assumed this wasn’t “really” his body since he was growing out of Eren’s rib. But Zeke has royal blood, which enables him the capacity to accomplish things that others cannot. I assume that he somehow exposed his true body to Levi to murder. He gave his life in order to stop the Rumbling and give life on Earth a chance to continue. (As a caution, his spirit may not be dead, as we learnt that all former shifters still dwell in the Paths in some manner.)
I believe his royal blood is also why he was able to contact the Titans he knew before who were slumbering in the Paths and rouse them up. Of course, Armin played a role in waking Zeke up first, so to speak. And whoever gave that leaf/baseball also played a part. (Maybe Eren, as a manner of offering freedom to Armin despite Ymir’s actions? Or maybe Zeke subconsciously?) Either way, it was Zeke’s royal blood that allowed him to converse with his sleeping buddies and rouse them up. Then he and Armin convinced them to help. Why this way eclipsed Ymir’s capacity to utilise them as puppets, I’m not clear. There’s a humorous comment on a discussion thread about this chapter from a year ago. A Redditor remarked, “Oh I get it now. Zeke gave up on his ambition and died.”
Jean Doesn’t Hesitate Anymore
When the Rumbling stopped, it gave Jean his opportunity at setting off the explosives around Eren’s neck. In the past, Jean missed numerous significant opportunities in conflicts because he delayed. But he’s not doing it anymore. He sets off the explosives, cutting Eren’s head from his body. But right before, you can feel the pain on his face that he had to do it. “Goodbye you suicide blockhead,” he cries as he sets off the explosion.
As Gabbi prophesied, the light spine instantly leaps out, striving to rejoin Eren’s skull. Reiner leaps in to stop it from occurring. I don’t sure how long he can hold onto that glowing spine, but he’s going to attempt to keep it just long enough for Armin to change into Colossal and destroy everything around him. Bird Falco helps the crew escape. And the story concludes with Armin ready to turn into Colossal as he says farewell to Eren, but Reiner remains behind, keeping Eren from regenerating. While some are scared to leave Reiner, he’s been hunting death for a long time. He didn’t hesitate about this prospective sacrifice because he’s been ready to do it forever. (But let’s be serious, Reiner will probably be saved by a Jaw Titan again. I mean, they already saved him again in this very chapter!)
This chapter seems dedicated to the philosophical discussion of what life is about and what gives life meaning. Much of the story before this was dedicated to philosophical discussions around war, hate, and propaganda, along with a good dose of “life is cruel.” So it’s interesting to see this shift. I don’t think this shift is a “jumping the shark” moment, however. I think it’s a natural progression and attempt at answering the “life is cruel” statement. The cliffhanger was perfectly timed. We had a good mix of philosophy and action. I loved this chapter and can’t wait to read the next one in a week. My prediction is that this will not kill Eren. But we will finally learn if Eren has been controlled by Ymir all this time or not. I’m going to guess it’s a little of both. It was truly Eren we heard speaking in the Paths, but like all the other Titans, he’s not completely free.