Attack on Titan, Hajime Isayama’s acclaimed dark fantasy series, has been captivating readers for almost a decade. While the story may have begun as a straightforward account of humanity’s fight against the enigmatic giants’ overwhelming might, it has since evolved into a political thriller hurtling towards an end-of-the-world clash that brings the narrative full circle. When the third and final season of the anime adaptation, directed by Studio MAPPA, is finally released, it will cap up a story that began in the manga and ended a year ago. The series’ conclusion is scheduled for sometime next year, so fans will have to get used to saying goodbye to a show that has captivated audiences across the world and is among the most iconic anime of the past decade. Attack on Titan Part 3 picks off just where the last episode left off, with Eren’s murderous determination being put into action as the huge skeleton Founder of the Wall Titans prepares to lead his army of destruction to the shores of Marley.
At the same time, the remnants of the 104th Training Corps, led by Armin and Mikasa, together with their comrades from Hizuru and Marley, are getting ready to confront and reason with their old buddy in an effort to stop him from wiping out mankind outside the walls. With the series rapidly approaching its gripping climax, many questions about the series’ characters and lore, such as the origin of the titans, the future of the Eldian race, various interpersonal dynamics among the main cast, and, finally, Eren’s true motives in triggering the rumbling, are sure to be answered in the final battle.
Where the Titans Came From
There is still much history about the Titans’ beginnings that has yet to be explored, but the disclosure of Ymir’s narrative provided some interesting insight into the way in which the Power of the Titans was passed down down the centuries. Although “the wellspring of all living matter,” shown as a spine-like entity that attached itself to Ymir as she fled from her Eldian captors in her flashback scene, was revealed to be the genesis of titan abilities, its precise nature has yet to be explained. With just about 8 or 9 chapters of the manga remaining to adapt, it’s unclear if this will play a large role in the conclusion.
What Happens to Paradise Island?
The feud between Eldia and Marley, which has lasted for millennia, is a major plot point in Attack on Titan. Using the Power of the Titans, the former ruled much of the globe for most of history, but Marley’s rise to power after the Great Titan War sparked a radical reorganisation of global power dynamics. After the 145th Fritz King abdicated his reign on the mainland and fled to the safety of the fortifications of Paradis Island, the Subjects of Ymir were persecuted everywhere. But Eren’s actions in Liberio, which virtually amounted to a declaration of war against all mankind outside the walls, have thrown the fragile truce between Eldia and the rest of the globe to the wind. Now that Eren has started the rumbling in response to Marley’s invasion of Paradis, the Eldians of Paradis are resorting to extreme measures to combat what they see as a threat to their own survival.
Eren’s determination stems only from his experience on Marley with the Survey Corps when he witnessed the world’s unwavering hostility against his people. Attacking the meeting of global leaders in Liberia shows that he thinks the time for reasoned debate has passed. Armin’s more moderate view of the looming battle, however, still sees diplomatic efforts as Paradis’ best chance of survival. Finally, while Zeke’s euthanasia proposal is severe, it does offer a third, albeit faulty, option. The confrontation between both worldviews will likely determine the outcome of this age-old war and bring about its eventual settlement.
From Eren’s Perspective
While we saw glimpses of Eren’s past in the months preceding the attack on Liberio in the penultimate episode of Season 4 Part 2, we still know very little about his genuine motivations and intentions. His actions are consistent with his character development as someone who values freedom above all else, even to the point of being willing to subjugate others to maintain his own liberty, but there is a huge hole in the plan when it comes to what will happen to his friends and the rest of the people of Paradis. However, there is no question that the forces arrayed against Eldia would retaliate after regaining their military power, so while his global devastation of enemy troops with the rumbling will buy the islanders some time, they will not be safe for very long. Eren’s connection to Mikasa, however, remains an unanswered mystery.
They share a kinship that is stronger than biological ties since they were raised as step-siblings from a young age. Eren’s actions during the round table debate with Mikasa and Armin threw severe doubt on any future prospect of a relationship between the two, who had been widely considered one of the most notable possible love pairings in the series. Even while it’s probably a huge red herring, the possibility of an alternate timeline in which Eren is the father of Historia’s kid raises even more questions about how this interaction between them will ultimately play out. There can be no satisfying ending to Attack on Titan without settling this hotly contested link, so fans will be looking forward to hearing Isayama’s take on the matter in the series’ final episode.
Last, but not least, some resolution
Even though the tale’s climax was revealed in instalments, the climax is elaborated upon in the final book, leaving the plot more ambiguous. There is a good chance that this conclusion will be adapted for the big screen, but that is ultimately up to the folks at Studio MAPPA and Isayama. Even if the key plot elements of the anime only slightly deviate from the source material, it is possible that a unique conclusion will be created in light of the criticisms that followed the release of the final chapters of Attack of Titan. Finally, the ending will need to resolve unrelated plot threads like Armin and Annie Leonhart’s relationship, Jean Kirschtein and Reiner Braun’s ultimate fates, the ultimate fate of Connie Springer’s mother and other pure titans, and which characters will survive the final battle and live to see the new world, for better or worse, created by Eren’s actions. Fans can rest assured that one of the most beloved shows of the past few years will go out with an action-packed thrill ride at a pace that is just as breakneck as when it first debuted on-screen nearly a decade ago, even if many of the finer details related to the length of the final instalment have yet to be shared.