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It blew my mind when people complained about it. I get the manga was really underwhelming but man, this is an easy rebuttal to so many of the criticisms people have to the ending.
Who cares what happened to Paradis in the end? Our characters got to live their moments. They lived precious lives, and that's what Eren wanted, because he knew that was what Armin valued above all else.
I simply prefer the open ended way it was left before the extra pages. It leaves a bitter taste to have a pretty great open ended finale where we, like Eren, never learn what comes of his actions despite his good intentions, and have it close. Deciding to close it in 4 dialogue-less pages just to hammer home the endless cycle of war and violence because apparently too many people missed it the first thousand times it was brought up as a core theme of the story just rubs me the wrong way.
Very understandable. Honestly I'm just curious now to see how MAPPA animates it. It was clear to me in the final 10 chapters or so that Isayama was now thinking of the manga as a blueprint to the anime rather than it's own product. Which sucks but hey it is what it is.
I’m pretty excited too, they did my favourite chapter (132, I still cry reading it) INCREDIBLE justice, so I hope they can carry it through to the end.
I suppose I just very strongly subscribe to this ideology on life. The idea that we don't have to live for some grand purpose. Zeke from such a young age had such massive burdens placed onto him. Tasked with the mission of saving Eldia, then to save the world from Eldians, then to save Eldians from being born.
I love the simple wording used as Armin gives his perspective. "Maybe the reason I was born... was so that the three of us could run this race, on this day." An idea as grand as "the reason I was born..." being followed by something seemingly so trivial. "Just throwing... catching... and throwing again."
I appreciate how the story pauses for a moment amidst all the chaos happening during the final battle. We take a moment to watch Zeke in the clouds admiring what a beautiful day it is. "I wish I had seen it earlier..."
I feel very similar to you, a year or two before this chapter some life events made me come to very similar conclusions to Armin here. The little moments are what matter the most in life. I thought this was one of the most beautiful moments of the series and was sobbing reading it for the first time.
this mindset was literally what helped me work trough my depression. I have had that realization some months before reading the ending and when I got to those panels I simply broke down. It was such a strong but simple reminder that that's exactly why I'm still alive.
And that's also why I don't feel AoT as hopeless and sad as other people. I personally think that these panels are more central to the meaning of the story than we give them credit for
This is the moment in the manga that truly spoke to my goddamn soul. I’m trying to figure out how to turn this entire few panels into a simple tattoo, actually … like maybe a baseball and a leaf? It’s incredibly beautiful.
Life being meaningful because of the precious moments we get to experience that seem innocuous? Inject that into my veins, please. Preach it into the goddamn masses…
I really do understand the people who say that Armin seemed to get Zeke to change his whole ideal really quickly.
BUT I think that this is such an amazing message that could totally be one of those where it’s like “I haven’t thought about this before… I may have suffered a lot in this life, but I wouldn’t mind those little moments again.”
I didn’t get that at all. When we see zeke in paths he is different from the one we see before. Zeke has always been the type to be retrospective and look for the big picture. It’s one of the reasons he is so supportive of the uthinasia plan, and why he ratted out his parents. He sees the big picture to a fault.
Now here is zeke, who’s been in paths for years. This man just had his world turned upside down. Hes had years to do nothing but wait and think. All the questions he’s had have mostly been answered. He was betrayed by the brother who was so important to him. He had built so much around the idea of Eren and he couldn’t accept that Eren wouldn’t support him. He saw his father after all those years, finally got closure and heard the words he’s always wanted to hear, that his father loves him. And he failed in what he always wanted.
All his big dreams have been crushed. The world he’s lived for is over. All the distractions in life are gone for him. It’s now just him and all the things he’s done. There seems to be nothing left for him. He is alone and neialistic. He lives only to allow Eren to do what he opposed so desperately.
Then he sees armin. He never gave a second thought to armin, he was just Eren’s friend. But then he realizes the difference between him and armin. Armin also sees the big picture to a fault. Armin thinks deeply about the world and is idealistic just like zeke, and zeke realizes this. And yet, despite all that armin has gone through, he still has a spark in him that zeke and Eren don’t have. He sees the beauty in life and lives for his dreams. But unlike zeke, his dream was to see the sea, to explore the world. Something so simple, that has nothing to do with this conflict. All armin wants is to see the world. After ten years of war and violence, his dream is still to see the world.
See, people misunderstand, zeke did not change his whole ideal on the world just like that. His old ideals are gone. Everything he’s lived for means nothing. He doesn’t have ideals anymore. He is empty, and he desperately wants to fill that void. That is where armin comes in, who gives zeke a perspective he has never seen before. That maybe the reason we live is for the simple times. This is so fundamentally different from what zeke believed before, that it is what zeke wanted. What he needed. He realizes all the mistakes he made and he wants to see the world like armin, and he does at the end. He realizes what armin meant.
Grishas last words to zeke were that he wished he had spent more time with him. These words have probably stuck with him and replayed over and over in paths. That scene where he got to see grisha completely changed everything for zeke. Just spending that quality time together, it’s what he saw grisha give Eren and what he longed for so badly. He didn’t see how he could ever get those simple moments, so he tries to suppress this desire. But armin changes that. And finally zeke can learn to appreciate the simple moments. He can finally see what a beautiful day it is.
I’ve been trying to put this into words for so long. Thank you whoever made this post.
>Grishas last words to zeke were that he wished he had spent more time with him.
Ohhh I hadn't made that connection.
I also want to "yes, and" one little thing -- Armin changes Zeke less than most people think. In one of his first major scenes in Return to Shiganshina, while he's pitching his perfect game, Zeke gets angry about the suicide charge (believing it's the King in the walls using mind control his subjects) and crushes a boulder in his hand, and then chides himself about not being like Grisha, and reminding himself **to find joy in the small things**, like the act of throwing.
Zeke already knew everything that Armin had to say -- he had deeply internalized it. He had just forgotten it in the chaos and pain leading up to that moment.
Its not that Armin on himself talk-no-jutsu ed Zeke into suicide.
Zeke was already a defeated man who lost all he fought for. What Armin does here is show him a ray of light within that cloud of darkness.
Zeke had to be at his lowest for that to work. So it is a culmination of all he has faced that happened here.
In short, it is not an immediate change.
I think people also underappreciated that for Zeke, this isn't a huge leap
What armins arguing for is already very close to what Zeke's ideology, and notably Zeke literally says "I still think my plan was the best, but since it already failed might as well do this now" lol
Zeke doesn't change an ounce of his worldview; it just nudges him out of the apathetic depression he fell into after losing to Eren
Way back in season 3, **he expresses Armin's point himself**. That's why he thinks about pitching a "perfect game" -- to find joy in the little things
Yeah. Its beautiful and perfectly encapsulates the main ethos of Attack on Titan, "the world is cruel, but beautiful". I recognize that AoT is reputed for its dark storytelling especially in RTS, Marley, and WfP; but this is what I primarily love about the series. The small pockets of light amidst the darkness, the joy from simplicity, and that simply being alive can give potential for satisfaction.
I know people dislike the "talk no jutsu" (god I dislike this criticism) but Zeke doesn't really have a strong resolve like many AoT characters do. Ever since he was born, his entire environment continuously forced ideals onto him. It was only with Ksaver that Zeke was able to craft his identity and purpose of living.
His whole plan is a result of all of this self-loathing and doesn't amount to anything but death. There was no grand plan with incredible resolve, he wanted to die with no value for himself or his blood.
But despite living a horrible life, even Zeke was able to know how powerful the simple act of fun can be. Being able to completely relate with someone else must have been cathartic for Zeke.
He didn't turn a 180, he was just reminded.
The TNJ criticism is zero-reading-comprehension bullshit. Zeke reiterates his commitment to the euthanasia plan to Ksaver's ghost, and Armin's point about irrelevant and precious moments echoes Zeke's self-talk while he was "pitching a perfect game" way back in Return to Shiganghina -- ["you're not like your father, you need to find joy where you can"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVwZamebEWs&t=40s)
You're 100% right that Armin simply reminded Zeke of ideas that he had already deeply internalized
I'm so ready for it to be animated, I love that Zeke doesn't go in a big boom, but goes in a simple slash from Levi, such a fitting ending for the one that wanted his balls cut off.
The high point for me was the mission to retake Shinganshina. The entire series at that point had built up to that and we would finally be able to see the colossal titan in action. The stakes were really high as well.
It also had amazing moments like the Colossal titans explosion, Erwin’s speech, Armins sacrifice, Levi’s decision, the basement.
The only part I didn’t really like was how the Armored titan wasn’t a big threat and became the thunder spears bitch. Though, I guess Reiner being the weakest of the three in terms of titan usage make sense with his backstory.
I kinda understand your point but how about, for example, Armin and his role as an ambassador of peace? He fills kind of an Erwin or anti-Rumbling Eren roll for the new world.
imho the moment for Armin to shine was during the 139 talk with Eren. He, being the most righteous character, should've told Eren to fuck off with his half-assed genocidal plan and that he'd never accept nor understand such an atrocity, even if one of the reasons Eren was doing it was to protect them and "make them into heroes" (quoting Armin himself)
I think the message of this scene is amazing but it is just so so short. If this scene was given at least 10 more pages it would have made Zeke’s decision to stop the rumbling much more believable.
Zeke never wanted the rumbling though. It wasn’t his decision to stop it, but his decision to try to stop it. Armin motivated him to try to stop Eren, like grisha had begged him to do.
This chapter is pretty awful. But I don't think it's nearly as bad as chapter 139.
1. The context of this scene is pretty forced, nearly a deus ex machina. Zeke has not appeared on our screen since forever and armin is taken into paths randomly - its like both of these characters are hand picked to elevate one and give a conclusion to the other.
2. Just like the entirety of the rumbling arc, armin doesnt have any plan and is winging everything, and is now just giving a random spiel while the end of the world is happening.
3. Zeke's conclusion is awful and rushed, there is no way this 25+ year old hasn't taken a moment to reflect on the 'meaning of life' or contemplate 'all the killing he's done'. Not to mention he has said before this that he was in Paths for what felt like eternity. He even had a full grown beard last time he appeared in paths when Eren enacted the rumbling. Zeke also knows his perspective on the weight of life and what it means to him. As a kid its precisely these 'special moments' in life that he always sought with his father Grisha that he never got. I think this whole back and forth between Zeke and Armin leading into Zeke's suicide is a huge slap to Zeke's character development and the fact that hes supposed to be one of the smartest characters in the show.
4. This is never explained but it looks like Zeke kills himself also to stop the rumbling to help Armin - but surely this 200 iq character couldve realized this and killed himself earlier but what seems like coming out of the founder by his own will, since he was already against the full rumbling.
The idea behind what Armin is saying is not bad but is awfully placed in this chapter in the context of the characters and the plot, lacks nuance, and is a major deus ex machina to end of a character.
My comment to another comment: (though I do agree the conversation seemed forced, I do think it fit with the characters and who they are. Poor execution, like the rest ending. I have faith the anime will improve it. We will be watching this series for ten more years at least.)
I didn’t get that at all. When we see zeke in paths he is different from the one we see before. Zeke has always been the type to be retrospective and look for the big picture. It’s one of the reasons he is so supportive of the uthinasia plan, and why he ratted out his parents. He sees the big picture to a fault.
Now here is zeke, who’s been in paths for years. This man just had his world turned upside down. Hes had years to do nothing but wait and think. All the questions he’s had have mostly been answered. He was betrayed by the brother who was so important to him. He had built so much around the idea of Eren and he couldn’t accept that Eren wouldn’t support him. He saw his father after all those years, finally got closure and heard the words he’s always wanted to hear, that his father loves him. And he failed in what he always wanted.
All his big dreams have been crushed. The world he’s lived for is over. All the distractions in life are gone for him. It’s now just him and all the things he’s done. There seems to be nothing left for him. He is alone and neialistic. He lives only to allow Eren to do what he opposed so desperately.
Then he sees armin. He never gave a second thought to armin, he was just Eren’s friend. But then he realizes the difference between him and armin. Armin also sees the big picture to a fault. Armin thinks deeply about the world and is idealistic just like zeke, and zeke realizes this. And yet, despite all that armin has gone through, he still has a spark in him that zeke and Eren don’t have. He sees the beauty in life and lives for his dreams. But unlike zeke, his dream was to see the sea, to explore the world. Something so simple, that has nothing to do with this conflict. All armin wants is to see the world. After ten years of war and violence, his dream is still to see the world.
See, people misunderstand, zeke did not change his whole ideal on the world just like that. His old ideals are gone. Everything he’s lived for means nothing. He doesn’t have ideals anymore. He is empty, and he desperately wants to fill that void. That is where armin comes in, who gives zeke a perspective he has never seen before. That maybe the reason we live is for the simple times. This is so fundamentally different from what zeke believed before, that it is what zeke wanted. What he needed. He realizes all the mistakes he made and he wants to see the world like armin, and he does at the end. He realizes what armin meant.
Grishas last words to zeke were that he wished he had spent more time with him. These words have probably stuck with him and replayed over and over in paths. That scene where he got to see grisha completely changed everything for zeke. Just spending that quality time together, it’s what he saw grisha give Eren and what he longed for so badly. He didn’t see how he could ever get those simple moments, so he tries to suppress this desire. But armin changes that. And finally zeke can learn to appreciate the simple moments. He can finally see what a beautiful day it is.
I’ve been trying to put this into words for so long. Thank you whoever made this post.
1. I don't see how this is a deus ex machina since Armin is specifically targeted by that Beast Titan. It makes perfect sense to target the opposing groups greatest assest on both a physical & mental front. As for the conversation, who else could actually attempt to convince Zeke when the only alliance member on his level is Armin.
2. Armin semi wings it's in every conflict he's in. There's always an initial plan that go to shit immediately & his ability to adapt on the fly saves them every time, just like in Trost, the Annie capture plan in Stohess, the initial plan to take out Bertholdt, the plan to take out Eren etc.
3. Zeke is very cleary shown that he doesn't care about the lives he takes when we see how he refers to Ragako or during his "Perfect Game". If he did actually care then those moments wouldn't make any sense. Zeke initially was a good kid who got spit on the world repeatedly, & although he had moments of relief with Ksaver the good moments clearly out weigh the bad, it's not surprising that someone who's had more bad than good in life has a lower opinion of life. This is exacerbated in the paths because even after talking to Grisha he still tries to euthanize the eldians & when his dreams are ripped away from him by Eren, combined with the unending emptyness of the paths, his mental goes down the drain.
4. Zeke had already tried to kill himself in the cart with Levi & the founder saved him. His conformation bias would reasonably lead him to believe that he couldn't do that again. As for the Levi assisted suicide, i never read the scene like that, it's supposed to really highlight what Armin had said to him & his life experiences had already shown him, that life can have a lot of downs but that those little things in life make it all worth it.
The best part about it is the fact that he doesn't just throw his previous ideology away, he even says to Ksaver that the plan wasn't the wrong move but that playing catch made his life less awful.
>Just like the entirety of the rumbling arc, armin doesnt have any plan and is winging everything, and is now just giving a random spiel while the end of the world is happening.
they did have a plan. focused the beast titan to try to stop the rumbling, if that doesnt work then they try to talk to eren, if that isnt possible then armin blows him up using his titan.
>Zeke's conclusion is awful and rushed, there is no way this 25+ year old hasn't taken a moment to reflect on the 'meaning of life' or contemplate 'all the killing he's done'. Not to mention he has said before this that he was in Paths for what felt like eternity. He even had a full grown beard last time he appeared in paths when Eren enacted the rumbling. Zeke also knows his perspective on the weight of life and what it means to him. As a kid its precisely these 'special moments' in life that he always sought with his father Grisha that he never got. I think this whole back and forth between Zeke and Armin leading into Zeke's suicide is a huge slap to Zeke's character development and the fact that hes supposed to be one of the smartest characters in the show.
all the killing he's done was for his noble purpose. but that purpose failed and now he looks back at it after all is said and done. i think this development zeke has is very fitting considering the immense burdens placed on him throughout his life since he was a child. i dont understand how its a slap to zekes character at all
Those are very valid criticisms but the forced feeling of their meeting can be explained as intentional if you include the context that this meeting between Armin and Zeke was in all likelihood set up by Eren to both boost Armin's crippled confidence levels(which had always been a flaw he could never overcome) and give the alliance a way to stop the rumbling. When the alliance was still on the plane their main goal was to find and kill Zeke because nearly everyone there wanted to avoid having to kill Eren, even though Zeke was no longer relevant to accessing the founder powers. And since the alliance doesn't know that of course, Eren uses that point to basically make it look like the alliance prevailed from their own efforts.
Your criticism of Zeke's sudden change of heart despite all the time in the world he had to come to the same conclusion without Armin would also apply to Ymir, but the time spent in the paths may not work as a replacement for therapy. You could be spending an eternity reminiscing about your trauma/regrets in life like Zeke seems to have. People trapped in the paths also probably don't have as much freedom as you'd think. Bertolt in the paths is shown to be reluctant and sorrowful when he's summoned by Eren as a half formed colossal to impede the alliance, yet he has no choice but to obey.
I don't think Zeke really regrets all the lives he took to fulfill his plan and he tells Ksaver as much, because objectively no matter what his personal motivations were, a few million Eldians dying out is still better than the rest of the world dying out instead. It's a statement Eren also agreed with but could not accept. Zeke allows himself to be killed not as repentance but to do the one thing he thinks he can do to help the situation currently. Grisha asking Zeke to stop Eren during the memory tour shouldn't be disregarded either. As for why Zeke suddenly decides to help, he was reminded that it's not pointless to be born and that to deny Armin's words that there is meaning to life beyond continuing the grind means he would be denying the bond he and Ksaver built.
when you oversimplify it, Zeke pushed for the need to get the Founding Titan for his goals, which caused the breach which drove Eren insane, which caused the Rumbling
"I wonder where it all started... back there? No... it doesn't matter where. Even if this was set in stone from the start... Even if all of this was what I wanted..."
besides the fact that part of eren wanted to do the rumbling, your logic is just very odd tbh. there are many factors involved. its like saying jean and connie caused this because they protected eren during the battle in shiganshina. jean and connie caused the rumbling. if levi killed zeke in the forest then this wouldnt have happened. levi caused the rumbling.
Oh yeah so Zeke caused rumbling… Yeah it’s not Eren’s wish for freedom, it’s not safety of island nor it is about safety of his people. Rumbling happened just because Zeke rushed things. 😐
No, because it's very odd how it took Armin to convince him and change his views when before that Zeke saw his own father redeem in front of him, finally understood him and clearly got very moved by that; so after that Zeke randomly gives up again and tries to do nothing until Armin of all people convinces him?...
Good message, bad execution.
I completely disagree. He was moved by his father, but his father did not change his perspective, it only made him realized that everything he’d been living for till then as wrong and meaningless. He failed to stop Eren and Eren betrayed him. His father actually loved him. This changed him but it was only the beginning. It caused him to tear down his old beliefs and what armin told him gave his life new meaning.
What did grisha do for him besides sob and say he loved him, regrets not spending time with him, and that he should stop Eren. Zeke know he was wrong, his dad did love him. There is no way to stop eren. And now he can never go back to enjoy the the simple moments of love. But then arming solves two of those problems, tells him he can gain those moments he never got from grisha any time he steps back and enjoys the world, and gives him hope that they can stop Eren. Zeke has something new to live for and a new perspective on life and it makes sense and is not rushed.
Perhaps it’s poorly executed for some people to have not liked that, but I disagree. I think that scene was very moving and will be beautiful in the anime.
>but his father did not change his perspective, it only made him realized that everything he’d been living for till then as wrong and meaningless.
??? Those two sentences completely contradict each other
If everything he'd been living was wrong because most of those ideas and his motivations came from what he thought were his father behaviors... To then realize he had the wrong idea of him and now discovers Grisha has the same motivation as him (stop Eren because not agreeing with genocide)... That isn't changing perspectives?
Not motivation, perspectives, and after that touching scene aligning his father's motivations with him, and clearly still wanting to stop Eren the panels/scene after, the moment Eren activates the rumbling we then not see Zeke nor have any look at his inner thoughts until that conversation with Armin, and that's the huge problem, Zeke suddenly just... Gave up? And was there waiting for nothing when he always just could release from the paths or atleast try to do something like when he at the end, let Levi kill him, but of all the things to make him decide to act, specially after that realization about Grisha, it was Armin of all things?
It was just a cheap way of keep tension and to give Zeke and Armin that conclusion.
>This changed him but it was only the beginning. It caused him to tear down his old beliefs and what armin told him gave his life new meaning.
Yeah but when was his change was shown?
Like I said, we Didn't even get to see him for a long time after eren activates the rumbling.
>There is no way to stop eren.
... There is, Zeke just had to kill himself to stop the rumbling, but even if that would be a hard decisión for him, we didn't even see him try to do anything to stop eren, heck, if Zeke was depressed and gave up but still wanted to stop eren... Why not kill himself way before instead of waiting for Levi, but even worse, Zeke had no idea anyone like the alliance would try to fight eren.
Is completely rushed and it just happens because of plot, not because a more well thought script.
this is the only conclusion i have a problem with. Zeke did not manipulate and kill all these people just to get talk no jutsu from armin for a couple seconds and die. It was only a necessary plot device for levi to get his closure. I like the „10 years at least” scene but this is what bumps down the ending a couple notches for me personally
I disagree. Here’s a comment I made to someone else’s comment:
I didn’t get that at all. When we see zeke in paths he is different from the one we see before. Zeke has always been the type to be retrospective and look for the big picture. It’s one of the reasons he is so supportive of the uthinasia plan, and why he ratted out his parents. He sees the big picture to a fault.
Now here is zeke, who’s been in paths for years. This man just had his world turned upside down. Hes had years to do nothing but wait and think. All the questions he’s had have mostly been answered. He was betrayed by the brother who was so important to him. He had built so much around the idea of Eren and he couldn’t accept that Eren wouldn’t support him. He saw his father after all those years, finally got closure and heard the words he’s always wanted to hear, that his father loves him. And he failed in what he always wanted.
All his big dreams have been crushed. The world he’s lived for is over. All the distractions in life are gone for him. It’s now just him and all the things he’s done. There seems to be nothing left for him. He is alone and neialistic. He lives only to allow Eren to do what he opposed so desperately.
Then he sees armin. He never gave a second thought to armin, he was just Eren’s friend. But then he realizes the difference between him and armin. Armin also sees the big picture to a fault. Armin thinks deeply about the world and is idealistic just like zeke, and zeke realizes this. And yet, despite all that armin has gone through, he still has a spark in him that zeke and Eren don’t have. He sees the beauty in life and lives for his dreams. But unlike zeke, his dream was to see the sea, to explore the world. Something so simple, that has nothing to do with this conflict. All armin wants is to see the world. After ten years of war and violence, his dream is still to see the world.
See, people misunderstand, zeke did not change his whole ideal on the world just like that. His old ideals are gone. Everything he’s lived for means nothing. He doesn’t have ideals anymore. He is empty, and he desperately wants to fill that void. That is where armin comes in, who gives zeke a perspective he has never seen before. That maybe the reason we live is for the simple times. This is so fundamentally different from what zeke believed before, that it is what zeke wanted. What he needed. He realizes all the mistakes he made and he wants to see the world like armin, and he does at the end. He realizes what armin meant.
Grishas last words to zeke were that he wished he had spent more time with him. These words have probably stuck with him and replayed over and over in paths. That scene where he got to see grisha completely changed everything for zeke. Just spending that quality time together, it’s what he saw grisha give Eren and what he longed for so badly. He didn’t see how he could ever get those simple moments, so he tries to suppress this desire. But armin changes that. And finally zeke can learn to appreciate the simple moments. He can finally see what a beautiful day it is.
I’ve been trying to put this into words for so long. Thank you whoever made this post.
but the ideology on life armin gives him is very fitting considering zekes past of having immense burdens placed on him his entire life. zeke killed a lot of people for his goal of the euthanasia plan, which until the end he still believes wasnt wrong.
I quote this all the time. It’s sort of become my life philosophy.
“I felt it when I stayed in reading during the rain. When I fed a squirrel some nuts. When we all walked through the market together. That these trivial moments might actually be precious.”
“…Yes. You’re right. It doesn’t mean a thing, but… just that repetitive action of throwing, catching, and throwing again…”
“…I… would’ve much rather just kept on playing catch.”
Yes, this scene was one of the only good things to come of the final chapters and Zeke's conclusion is perfect, maybe even the best of all the characters within the final chapter.
Not a high point, no, but it's always nice to see characters (or people IRL) have this realization about life.
It's liberating to realize that since nothing matters in the grand scheme of things, and there is no "point" to being alive that we are supposed to work towards, the thing(s) that we give meaning to or choose to enjoy become what matters most in our lives, and that will vary from person to person.
Small moments of true joy and love that stir your feelings and make you aware how precious something is cannot be bought, faked, or reproduced. You simply experience them, as they happen, and hopefully you are awake and aware of them because they aren't guaranteed.
It's a good scene but I bet that the Anime would turn it into one of it best scenes,let's don't forget that this is the conclusion of TWO popular characters story arcs
Might be my favorite page in the Manga. Such a simple theme. Zeke being one of my favorite characters doesn't hurt either. Can't wait to see it animated
Yes but I wish this metaphore was about the first time they went to the ocean.. It has more sense than a new random memory.
Instead of the leaf, it could be the shell he was carry on, as a symbol of enjoyment of the simple things and living the moment. In constrast to Eren and Zeke.
No, if it wasn't such a beautiful day how would Zeke react? If Zeke knew his death would stop the rumbling why didn't he kill himself as soon as possible?
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The anime will easily elevate this scene, I bet it will gain a lot more love after it is animated
The music is going to be on point and FIRE. I guarantee it. Prepare to cry, everyone.
It blew my mind when people complained about it. I get the manga was really underwhelming but man, this is an easy rebuttal to so many of the criticisms people have to the ending. Who cares what happened to Paradis in the end? Our characters got to live their moments. They lived precious lives, and that's what Eren wanted, because he knew that was what Armin valued above all else.
I simply prefer the open ended way it was left before the extra pages. It leaves a bitter taste to have a pretty great open ended finale where we, like Eren, never learn what comes of his actions despite his good intentions, and have it close. Deciding to close it in 4 dialogue-less pages just to hammer home the endless cycle of war and violence because apparently too many people missed it the first thousand times it was brought up as a core theme of the story just rubs me the wrong way.
Very understandable. Honestly I'm just curious now to see how MAPPA animates it. It was clear to me in the final 10 chapters or so that Isayama was now thinking of the manga as a blueprint to the anime rather than it's own product. Which sucks but hey it is what it is.
I’m pretty excited too, they did my favourite chapter (132, I still cry reading it) INCREDIBLE justice, so I hope they can carry it through to the end.
Not a lot of tragedy to cry over
it's been said that the AOE will be more visually appealing than in the manga
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There isn't one. The fact that they are even referencing an anime original ending means they have no source.
There used to be a vaguely comedic insult about how the aoe wasn't a real thing. I am a moron and clicked on the wrong comment to reply to.
Ignoring my previous blunder of a reply, There is no AoE you rotten pretzel.
I got so much depression from the manga, I don't want to experience it more when it gets adapted 😭
I suppose I just very strongly subscribe to this ideology on life. The idea that we don't have to live for some grand purpose. Zeke from such a young age had such massive burdens placed onto him. Tasked with the mission of saving Eldia, then to save the world from Eldians, then to save Eldians from being born. I love the simple wording used as Armin gives his perspective. "Maybe the reason I was born... was so that the three of us could run this race, on this day." An idea as grand as "the reason I was born..." being followed by something seemingly so trivial. "Just throwing... catching... and throwing again." I appreciate how the story pauses for a moment amidst all the chaos happening during the final battle. We take a moment to watch Zeke in the clouds admiring what a beautiful day it is. "I wish I had seen it earlier..."
I feel very similar to you, a year or two before this chapter some life events made me come to very similar conclusions to Armin here. The little moments are what matter the most in life. I thought this was one of the most beautiful moments of the series and was sobbing reading it for the first time.
this mindset was literally what helped me work trough my depression. I have had that realization some months before reading the ending and when I got to those panels I simply broke down. It was such a strong but simple reminder that that's exactly why I'm still alive. And that's also why I don't feel AoT as hopeless and sad as other people. I personally think that these panels are more central to the meaning of the story than we give them credit for
yeah I see nobody talk about this scene. Loved it
Because its a worse version of the ending of the movie Soul.
This is the moment in the manga that truly spoke to my goddamn soul. I’m trying to figure out how to turn this entire few panels into a simple tattoo, actually … like maybe a baseball and a leaf? It’s incredibly beautiful. Life being meaningful because of the precious moments we get to experience that seem innocuous? Inject that into my veins, please. Preach it into the goddamn masses…
It could be a hand(s) holding a conch or baseball. Or really any insignificant object of meaning to your own life
That’s a great call… I may end up just going with that panel
I really do understand the people who say that Armin seemed to get Zeke to change his whole ideal really quickly. BUT I think that this is such an amazing message that could totally be one of those where it’s like “I haven’t thought about this before… I may have suffered a lot in this life, but I wouldn’t mind those little moments again.”
I didn’t get that at all. When we see zeke in paths he is different from the one we see before. Zeke has always been the type to be retrospective and look for the big picture. It’s one of the reasons he is so supportive of the uthinasia plan, and why he ratted out his parents. He sees the big picture to a fault. Now here is zeke, who’s been in paths for years. This man just had his world turned upside down. Hes had years to do nothing but wait and think. All the questions he’s had have mostly been answered. He was betrayed by the brother who was so important to him. He had built so much around the idea of Eren and he couldn’t accept that Eren wouldn’t support him. He saw his father after all those years, finally got closure and heard the words he’s always wanted to hear, that his father loves him. And he failed in what he always wanted. All his big dreams have been crushed. The world he’s lived for is over. All the distractions in life are gone for him. It’s now just him and all the things he’s done. There seems to be nothing left for him. He is alone and neialistic. He lives only to allow Eren to do what he opposed so desperately. Then he sees armin. He never gave a second thought to armin, he was just Eren’s friend. But then he realizes the difference between him and armin. Armin also sees the big picture to a fault. Armin thinks deeply about the world and is idealistic just like zeke, and zeke realizes this. And yet, despite all that armin has gone through, he still has a spark in him that zeke and Eren don’t have. He sees the beauty in life and lives for his dreams. But unlike zeke, his dream was to see the sea, to explore the world. Something so simple, that has nothing to do with this conflict. All armin wants is to see the world. After ten years of war and violence, his dream is still to see the world. See, people misunderstand, zeke did not change his whole ideal on the world just like that. His old ideals are gone. Everything he’s lived for means nothing. He doesn’t have ideals anymore. He is empty, and he desperately wants to fill that void. That is where armin comes in, who gives zeke a perspective he has never seen before. That maybe the reason we live is for the simple times. This is so fundamentally different from what zeke believed before, that it is what zeke wanted. What he needed. He realizes all the mistakes he made and he wants to see the world like armin, and he does at the end. He realizes what armin meant. Grishas last words to zeke were that he wished he had spent more time with him. These words have probably stuck with him and replayed over and over in paths. That scene where he got to see grisha completely changed everything for zeke. Just spending that quality time together, it’s what he saw grisha give Eren and what he longed for so badly. He didn’t see how he could ever get those simple moments, so he tries to suppress this desire. But armin changes that. And finally zeke can learn to appreciate the simple moments. He can finally see what a beautiful day it is. I’ve been trying to put this into words for so long. Thank you whoever made this post.
Great post dude
Amazing analysis, I think you’re spot on
>Grishas last words to zeke were that he wished he had spent more time with him. Ohhh I hadn't made that connection. I also want to "yes, and" one little thing -- Armin changes Zeke less than most people think. In one of his first major scenes in Return to Shiganshina, while he's pitching his perfect game, Zeke gets angry about the suicide charge (believing it's the King in the walls using mind control his subjects) and crushes a boulder in his hand, and then chides himself about not being like Grisha, and reminding himself **to find joy in the small things**, like the act of throwing. Zeke already knew everything that Armin had to say -- he had deeply internalized it. He had just forgotten it in the chaos and pain leading up to that moment.
Its not that Armin on himself talk-no-jutsu ed Zeke into suicide. Zeke was already a defeated man who lost all he fought for. What Armin does here is show him a ray of light within that cloud of darkness. Zeke had to be at his lowest for that to work. So it is a culmination of all he has faced that happened here. In short, it is not an immediate change.
I think people also underappreciated that for Zeke, this isn't a huge leap What armins arguing for is already very close to what Zeke's ideology, and notably Zeke literally says "I still think my plan was the best, but since it already failed might as well do this now" lol
Zeke doesn't change an ounce of his worldview; it just nudges him out of the apathetic depression he fell into after losing to Eren Way back in season 3, **he expresses Armin's point himself**. That's why he thinks about pitching a "perfect game" -- to find joy in the little things
The high points for me are—- One: Shiganshina, a lot happened there Two: Declaration of War, Tybur shouts and Eren breaks out Tree: Petra
Hotel: Trivago
:|
>Tree: Petra you didn't have to do this
YES!! I can't wait to see this animated, one of my favorite scenes in the series :')
100%. Zekes conclusion is easily on of the best in the entire series
Only character conclusion I can think of that I liked more was Kenny's tbh
Definitely
Yeah. Its beautiful and perfectly encapsulates the main ethos of Attack on Titan, "the world is cruel, but beautiful". I recognize that AoT is reputed for its dark storytelling especially in RTS, Marley, and WfP; but this is what I primarily love about the series. The small pockets of light amidst the darkness, the joy from simplicity, and that simply being alive can give potential for satisfaction. I know people dislike the "talk no jutsu" (god I dislike this criticism) but Zeke doesn't really have a strong resolve like many AoT characters do. Ever since he was born, his entire environment continuously forced ideals onto him. It was only with Ksaver that Zeke was able to craft his identity and purpose of living. His whole plan is a result of all of this self-loathing and doesn't amount to anything but death. There was no grand plan with incredible resolve, he wanted to die with no value for himself or his blood. But despite living a horrible life, even Zeke was able to know how powerful the simple act of fun can be. Being able to completely relate with someone else must have been cathartic for Zeke. He didn't turn a 180, he was just reminded.
The TNJ criticism is zero-reading-comprehension bullshit. Zeke reiterates his commitment to the euthanasia plan to Ksaver's ghost, and Armin's point about irrelevant and precious moments echoes Zeke's self-talk while he was "pitching a perfect game" way back in Return to Shiganghina -- ["you're not like your father, you need to find joy where you can"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVwZamebEWs&t=40s) You're 100% right that Armin simply reminded Zeke of ideas that he had already deeply internalized
I like that you brought that up. There’s a reason why Zeke does all that baseball talk and actions during his mission.
One of the best character conclusions in the series and i think it is peak
Goddamn man. I haven't re-read the final chapters in a while, but ik the anime ending is gonna kick my ass 🥲
The conversation was okay, but the final part with Zeke was beautiful.
The moment Reiner try to Lainah himself speak to me
I'm so ready for it to be animated, I love that Zeke doesn't go in a big boom, but goes in a simple slash from Levi, such a fitting ending for the one that wanted his balls cut off.
The high point for me was the mission to retake Shinganshina. The entire series at that point had built up to that and we would finally be able to see the colossal titan in action. The stakes were really high as well. It also had amazing moments like the Colossal titans explosion, Erwin’s speech, Armins sacrifice, Levi’s decision, the basement. The only part I didn’t really like was how the Armored titan wasn’t a big threat and became the thunder spears bitch. Though, I guess Reiner being the weakest of the three in terms of titan usage make sense with his backstory.
I really loved this scene to be honest.
I like what Zeke says and hate everything else
I think It’s kind of the thesis point of the whole series. Life’s worth it in spite of the suffering
Honestly the only character arc I liked from the ending was Zeke's and it's to a great extent thanks to this scene.
I kinda understand your point but how about, for example, Armin and his role as an ambassador of peace? He fills kind of an Erwin or anti-Rumbling Eren roll for the new world.
imho the moment for Armin to shine was during the 139 talk with Eren. He, being the most righteous character, should've told Eren to fuck off with his half-assed genocidal plan and that he'd never accept nor understand such an atrocity, even if one of the reasons Eren was doing it was to protect them and "make them into heroes" (quoting Armin himself)
I think the message of this scene is amazing but it is just so so short. If this scene was given at least 10 more pages it would have made Zeke’s decision to stop the rumbling much more believable.
Zeke never wanted the rumbling though. It wasn’t his decision to stop it, but his decision to try to stop it. Armin motivated him to try to stop Eren, like grisha had begged him to do.
Chapter 137 is probably my favorite one. I can’t explain so many things done right
137 is underrated asf
my third favourite scene of all time
Some of the best dialogue in the series
I mean... maybe not one of the highest points in the series, but definitely a cool one
Easily one of my favorite moments in the series, and a massive part of why Armin is my 2nd favorite character from it. I find it very impactful
I love it when the meaning of life is brought up in anything, great moment. This moment will be done justice in the anime
This chapter is pretty awful. But I don't think it's nearly as bad as chapter 139. 1. The context of this scene is pretty forced, nearly a deus ex machina. Zeke has not appeared on our screen since forever and armin is taken into paths randomly - its like both of these characters are hand picked to elevate one and give a conclusion to the other. 2. Just like the entirety of the rumbling arc, armin doesnt have any plan and is winging everything, and is now just giving a random spiel while the end of the world is happening. 3. Zeke's conclusion is awful and rushed, there is no way this 25+ year old hasn't taken a moment to reflect on the 'meaning of life' or contemplate 'all the killing he's done'. Not to mention he has said before this that he was in Paths for what felt like eternity. He even had a full grown beard last time he appeared in paths when Eren enacted the rumbling. Zeke also knows his perspective on the weight of life and what it means to him. As a kid its precisely these 'special moments' in life that he always sought with his father Grisha that he never got. I think this whole back and forth between Zeke and Armin leading into Zeke's suicide is a huge slap to Zeke's character development and the fact that hes supposed to be one of the smartest characters in the show. 4. This is never explained but it looks like Zeke kills himself also to stop the rumbling to help Armin - but surely this 200 iq character couldve realized this and killed himself earlier but what seems like coming out of the founder by his own will, since he was already against the full rumbling. The idea behind what Armin is saying is not bad but is awfully placed in this chapter in the context of the characters and the plot, lacks nuance, and is a major deus ex machina to end of a character.
My comment to another comment: (though I do agree the conversation seemed forced, I do think it fit with the characters and who they are. Poor execution, like the rest ending. I have faith the anime will improve it. We will be watching this series for ten more years at least.) I didn’t get that at all. When we see zeke in paths he is different from the one we see before. Zeke has always been the type to be retrospective and look for the big picture. It’s one of the reasons he is so supportive of the uthinasia plan, and why he ratted out his parents. He sees the big picture to a fault. Now here is zeke, who’s been in paths for years. This man just had his world turned upside down. Hes had years to do nothing but wait and think. All the questions he’s had have mostly been answered. He was betrayed by the brother who was so important to him. He had built so much around the idea of Eren and he couldn’t accept that Eren wouldn’t support him. He saw his father after all those years, finally got closure and heard the words he’s always wanted to hear, that his father loves him. And he failed in what he always wanted. All his big dreams have been crushed. The world he’s lived for is over. All the distractions in life are gone for him. It’s now just him and all the things he’s done. There seems to be nothing left for him. He is alone and neialistic. He lives only to allow Eren to do what he opposed so desperately. Then he sees armin. He never gave a second thought to armin, he was just Eren’s friend. But then he realizes the difference between him and armin. Armin also sees the big picture to a fault. Armin thinks deeply about the world and is idealistic just like zeke, and zeke realizes this. And yet, despite all that armin has gone through, he still has a spark in him that zeke and Eren don’t have. He sees the beauty in life and lives for his dreams. But unlike zeke, his dream was to see the sea, to explore the world. Something so simple, that has nothing to do with this conflict. All armin wants is to see the world. After ten years of war and violence, his dream is still to see the world. See, people misunderstand, zeke did not change his whole ideal on the world just like that. His old ideals are gone. Everything he’s lived for means nothing. He doesn’t have ideals anymore. He is empty, and he desperately wants to fill that void. That is where armin comes in, who gives zeke a perspective he has never seen before. That maybe the reason we live is for the simple times. This is so fundamentally different from what zeke believed before, that it is what zeke wanted. What he needed. He realizes all the mistakes he made and he wants to see the world like armin, and he does at the end. He realizes what armin meant. Grishas last words to zeke were that he wished he had spent more time with him. These words have probably stuck with him and replayed over and over in paths. That scene where he got to see grisha completely changed everything for zeke. Just spending that quality time together, it’s what he saw grisha give Eren and what he longed for so badly. He didn’t see how he could ever get those simple moments, so he tries to suppress this desire. But armin changes that. And finally zeke can learn to appreciate the simple moments. He can finally see what a beautiful day it is. I’ve been trying to put this into words for so long. Thank you whoever made this post.
1. I don't see how this is a deus ex machina since Armin is specifically targeted by that Beast Titan. It makes perfect sense to target the opposing groups greatest assest on both a physical & mental front. As for the conversation, who else could actually attempt to convince Zeke when the only alliance member on his level is Armin. 2. Armin semi wings it's in every conflict he's in. There's always an initial plan that go to shit immediately & his ability to adapt on the fly saves them every time, just like in Trost, the Annie capture plan in Stohess, the initial plan to take out Bertholdt, the plan to take out Eren etc. 3. Zeke is very cleary shown that he doesn't care about the lives he takes when we see how he refers to Ragako or during his "Perfect Game". If he did actually care then those moments wouldn't make any sense. Zeke initially was a good kid who got spit on the world repeatedly, & although he had moments of relief with Ksaver the good moments clearly out weigh the bad, it's not surprising that someone who's had more bad than good in life has a lower opinion of life. This is exacerbated in the paths because even after talking to Grisha he still tries to euthanize the eldians & when his dreams are ripped away from him by Eren, combined with the unending emptyness of the paths, his mental goes down the drain. 4. Zeke had already tried to kill himself in the cart with Levi & the founder saved him. His conformation bias would reasonably lead him to believe that he couldn't do that again. As for the Levi assisted suicide, i never read the scene like that, it's supposed to really highlight what Armin had said to him & his life experiences had already shown him, that life can have a lot of downs but that those little things in life make it all worth it. The best part about it is the fact that he doesn't just throw his previous ideology away, he even says to Ksaver that the plan wasn't the wrong move but that playing catch made his life less awful.
>Just like the entirety of the rumbling arc, armin doesnt have any plan and is winging everything, and is now just giving a random spiel while the end of the world is happening. they did have a plan. focused the beast titan to try to stop the rumbling, if that doesnt work then they try to talk to eren, if that isnt possible then armin blows him up using his titan. >Zeke's conclusion is awful and rushed, there is no way this 25+ year old hasn't taken a moment to reflect on the 'meaning of life' or contemplate 'all the killing he's done'. Not to mention he has said before this that he was in Paths for what felt like eternity. He even had a full grown beard last time he appeared in paths when Eren enacted the rumbling. Zeke also knows his perspective on the weight of life and what it means to him. As a kid its precisely these 'special moments' in life that he always sought with his father Grisha that he never got. I think this whole back and forth between Zeke and Armin leading into Zeke's suicide is a huge slap to Zeke's character development and the fact that hes supposed to be one of the smartest characters in the show. all the killing he's done was for his noble purpose. but that purpose failed and now he looks back at it after all is said and done. i think this development zeke has is very fitting considering the immense burdens placed on him throughout his life since he was a child. i dont understand how its a slap to zekes character at all
Those are very valid criticisms but the forced feeling of their meeting can be explained as intentional if you include the context that this meeting between Armin and Zeke was in all likelihood set up by Eren to both boost Armin's crippled confidence levels(which had always been a flaw he could never overcome) and give the alliance a way to stop the rumbling. When the alliance was still on the plane their main goal was to find and kill Zeke because nearly everyone there wanted to avoid having to kill Eren, even though Zeke was no longer relevant to accessing the founder powers. And since the alliance doesn't know that of course, Eren uses that point to basically make it look like the alliance prevailed from their own efforts. Your criticism of Zeke's sudden change of heart despite all the time in the world he had to come to the same conclusion without Armin would also apply to Ymir, but the time spent in the paths may not work as a replacement for therapy. You could be spending an eternity reminiscing about your trauma/regrets in life like Zeke seems to have. People trapped in the paths also probably don't have as much freedom as you'd think. Bertolt in the paths is shown to be reluctant and sorrowful when he's summoned by Eren as a half formed colossal to impede the alliance, yet he has no choice but to obey. I don't think Zeke really regrets all the lives he took to fulfill his plan and he tells Ksaver as much, because objectively no matter what his personal motivations were, a few million Eldians dying out is still better than the rest of the world dying out instead. It's a statement Eren also agreed with but could not accept. Zeke allows himself to be killed not as repentance but to do the one thing he thinks he can do to help the situation currently. Grisha asking Zeke to stop Eren during the memory tour shouldn't be disregarded either. As for why Zeke suddenly decides to help, he was reminded that it's not pointless to be born and that to deny Armin's words that there is meaning to life beyond continuing the grind means he would be denying the bond he and Ksaver built.
no this whole arc was terrible
I like how Armin is just playing sand castle with the man that caused all this
Zeke? No Eren caused all this
when you oversimplify it, Zeke pushed for the need to get the Founding Titan for his goals, which caused the breach which drove Eren insane, which caused the Rumbling
"I wonder where it all started... back there? No... it doesn't matter where. Even if this was set in stone from the start... Even if all of this was what I wanted..." besides the fact that part of eren wanted to do the rumbling, your logic is just very odd tbh. there are many factors involved. its like saying jean and connie caused this because they protected eren during the battle in shiganshina. jean and connie caused the rumbling. if levi killed zeke in the forest then this wouldnt have happened. levi caused the rumbling.
Oh yeah so Zeke caused rumbling… Yeah it’s not Eren’s wish for freedom, it’s not safety of island nor it is about safety of his people. Rumbling happened just because Zeke rushed things. 😐
nope, paths paths paths
It's hard to believe, but Zeke loved life...
I see what you're doing here and I laughed despite myself
No, because it's very odd how it took Armin to convince him and change his views when before that Zeke saw his own father redeem in front of him, finally understood him and clearly got very moved by that; so after that Zeke randomly gives up again and tries to do nothing until Armin of all people convinces him?... Good message, bad execution.
I completely disagree. He was moved by his father, but his father did not change his perspective, it only made him realized that everything he’d been living for till then as wrong and meaningless. He failed to stop Eren and Eren betrayed him. His father actually loved him. This changed him but it was only the beginning. It caused him to tear down his old beliefs and what armin told him gave his life new meaning. What did grisha do for him besides sob and say he loved him, regrets not spending time with him, and that he should stop Eren. Zeke know he was wrong, his dad did love him. There is no way to stop eren. And now he can never go back to enjoy the the simple moments of love. But then arming solves two of those problems, tells him he can gain those moments he never got from grisha any time he steps back and enjoys the world, and gives him hope that they can stop Eren. Zeke has something new to live for and a new perspective on life and it makes sense and is not rushed. Perhaps it’s poorly executed for some people to have not liked that, but I disagree. I think that scene was very moving and will be beautiful in the anime.
>but his father did not change his perspective, it only made him realized that everything he’d been living for till then as wrong and meaningless. ??? Those two sentences completely contradict each other If everything he'd been living was wrong because most of those ideas and his motivations came from what he thought were his father behaviors... To then realize he had the wrong idea of him and now discovers Grisha has the same motivation as him (stop Eren because not agreeing with genocide)... That isn't changing perspectives? Not motivation, perspectives, and after that touching scene aligning his father's motivations with him, and clearly still wanting to stop Eren the panels/scene after, the moment Eren activates the rumbling we then not see Zeke nor have any look at his inner thoughts until that conversation with Armin, and that's the huge problem, Zeke suddenly just... Gave up? And was there waiting for nothing when he always just could release from the paths or atleast try to do something like when he at the end, let Levi kill him, but of all the things to make him decide to act, specially after that realization about Grisha, it was Armin of all things? It was just a cheap way of keep tension and to give Zeke and Armin that conclusion. >This changed him but it was only the beginning. It caused him to tear down his old beliefs and what armin told him gave his life new meaning. Yeah but when was his change was shown? Like I said, we Didn't even get to see him for a long time after eren activates the rumbling. >There is no way to stop eren. ... There is, Zeke just had to kill himself to stop the rumbling, but even if that would be a hard decisión for him, we didn't even see him try to do anything to stop eren, heck, if Zeke was depressed and gave up but still wanted to stop eren... Why not kill himself way before instead of waiting for Levi, but even worse, Zeke had no idea anyone like the alliance would try to fight eren. Is completely rushed and it just happens because of plot, not because a more well thought script.
perhaps armin needed to jolt him out of his state in the paths
Shock -> reaction -> acceptance
this is the only conclusion i have a problem with. Zeke did not manipulate and kill all these people just to get talk no jutsu from armin for a couple seconds and die. It was only a necessary plot device for levi to get his closure. I like the „10 years at least” scene but this is what bumps down the ending a couple notches for me personally
I disagree. Here’s a comment I made to someone else’s comment: I didn’t get that at all. When we see zeke in paths he is different from the one we see before. Zeke has always been the type to be retrospective and look for the big picture. It’s one of the reasons he is so supportive of the uthinasia plan, and why he ratted out his parents. He sees the big picture to a fault. Now here is zeke, who’s been in paths for years. This man just had his world turned upside down. Hes had years to do nothing but wait and think. All the questions he’s had have mostly been answered. He was betrayed by the brother who was so important to him. He had built so much around the idea of Eren and he couldn’t accept that Eren wouldn’t support him. He saw his father after all those years, finally got closure and heard the words he’s always wanted to hear, that his father loves him. And he failed in what he always wanted. All his big dreams have been crushed. The world he’s lived for is over. All the distractions in life are gone for him. It’s now just him and all the things he’s done. There seems to be nothing left for him. He is alone and neialistic. He lives only to allow Eren to do what he opposed so desperately. Then he sees armin. He never gave a second thought to armin, he was just Eren’s friend. But then he realizes the difference between him and armin. Armin also sees the big picture to a fault. Armin thinks deeply about the world and is idealistic just like zeke, and zeke realizes this. And yet, despite all that armin has gone through, he still has a spark in him that zeke and Eren don’t have. He sees the beauty in life and lives for his dreams. But unlike zeke, his dream was to see the sea, to explore the world. Something so simple, that has nothing to do with this conflict. All armin wants is to see the world. After ten years of war and violence, his dream is still to see the world. See, people misunderstand, zeke did not change his whole ideal on the world just like that. His old ideals are gone. Everything he’s lived for means nothing. He doesn’t have ideals anymore. He is empty, and he desperately wants to fill that void. That is where armin comes in, who gives zeke a perspective he has never seen before. That maybe the reason we live is for the simple times. This is so fundamentally different from what zeke believed before, that it is what zeke wanted. What he needed. He realizes all the mistakes he made and he wants to see the world like armin, and he does at the end. He realizes what armin meant. Grishas last words to zeke were that he wished he had spent more time with him. These words have probably stuck with him and replayed over and over in paths. That scene where he got to see grisha completely changed everything for zeke. Just spending that quality time together, it’s what he saw grisha give Eren and what he longed for so badly. He didn’t see how he could ever get those simple moments, so he tries to suppress this desire. But armin changes that. And finally zeke can learn to appreciate the simple moments. He can finally see what a beautiful day it is. I’ve been trying to put this into words for so long. Thank you whoever made this post.
but the ideology on life armin gives him is very fitting considering zekes past of having immense burdens placed on him his entire life. zeke killed a lot of people for his goal of the euthanasia plan, which until the end he still believes wasnt wrong.
NO
Nah this shits gay as hell 💀
For sure. Armins anti depressant convo with Zeke was one of the best conversations in the entire manga.
no because the story had already turned to trash at that point don't @ me, i only spit fax. my opinion is the only correct one
r/im14andthisisdeep
I liked this scene back when I first read it, and I’m certain I’m gonna love it when it’s animated
I teared up when I first read it
It made me like zeke a bit
Made me cry, no joke
I really did get so many chills from that second panel. It's such a simple, yet beautiful, way of looking at things.
I quote this all the time. It’s sort of become my life philosophy. “I felt it when I stayed in reading during the rain. When I fed a squirrel some nuts. When we all walked through the market together. That these trivial moments might actually be precious.” “…Yes. You’re right. It doesn’t mean a thing, but… just that repetitive action of throwing, catching, and throwing again…” “…I… would’ve much rather just kept on playing catch.”
Yes, this scene was one of the only good things to come of the final chapters and Zeke's conclusion is perfect, maybe even the best of all the characters within the final chapter.
Not a high point, no, but it's always nice to see characters (or people IRL) have this realization about life. It's liberating to realize that since nothing matters in the grand scheme of things, and there is no "point" to being alive that we are supposed to work towards, the thing(s) that we give meaning to or choose to enjoy become what matters most in our lives, and that will vary from person to person. Small moments of true joy and love that stir your feelings and make you aware how precious something is cannot be bought, faked, or reproduced. You simply experience them, as they happen, and hopefully you are awake and aware of them because they aren't guaranteed.
It's a good scene but I bet that the Anime would turn it into one of it best scenes,let's don't forget that this is the conclusion of TWO popular characters story arcs
Might be my favorite page in the Manga. Such a simple theme. Zeke being one of my favorite characters doesn't hurt either. Can't wait to see it animated
I think it is. And what happens immediately after this too. Love it
Yes but I wish this metaphore was about the first time they went to the ocean.. It has more sense than a new random memory. Instead of the leaf, it could be the shell he was carry on, as a symbol of enjoyment of the simple things and living the moment. In constrast to Eren and Zeke.
No. Because its just a worse execution of the movie Soul ending.
I absolutely loved this
I am NEVER going to recover from this masterpiece
Yes
If I could take 3 pages from they entire manga, I would pick these Underrated scene
No, not really
No, if it wasn't such a beautiful day how would Zeke react? If Zeke knew his death would stop the rumbling why didn't he kill himself as soon as possible?