This is a review of the ending of Attack on Titan, so spoiler warning for chapter 139.
I am making this as organized as possible so that more people actually read it, see my point and stop mindlessly rating AOT 1/100.
__First, why is chapter 139 a good conclusion to the story?
__
- To start, this chapter showed us the "plot twist" that everyone wanted so bad. Eren's plan from the beginning was to kill only 80% of the population and then to erase the titan powers forever, which essentially makes the most sense since if he had erased them from the beginning, he would just leave Eldia with no way to defend themselves while still being seen as a devil. This way people would actually fear Eldia but eldians would have a future.
- This was not the best plan realistically, but in their situation, nothing better could have been done. Zeke's was good, but only on theory. Remember that these are people who have done nothing wrong and grew up in a life-threatening, oppressed environment. Once the truth was revealed to them, they wouldn't just go with the plan to everyone be fertile, while their enemies, who have been discriminating against them and trying to kill them, just continue living their life as if nothing has happened.
- "How did Mikasa killing off Eren and kissing his head manage to make Ymir think, "Yeah, that's what I wanted to see. Adios"?"
I can see what people mean by not understanding Yimr's part, but it also does make sense. She had a terrible life, where no one showed her almost any affection, while she was indeed in love for so long. After that, she didn't find peace but instead was left alone for 2000 years. The revelation that she was in love not only explains her action, but it makes a parallel with Mikasa's character. Of course, Ymir would be moved after witnessing firsthand Mikasa and Eren's life story, emotions, and sacrifices.
__Why the characters actually stayed true to themselves and what makes them realistic?
__
- Eren
"Eren's character was ruined" ... WHAT ???
- Eren was from the very beginning a very genuine and caring boy. He has risked multiple times his life for Armin, Mikasa, and other scouts.
- "Freedom" is really not his only personality trait and if anything I think that the fact that the scene in which he explains everything to Armin reminded the readers of who Eren really is. He is not a mindless killer who doesn't care about his friends. In fact, he is a killer BECAUSE he cares so much about his friends. This was hinted at multiple times in season 4.
- Please think about what you say, because I witnessed people saying so stupid things about his character, that they either haven't read the manga at all or their brain activity really is dead.
- EREN LOVED MIKASA FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. I do not know if it is romantically or platonically, but he loved her. If you disagree please rewatch the end of s2 and reread the whole manga after chapter 100.
- Mikasa
- I don't know if people are actually that stupid, but in case someone thinks that Mikasa doesn't love Eren and she is just obsessed with him because she is an Ackerman, please consider your opinion as invalid. She was an important character from the beginning, I don't know why people associate her only with her obsessiveness over Eren. Throughout the whole series she is shown to care about literally everyone, and her killing Eren, after finally seeing his destruction, is solid proof of that. This was NOT just a random change of heart.
__Actual plot holes:
__
- A lot of important characters were actually forgotten. What happened to Yelena? Or the woman who wanted to save Mikasa, because she is an Ackerman?
- A lot of Ymir's actions were also not well-explained.
- Historia's baby was actually the farmer's. Then why Eren asked Zeke what he would think if Eren had a child? Why hint more depth in Historia's pregnancy if, at the end, this was nothing more fr the story except a tool not to make her a titan?
- Also I feel like the origin of the titan powers was left unexplained.
__Little detail that makes the Attack on Titan story and ending even better:
__
- The last arc was kind of rushed, but I think that Isayama did that because he insisted on having exactly 139 chapters. The end 139 is an anger number that represents the end of something and the beginning of something else. Except that, the number 140 means expression of a personal sense of freedom and self-reliance. Since the end is 139, it might be interpreted as it never reaching chapter 140, thus freedom.
- The original ending was supposed to be everyone dying, except Eren and him regretting it, or something similar, but since AOT got a lot of recognition over the past years, he decided to change the ending to something happier.
OVERALL
Please, stop insulting the end and the whole series, and rating it with 1/10. The end might have been happier than a lot of people expected, but remember that Attack on Titan is a show with a lot of messages and themes like discrimination, morality, and perspective. IT IS NOT JUST A TRAGIC STORY, do not expect everyone to die just because you want to feel something.
If you are going to rate it, then start analyzing what you rate before mindlessly putting anything below 5/10 just because it's "trendy".
