For a series that has been filled with as many twists as Attack on Titan, there is little to be surprised about in the setup of its final battle. As the world's collective hatred bore down upon the Eldians of Paradis, Eren Yeager chose to undo the hardening of the island's Walls with the Founding Titan and unleash the Rumbling. In a bid to stop him, old comrades turned enemies joined forces in a last ditch attempt to stop the march of the Wall Titans.

Seeing Eren carry out this unforgivable act of genocide prompted many to inquire what his true objectives are, as he seems to have taken the most extreme action to safeguard his loved ones on Paradis. Whether he truly intends to end all life beyond the Walls is not yet certain, despite his repeated insistence that he will see the Rumbling through to the very end. The situation is precariously poised when heading into Attack on Titan's finale titled "Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2," and there are a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

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Prelude To The End

The single biggest factor that contributed to Eren's choice to activate the Rumbling, was the world's refusal to entertain any sort of diplomatic talks with Paradis. On learning of the existence of human civilization beyond the Walls, the inhabitants of Paradis also gained the knowledge that they were regarded as "Devils" who threatened the existence of humanity. This impression of them had been built up over a century, after the 145th Fritz King retreated inside the Walls, effectively dissolving the Eldian Empire of the past.

While fleeing to Paradis, King Karl Fritz had used the threat of the Rumbling to deter any act of aggression against those living inside the Walls. However, this was actually an empty threat, as he had already used the power of the Founding Titan to implement a vow renouncing war that would prevent any future inheritors from retaliating against the rest of the world. For nearly a century, King Fritz's words prevented any nation from invading Paradis to capture the Founding Titan. This all changed with Marley's Paradis Island Operation in the year 845.

After being exposed to the state of the world beyond the Walls after a century, the residents of Paradis could do little to dispel the blind hatred they were greeted with. In fact, all their attempts to foster trade relations with other nations were met with outright rejection. Their only ally at this time was the country of Hizuru, which developed a relationship with Paradis' government on account of Mikasa, who was a descendant of the ruling Azumabito family. Kiyomi Azumabito, an envoy from Hizuru, had initially proposed a partial demonstration of the Rumbling as part of Paradis' plan to catch up to the world's technological and military might, but this suggestion was met with mixed reactions from the Scouts.

During a trip to Marley, Eren and the Survey Corps got a first-hand experience of the world's twisted perception of the Eldians of Paradis. This made it clear that no diplomatic solutions to their problem were possible, as other nations seemed to have no intention of listening to Paradis' pleas for peace. With this in mind, Eren set up his plan to unite with Zeke and carry out the Rumbling, by gaining access to the Founding Titan.

Eradicating All Life Beyond The Walls

Shortly after he successfully undid the hardening to release the Titans within the Walls, Eren broadcasted a message to all Subjects of Ymir through the world of the Paths. In his statement, he explained the reasoning behind his actions, by noting that the entire world wished for the destruction of Paradis. As someone who called the island his home, Eren could not accept this wish, and chose to defend his homeland at any cost.

For him, this meant using the Wall Titans to eradicate all life on earth, in a mass genocide that would leave the islanders as its only survivors. There is no doubt that Eren's actions cannot be condoned by any line of justification. While it is fair to say that the Rumbling was a desperate last resort, Eren's decision to see it through would result in the deaths of innumerable innocents. This would effectively confirm the inhabitants of Paradis as the very "Devils" they were being portrayed as.

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At the time of the Scouts' visit to Marley, Eren made a tearful confession to Ramzi, a young boy in a refugee camp, who would later become a victim of the Rumbling. Visibly shaken by what he had seen in memories from the future, Eren apologized profusely as he recounted his disappointment at learning the true nature of the world beyond the Walls. Begging for Ramzi's forgiveness, Eren expressed his guilt for desiring a world free of civilization, noting that he himself was the one who sought the Rumbling in the first place.

Even during his conversation with the remaining Scouts and Warriors in the Paths prior to their arrival at Fort Salta, Eren refused to back down or provide any further justification for his actions. Furthermore, he shot down Armin's hope of reasoning with him by stating that the only way to stop the Rumbling would be to kill him. All this points to Eren having every intention of seeing the Rumbling through to the very end.

If he does succeed in this endeavor, the threat to Paradis would practically disappear overnight, but the cost of this victory might be too much for some to bear — including Eren himself. This is quite evident in how Eren's closest friends Armin and Mikasa, are in direct opposition to his plans. Additionally, the fact that Titan shifters are still able to transform even with Eren's possession of the Founding Titan power, could hint at another conclusion.

An Inevitable Sacrifice?

On one hand, Eren sacrificing himself for the greater good of his homeland may not seem too out of character, as he has always sought to protect those around him. This would also explain his awful treatment of Armin and Mikasa in the War for Paradis Arc, where he deliberately pushed his closest friends away. From one perspective, this could have been an act to soften the blow of what he was about to do.

Under these circumstances, it is quite possible that Eren intends to give up his life and allow his friends to kill him, which would end the Rumbling in the process. This would also serve to vindicate the Eldians who participated in the battle against him, as they would essentially be the world's saviors. Whether events will transpire in this exact manner is anyone's guess, since the rest of world already had no desire to listen to Paradis' efforts at diplomacy, and the Rumbling certainly would not help their case.

Alternatively, there is a much darker side to Eren's character, where he is easily consumed by hatred and rage, especially when someone threatens his autonomy. In this regard, the prospect of Eren sacrificing himself seems very unlikely, as his sole aim has always been to attain complete freedom above all laws that govern the world he was born into.

Having been fed the idea that he was special since childhood — a though that has been reinforced by his Titan powers and many victories — Eren has been relentless in his pursuit of this objective, even if it came at the cost of innocent lives. Hence, the most fitting conclusion would be that Eren will continue to move forward until all threats are eliminated, just like he has always done. Whether the remaining Scouts and Warriors will be able to halt his advance, is an entirely different matter.

Attack on Titan is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

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