A story so intricate and complex that there’s no end to the symbolism and details. That’s exactly how many fans would describe Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan. The conclusion of the series has happened twice at this point, once with the manga and then the anime, yet AOT continues to be relevant. Every day, there’s a new set of details that fans come across.
If not details and revelations, there’s no end to the questions and theories they have about the canon narrative. So here’s another one! This Attack on Titan theory will make you question the main idea of the story. The ending of the series completely changed fans’ perception of Eren that made him one of the most iconic anime characters.
In the end, he admitted that he was driven by a predetermined path or destiny, and his main driving force was his desire to create safety for his friends. What if it wasn’t a predetermined path, but rather a person manipulating Eren’s actions?
Attack on Titan Theory suggests Eren was being mind-controlled
Eren had the powers of both the Attack Titan and the Founding Titan. As a result, he could see the memories of the other Titan shifters and being in contact with a Royal, also allowed him to manipulate the memories of others. He could even see the future. Every person who ever wielded Titan powers had similar abilities.
This fan theory questions the Attack Titan’s powers. What if it wasn’t foresight but the will of the first Attack Titan? Whoever the first Attack Titan was might have been manipulating their successors to follow this ‘predetermined path’. According to this theory, the first Attack Titan etched their own motivations in the consciousness of the Titan.
They continued to manipulate the newer generation from the Paths to continue the cycle of destruction, and prolong the suffering of the Eldians. If this theory were true, then Eren would simply be a pawn in the grand scheme of things. This makes his idea of freedom merely a delusion that ensures he stays on the orchestrator’s desired path.
In the story’s epilogue, it was shown that someone rediscovered the Titan powers. If that’s true, then this mysterious entity or first Titan shifter might still be controlling the narrative. This theory, if proved true, could give way to a potential sequel. However, that possibility is highly unlikely.
Either way, the outcome doesn’t change for Eren
Even though this theory doesn’t align with the canon narrative, it highlights how Eren’s fate remains unchanged. The moment he inherited the Titan powers, he got caught up in a wretched cycle. His ideas were already warped by his tragic experiences, and his idea of freedom led the world to ruin.
Call it Hajime Isayama‘s genius or something else, but this suggests that there was some force that prohibited Eren from making different choices. After all, even this fan theory couldn’t change anything. Eren ended up making the same choices irrespective of the turnarounds we took.
Attack on Titan is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
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