Since the change in Eren’s conduct that occurred in Season 4, several fans have been eager to designate him as the “villain” of the series.
Some of the adjectives that have been used to characterize him are terrible.
The reasons and rationale that he used to justify his acts are now obscured as a result of this.
Perspectives are frequently manipulated in the anime series Attack on Titan.
Where exactly did we go wrong when we started “labeling” Eren? Was it a villainous act for him to choose the safety of the people he knew over the safety of the rest of the world?
In the following paragraphs, we will dissect the reasons why he is the ideal illustration of how the concepts of “evil” and “good” cannot be confined solely to the categories of heroes and villains.
Please take note that this essay exhibits some similarities to this article on the reasons why he proceeded with the rumbling.
We recommend that you read both of these articles in order to have a solid understanding of his motivations. One focuses more on Eren’s personal situation.
Yes, there will be HUGE AOT-ENDING SPOI-ERS UPON YOU!
What caused Eren to become a villain?
In the event that you are of the opinion that Eren was a villain, it is most likely due to the activities he took throughout the fourth season, as well as the fact that he initiated the Rumbling.
If that is the case, then the reason why Eren was bad was to save the inhabitants of Paradise, Isla Paradiseto, and stop the cycle of hatred that had been tormenting mankind for a time with regard to both within and beyond the walls of the prison.
Eren was of the opinion that even if Paradis were to mediate peace with Marley, and even if they attempted to shed their image as island devils to those who lived beyond the walls, the wounds that had been caused in the past would not be easily healed, and ultimately, the fragile peace would be broken and war would break out.
Without a doubt, Eren was hardly an AnimeHunch virtue. He did not have any desire for world peace; all he wanted was to safeguard the people and the nation that had supported him throughout his life.
As a result, Eren desired to destroy the outer world by triggering the rumbling in order to guarantee that the inhabitants of Paradis would not finally perish on account of the wishes of the outside world. Please have a look at the piece that follows for a comprehensive study of his reasons for doing what he did.
Why did Eren initiate the rumbling?
To what extent, however, can we honestly assert that Eren was a villainous character?
The first step is to have a solid understanding of what it is to be wicked. It is characterized as being immoral or wicked on the official website of the internet.
An evil person is someone who acts in a manner that is dishonorable or cruel with the express intention of causing suffering to other people.
Hillel Steiner has stated in his work that the distinction between a wrong doing and an evil deed is the additional sensation of the “perpetrator’s pleasure.”
This refers to the desire of the individual to inflict some hurt or pain for their own pleasure. Additionally, there is something known as the “Consistency Thesis.”
According to Daniel Haybron, people who are wicked have characteristics that contribute to their evil nature, such as a lack of empathy or the desire to act in a manner that is ethically acceptable.
On the other hand, one of the arguments that might be leveled against Steiner’s thesis is that it is possible for someone to engage in “evil” deeds without experiencing any pleasure as a result of their actions.
It is necessary to have a great deal of perspective in order to label someone as “evil” and to attempt to determine what it is that attributes someone to being wicked.
Here, you may discover more about different beliefs on evil.
The concept of perspective is a complicated one.
It is possible that this is for the better because it removes the capacity to objectively categorize someone or anything as either wicked or good, despite the fact that it enables one to view things from a variety of perspectives
The question now is, how does this relate to Eren? An individual with a reputation that is on both ends of the spectrum is Eren.
In spite of the fact that the world views him as a genuine demon who is prepared to ruin everything, Paradis views him as a hero for the fact that he has taken a stance against everyone else.
Similarly, Reiner was deemed a villain from the standpoint of most observers. The flip side of the coin is that we witness how the warriors in Marley achieved a distinct position.
This just serves to demonstrate that Attack on Titan teaches us about the terrifying power of perspective because it has the ability to transform a hero into a monster. The narrative highlights the fact that certain characters were forced to follow the courses that were predetermined for them because they had no other option.
In light of this, let’s take a look at the ways in which Eren may be “evil” (or not).
Is Eren Evil or not?
Yes, in my opinion, Eren is neither a villain nor a figure who is considered to be bad.
It would be inaccurate to characterize Eren’s defiance of the steps taken by the Survey Corps as wicked. Eren should not be branded with a single epithet, nor should he be labeled as either a “villain” or a “hero.”
In spite of this, his actions were met with a great deal of criticism from his admirers.
Let’s take a look at the reasons why Eren did what he had to do and how this rationale contributes to our understanding of whether or not Eren was “evil.”
What was Eren’s motivation for wanting to wipe off the entire world? Would that make Eren a bad person?
It was because of the powers that Eren inherited from his father that he made the choice to take action against the corps and trigger the rumbling (you can learn more about it by reading this article).
It was a straightforward matter of putting the safety of his loved ones ahead of the entirety of the globe.
There is a well-known saying that goes, “A hero would sacrifice you to save the world, while a villain would sacrifice the world to save you.”
However, when you take into account Eren’s circumstances, it is difficult to understand why a little child would want to kill the only people he has to rescue for strangers who look down on him and his race.
Since the beginning of time, Marleyans and Eldians have been caught in a vicious cycle of hatred toward one another. Because of this,
Eren’s determination t eradicate titans and everyone else who was not a part of Paradis was nothing more than a straightforward reaction to the unsuccessful attempt that Marley had made to exploit Paradis.
A villain is someone who would go to great lengths to bring harm to his own people or conduct war crimes for the purpose of enjoyment.
This person would be considered a villain. In spite of the fact that this should not be construed as permission to commit genocide, it does help to put things into perspective.
Who brought all of this about?
Eren felt troubled, and the disagreement turned into a family matter.
In the midst of a struggle that had been going on for two millennia,
Eren found himself caught up in it. Although he had the intention of eradicating giants, his position was particularly noteworthy due to the fact that he was an intellectual titan and a valuable asset to Paradis.
It made perfect sense for everyone to place their hopes in the little child since they were considering the possibility of having someone by their side.
Now, Eren was forced to carry the weight of the responsibility that came with being a titan shifter with a dark past. It was not until the revelation that took place in Shiganshina that he became aware of how deeply personal this conflict was for him.
—tHe came to the realization that his talent was far more strong than he had anticipated, and that his titan could have possessed a unique skill that was unique to it. From seeing the murder of Grisha’s younger sister to witnessing restorationists being transformed into titans — the very titans that he pledged to eliminate—i
it is impossible to imagine anything that might be less shocking.
The memories that he witnessed when he kissed Historia’s hand demonstrate that it was not surprising that he brought himself to the brink of insanity.
During the moment that Eren kissed Historia’s hand, what did he see?
After some time had passed, Eren decided to distance himself from everyone since he could not bring himself to tell anybody what he had witnessed.
As a result of witnessing his father make such a significant sacrifice, Eren most likely felt that this conflict was a personal one for him.
He believed that it would be best if his hardships were not shared with anyone else.
Over the course of their conversation, Armin and Eren discuss how Eren’s actions were a direct result of his being alone.
Eren was in a lot of agony, and Armin recognizes that.
What is it that a 19-year-old might possibly accomplish? When Paradis reached a point of no return, there were no viable options available to save their skin. Eren could not bear to contemplate the possibility of them waiting for the entire world to launch an assault on them. Because of this, he decided to act alone and launch an assault on Liberio.
The shift in Eren’s relationships
We all prayed that we would never have to see the agonizing image of Eren standing on the opposite side of the room without his friends. All of them have passed away together, and they have also had some moments of tranquility with one another.
His severe behavior was motivated by “tough love,” to put it in a more general sense, as was indicated earlier. He did not want to cause the hands of those who were closest to him to get soiled.
Early on, Eren had come to the realization that the only way to stop him was to guarantee his own death. It was because of this that he gave his friends permission to continue killing him.
He was well aware that this would not only kill giants but also give him the opportunity to feel regret for his deeds.
The following are some examples of common situations in which Eren has been referred to as “evil,” although in a distinctively different light:
In what is without a doubt one of the most agonizing moments of the narrative, Eren reprimands both Mikasa and Armin, causing them to be taken captive by the Yeagerists.
Eren hurls insulting comments at Mikasa, letting her know that he despises her and that he is angry with her. Armin loses his cool and lashes out at Eren, which ends up leading to a fistfight between the two of them.
When it comes to Attack on Titan, does Eren really despise Mikasa?
On the surface, it could appear that Eren was severing all links with his boyhood pals by this action; yet, behind the surface, there was a significant reason for him to do so.
Eren, who was in a terrible situation, believed that if he ended on a negative note, it would be enough to keep both of his friends away from him.
He was troubled by the idea of including his friends in a plot that would ensure their deaths.
Hange is attacked by Eren.
It is possible that the instant Eren lashed out at Hange was the very time that the majority of people ceased seeing Eren as a “hero.” Eren, like the majority of the main characters in shonen, had a desire that was utopian.
As soon as he became aware that there was a human population outside of the fortifications, this was completely destroyed.
Eren was classified as the exact opposite of a hero, a villain, as a result of the quick loss of “hero-like” traits such as morality and optimism.
Eren had already accomplished what he had set out to do when he kissed Historia’s hand four years ago. Through his ability to slide into his father’s memories, he was able to witness the events that transpired between him and Zeke in the pathways.
According to what he says in Chapter 139, Eren had not desired to pass away and had instead desired to stay with Mikasa and the other people. Eren, however, was compelled to proceed since the future he saw meant that he had no other option.
It is quite likely that he was frustrated, which led to his fury toward Hange. He yearned for a solution that might maybe prevent him from embarking on a road that would result in bloodshed.
Why did Eren betray Zeke?
In contrast to Eren’s philosophy, Zeke offered the ideal point of contrast. Each one exemplified a different moral perspective.
In contrast to Zeke’s plan, which was to eliminate his own people for the good of the world, Eren’s objective was to save the island for itself and eliminate everyone else who was outside of it.
All of Eren’s distinguishing characteristics are brought out by Zeke’s character. The fact that Eren is so concerned about his right to life is only highlighted by this.
Rather than focusing on extinction, Zeke’s worldview emphasized the need of achieving peace not just for the globe but also for one’s own people.
As long as Eren could witness the end of the persecution of his people, he was willing to suffer the possibility of bleeding and being battered.
One further difference between the two is that Zeke desired the eradication of all Eldians, but Eren was solely ctocachieveh the survival of Paradis Eldians.
Their ethnicity was not a major concern for him; rather, he was more concerned with his people who lived on the island.
The fact that his people had been calm for a century did not change the fact that they had been harmed.
In addition, the concept that Zeke had, while eventually the elimination of Paradis, would be Paradis ordered to be justifiable when viewed through the perspective of the world since people continue to hold onto outdated prejudices.
In a similar vein, perpetrating genocide by Eren would appear to be a reasonable choice for the majority of the island’s inhabitants, who do not wish to perish for the sake of those who have chosen to exclude them from society.
In Chapter 139, Armin had stated that there would never be an end to the fight. After all was said and done, the two brothers were engaging in the same activity, but on different scales.
Paradis vs the World is another example of a game that is on the same page. In and of itself, the clash showed two sides of the same emotional coin. People lacked nothing but empathy for one another.
With that being stated,
The act of condoning genocide is unacceptable. By no means does the narrative provide any justification for the concept of wishing death upon the rest of the world.
Concurrently, it raises the question of whether or not an individual ought to make a sacrifice for people who consider them to be vermin. Attack on Titan offers a realistic depiction of how the boundaries between what is considered “good” and what is considered “bad” become hazy in the midst of conflicts such as these.
Through his involvement of innocent people, Eren unquestionably violated morality. It is ironic that Marleyans did not act in the same manner. The present generation was branded as wicked by Marley, who had utilized the lineage of Eldians to promote his agenda. Marley believed that it would be OK to take the lives of innocent people on Paradise. As a result, providing an impartial critique of Eren is equivalent to providing an objective critique of Marley.
Extreme measures were taken by Eren. For someone in his position, it was difficult to conceive of the possibility that he might come up with something new. The most important things to Eren were the lives of his people and their independence.
As was seen in Chapter 139.5, the struggle did not come to a conclusion, and Paradis was destroyed despite all that had occurred. The rumbling may have been the cause of this. There was no way that Paradis could have been completed any sooner.
Eren was successful in delaying the impending destruction of Paradis by allowing it sufficient time to construct itself (sadly, for the purpose of destruction).
In spite of the fact that Eren acknowledges that the people he killed did not wish to pass away, there is no way that he should be pardoned for it.
Is Eren a Dark One?
Manga chapter 139 of the Attack on Titan series
Eren acknowledges that his misdeeds have resulted in an incalculable amount of pain. On the other hand, this does not mean that his acts are excused or forgiven.
From his own perspective, Eren is aware that the actions he was taking were not appropriate. Regardless of this, he maintains that he would do it all over again, even if Ymir had no role to play in this situation.
Eren has no option but to resort to murdering additional innocent individuals in order to save his own people.
It was becoming increasingly frustrating for him to witness more of his own people being sacrificed for some global purpose. There was nothing more than a little lad trying all in his power to save his companions.
The significance of foreshadowing
The amount of foreshadowing that occurs in the first season is sufficient to demonstrate how depressing the conclusion of the narrative will be.
Within the context of the conflict at Stohess, Eren mumbles about how we would destroy the entire planet as he is brought to the edge of his limits by Annie.
The aforementioned occurrences are followed by a conversation that takes place between Armin and Jean
Isayama poses a question in this section, which would be addressed in the last chapter of the project.
Jean is considering whether or whether the only way to triumph is to transform into a monstrous being and give up one’s humanity. Armin is adamant in his belief that this is one of the ways to do this.
Jean ponders whether or not it would be beneficial for mankind if Eren were to transform into a monster and eliminate all titans. It turns out that Jean was right all along. Could you maybe give Isayama some praise? Even the disappearance of the giants was not enough to convince humans all across the planet to put down their weapons.
Even after all of the cast members had passed away, the same old quarrel continued to go on for years.
Jean inquires of Armin whether or not it would be beneficial for mankind if Eren were to go on a hideous path.
Is Eren a Dark One?
Episode 25 of the first season of Attack on Titan
In conclusion, it would not be fair to confine Eren or his acts to words that are restrictive and that prevent us from having the opportunity to perceive things from a perspective that encompasses all points of view.
The actions that Eren took were motivated by his fervent desire to save his companions, even if it meant sacrificing his own life and the lives of everyone else in the world.
As a result, referring to him as a “villain” or “evil” places him in the category of characters who serve as impediments to the road that a hero must travel in order to achieve a goal.
Indeed, Eren was able to accomplish what he desired as a result of his activities.
It seems as though the tragic conclusion of the narrative was partially predetermined.
It is not difficult to agree that Eren died bravely, regardless of whether or not one agrees with the deeds that he brought about.
Do you have any thoughts? Is it absolutely true that Eren is a villain and a bad guy, or is there more to him than that?
