Tsuki, would you mind telling me the significance of the Armin’s dreams flashback panel when Levi was making his choice on the rooftop? So many years later, and the internet still manages to confuse me on something I already understood. When Isayama wrote his explanation of it in the guidebook, he talked about the Kenny panels, but not about the Armin panels, which makes me feel like it wasn’t very significant in Levi’s decision making process. Please help me!!
I was thinking that I didn't really understand Levi's intentions fully until 136 either, when he was thinking that he'd no regrets about choosing Armin because he had the same look in his eyes (as some other people as well, yes I know)
It occurred to me thinking about this that Isayama has been writing this story like a whodunnit, the murderer motives are revealed at the end and then we need to trace back our steps and look at the story again and slot this information in and piece the fuller picture together. Which makes the too little too late criticism make a lot of sense as well and totally valid, it's one genre written in the manner of another and totally typically Isayama confusing XDD
But anyway, back to your question. I think the part that has a significant part to play but gets forgotten is the role Armin's friends have in it as well. It was a dream he shared with his friends. They were going to see the sea together. He wasn't just fighting, he had dreams.
They fought for his revival.
Reviving Armin would be for his dream and for his friends.
But reviving Erwin would be for his duty.
The reason Levi badly didn't want Erwin to go to Shinganshina, the reason they needed him was because without Erwin they didn't stand a chance against the titans, they needed his leadership and experience. And as Flocke put it, they needed him to make the terrible decisions only a demon could, Hell still needed this man to be in it.
What a paragon of advertising Flocke.
Maybe things would have been different if Erwin had been upset about being told to give up his dream. And really, he should have been upset or grumpy about it, but he wasn't, he was grateful, if not relieved as well. If he had been a slave to his dream, he was now freed from it. So bringing him back would mean all of the responsibilities and none of the perks.
There is an interesting thought that I've seen reflected on the japanese side a couple of times, this Erwin article¹ and OnoD², and in a way in Levi's tankoubon description, which is that Erwin was not sad about giving up his dream because he believed that Levi would undoubtably fulfill it for him. So no worries there either.
Everyone could have what they wanted. I'll say it again in case it wasn't clear that this was never a tactical decision. He used his heart here. But at the end of it, everything would be fine. Armin wasn't Erwin but he was intelligent and they had the same outlook, the same curiosity to learn and understand, and they as an organisation would manage to get there. As Isayama said in that interview:
Just that with regards to the organisational hole left by the loss of Erwin, perhaps (he) will go looking for/ask it of Armin?
I hope that made sense, just my personal opinion but hope that helps! :)
¹This surely, are words that came from the feeling of gratitude to Levi for freeing him from this hell-like world, and from the certainty that Levi will realise his dream for him, I think.
²In the moment of saying (those things) Levi saying (doing for my sake) “I will take (the Beast) down” I smile-, by me I mean Erwin, smiles. That scene is everything, I was thinking, yes, finally I am relieved/at ease, or how should I say, he too, in dying-
That “I will die here and entrust everything to Levi”, to have been able get to such a place, for him he was satisfied is what I think