Hey! Did you read snk ch129? What do you think about Magath&Keith's death?
Hello anon!
I liked it!
It fits the theme of the old generation dying to give the new one a chance. After all, this is what the whole chapter is about and why the title is Nostalgia.
We have two men, who decide to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their students:
And in this way they find meaning (Shadis) and redemption (Magath). There is also the fact that both Shadis and Magath have been bystanders in the past. They both had trouble to act and both regretted it. On one hand Shadis gave up his mission as the SC leader out of self-hate. On the other hand Magath was unable to act to save the kids he was asked to bring up.
When it comes to this, this exchange is interesting:
As many have noticed, it is heartwarming to hear Magath telling Shadis he is one of the heroes who saved the world. However, I think that what Shadis tells Magath is the true sign of how much Shadis has grown. As a matter of fact in the past Shadis used to value people based on how “special” and “extraordinary” they were. Here, he finds himself in front of a man who tells him he has made all the wrong choices. This stranger says he is not a good person and he definately is not a special individual because he did not stand up against injustice. However, Shadis still reassures him that he still has value and that the kids he cares about surely value him as well. I think that these words by Shadis really convey how he is not obsessed by being or not special anymore.
When it comes to Magath, I liked that the bonds with his younger cadets have been in the spotlight in the recent chapters. On one hand we see Magath saving Falco this chapter. On the other hand Magath’s relationship with Gabi is clearly the catalyst of Magath’s change.
Since Magath’s first appearance, it has been clear that he has a soft spot for Gabi:
He is immediately against risking her life in a dangerous operation, but he changes his mind in front of Gabi’s rhetoric, which is nothing more than Marley’s rhetoric. Magath at the beginning is a slave in a mechanism he himself keeps alive. He has been told Eldians are weapons to use utilitaristically and cynically. However, he unconsciously understands that is not the case, but when his feelings go in the way of his culture, a child he has been educating brings those same teachings back. It is a vicious cycle.
However, as time passes, two things happen.
1) Magath manages to suppress his feelings less and less:
2) Gabi becomes wiser and shows her growth to Magath:
Gabi’s actions here are what leads Magath to change his behaviour in the following chapter:
This is why Magath looks at Gabi after he is called out on using torture and before he apologizes to the 104th. Previously Magath had accused Jean of being childish, but he was being the childish one, while a literal child like Gabi has played the part of the adult.
This is clearly wrong hence why Magath’s actions this chapter and the previous one are meant to make things at least a little better. He dies to protect the kids he loves after him having let them down throughout all his life:
Speaking of Gabi and Falco, I have liked them a lot in the most recent chapters. I had previously analyzed them here and I had highlighted how they had to grow in opposite directions. In particular, Falco’s focus has been on him becoming more determined to fight for what he believes in, while Gabi’s focus has been about her becoming less obsessed about fighting. In particular, when they first appeared, Gabi is the one who always runs ahead, while Falco is the one running after her to stop her. However, recently we see this dynamic change. Recently it has been Gabi the one to leave for a journey in order to find and to save Falco. And in the last chapter Falco is the one running in the heart of the battle despite being told not to. Gabi is instead shown to fight from the sidelines and to obey orders. What is more, they both prove vital to the battle. On one hand Falco saves everyone and destroys the Jeagersists momentum signing their defeat. On the other hand Gabi saves the ship from Floche’s attack.
Apart from these things, I liked the little moments others have already mentioned by now. I liked Reiner protecting Annie as a way to mend their relationship. And I liked Connie saving Annie and Reiner as he had said he would have done. Finally I have also liked the reference to Erwin.
Thank you for the ask!
