what are your thoughts on the conversation that Levi has with Armin after he chooses to let Erwin go? Apparently he mentions in personal feelings for Erwin in a romantic tone? At least that’s what the wiki says: (https://shipping.fandom.com/wiki/EruRi):
“Levi immediately corrects Armin, saying that he didn't choose him specifically, and that it was his choice to let Erwin rest there, because he let his personal feelings for Erwin get in the way of his decision. The Japanese/original release version of the manga, the kanji Levi uses to talk about his feelings for Erwin is "fA'a - personal feelings", which means
"feelings" in a romantic way, as the kanji "74" means "personal/mine/my, etc." and the kanji "|#" means "feelings/love/passion, etc."|201 “
I don’t remember this scene so I wanted to ask if you remember or have more details
There’s been a lot of argument and debate about this scene, which primarily stems from a significant omission in the English edition of the manga.
In the English version of chapter 85 Levi says “I chose this time and place for Erwin’s death.” However in the Japanese version he says that it was his personal feelings that led to this decision. I don’t know enough (anything) about Japanese to comment on the nuance of the word for "feelings" used in the original and whether it has romantic connotations or otherwise. @tsuki-no-ura has written a detailed explanation of this scene which I can highly recommend reading: Personal feelings.
This omission has led to a huge amount of disagreement and discord in the fandom over the years, with fans who followed the English translation, or who only watched the anime, arguing that Levi chose Armin because he was the better choice for humanity / Erwin would have lost all motivation after reaching the basement / Armin’s dream was “pure” and Erwin’s “corrupt’, etc, etc, delete as appropriate. At the same time, fans who pointed out that Levi was swayed by his feelings have been accused of having a shipping agenda. However the Japanese original does makes it quite unambiguously clear that Levi made his choice based on his feelings, not on what was best for humanity at that point in time. Whether you regard Levi’s feelings as romantic or not is up to you, but there can be no doubt that Levi’s choice was ruled by his heart rather than his head.
This panel got a lot of attention from the fandom, probably because it’s the only one in the whole chapter where Levi speaks, but it got my attention for another reason entirely: You guys remember how this scene was timed, no? Right after a very important talk. So, a wounded sleepy head complains about the noise right after everyone else have had a very important conversation. Have we seen that before? Yes, here:
In chapter 85, Sasha did the same thing!
Hear that, captain? You have things in common with our Angel!
Alright. Buckle up. I had some chapter 125/chapter 85 Armin feels.
I am up entirely past my bedtime but things needed to be said. So here’s my first ever bit of chapter discussion.
A lot of people talk about Eren’s expectations. They talk about the Warriors’ expectations, both of themselves and those that their families had for them. Armin is often left out of this conversation, and out of many conversations. He’s not quite the one you think of when you think about a character that has duties to fulfill, expectations to meet. He’s not the catchiest character, not the strongest. He—according to, I’m sure, more people than I have talked to about this—has been fairly static as of late, even with a shifter power. (I have a feeling this might be by design, but we’ve yet to see an explanation, so I’m not sure.)
Regardless of how you feel about him, Armin has had expectations placed upon him since Serum Bowl. Of course, I think we’ve all tried to write that off. Levi said it himself: Armin cannot—will not—replace Erwin. Period. That should have been the end of it.
Only not exactly. Armin has always been shaken by this news since he woke up. It’s clear that even though Levi told him he couldn’t replace Erwin, the words weren’t sinking in. His face is pure terror. All Armin could think about was that he ate Bertolt, that he was chosen over Erwin, and that he did not understand that decision.
Cue chapter 125. He still doesn’t.
I just skimmed through chapter 85 again after rereading 125, and Hange said some things to Armin that really stuck out to me in a way they hadn’t before. “There’s nothing more to say,” they tell Armin, “except that on your shoulders now rest the weight of Erwin Smith’s life and the power of the titans.”
Yikes.
I can’t really blame Hange for saying that; they’re not exactly wrong. But when you look at it as objectively as you can, if you forget the fact that everyone is in shock and just watched everyone else die, those are some strong words to tell a fifteen year old who, up until this point, had very few expectations placed upon him. Also, he just almost died and found out he ate someone who thought he was his friend and learned he’s a titan shifter. Maybe let’s have that conversation at a later time?
Armin is smart. Brilliant, even. He has gotten our characters out of the most complicated situations, has made revelations well before anyone even catches on to what’s happening. He’s no Erwin Smith. But ever since that day in chapter 85, he’s been trying to be.
Now, amidst all of their troubles—which Armin details succinctly in chapter 125, and which I think mirror most of the fandom at this point (Annie might be back! Hange and Levi might be dead!!)—he’s reminded yet again of the role that he’s never going to fulfill. And he’s cracking under the pressure Can anyone really blame him? Everyone’s been asking him for advice since Shiganshina. And then Mikasa goes and asks about Eren. I think it’s easy to forget that he’s still a teenager.
In Chapter 104 Hange asks Armin if he got “possessed by Erwin’s ghost or something?” Again, I don’t think Hange means to put these expectations on Armin, but he’s been living with the weight of Erwin’s life (and death) for four years at that point. And it’s still coming back to haunt him. He’s the one that came up with the “reckless” plan to get Eren out of Marley, which is what Hange is referring to. Part of me wonders if Armin would have decided on that plan on his own, and on his own I mean, without Erwin’s entire legacy hanging over his head. I’m thinking no.
At the end of Armin’s conversation with Mikasa in chapter 125, it’s clear he’s placing the blame on himself. Even though he had no control over the decision to be brought back over Erwin, he can still blame himself for not living up to the role he’d been given, even though that’s not why Levi chose him. Armin typically has his shit together. At least in his mind it’s usually all coming together even if it looks like he’s not quote holding it together himself. But he obviously feels like he should have some semblance of control over the situation, and that it shouldn’t be “disorganized and scattered.”
I think Armin felt like giving himself this role and this expectation to live up to in exchange for getting another chance at life. Even though everyone (mostly Levi, if we’re being honest) told him that he’d never replace Erwin, Armin kind of decided, perhaps subconsciously, that that’s what needed to be done. He knows he’s smart, he knows he’s capable of becoming a leader, but never the brilliant leader Erwin was, as much as he might have tried. And I think he’s finally realizing that now and is able to finally admit—again and at the worst possible time—that it’s an unattainable goal.
I hate that Armin feels this way, especially after Levi tried to talk him town in Shiganshina, tried to remind him that he chose Erwin’s death, not Armin’s life. It seemed quite harsh at the time, but looking back on it now, if Armin would have been capable of processing everything that was being thrown at him, it’s what he needed to hear.
I think Armin’s going to need something big to get his feet back under him after being so shaken this chapter. Judging by the way they left off, Mikasa is likely not going to be that source of stability she usually is for him. I’d love for him to have a big moment after this breakdown, to maybe finally realize that while he is not—will never be—Erwin, he’s still sharp as hell and has his own skills to give to humanity, regardless of expectations, his own or any one else’s.
