Have you listened to the audio of SNK's final chap? 😨 I always admire your meta posts since they're mostly subtle and informative. So according to this audio, if Eren is really awakening the wall titans which means they're going for dooming the rest of humanity, don't you think it'll kinda ruin the thematic subjects throughout the story? One of them is being breaking the cycle of violence so even if Yams is intending to end it in a tragic way it means the cycle will never be broken :(
Those screams scare me the most. I wonder if Eren’s friends are following him to stop him from doing anything worse. I’m really confused!
I didn’t listen to it, but I read a description! I’m trying to figure out how to best answer this because on the one hand I’d agree with you, but on the other, I’m not actually terribly worried as things stand!
Okay. Let’s go with starting with what I agree with, which I’ll be answering without referencing the audio (meaning, the audio doesn’t affect what I’m about to say):
Do I think like an “everyone dies and the world ends” ending would ruin some of the themes?
Personally, I do. The world would be cruel but not beautiful and on a personal level I’ll admit I’m biased because I dislike grimdark nihilism. I’ll take this a step further and add I do truly think such an ending would give the people claiming it’s anti-Semitic some ground to stand on. No, I don’t think that would be Isayama’s intention–the opposite!–but intentions don’t always matter when it comes to stuff like this. Framing does matter, and to frame Eldia as actually ending the world would send quite an unfortunate message given the real-world parallels Isayama chose to draw.
But: am I really worried?
No, I’m not. Remember the last panel revealed last December/November? The one that seemed pretty peaceful and not really nihilistic at all?
It’ll be okay, Anonie. Sending hugs, because obviously the audio sounds pretty wild. I can’t promise a good ending, but I can say I’m thus far not really worried.
They want to hype up the series’ ending (which tbh, might be this year or early next year) and have released something that looks hopeful, and something that looks chaotic and scary.
I will confess that while I do think Eren will help end the curse, I do think he and Mikasa will understand each other and achieve closure, and while I do not think Eren is an evil kneevil, Eren is definitely going to die and his death is going to hurt his friends regardless of whether or not they actually contribute to his death which is not impossible. The last episode/manga chapter is going to be painful, but that’s not unexpected. I’d bet on an epilogue (the panel foreshadowed that–unless it’s like an ironic nihilistic flashback to Grisha and Eren, but honestly that’s just Nope to my taste so I’m biased, but as for textual evidence: given the focus on children as hope in recent chapters, I do not see that as likely–a flashback it might be, but not a twisted ironic one).
While I like spoilers because they ease my anxiety, I don’t really love out-of-context ones designed to hype anxiety like this one is, so I’m like… *shrugs* I’m just gonna theorize as I see the text and honestly, I’m gonna be hopeful it’s not an edgelord ending with a side of yikes, because I see the manga countering this message at most turns.
I see it showing us people can grow and change in Gabi.
I see it demonstrating radical forgiveness, as shown in the Brauses forgiving and protecting Gabi.
I see it showing us that empathy can offer a way forward even after manipulation, with Armin and Onyakapon.
I see it showing us beauty in Hange saving Levi, in Colt holding Falco even as he dies, in Porco understanding his brother and Reiner at last, in Reiner’s suicidal wishes being denied again and again.
I see an ending coming that is, yes, cruel–but also beautiful.
