We finally got some solid info on “Mystery Man”, aka Mister Xaver. I think this chapter all but confirms that he was aligned in some way with Eren Kruger, The Owl.
When Kruger first revealed himself to Grisha in chapter 87, he mentions that he had the help of a doctor - someone who had the “knowhow to study titan biology.”
In Chapter 114, Xaver explicitly states that he has a history of posing as a Marleyan, which may have inspired him to develop more foolproof ways for Eldians to pose as Marleyans - possibly by cheating blood tests. He also says that he devoted himself to titan research.
It seems very likely that Xaver is the doctor who helped Kruger infiltrate the Marleyan military, and remain undetected for so long.
Now…. onto Zeke. I don’t think anything about the way Xaver met Zeke was unintentional or coincidence.
At first it seems like it might be coincidence, or genuine interest in Zeke… but this interaction feels very staged to me. Like it was very important that Zeke think this man had an interest in him that was unconnected to who he is, and what he can do (which makes sense, given how poorly Zeke responded to the immense pressure put on him by his parents - and the lack of enthusiasm he showed for being a Warrior).
I think it’s very possible that Kruger also staged Zeke “overhearing” about the restorationists being nearly caught, and that Kruger was potentially the one to tip off the Marleyan authorities to begin with, to set this whole thing in motion. Again, this is all so that Zeke thinks he is making his own decisions and thinking for himself.
We must remember, Kruger had a very inflexible time limit during which he needed to get Grisha to Paradis, to pass off his titan. For the restorationists to be conveniently discovered just before his term is up is too big a coincidence to ignore, imo.
And then we have Xaver… giving Zeke the idea to turn in his parents (while also making Zeke kind of think the idea is his own - to protect his grandparents), pulling straight from Mindgames 101 with shit like “Your parents never loved you”
And then later, the part that really made me suspicious was what he told Zeke as his parents were being carted away:
...seems a lot like gaslighting to me.
I think it’s also very telling that Kruger (The Owl) was not only mentioned twice in Chapter 114, but also possibly shown.
We get a better angle of the guy with his arms folded behind Zeke in chapter 86 - and he seems to look a whole lot like Kruger.
Now I think these reminders of Kruger are VERY important. This is a common technique used by authors to very subtly remind their audience of a long-gone character who is about to have relevance in the plot again. I think this could be indicative that we will be getting more information on Eren Kruger very soon.
In conclusion: I think that Kruger and Xaver were in cooperation with each other, and that Xaver was intentionally inserted into Zeke’s life to control him and be the mentor figure that Grisha was obviously failing to be. He may have grown to genuinely love Zeke like a son, but I don’t think his motivations were so pure when they first met.
I also don’t think Kruger shared Zeke’s goal of euthanizing the Eldians, or preventing them from reproducing. This seems like something Zeke came up with on his own, and that probably resonated with Xaver on a personal level, separate from Kruger’s goals.
Sidenote: There is a lot of talk about Xaver being the third member of an “OG Trio” with Kruger and Kiyomi. I do NOT think this is the case, but rather that Xaver was an accomplice to Kruger… with his own goals and interests that simply happened to align with Kruger’s. (And I don’t mean to say that I think Kiyomi is not involved. heh.)
The theory gets a lot hairier here, so I will try to tackle more in a different post (or several), hopefully in the next couple days.
[special thanks to u/_Puppet_ for being insane with me, and helping fuel this dumpster fire of a theory.]
Posted on Reddit first, but figured I would do Tumblr as well =]
For some time, I have had this theory incubating in my brain...I figured it is finally time to share it. Special thanks go to @prati616 for listening to my ideas and even giving me new perspectives on certain events that helped with the formulation of this theory.
Now... without further delay... I present to you.... The Great Zekiyoger Conspiracy. (This name makes me think of Greek yogurt whenever I say it aloud)
“See you later Eren”
In the very first chapter of the manga, we got “See you later, Eren.” This has sparked many theories about time loops and other similar ideas. This theory is not about time loops. This theory is about Zeke Jaeger, Kyomi Azumabito, Eren Kruger, and “Mystery Man”-- with some points including the Attack Titan that preceded Kruger, and Mikasa.
The most popular theory that I have seen concerning this panel is that this is Mikasa, speaking to *our* Eren, at the end of the manga – maybe in the event of Eren’s death or crystallization or something. I thought this too, for a long time… but I no longer do. One the reasons my opinion changed is the lack of a scar on this girl’s face. I originally thought it might have been an oversight by Isayama… but now I want to give him more credit than that. The other reason is that Isayama loves to misdirect us. This happened in GLORIOUS fashion in chapter 101, with the WHT reveal. RIP Tallboi.
As you may have guessed from the names listed above, I believe that Kyomi is in fact “See you later, Eren” girl – and that Eren Kruger is the Eren she is speaking to. This portion of the theory is heavily inspired by @falcon94ssy – who is the first person I ever saw suspect that “See you Later Eren” girl is not Mikasa.
Eren Kruger – The Owl
We know very little about the life of Eren Kruger. We know that he died in 832 when he passed the Attack Titan to Grisha Jaeger, and we know that he inherited the Attack Titan 13 years earlier, in 819. I estimate Kruger was born between 790 and 795, based on how young he appears and the clothing worn when his family died. I assume he was about 8 when this happened.
If we assume he was born between those years, that would put Kruger between 37 and 42 at the time of his death in 832. It is currently 854 in the manga, and Kruger would be 59-64 if he were still alive. You know who else looks about that age? Kiyomi Azumabito.
We know next to nothing about what Kruger did in the time between his family’s demise and his meeting with Grisha Jaeger in 817.
Kruger was rescued from the fire that killed his family by his “father’s friends” but on the previous page he also says that the insurgent group his father joined were “all burned alive with their families”.
We know that he was responsible for torturing thousands of Eldians, and hated himself for it. Kruger’s theme seems to be “sometimes terrible actions are necessary to achieve a greater goal”. We will come back to this idea later. It is also worth noting that Kruger was not acting alone. He had the help of an unknown doctor, who we know faked his blood test results. Additionally, Kruger met Grisha two years BEFORE becoming the Attack Titan. We also know that Kruger had his eye on Grisha from the moment Faye was killed and Grisha’s hatred for Marley became part of who he was. This leads me to conclude that while Kruger was not currently the Attack Titan, he already knew he would get it in two years, and or at least that he was already acquainted with the previous holder. Basically, Kruger has been in the loop for quite some time. This is a guy who *knows shit.*
Kruger and Zekerets
There is a theory I have seen circulating that Zeke told the Marley government about his parents being Eldian Restorationists was because Kruger instructed him to.
When Dina is about to be turned into a titan, Grisha starts to scream about how she is royal-blooded and Kruger shuts him up. We are led to believe that Kruger was doing this to protect Dina from becoming breeding stock for Marley, but I think there was another reason. I think Kruger did genuinely want to protect Dina from that fate, but that protecting Zeke’s secret is his larger priority. If Kruger was the reason Zeke turned in his parents, we can also assume that Kruger left Zeke with other instructions, such as “DO NOT REVEAL YOUR ROYAL BLOOD TO ANYONE”. I can’t imagine an 7-year-old boy knowing the importance of that secret without being told by an adult he respected. Kruger even told Grisha “Zeke would surely tell Marley everything” as a reason for letting Dina be titanized. The thing is, Zeke never told anyone. He keeps that secret from Marley to this day.
Additionally, Grisha blamed himself for the end of the Restorationist movement. Kruger has no comment on the matter. I think this is because Kruger is the real reason the Restorationists were identified, and Kruger knew it.
I believe that Zeke is Kruger 2.0. He is not loyal to Marley. Turning in his parents served two purposes. 1) It got Grisha to Paradis. 2) A child who turns in his own parents to the government will be seen as that government’s loyal puppy. Zeke has set himself up so that Marley will never question his loyalty. This sounds a whole lot like Kruger’s theme of “sometimes terrible actions are necessary to achieve a greater goal”. I believe Zeke’s goal is the same as Kruger’s: to restore Eldia, or to at least restore Eldians to a respectable existence.
Now… Zeke was only a child at the time of Kruger’s death. It’s hard to imagine that Kruger, while acting as Owl, would have time to develop a meaningful relationship with Zeke. Grisha also would have recognized him. This supports my theory that Kruger was not working alone. He was working with at least one other person, to bring his plans to fruition. More on this later.
Sidenote: The Hebrew meaning of the name “Ezekiel” is "God strengthens". Additionally, Ezekiel is a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. The Book of Ezekiel describes his vivid symbolic visions that predict the restoration of the kingdom of Israel.
Kruger and Hizuru - The East Sea Clan
Admittedly, this is where my theory gets a bit more tin-foily.
I believe Kruger allied himself with the East Sea Clan. They might have become a part of his life after his family was burned to death. He would have needed a place to stay and people to take care of him until he became old enough to enlist in the Marleyan military. This is how I believe he could have met and befriended a young Kiyomi.
We know from the mission that Kruger entrusted to Grisha that the goal was to take the Founding Titan. We do not know what Kruger intended to happen with the Founding Titan after it was retrieved. We also know that Marley’s “enemy nation to the east” (Hizuru/East Sea Clan perhaps?) had an interest in acquiring the Founding Titan. Kruger must have gotten this goal from somewhere.
Kruger, Zeke, and the “Mystery Man”
I stated earlier that due to his position and responsibilities, Kruger must have had help – particularly with getting to Zeke and gaining his trust. This is where I believe the “Mystery Man” comes into play. I believe he is the Beast Titan that came before Zeke.
If my theory is correct, Mystery Man would have acquired his titan in 829. This was three years before Grisha and Kruger went to Paradis, never to be seen again. I estimate that Zeke was about 5 when he was enlisted as a potential warrior, which would make 830 the earliest that Mystery Man could have made contact with Zeke, and begun to act as a role model for the boy who was possibly already beginning to resent his father. Zeke seems to have taken it upon himself to become a sort of mentor to Colt, and I believe that he does this because the BT that preceded him was a mentor to Zeke.
We see Mystery Man when Zeke turns in his parents.
Glasses look familiar? Zeke is never seen wearing glasses during his time as a Warrior candidate.
That changes seemingly immediately after inheriting his titan.
The only way I can explain this is that Zeke was close with the former holder of the Beast Titan. He wears the glasses in memory of someone who was very important to him.
Now, if this former holder of the Beast Titan was in fact working with Kruger, it stands to reason Zeke is now aware of the plan… Maybe not all of it… but certainly some of it. During the 10 years after his parents were sent to Paradis, Zeke was likely groomed to carry the torch for whatever was left of Kruger’s plan. This might have been done through years of bonding with Mystery Man… or through the inheritance of Mystery Man’s memories. Maybe a little bit of both. Basically… Zeke probably knows Kiyomi is an ally… and perhaps one of the only people remaining alive who is also aware of Kruger’s masterplan.
The East Sea Clan – The Marley Arc
More tinfoil and speculation, incoming.
In Chapter 99, Kiyomi seemed to know that something was going to happen during Willy’s “performance”. Supposedly, the whole reason for all of the world leaders being in this place is to participate in the festival and hear Marley’s big announcement about Paradis, and yet… Kiyomi seemed to waste no time in getting the hell out of there.
I think this can be explained relatively simply: Kiyomi is working with the Survey Corps.
I think Hizuru/East Sea Clan is one of the first countries that the Eldians on Paradis reached out to after learning the truth of what lies beyond their walls. Through Grisha’s memories/books, the Walldians knew there was a history of animosity between Marley and East Sea Clan. Grisha and the Restorationists also tried to work with them, so it makes sense that the Walldians would reach out as well.
We still don’t know where Eren sent his letter. If the Survey Corps were already aligned with Hizuru at this time, this would give him a location to which he can address his letters (since we all know there was no Marley-Paradis postal service). It may even be that the Survey Corps were smuggled in as part of the East Sea Clan’s delegation to the festival. Note that we never see Kiyomi until some time has passed after Eren begins sending letters.
Furthermore, Mikasa may well be descended from an important family in that country.
This could have been how first contact was made with the nation they had little familiarity with. It could also explain Kiyomi’s apparent sympathy for the Eldian plight – because she has already gotten to know a handful of Eldians quite well, compounded on top of fond memories of Kruger from her youth.
I believe that wherever Kiyomi is encamped is potentially where we will find Historia. This location would likely be nearby, but away from the front lines of the battle. Perhaps Zeke is being brought to this location as well? Tinfoil warning: notice the lamp post style where they are walking?
Conclusion
Yeah... this theory is a complicated mess.
TLDR: Kiyomi is “See you later Eren” girl, and Eren Kruger is the Eren she is speaking to. She and Kruger were acquainted as kids/pre-teens. Kruger enlisted in the Marleyan military, prompting “See you later Eren”. While in the military (~3 years before going to Paradis and passing the AT to Grisha) he became acquainted with the Beast titan that preceded Zeke – the “Mystery Man”. Kruger also somehow met the Attack titan that preceded him (possibly another of Marley’s titans pre-child-Warrior program) and was selected to inherit it in secret (>=13 years before he went to Paradis), without Marley’s knowledge. Kruger and the Mystery Man were both interested in bringing down Marley from its position of power over Eldians. Kruger needed to prepare to pass on his titan, and the best way to do that would be to bring his successor to Paradis for the power-transfer. Kruger and Mystery Man together hatched the plan for Zeke to turn in his parents. Mystery Man stayed with Zeke for the remaining 10 years of his term, and mentored him (like how Zeke mentors Colt now). This explains why Zeke never spilled the secret about his royal blood, and why he seems so mysterious to us. Instructions for Zeke could have been passed along by his predecessor, and Zeke knows Kiyomi is a potential ally to his cause (the liberation of Eldians). Eren, equipped with Kruger’s memories, may also know all of this about Zeke… and this could be what have sparked the assumed Jaeger Brothers alliance.
TLDR for the TLDR: The Survey Corps, Zeke, and Kiyomi are all in cahoots to bring down Marley. Zeke is following the plan put into motion by Kruger and Mystery Man, from more than a decade ago. Eren and the Survey Corps are also now aware of this plan.
Thanks for reading. Anyone else want to join me in the land of tinfoil? XD
