Spoilers for Attack on Titan : Final Chapters Special 2 ahead.
The last episode of Attack on Titan – “The Final Chapters Special 2,” concludes Eren, Mikasa, and Armin’s epic journey.
Throughout the series, we’ve witnessed a number of significant events, from the initial Titan attacks and the Survey Corps’ valiant resistance to the introduction of humans capable of transforming into Titans.
We’ve gone through the mysteries surrounding the Reiss Royal Family, the Nine Titans, and the revelations about the world beyond the walls.
Now, the long-anticipated moment has arrived in the Attack on Titan series finale. Our beloved group of characters faces off against Eren, who serves as the ultimate antagonist in this grand conclusion.
So, whether you’re celebrating Sasha with some potatoes, meat, or any other culinary tribute, join us as Digital Spy dissects the pivotal events in this groundbreaking finale.
What happened in the Attack on Titan finale?
The survivors have reached Eren and are confronting the formidable Beast Titan. Meanwhile, Annie, Gabi, and Falco find themselves aboard a steamship, poised for their own unique path.
The episode starts with Reiner transforming into the Armored Titan, forcibly disconnecting Zeke from his link with Eren’s body. At Fort Salva, the remaining military forces bear witness to the clash of Titans, and Pieck discerns that Paradis Island is now in opposing combat with the Rumbling.
The Survey Corps regroup, prepared to confront their former comrade, understanding that diplomacy may no longer be a viable option. The battle erupts in earnest, with Reiner looming over the decaying Beast Titan.
Initial Phases Difficulties
Armin falls victim to a Titan resembling an Okapi, which holds him captive within its jaws. Resurrected former Titan Shifters, now fighting for Eren, easily overwhelm the other soldiers.
Pieck then attempts to eliminate Eren by deploying explosives but manages only to encircle his neck with ammunition before being disabled. The battle intensifies, and the resilience forged through years of relentless combat sustains Connie, Mikasa, Levi, and Jean.
Armin, though paralyzed, observes his former friend and ex-Colossal Titan, Bertholdt, shedding a tear before reaching out to Reiner and almost tearing his head off.
The remaining soldiers find themselves struggling in the midst of the battle. Jean narrowly rescues Reiner, but their equipment proves inadequate for both of them.
Reiner, who has been seeking an end to his existence, urges Jean to release him. In the meantime, Levi saves Connie but sustains a grievous bite to his leg.
Chaotic Battlefield
a truly spectacular moment unfolds as Mikasa cries out, and a pair of wings emerge behind her, which are, surprisingly, attributed to Falco’s Jaw Titan.
Our group of heroes regroups, and Falco, now capable of soaring through the skies, transports Reiner and Jean to Eren’s spinal region, where they can target the detonator left behind by Pieck.
Across the world, people watch as the Rumbling destroy entire nations, leaving no survivors, while animals flee in terror. When things appear bleak, something unexpected happens, and the episode changes its attention to reveal what’s happening with Armin.
After his disfigurement, they transported Armin to the ‘Paths’ realm. Here, he encounters Zeke, and they engage in an extensive discussion about Ymir and Eren. A multitude of former Titan wielders manifest around them, seemingly ready to join the battle for humanity.
Their timely arrival proves critical as our heroes were facing dire circumstances. Thanks to the resurrected Titans or the spirits of their wielders, Gabi, with the support of Levi, manages to eliminate the troublesome Okapi Titan, liberating Armin from its grasp.
The Colossal Titan enters the fray
Annie and Armin reunite, and Zeke emerges from Eren’s body, prepared to meet his end, thanks to Levi, his long-time rival. With Zeke’s demise, the Rumbling halts, and Titans around the world collapse.
Assisted by the Titans, Jean ultimately reaches the detonator and activates it. Eren’s head tumbles, and the Shining Centipede, the origin of all Titans, attempts to reestablish its connection. Armin, reminiscent of his actions at Liberio Port, endeavors to obliterate Eren with his transformation-induced explosion.
Regrettably, his efforts fall short, and Eren emerges from the flames in a novel Titan form. To compound matters, the Shining Centipede emits a gas that transforms the remaining Eldians, including Jean and Connie, into Titans.
Reiner takes on the Centipede alongside Annie and Pieck, while the remaining Marleyan Warriors unite in a collective effort to vanquish the formidable creature.
In the Paths
Mikasa and Eren find solace in each other’s company, escaping the turmoil of this alternate realm. They embrace, fully aware that this fleeting moment is precious.
Mikasa returns to the real world, dons her distinctive scarf, and gets ready to face Eren. As Armin holds Eren still, she approaches. With Levi’s help, she finds Eren’s true form inside a Titan’s mouth, a common event in the Attack on Titan world.
Eren and Mikasa share a meaningful gaze, transporting us briefly to the cabin in the woods, where she rises, clutching his cut off head, and bestows upon him a final kiss, all while Ymir observes. It’s a poignant and emotionally charged moment.
Their journey commenced together, with Mikasa pledging to safeguard Eren, and it feels only fitting that it concludes in this manner.
And thus, Eren Yeager’s life comes to an end. The hero we’ve followed for a decade has met his demise, marking the conclusion of one of the most remarkable hero-to-villain character arcs in storytelling.
But the episode is far from finished, as it’s an extensive 85-minute special.
Revelations and developments
As children, Armin and Eren seemingly engage in conversation in Shiganshina. Eren explains that the Attack Titan possesses the ability to perceive time through the perspectives of past, present, and future Titan wielders.
This temporary control allowed him to devise a plan to free Paradis Island and the Eldians from the enduring hatred and Titan’s curse.
To accomplish this, Eren orchestrated a grand design far more extensive than Armin had ever envisioned. He deliberately became a focal point of hostility, set in motion the Rumbling, and awaited the arrival of his friends to terminate him.
We learn that Ymir, in an enigmatic manner, had connected with Mikasa and agreed to Eren’s audacious plan to initiate the Rumbling, but only on the condition that she herself would be the one to end Eren’s life.
Eren and Ymir’s bond with Karl Fritz
Despite the suffering he caused in her life, keeping her tethered to him and his descendants for two millennia. This concept is so intricate that even Eren himself doesn’t fully understand it.
Yet, Ymir yearned for liberation from this love in the same manner that Mikasa sought freedom from her love for Eren by choosing to slay him.
Armin finally comprehends the immense weight that Eren carried as they share a poignant embrace. This conversation, however, unfolded within the Paths while Armin was aboard the ship with Annie earlier. The memory remained concealed until Eren’s passing.
Back on the battlefield, Mikasa approaches Armin, cradling Eren’s head. Armin is overwhelmed with grief and collapses, acknowledging that Eren met his demise at their hands. Both parties sought to preserve a semblance of humanity, albeit through vastly different means.
Armin made the Fort Salva army believe that he ended Eren’s life, enabling Mikasa to leave and give Eren a proper burial on Paradis.
Titans vanished and wielders lost power
Levi confronts the specters of his fallen comrades, Jean and Connie encounter the smiling spirit of Sasha, and fans of Attack on Titan worldwide struggle to hold back tears.
Three years later, the Titans have disappeared, and the footprints left by the Rumbling fill with rainwater and vegetation. We learn that Eren’s actions resulted in the sacrifice of 80% of the population (a chilling fact).
Historia now reigns as the Queen of Paradis, overseeing a new military under the Yeagerist banner. They coexist in peace but remain prepared to confront and retaliate against the Eldians.
A ship arrives at a Paradis port, carrying Armin, Annie, Connie, Jean, Reiner, and Pieck, acting as ambassadors for peace talks. Meanwhile, we see a matured Gabi and Falco planting trees.
Levi, in a wheelchair and sporting an eye patch, demonstrates his benevolent side by distributing candy to a child, a stark departure from the fierce warrior we once knew.
Mikasa and Eren
Mikasa sits beside Eren’s modest grave, situated beneath the tree where he rested during his youth. She speaks to him about the return of Armin and the others, inquires about his happiness, and expresses her desire to see him once more.
A bird, reminiscent of the one near the ship, pecks at her scarf before taking flight. She thanks Eren for wrapping the scarf around her all those years ago. Throughout the series, birds and wings have symbolized various themes, and in this scene, we can infer that Eren, like most birds, experiences newfound freedom he once lacked.
During the credits, we witness the same tree as the seasons pass through the years. We observe Mikasa aging and eventually succumbing to old age, bringing her family to Eren’s grave before her own passing, still adorned in the same scarf.
What’s the meaning of Attack on Titan ending
During the post-credits scene, a disheartening development unfolds. Paradis expands and modernizes but eventually succumbs to wars and destruction, reclaimed by nature. Eren’s tree grows into a towering monument.
In the final moments, a man and his dog explore the remnants of Paradis and stumble upon the tree, which now possesses an entrance similar to the one Ymir traversed when she merged with the Centipede.
This strongly hints that the cycle may begin anew, and the tragedy could reemerge if Titans return to the world.
If this conclusion seems rather somber, it appears to be intentional.
In an interview with The New York Times, Attack on Titan’s creator, Hajime Isayama, discussed the show’s deliberately melancholic ending, explaining that a happier finale might have been possible but ultimately felt less believable given the current state of the world. The ending aligns with the themes of the story.
The Finale of Attack on Titan – Final Chapters Special 2 is now available on Crunchyroll.
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