Episode 19 of the final season of Attack on Titan was a whirlwind of pumped-up action and stellar animation. Finishing off with the biggest plot twist, it knocked Eren off his pedestal as Zeke reveals where Founder Ymir’s true loyalty lies – at the feet of the Royal Family!
But despite his half-brother’s betrayal, Zeke was far from furious. Surprisingly, he was remorseful and even pitied Eren, claiming he wasn’t at fault at here.
Even though we tremble in excitement for the inevitability of the Rumbling, the episode’s conclusion does have us wondering– What was Zeke doing to Eren? And what did he mean by ‘fixing’ him?
In Chapter 120, we see Zeke using the Founder’s powers to guide Eren through Grisha’s memories, trying to pinpoint how his father’s manipulation ruined his childhood in hopes of freeing him from it.
How did Zeke nullify the King’s vow?
The war-renouncing vow has crippled the King’s descendants from fighting against the Titans and Marley for years. As the Founding Titan’s very own Achilles’ heel, it was impossible to resist the King’s will once a member of the Royal Family inherited the Titan.
But when Zeke confronted Eren in the Paths, he casually stated that he found a way to surpass it. How was he able to succeed where generations of kings failed?
For starters, Zeke made it to Paths without being influenced by the King’s ideals. Since the realm overrules the laws of time and space, he had an eternity to glean the information needed to override the King’s will.
By the time Eren recovered from Gabi’s sniper shot, he had all the cards in his hands and was only waiting for his half-brother’s next move.
It’s also worth mentioning that he’s indirectly using the Founding Titan’s power since he never inherited it. While all the previous kings had the Titan and royal blood, Zeke was the only exception.
This most definitely played a pivotal role in swaying the Founder because she was only given the order to prevent the King’s descendants from using it, not a non-royal blood. And since she was bound to serve the Royal Family, she had to obey Zeke’s commands, even if it meant using the Founding Titan’s powers.
Why is Eren so confident that he can’t be ‘fixed’?
While Zeke was adamant about rescuing Eren from Grisha’s hold, his half-brother straight-up disregarded his efforts before he could even try. But is this really such a shocker?
We all know there’s only one word that instantly triggers Eren, and there’s no way he would allow himself to be caught dead being labeled as one. He’s also made it crystal clear by his betrayal that he’s his own boss.
Aside from that, he’s known to go to the extreme if his or his friends’ freedom is infringed upon, which Mikasa’s kidnappers learned the hard, brutal way.
Additionally, after his home and people have been put through numerous free for all pot-shot tournaments, he never would sacrifice them on the pretense of saving them. Especially after the trauma and hardships, he’s had to live through.
However, if Eren is dead sure that Zeke’s efforts are going to be in vain, I’d say his stepbrother should proceed with precaution as Eren may be hinting at something far more sinister.
Why does Zeke blame Grisha for Eren’s betrayal?
Even though Zeke was mocked and double-crossed by Eren, he gave his half-brother a free pass and called him a victim that had to be saved from his father. But what does Grisha have to do with this?
Zeke’s childhood was marred with neglect and loneliness caused by his zealot Restoration parents’ obsession with the Eldian Empire. He was forced to endure strenuous training and long hours of history lessons to earn a meagre portion of his parents’ time and love.
After enduring years of emotional torment and finally finding a father in Tom Ksaver, Zeke began to loathe and blame Grisha for his hellish childhood.
When Eren showed the same unwavering determination to save Eldia, Zeke was sure that his conviction stemmed from his father instilling the same Restorationist ideals into him, thus robbing him of his childhood and skewing his vision of a better future for Eldia.
Since he genuinely cares for his stepbrother, as he promises to save him by freeing him from Grisha’s control.
About Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama. Kodansha publishes it in the Bessatsu Shonen Magazine.
The manga began serialization on September 9th, 2009, and ended on April 9, 2021. It has been compiled into 34 volumes.
Attack on Titan follows humanity settled within three concentric walls to protect themselves from the terrifying titans that prey on them. Eren Yeager is a young boy that believes that a caged life is similar to that of cattle and aspires to go beyond the walls one day, just like his heroes, the Survey Corps. The emergence of a deadly Titan unleashes chaos.
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