Warning: the following article contains spoilers for the Attack on Titan series finale.
Some loved it, some hated it, but if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Attack on Titan‘s conclusion left no one indifferent. We shouldn’t have expected anything less from one of the biggest anime and manga series in modern times.
Say what you may about Attack on Titan‘s ending, but Hajime Isayama’s work is unquestionably one of the most relevant pieces of media out there. What started as a story about humans fighting titans and freeing themselves from the corner they have backed themselves into slowly became more complex, as warfare and politics came to the forefront. Still, our main cast of characters kept looking ahead, toward a future where they could be free to explore their world outside the Walls of Eldia.
For a series with themes of hope and freedom at its center, though, Attack on Titan‘s finale represents anything but. After all is said and done, peace doesn’t last forever, and even after the curse of the Titans is eradicated from the world, Paradis Island still falls. In the anime finale’s mid-credits scene, we see that war takes over Eren’s homeland, and eventually, the island is destroyed by nuclear weapons.
Of course, this has fans wondering what the reason for such a thing could be. Didn’t Eren’s plan work? Wasn’t Paradis Island and the Eldians supposed to be safe after the Rumbling? People can no longer transform into titans, so why would war break out again? Well, it’s complicated.
Why was Paradis Island destroyed at the end of Attack on Titan?
There are different ways to interpret the destruction of Paradis Island after the Rumbling, and because the material offers no clear-cut justification, all interpretations are valid. For many folks, the bombing of Paradis Island was retribution for the Rumbling, meaning that the outside world never forgave the Eldians for the destruction and death Eren caused.
Should an entire nation of people be blamed and held responsible for the actions of an individual? No, but according to this interpretation, it’s what happens. With the Jaegerist faction in control of Eldia’s military and willing to keep the fight going for fear of retaliation, it doesn’t seem surprising that the conflict remained even decades after Eren’s demise. So, if Paradis eventually had to deal with the consequences of the Rumbling, does it mean that it was all for nothing? Well, that depends on who you ask.
On one hand, the world’s retaliation on Paradis can be interpreted as proof that Eren’s genocidal plan was never the answer. On the other hand, folks may argue that Eren’s goal was ultimately accomplished — all he wanted was for his friends to live long, fulfilling lives, and they did. Paradis got to develop for decades before the retaliation came, allowing Eren’s friends to live in peace until old age. As I mentioned before, though, this isn’t the only interpretation of Attack on Titan‘s finale.
What if the destruction of Paradis Island wasn’t retaliation?
Another interpretation of Attack on Titan‘s ending suggests that the Rumbling had nothing to do with the destruction of Paradis Island. We have no way of knowing exactly how much time has passed since then — it could’ve been decades, hundreds, or even thousands of years — so who’s to say that the world holds Eldia accountable for Eren’s plan? If there’s one thing that we can take away from Attack on Titan’s story is that humanity doesn’t seem to learn. Violence and fear keep reigning supreme, and as Commander Pixis once said, humans will keep fighting amongst themselves until there’s only one person left.
This means that, for all we know, Paradis Island may have been nuked due to an entirely new conflict, that has nothing to do with the power of the Titans or the Rumbling. If that’s the case, it can be interpreted as a commentary on the cyclical nature of violence, hatred, and humanity itself.
All that said, at the end of the day everyone can decide how best to interpret the conclusion to this story. If there was a clear-cut answer, Attack on Titan‘s ending wouldn’t make us think this much, which in turn means that perhaps it wouldn’t have been as impactful.
The Attack on Titan finale, as well as all its seasons, are available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
