During these few weeks I have been re-reading past SNK volumes, and I have noticed how coherent and overlaying some of the elements and themes of the series are. The ideas and problems presented in the beginning, connect and resonate to the post-basement reveal world. In this post I`d like to talk about some of these consistent things.



As a side note, I have read up till volume 26/chapter 106, so I will construct this post within that context. In here I ramble about the elements that I noticed during the re-reading of past volumes, so it is likely that I have missed some. The structure of this post will be the following one:

- Images of monsters

- Good or evil - How people are viewed?

- David versus Goliath

- The prevailing current and going against it





Images of monsters

In the beginning of the series, one of the things that makes the Titan so scary and such a hard threat to deal with, is the massive gap of knowledge about their true nature. Humanity, or the people of Paradis, have very little knowledge about the origin of the Titans, or what kind of creatures they are. This unknown nature is a perfect breeding ground for fear. Since humanity does not know about the true nature of the Titans, and for a long while did not really possess means or tools to find out, all they had as source material, was the knowledge that Titans are the natural enemy of humanity.

This is something similar what happens in the outside world, when it comes to the people of Ymir living in Paradis. Since they live in a island, far away from the mainland, no one living in Marley has not really seen any residents of Paradis, and does not really know what they are like. This transforms yet again into something unknown, something that is filled with Marleyan propaganda. When you do not have the means to find out what the supposed “demons of Paradis” are actually like, and you`r head has been filled with enemy propaganda since the day you were born, it is no wonder enemy images manifest themselves.

Both the Titans from Paradis perspective, and the people of Paradis from the perspective of Marley, act as examples of an wonderfully constructed, external enemy, that thrives from unknown factors and propaganda.





Filling the gap in their knowledge seems to dismantle the image of a monster. Where in the beginning Titans were seen as horrible monsters deserving no mercy, after their true nature is revealed, Eren feels melancholic and sad towards them.



Behind the terrifying appearance, is a fellow people of Ymir. This also happens with the Marleyans. Some of the Marleyan soldiers become friends with the people of Paradis and Survey Corps, after they spend time together. Reiner as well has a way better understanding about the “demons” of Paradis, than the other people living in Marley do.

It is interesting how Eren`s treatment after his Titan power is revealed, corresponds to the treatment of Eldians in Marley. The soldiers surrounding Eren look at him as if they were looking into the eyes of a monster. Because the people of Paradis have very little information about the nature of the Titans, they come to the conclusion that the monsters are able to disguise themselves into humans. The soldiers do not think clearly, and fear takes over. It is in this atmosphere of fear and resentment where they almost kill Eren. The Titan transforming nature is also something, that strips the people of Ymir out of their humanity, in the eyes of the rest of the world. Their “true” nature, at least according to Gross, is monstrous, and killing people of Ymir is not the same, as killing another human being.

The scene in the courtroom is also interesting. There the citizens of Paradis try to come to a conclusion on what to do with Eren. Some of the people present see him as monster, a threat that needs to be eliminated as a precaution. Others, such as the Survey Corps and the people who witnessed Eren pluck the hole, see Eren as a hero and want to use his`s power, in order to re-take Wall Maria.

While not identical, I find this similar when the fate of the people of Ymir is at stake. Some in Marley believe that they should continue using them as biological weapons, and keeping them in the restriction zone guarantees a supply of weapons. Others have a different view, and think that the people of Ymir should be exterminated as a precaution, rather than to be transformed into weapons, that are difficult to control.





Good or evil - How people are viewed?

While words such as good and bad are used when describing people, I think even in the beginning, the series has at times expressed a bit of ambivalent view when it comes to humans. People do deeds and some of them are horrendous and some of them are good, however perspective and the views of others influence a lot of how the person, and the deeds committed by them are seen. One of the early instances of this is found once again from vol 3, after Eren´s Titan power is revealed. There Eren needs to answer if he is either a human or a Titan, a friend or a monster. Eren replies that he is a human. However the officer overseeing the situation gives the command to fire anyway. The officer has made his decision about the nature of Eren, and as he says, no man alone is able to proof that they are not a demon.

In a few instances Armin complicates the definition of a good person. During vol 8 when discussing with Annie, he expresses his problem regarding this term. One person cannot benefit all, and when you are good to person A, you might be bad for person B. During volumes 13, 14 and 15, when humans kill another humans and the heroic status of the Survey Corps is being questioned, Armin once again has interesting things to say. According to Armin the only thing that differs the Survey Corps and the forces they are fighting against inside Paradis, is that they have different manners of thinking.

This kind of pondering also happens in a post-basement reveal world. The Eldian history portrayed by the Marleyan government seems to be something that has been tampered with. Bloodshed and war did happen, but the documents send by Kruger paint a rather different picture about Ymir, and the world which she left behind. During vol 22 Kruger goes further in questioning the history, pondering if Eldians performed eugenics (since if those practices had lasted that long as it is believed, there would have been nothing left of the Marleyan population).

Of course this also applies to Eldians, and Kruger questions if peace and prosperity was the only thing the Eldian empire and Ymir brought. All in all Ymir shapes up to be a fluctuating figure.

To others she is the devil, while others she is a god and a benefactor. Eren as well has something similar going on. To others he is the hope of Paradis and carries their hopes and dreams in his shoulders, while to others Eren is a demon, and the one who will bring reckoning and destruction upon the world.

All in all, history is written by the victors.





David versus Goliath

In the beginning of the story, the readers/viewers are presented with a David verus Goliath-type situation. The people of Paradis or “humanity” as it is then viewed, is facing against a colossal enemy, the Titans. The Titans are more powerful when it comes to their strength and numbers. They are much, much taller than humans and stomp and consume them with ease. They possess insane regeneration abilities, and even the destruction of the head won´t kill them. It also seems that the Titans have taken over the whole world outside of Paradis, so their numbers are vastly higher, than the small human population living inside the walled nation. Even the massive walls which Paradis build to protect and shield its citizens won`t work, since the Colossus and Armored Titan can break them down. The people of Paradis live in a state of fear and uncertainty, where the sudden arrival of the Colossus Titan could plunge their lives into a living hell any day.

While some aspects change, the post-basement world actually offers very little comfort when it comes to facing against colossal enemies. While the true nature of the Titans is revealed and Paradis is able to kill all the Titans roaming in the island, they are still facing a Goliath type enemy. Instead of monstrous Titans alone, Paradis is facing a massive colonial empire and a outside world filled with hared and prejudices against the people of Ymir. If one looks as the map that shows the island and the Marleyan empire, one is filled with dread as the size of Marley becomes more apparent. Another danger is posed by the size of the Marleyan military. They have ground forces, air forces and naval troops, and the size of the Marleyan military overall is nearly 1 million soldiers.

Since Marley is a colonial empire, I assume that they are able to draft soldiers from the areas they have taken under their control. Marleyan military is also technologically more advanced, having bolt lock action rifles, semi-automatic pistols, machine guns and artillery, naval and air vessels, which enable them to cross over the ocean and by bass the 50 – 60 meter high walls.

So as “humanity” was faced against a colossal enemy that was far greater in size, power, and numbers, the tiny island nation of Paradis has to do the same. Instead of Titans, their “Goliath” is a technologically superior empire, with vast amounts of troops and resources in its disposal. In older volumes when fighting against the Titans, it was mentioned that humanity could run out of food and resources. I also think that while Paradis has vast amounts of resources which acts as a motivation for Marley to invade the island, in a conventional war, Paradis might not win. While during vol 26 Pieck technically talks about the SC invasion forces, I think her comment could be applied to a more conventional, longer war against Marley.

I agree that Paradis would not have the needed resources to oppose Marley in a long war. However if they get help from others opposing Marley, as the presence of Jelena and Onyankopon indicates, the tides could be turned.

The prevailing current and going against it

There are a few instances in the series, where the presiding social, political and historical forces oppose and chain down the characters. For example in Paradis, the royal government had deemed the interest towards the outside world as heretical. It is also implied that the structure of the Survey Corps and the technological state of the nation was constructed in away, that would strengthen the Kings`s rule, and views how they should live inside the nation. Heck, the people who get the most points and are most skilled, are sent to Military Police, a long distance away from the Titans. The Survey Corps, among with allies and friends in different military branches, news agencies and economic actors, had to fight against this prevalent social order or “current”, that dominates society.

Fight against the current or succumbing into it are also illustrated more during Annie`s monologue in vol 8, and in the post basement reveal world. Annie finds Marlow`s rebellion against the current as something interesting, but also bizarre. When it comes to statistic and how people conduct themselves most of the time, people like Marlow and Eren are a statistical anomaly. You people are not “normal” in one sense of the word.

People like this are abnormal and strange. Annie, who follows the current and does not oppose it, frames herself as one of those “ordinary people”. Since most people seem to be selfish and do not care about others, one could say that majority of humanity is selfish and evil, but it just means that by being a part of that “bad majority”, one is just normal, average human being. In a previous post I came to the conclusion, that this was psychological mechanism, which Annie used to shield herself from breaking under the weight of killing. I think that this still holds true to some degree, but as one learns more about the outside world, this going against current fits into the story in a new way. I think one can connect this with the situation of the Eldian people. Most of the Eldians have either succumbed into the prevailing “current”, or do not posses the power necessary to oppose it. However, could the same be said about the Marleyan warriors?

They possess the Titan power, so at least in theory they could oppose the “current”, and try to fight against the political and social forces, that oppress the people of Eldia/Ymir. However, the warriors do not do this. I might be overthinking this, but maybe Annie`s monologue to Marlowe in retrospect, can be viewed as her explaining why she succumbed into the current prevalent in Marley, and did not oppose it.

The power of the prevalent forces is brought up yet again during vol 25, when Eren discusses with Reiner. Eren symphatizes with Reiner, and is very understanding about his position. Reiner, who was a mere child, was put against powerful social and political forces. How one tiny individual is able to oppose a social order, that has been found upon centuries of lies and hatred. This paints a rather bleak picture of the individual. It seems that there is nothing an individual is able to do, and it is futile to oppose forces, that operate in macro level. I am possible overthinking this, but maybe the gigantic Titans, that make humans feel small and powerless, are like the structural problems which makes the individual despair.

This is not the whole truth however. While the macro level forces and systems make the individual feel powerless, a person can still make a choice and difference. A series that puts so much emphasis on the choices the characters make, does not tell you that you are utterly powerless against the current. Even Reiner admits, that while the forces molded and shaped his life, he made a choice to continue the mission.

This makes one ponder why Reiner, Bertholdt and Annie did not oppose the current. I think a chance was open to them, but the game was already rigged heavily against them. If they had repelled, Malrey would have likely conducted some sort of group punishment, where their families would have paid the price of their crimes. If they had repelled, where they would have gone and what they would have done? If they had gone to Paradis and tried to explain the situation, they would have likely experienced the same, hostile welcome that Eren did, when the soldiers witnessed his Titan power. Frieda would not have helped them since she is controlled by the first King`s ideology, and the reputation the people of Ymir in the outside world is not that great.

So in both pre and post basement reveal world, the characters fight against a prevailing social and political current. Some of the characters oppose it while some despair and succumb (endorsing or simply accepting the ideology fed by the ruling forces) into it. These massive forces are so powerful that it might make the individual feel powerless. However they are not totally powerless, and can try to oppose the current. In most cases, a choice or a course of action is available to them. While discussing this, @aspoonofsugar made some really good points regarding Eren`s Reiner`s different stance on this:





“Like, Reiner is far more passive than Eren who is more active and keeps fighting against the current. However, it is not so black and white as I think Eren, in keep on fighting, has also partially succumbed to another kind of current which made him similar to the monsters he swore to destroy. So there is the paradox of Reiner being framed as more sympathetic, but still refusing to take any active action and Eren who is trying to change things probably, but has also become far more similar to his enemies to the point that it is becoming a problem.”







In retrospect, maybe the amount of blood that needs to be spilled in order to oppose the current was the thing Annie meant, when said this during vol 8: