September 26, 2024
Attack on Titan | Did Eren Kill His Mother?
Eren’s desire to ensure the Rumbling’s success led him to make a terrible decision. Learn more about Eren’s involvement in his mother’s death.
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Attack on Titan’s ending unveiled dark secrets that shaped the series’ narrative, secrets that Eren kept to himself and revealed only to Armin in the finale.
Among these revelations was Eren's confession of manipulating the Smiling Titan into sparing Bertholdt and devouring Carla Yeager instead - a moment that greatly shapes young Eren’s character, motivating him to destroy all of his enemies.
Did Eren Indirectly Kill His Mother?
During their final conversation within the Paths, Eren and Armin reflect on past choices and events preceding the Rumbling. In a surprising turn, moments before facing the Scouts' assault, Eren unveils his genuine emotions and previously undisclosed secrets.
Eren reveals the person responsible for his mother’s death - himself. He admits to Armin that he couldn't let Bertholdt die yet at that time and directed the Smiling Titan towards the Yeagers' home instead, marking one of the series’ narrative-changing events.
Eren's confession, "That day... that time... it wasn't Bertholdt's time to die yet. The one who let him go and made her go that way was…" strongly hints at his involvement in this event. Although Armin prevents him from specifically stating that he was the one to guide the Smiling Titan, Eren’s words are clear enough for everyone to understand what happened during the Titan raid.
Why Did Eren Guide Dina’s Titan to His Mother?
Upon inheriting the powers of the Founder and Attack Titan, Eren gained new abilities and memories that altered his perspective, leading him toward a path of global destruction. Witnessing the state of the world, he set only one goal for himself and chose the Rumbling as his only path forward.
Eren's firm belief in wiping his enemy motivated him to ensure the Rumbling’s success at any cost, something that became evident when he chose not to eliminate Paradis’ strongest enemy and killed his mother instead. The unique ability to simultaneously see the past, present, and future allowed him to foresee that even if saving his people seemed like a logical and humane choice, it would ultimately change the course of the Rumbling.
Had Eren chosen to spare his mother and allowed Dina to inherit the power of the Colossal Titan, the narrative would have been significantly different. In this alternate scenario, Dina could have become Eldia's ally and most powerful warrior while her knowledge about Marley might have granted Eldians an advantage in the war, reducing the likelihood of the Rumbling happening.
Furthermore, saving Carla would’ve potentially altered Grisha’s decisions, leading to a reality where Eren never received his father's Titan powers - a reality where Eren remained an ordinary boy without any Titan abilities.
How Did Eren Kill Carla Yeager?
To understand how Eren influenced Dina Fritz to eat his mother, one must understand how the Paths work in Attack on Titan. Within the Paths, time operates differently as there's no distinction between past, present, and future. The inheritor of the Founder's powers can control the Subjects of Ymir throughout any time during the path’s existence - from its creation when Ymir Fritz died to the moment it stopped existing when Mikasa killed Eren.
Eren's manipulation of Dina's Titan wasn't his first time using the Founder's powers for such purposes as he had previously influenced Grisha by sending him future memories, altering the entire chain of events according to his desires. Eren was constantly showing these memories to Grisha, guiding him towards eliminating the Royal Family and ultimately ensuring the transfer of the Attack and Founding Titan powers to himself.
Final Thoughts on Eren Indirectly Killing His Mother
With these events, Hajime Isayama showcases his incredible writing by connecting what were thought of as separate plots and weaving them into a beautifully intertwined story. Nothing happens randomly in Attack on Titan, and Eren knew better than to leave things to chance, choosing to write his future exactly as he envisioned it.
As the bearer of the Founding and Attack Titan, he could’ve easily saved his loved ones and defeated Paradis’ enemies. However, Eren firmly pursued his objective and made huge sacrifices simply because he wanted to do the Rumbling. He believed in the Rumbling and the true freedom that could only be achieved with the eradication of the Titans and 80% of humanity.
There is no better proof of Eren's determination than his manipulation of the Smiling Titan into devouring Carla, marking the start of not only his struggles but the struggles of the entire world.
- Eren Yeager
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did Eren purposely kill his mother?
+Yes, indirectly Eren killed his mother in Attack on Titan. Attempting to save Bertholdt, Eren directed Dina Fritz's Smiling Tita towards his house, resulting in Carla Yeager's death. Future Eren planned this to motivate young Eren to plan the Rumbling.
Who was the Smiling Titan in the Attack on Titan Anime?
+In Attack on Titan, Dina Fritz is the Smiling Titan. She became a Pure Titan after being betrayed by Zeke which resulted in her punishment - injection of the Titan serum. During her first raid on Paradis, influenced by Eren's powers, she devoured Carla Yeager, Eren's mother.
Why did Eren kill his mom?
+Eren killed his mom to prevent drastic changes in the events that needed to happen for the Rumbling to take place. By guiding the Smiling Titan toward Carla Yeager's house, Eren made sure to give his younger self a strong reason for world destruction.
What happens to the Titan that killed Eren's mom?
+Years after eating his mother, Dina's Titan and Eren meet again, sharing a unique interaction caused by Dina's Royal Blood. After this, full of anger, Eren guides all of the other Pure Titans towards the Smiling Titan, making them all eat it.
What would've happened if the Smiling Titan ate Betholdt instead of Carla?
+If the Smiling Titan had managed to eat Bertholdt early in Attack on Titan, it would have likely altered the storyline significantly, potentially affecting the strategies and decisions of both Marley and Paradis and changing the alliances and outcomes of the events.
What do Armin and Eren talk about in chapter 139?
+In Chapter 139 of Attack on Titan, Armin, and Eren talk within the Paths. They reflect on their past decisions, the events before the Rumbling, and Eren's true feelings. Eren reveals hidden truths, confessing his role in manipulating the Smiling Titan to devour Carla Yeager.
Why did the Titans eat Dina?
+The Pure Titans ate Dina's Smiling Titan after being guided by Eren to do so. While the true reason behind this behavior of the Pure Titans isn't explained in that episode, it later becomes clear what Eren can do using his Founding Titan powers. He wanted to avenge his mom.
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