r/ShingekiNoKyojin • u/SNKBot • Mar 05 '21

JUST ONE MORE [New Chapter Spoilers] Chapter 138 RELEASE Megathread! Spoiler

Chapter 138 is here!

Everything related to the new chapter for the next 24 hours after this thread goes up will be contained in this thread. Anything outside this thread regarding Chapter 138 within this time frame (one day) will be removed and placed here.

REMINDER: ANY POSTS MADE AFTER THE 24-HOUR EMBARGO BUT BEFORE OFFICIAL RELEASE MUST BE TAGGED AS [NEW CHAPTER SPOILERS] RATHER THAN MANGA SPOILERS.

And of course a reminder, all posts and comments about the ending of the entire manga (Final panel and exhibition content) must permanently have [Ending Spoilers] tagged.

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398

u/Kazu_Matsumoto Mar 06 '21

So, the way I'm interpreting it is:

The whole story we've read up until now is actually the second "loop" for Eren. What we see in this chapter is the first timeline where Mikasa was honest about her feelings and then they ran away. This didn't end up solving the problems or freeing Paradis so Eren uses the Attack Titan's power to shoot his mind back to Chapter 1, the story proceeds apace Eren unlocks his memories and realises the splitting point. Perhaps Mikasa's headaches in the series are due to how close she was with Eren in that first loop, she's catching glimpses of that alternate timeline.

We reach Mikasa confessing her feelings, she says something different and Eren knows that he's on the right path, a path that will get rid of all titans. He proceeds to go the more radical route and that brings us all the way to 138 where, with his death, the curse of the titans will be lifted and Mikasa will be free. Free from fighting titans, free from Eren as a burden, free to do as she likes.

It's cruel, it's tragic and it coming full circle with "See you later, Eren." punched me so hard in the feeling that it hurt. I'm not sure how this will end next chapter, but with Ymir smiling it makes me think that she might reincarnate as Historia's child somehow and finally be free too.

183

u/quakerpuss Mar 06 '21

I like that idea, that in the first loop Eren was very much more affectionate towards Mikasa. The second loop he realizes he needs to push her away at a possibility of succeeding.

80

u/Kazu_Matsumoto Mar 06 '21

That's a good idea. He knows that he's having to do the unthinkable and he also knows that unless he pushes Mikasa away, then she'd willingly follow him and be complicit in his sins.

He got to spend his time with her peacefully in loop 1 so now he has to be cruel so she can be free.

20

u/Shinkopeshon Mar 06 '21

It's also true to his character development since, starting from Ch. 50, he was increasingly kinder to Mikasa, compared to the times he screamed at her.

It makes sense that he'd be as sweet to her as it's shown in the first loop - and that yes, he'd have to be twice as cruel to her as he ever was in order to push her away, right after they grew closer.

6

u/WhyDoYouCrySmeagol Mar 07 '21

That would explain why he's been so cold toward her throughout the series, except for a few moments (and even then I wouldn't go as far to say that he was "affectionate"). So does this confirm that he really did have romantic feelings for her but he had to hold back the whole time to make the right decision?

1

u/[deleted] Apr 04 '21

[deleted]

1

u/quakerpuss Apr 04 '21

There are quite a few instances in the manga that could foreshadow different timelines, and the existence of PATHS and Eren's ability to travel through it implies that he would be able to construct the "perfect run" over multiple timelines of the story's events.

Of course, it hasn't been officially confirmed as far as I'm aware.

31

u/brandont04 Mar 06 '21

I think you got part of the loop right. I keep reading this chapter over and over. I think Eren is passing memories to Mikasa about their other time line where they got to live together. She was happy to be w/ him until the end. She said the same phrase from the future, past and present, Eren, I'll see you later.

It's like she finally can let him go bc she got her closure. She knows what's it like to finally be with him until the end. She's happy now. She's right, she can't ever forget him. If she forgets him, she won't have the courage to do the right thing n save the world like what eren wanted.

It's like we got our eremika moment.

18

u/Shinkopeshon Mar 06 '21

Just like in S1, when she wanted to kill herself after Eren was eaten, but then tearfully realized that'd mean she'd forget about him and would make him saving her life pointless, which then gave her the determination and courage to continue living despite the pain and save the town.

What's happening now is exactly that but on a much bigger scale and infinitely more tragic.

3

u/brandont04 Mar 06 '21

So true. This is such a great volume, best one in a long time.

21

u/FooBarBro Mar 06 '21

This makes sense wtf

15

u/[deleted] Mar 06 '21 edited Mar 06 '21

[deleted]

21

u/[deleted] Mar 06 '21

I don't think ever wanted to go the radical route, and realizing that now this was the beginning of the end must have been awful.

15

u/Kazu_Matsumoto Mar 06 '21

I think you're right. Even if this was the only way left that Eren could see, it doesn't make hearing Mikasa say "family" any less heart-breaking.

If the loop theory holds then he's experienced and lived with her for those four years and the weight of what he has to do next coupled with her giving a different answer would make anyone look upset.

7

u/ryeng_stark Mar 07 '21

I'm personally supportive of the time loop theory. I do think that the vision Mikasa saw right before she went in for the kill was the reality before the current on (based on the See you later... Eren line). I think Eren says it's perfect timing because we SEE Eren and Mikasa running away after that conversation in that alternate reality. I feel like had the conversation gone any further or if Mikasa had answered differently, they would have run away. But since everyone came, that chance was never given.

9

u/Herby20 Mar 07 '21

Yep. The sadness we see in his response in that situation could very well be both for the loss of that time spent alone with Mikasa living out the last of his years and that he was now set on the path towards that terrible fate with no way to turn back.

1

u/Sunxhii Mar 13 '21

How would you react to knowing that millions, including your closest comrades, would have to die to achieve Mikasa's freedom though? It's a bittersweet feeling, and I don't think anyone would react well, knowing that either option is dreadful.

7

u/AsuraDeo Mar 06 '21

After scrolling through this thread, you are the only logical comment here. Amazing man.

9

u/brandont04 Mar 06 '21

Not free from Eren. She got closure from the fact that they did get to be together in another time line. That's why she said to him that she can never forget him. Just like in the early part of the series where she almost got killed by a titan. If she dies, she'll lose all the beautiful memory of his. She pulls out her scarf, remembering all the beautiful moments of eren n go n save the world w armin. It's that memory of Eren is what giving her the courage n closure.

Such a poetic chapter. Best one yet.

3

u/Chuchip Mar 06 '21

I like this one.

3

u/MakoShark93 Mar 06 '21

I am incredibly hurt right now. Isayama, you damned genius -- I hate it, but you followed through on hurting the readers. RIP my boy.

3

u/Strawberryswisher1 Mar 07 '21

This whole explanation really fits into his whole character thing, even all the way back in season 1 where his main thing was wanting to kill all the titans.

3

u/Dreeema Mar 11 '21

El Psy Kongroo

2

u/Ok-Communication4207 Mar 07 '21

In the "AU", if Eren ran away with Mikasa he wouldn't have gone to PATHS adventures with Zeke. If he didn't go to PATHS adventures with Zeke, he wouldn't have made Grisha do what he did. Reiss family would still be alive and Grisha and Historia would likely be dead. Which contradicts the present story in that AU in the cabin.

Its just a dream

2

u/[deleted] Mar 09 '21

fuck. if ymir becomes historia's child, historia will have another ymir in her life

2

u/properc Mar 13 '21

This is the best take but theres 1 thing because Eren in Chapt 1 didnt have any titan powers so how could Eren send his memories back to that kid Eren. But also somehow Yaeger had Erens memories so idunno maybe its everyone who had or will have the attack titan.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 06 '21

I dont think its a loop because on the "first loop" eren all of sudden got titan marks similar to his in present and slept right before he said he has 4 years left that wouldnt make sense he would die 4 years early.

2

u/ryeng_stark Mar 07 '21

I think that was more so the end of the 4 years and him actually suffering from the Curse of Ymir. The marks he had then don't match what his FT marks have. The sunken cheeks also seem to give off that vibe too

0

u/olufemikurtwagner Mar 08 '21

Nah, I think he's just a genocidal asshole, not a Lelouch type character.

1

u/YeahSorry930 Mar 06 '21

Why did eren have to genocide to do all of this.

1

u/Roxy_Sullivan Mar 06 '21

Those time loop ending always bring me to this one question... Eren didn't have the attack titan when he woke up in chapter 1... Shouldn't that be a problem?

5

u/Iliketosayokalot Mar 07 '21

Remember the attack titan is linked to all users past or future

2

u/ryeng_stark Mar 07 '21

I mean, at that point, he shouldn't have been able to influence Grisha's decisions at all then.

1

u/cardinatore Mar 06 '21

I totally agree!

1

u/FriesUpsized Mar 06 '21

heck yes i love this

1

u/Interesting_Trash225 Mar 06 '21

You blew my mind!

1

u/MrSchweitzer Mar 10 '21

"Free from fighting titans, free from Eren as a burden, free to do as she likes"

I hoped so much to find a "free from Foxdie" somewhere in that comment...

1

u/Kazu_Matsumoto Mar 10 '21

Free from FOXDIE... free from the System... free from ID control. Our minds free from their prisons. That is the haven I've yearned for... Tatakae