On EVERYONE’S soul AOT is the BEST FICTION EVER. I know I finished the show 2 weeks ago so it took me a while to write my thoughts on the show. I’m also not sure how to write an actual review for AOT when the review would just be me glazing the fuck out of it but here we go I guess. So when I finished AOT that sad feeling of when you finish a show, I’ve not felt that as much as AOT. It left an impact on me unlike any other series I’ve watched. I think the core part of AOT is mainly about hope and the will to push on. When I started AOT I couldn’t see how exactly humanity would be able to continue but no matter how hopelessness a moment or a scene is, when you think how on earth do they make it out of the situation, they manage to do so. Not by bad plot armour or trying to milk it dry but by showing true grit and strength. When humanity was faced with an impossible future the scouts pushed forward and kept going. Because of the threat of billions of lives and the lives of the scouts I’ve not been invested or cared for a story as much as AOT. Every death in the show big or small character leaves a mark as if the bodies keep piling up there’ll be no people left to act as protectors. AOT definitely knows how to evolve as it goes on. I was expecting it to get repetitive, boring, the writers backing themselves into a corner etc but I was very wrong. The world, lore and story continues to expand upon every episode. Not just by heavy exposition but by not directing the show in a straight line, constantly switching back and forth flashbacks and the present. But AOT doesn’t do it in a tiring and convoluted way, you WANT to know the answers to the questions burned into your head as you feel so included into the world and story you want answers just as much as the characters do. The brilliant decision to focus on individual character backstories every couple eps brings a much more realistic and deep feel to every scene as we know each character we’ve seen their past and their motives and nearly everything that’s needed to be known about them. Even some of the most insignificant characters will have an episode dedicated to them a season or 2 later after they’ve been established and it will shine an entire new light onto them. The huge range of characters is so rich as nearly every person has had their fair share of the spotlight and you can always imagine their perspective. And about perspective, AOT is obviously mostly about Eren’s journey. We practically saw the world through his eyes but when we see it from the other side of the wall like Reiner or Zeke or any established antagonist it’s just as understandable and interesting from their POV. Much of AOT story is incredibly subjective and your loyalty as a viewer to Eren or anybody is constantly tested from any new episode as one point, your rooting for the ‘good guys’ but then you see it from a different perspective, you aren’t quite sure who to root for or defend. That’s because in AOT they’re hardly any good guys just everyone forced to live in a world where violence and betrayal are sometimes necessary to protect oneself or others. You’ll ask yourself ‘was that really the right decision?’ Contemplating what you just saw because no other show makes you think about the ethical decisions like AOT does. I’m not going to rewatch AOT any time soon but I’m sure I will in the future. And when I do it’s going to be (hopefully) like watching a different show. The amount of jaw dropping reveals, twists and foreshadowing is so impressive I couldn’t believe how the writers had planned it all. This show is an all timer simply because of how it can turn itself upside down at any point, a single flashback or a line of dialogue will change everything forever. And it all just makes sense too. A big reveal would happen but it isn’t just played for your shock it makes perfect logic in the lore of the show. I also did not expect AOT to be one of those shows where there is lore, history and a timeline spanning years. Very similar to Game of Thrones but what I like about AOT’s world building compared to GOT is that every event that happened in the past actually has a huge purpose and a part to play in. Some of GOT’s lore and backstory might not be as significant for example a random battle that happened hundreds of years ago. AOT’s world building is quality > quantity. AOT doesn’t slow down for a minute. It’s also really easy to binge as I finished the entire show in like 3 weeks I think. Each ep takes place directly after the last one mostly so it’s nice knowing any cliff hangers are basically immediately resolved. Erwin Smith is probably my favourite side character ever I can’t think of any that beats him. What an inspirational character and even after his end he still holds such a huge impact on the show. So here’s an analysis I wrote of him. I will post the Erwin section of this review on tik tok soon probably. Search for truth 1/3: His character is mainly represented by his ambitious search for the truth. He values the desire for answers and humanity’s preservation above all else. Unlike other characters in AOT, whose goals are driven by vengeance and loss, Erwin is driven by curiosity and answers for the supposed impossible. This passion is his greatest strength, but also his greatest burden. Erwin wants these answers of the world as he likely believes they are the truth to the meaning of all of their lives. Search for truth 2/3: This passion started when Erwin was a kid and the important conversation he had with his father. Erwin asked his dad about the history of humanity, wondering what the real answer to what happened to everyone outside the walls. If everything was wiped out like they’ve been told, why should they believe that? Erwins father also agreed. They both concluded that there was some type of mass memory erasion and It was clear the government was hiding the truth. This revelation was the start of Erwin’s long journey for answers that the world hides from him. But tragically, this turning point ends with Erwin’s dad being discreetly murdered by the government on account of the spread of dangerous thoughts. This event changed Erwin’s life and world views. Erwin came to the understanding that knowledge isn’t just a tool, its power and he must find it so the death of his father wasn’t for nothing. His death made Erwin realise that humanities history was being covered up and that it was his duty to uncover the truth. From that moment on Erwin dedicated his life to prove his father right. Search for truth 3/3: Instead of becoming a rebel and opposing the enemy directly, Erwin adopts a more secretive approach and joins the scouts climbing the ranks and becoming lead commander due to his strategic genius and controversial battle methods. I’ll explore that soon. Erwin starts to gain power and influence, but it’s clear the search for truth isn’t over. His father’s death gave Erwin a purpose. Erwin’s motivations are intellectual but also deeply emotional, a desire to uncover the truth and honour the man who was killed for seeking it. Leadership: When Erwin becomes the high ranking officer we know him as, his ideals and motivations deepen and interconnect. He still has the personal goal of finding the hidden truth of their world, but his role as the saviour of humanity brings Erwin the immense weight of leadership and responsibility. Without his genius mind, inspiration and vision, mankind would be doomed. Erwin learns the art of manipulation, not out of cruelty and malice but for the greater good, gambling on other peoples lives and emotions for the sake of the mission. Erwin is willing to sacrifice lives for the greater good as long as humanity can live another day. Erwin will often send young men and women to their deaths if it means the objective is complete. These extreme leadership qualities is best shown in the final battle of S2 where he leads dozens of titans straight into Reiner carrying Eren, but also straight into his comrades. And of course the final cavalry charge in S3 which I will get to later. Battle Genius: Erwin carries immense responsibility as without him humanity is sure to become extinct. Erwin uses many strategies throughout his life as scout commander such as trapping the female titan and creating the scout formation. This genius level of understanding of war and combat leads him and his comrades to victory but at an overwhelming cost. Not only is Erwin smart in the field but is incredibly intelligent outside of combat. Erwin can predict and calculate just about anything, even anticipating Levi’s betrayal in the OVA episode. Erwin even figures out that the enemy is within, suggesting to Eren he should observe his comrades carefully, figuring out that there are traitors in the ranks. Selfish vs selfless: Erwin may be seen as heroic and noble but also manipulative and selfish. Concealing his deeper motivations. His selfish personal desires clash with his selfless responsibilities as commander of the scouts. His arc is a battle between his individual pursuit of truth and his duty to humanity. Erwin sees the men he sends to death as pawns in the grand scheme of things, offering them hope even if the chance of survival is virtually impossible. Erwin has a dual purpose, saving humanity, or fulfilling his selfish dream. His true motivations concealed. This internal conflict is resolved at the end of the Shiganshina battle. Erwin comes to an understanding with the help of Levi, he must abandon his search for the answers and value humanity first. Erwin then proceeds to rally the new recruits and send them all to their deaths, including himself, allowing Levi to swoop in and tear Zeke apart. Erwin made the decision to lead the suicide charge, choosing selflessness, realising he would never reach his goal of finding the ultimate truth of humanity. Instead he saves it. Survivors guilt 1/2: The countless times Erwin has fought and led his comrades to death, the burden of their deaths deeply affects him. Every time a soldier dies under his command, it is another life sacrificed for his personal dream. He acknowledges this burden in his monologue before the final charge, where he admits that he has deceived not only his men but himself. He is not fighting for humanity, Erwin believes he is really fighting for himself. Erwin feels survivors guilt, in the back of his mind he doubts all the people he has sacrificed were for the greater good, guilty that they died for his own needs and not for humanity. Erwin struggles with the weight of their deaths, knowing he must ensure their sacrifices was worth it. Survivors guilt 2/2: During the battle of Shiganshina, Erwin reflects on his childhood and life story. He recognises his selfish flaws, mentioning his manipulation on the comrades who died for the cause. ‘I played them all for fools, myself too’ before his death Erwin realises he must lead the charge and make up for all the deaths that he has caused, meaningful or not. The image of Erwin standing atop the mountain of corpses represents the cost of his manipulative and cold leadership, how all the lives he gambled with, forever haunt him. The weight of their deaths crushes him. The higher Erwin climbs, closer to fulfilling his dream, the more sacrifices are made and the mountain of corpses grow. The quote ‘I have quite the view’ is ironic as when he reaches the top (his goal) he’s not standing on success but the people who died for his dream. It shows the true cost of Erwin’s journey as countless soldiers have died for Erwin to keep pushing. A core image of his survivors guilt. Erwin’s speech 1/2: The most defining and iconic moment of his character and also the show as a whole. Erwin manages to convince the recruits to charge to their deaths, his final act of bold leadership to allow Levi to reach the beast titan. Erwin knows his dream will die with him but he still leads the cavalry charge. At this point in the battle, the hope of victory and even survival is at an absolute low, the remaining survivors are fresh recruits, paralysed in fear as they’re surrounded, awaiting Zeke’s next boulder throw which literally turns them into mush. After Levi makes the decision for Erwin to abandon his dream, Erwin knows what he must do for the good of humanity, a final act of bravery. He makes the impossible decision to stage a cavalry charge straight towards the beast titan to give Levi an opportunity. Erwin’s speech is the pivotal moment of the show as he turns inevitable death into a symbol of hope for the next generation of scouts. Erwin tells them not to fight for themselves as they are sure to die, but for the previous scouts who died for them and for the next scouts to come as them too will die with the thought that their sacrifice was worth it. Erwin leading the charge shows true leadership means being willing to die for your cause. Erwin’s speech 2/2: Erwin’s final moments are also an act of redemption for him as by sacrificing himself, he proves that his leadership was never just about himself but for the future of humanity. It’s an immense moment of sacrifice, heroism and desperate courage in a time of absolute death. As Erwin is struck by the rocks, sending him off his horse his face is filled with uncertainty. Erwin knows that this final act means everything and wonders if his last moment of leadership which will define his legacy was even a success. Thankfully it was and the suicide charge allowed Levi to destroy Zeke, honouring Erwin’s sacrifice. Erwin’s final act is both tragic and triumphant as he never gets to see the outcome of his plan, but his sacrifice allows humanity to take a step closer to victory and reach the truth he desperately wanted. Ending: Erwin does not die as the person desperate to prove his dad right, but as the scout commander ‘hero’ (the title of the episode). As Erwin lies dying, he entrusts the future scouts like Armin to find the truth for him, letting go of his selfish dream in which he was so close to reaching (Eren’s basement). Erwin chooses Armin to have the serum because he knows more and more deaths aren’t worth it for him to reach his endless pursuit of knowledge and answers. Erwin’s death resolves his conflict, choosing the selfless way out and for the future of the world, not because he had to but because he simply chose to. He may not have lived to see the truth, but because of him, others did. When Erwin dies it’s when we realise his character wasn’t about reaching the answer, it was really about the cost of the journey and the price of ultimate sacrifice. Best episodes: 1. Memories of the future (#8) 2. Hero (#10) 3. Perfect game (#16) 4. The finale chapters 1 (#19) 5. The final chapters 2 (#28) 6. From you 2000 years ago (#35) 7. Two bothers (#39) 8. Midnight sun (#42) 9. Assault 10. Warrior 11. The war hammer titan 12. Declaration of war 13. That day 14. Descent 15. Savagery 16. The other side of the wall 17. The town where everything began 18. The dawn of humanity 19. The basement 20. Thunder spears 21. The attack titan 22. Pain 23. Friends Best moments: (top 3 interchangeable) 1. On you’re feet dad 2. Erwin’s speech 3. This is freedom 4. Erwin and Levi final convo 5. Levi vs zeke 6. Ending 7. Reiner and Bert 8. Grisha backstory 9. Reaching the sea 10. Armin clutch 11. Injection decision 12. Eren starts the rumbling 13. Levi vs kenny 14. I have quite the view 15. Levi vs zeke round 2 16. Eren and Reiner convo Best characters: 1. Erwin Smith (GOAT) 2. Eren Yeager 3. Zeke Yeager 4. Levi Ackerman 5. Grisha Yeager 6. Mikasa Ackerman 7. Reiner 8. Hange 9. Armin 10. Floch 11. Jean 12. Sasha 13. Connie 14. Annie 15. Kenny Best story arcs: 1. War for paradis 2. Return to shiganshina 3. Liberio raid 🕊️⚔️🎉