Attack On Titan Won't Have A Happy Ending

If you even have a cursory knowledge of Attack On Titan, you know that the popular anime franchise is one of the darkest around. With the series reaching its conclusion in the manga, and with the fourth and final season of the anime dropping next year in 2020 as well, fans are left wondering just how the adventures of Eren Jaeger and his fellow Eldians will come to an end. Keeping this in mind, I'm here to walk you through the stark realization that regardless of the ending itself, there's simply no way that the finale of Attack On Titan won't be a heart wrenching one.

The Past

Since Attack On Titan began in 2009, the series has given us high octane action in the struggle between the remnants of humanity within the walls and the terrifying, naked beings that are the Titans looking to add humans to the menu. With enemies that are horrific in appearance, the nihilistic world presented within the walls has never truly given the protagonists a "win" without enacting some terrible price.

One of the most glaring examples of this for me personally was witnessing an early adventure where Captain Levy ordered his soldiers to throw their friends' bodies at the Titans to give them time to escape a horrible death. Though they escaped with their lives, the grim reality of what the Survey Corps was forced to do still haunts me to this day when I think about it. Even recently, with Eren and company defeating Zeke, Betholdt, and Reiner in their Titan forms, they lost nearly every other member of their team in the process. There has never been a victory without a deep price.

The Present

In the current events that are taking place in the nation of Marley, there aren't really any "good guys" left, or at least any protagonists with the power to enact positive change. Eren has gone off the deep end, looking to "destroy" the world with his new found power of the Founding Titan in tow. Marley winning wouldn't exactly be a great ending either, with the nation attempting to wipe out Eldia in its entirety.

Perhaps all parties involved will manage to come to some sort of compromise, but considering the franchise's track record, I wouldn't put money on it. As is the case with everything in Attack On Titan, nothing good comes without a price.

The Future

For those who don't know, we actually have a little insight into just where the ending is headed, specifically creator Hajime Isayama shared the final panel of the series with readers one year ago:

While this final panel may set the scene for a touching one, with a father seemingly cradling his son, this could simply be a look into the past. Perhaps this is Grisha Jaeger holding a young Eren close to his chest, giving us a glimpse into the past following a devastating future.

Attack On Titan has managed to carve out a name for itself thanks to its amazing story telling and nihilstic character moments. Regardless of how it ends, its clear that it will have a legacy that for outlives its finale.

How do you think Attack On Titan will end? Do you agree that there are "no happy endings" for these characters? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and Titans!

Attack on Titan was originally created by Hajime Isayama for Kodansha's Bessatsu Shonen Magazine in 2009. It's set in a world where the last remnants of humanity live within a walled city in order to escape the danger of the Titans, a race of giants monsters that eats humans. The lead character, Eren Yeager, ends up joining the military with his two childhood friends Mikasa and Armin after the Titans break through the wall and attack his hometown. Now Eren, Mikasa, and Armin must survive in a world where they not only have the Titans to fear, but the very humans they are trying to save. You can currently find the series streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.