Eren Yeager is one of the most complex main characters that anime has seen to date. The brutal setting Attack on Titan introduced him as a passionate young man who wanted to break free from the walls that held him captive. Several deaths quickly turned it into a revenge story. But his life turned upside down when he realized the true nature of the outside world.
Having made the whole world his enemy, he gradually distanced himself from his friends and began to fulfill his goal. While searching for freedom, he becomes a slave to fate and turns himself into the show's antagonist. His actions were ruthless and unforgivable, making him Attack on Titan's greatest villain. Let's take a look at some of these moments, where Eren was closer to being a villain than a hero.
Eren and Lelouch: Heroes or Villains?
Eren and Lelouch serve as the hero and villain of their respective stories. Here are some similarities between the two.
Irene is naturally violent
Irene's anger and frustration in the first few episodes is understandable, given the heartbreaking experience she has to endure. But before the walls were stormed, and before his mother died, he was filled with anger that felt unusual for his age. While rescuing Mikasa from the smugglers, he violently stabbed her to death. When questioned by her father, her intentions to save Mikasa were clear, but her terrifying rage and resort to violence were morally questionable.
He threatened Hang and scared her
Shortly after the attack on Marley, the Scouts return home with Irene and Zeke in their custody. They locked Eren away from Zeke due to the lack of trust between them. Hang found Eren talking to her in the mirror, which she found strange, and started questioning him. Irene gave him a stern reply and explained the reality of the situation. He explained the futility of locking himself up and Hange's inability to influence the situation. He violently grabbed her by the collar and dragged her towards the cell, which really shocked her. Compared to later events, her frustration is not with Hange but with her inability to change the predetermined future, but this is still a scene where she seems to not care about her friends.
He used Porco's Jaws to kill the War Hammer Titan
During Eren's attack on Liberio, the War Hammer Titan arose and, along with Marley's military firepower, became a threat to Eren. Just in time, Mikasa and the others appeared and fought alongside Eren. Even after a heavy attack on the war hammer's nape, it rose, causing Eren to realize that Lyra was in the crystal outside of Tiber's body. But Eren couldn't even scratch this crystal. But when the Titan accidentally scratched it, his claw was powerful enough to damage the crystal. This caused Eren to use the Jab Titan to break the crystal and eat the War Hammer Titan. He tore off the Jab Titan's limbs, immobilized it, and forcefully used its jaws to break the crystal. It was an inhumane, cruel move that shocked even Irene's friends.
He was forced to kill his own mother
In the final moments of Attack on Titan, fans saw Eren's previously erased memories. One of these memories was an important conversation between Eren and Armin that answered many questions. This conversation reveals Eren's hand in his mother's death, which sets his plan in motion. Eren claims that after gaining the power of the Founding Titan, he can no longer distinguish between the past, present, and future. Everything seemed to exist at once, which made him send Dinah's Titan towards his mother so that he could save Bertolt, who was not yet to die.
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Attack on Marley
During the medal ceremony, Eren saw the future and unfortunately, became a slave to fate. He realized that the world was against the Aldians and decided to attack them before they attacked Paradise. He infiltrated Marley and used Falco to send a letter to Aldea. This helped him launch a surprise attack on Liberia, where he killed countless civilians. Before his attack, he had a conversation with Rainer and understood Rainer's attack on Paradise. But that didn't stop him, and instead, like Rainer, he went ahead and finished off his enemies.
He manipulated his father
Grisha was responsible for stealing the Founding Titan from the royal family and handing it over to Eren. Before, Eren hated his father for doing such a cruel thing. But when Eren and Zeke come across memories of their father, a terrifying truth is revealed. Grisha had decided to wipe out the royal family, but when the moment came, he could not bring himself to hurt others or kill the children. Eren was amazingly able to influence the past and provoked his father to resort to violence. He reminded his father of the atrocities he suffered, which enabled Grisha to kill everyone in the race chapel.
He pushes his friends away to achieve his goals
When the Yeagerists take over, Eren decides to talk to Armin and Mikasa. It was their first conversation since their separation years ago, and they had many questions to ask Eren. But instead of clarifying her intentions, Eren took this moment to further distance herself from Armin and Mikasa. He deliberately told a lie that almost seemed true and broke the hearts of both his dearest friends. He claims that Armin only spoke to Annie because his mind was taken over by Bertolt. Similarly, Mikasa only cared for Eren because her Ackerman blood forced her to protect the host. He confesses that he has hated Mikasa since his childhood, which angers Armin and the two begin to fight. But it was one-sided, and Eren defeated Armin. It was a heartbreaking moment where Irene seemed to have no compassion or affection for the two most important people in her life.
He killed 80% of humanity
After gaining power and full authority from Ymir, Eren started the Pit. But it wasn't just to stop the ongoing conflict, it was to completely eliminate humanity outside the Wall. He used the Founder's power to connect with the other Aldians, where he declared war on the world. He became an enemy not only to the world outside the walls but also to his friends, whom he had secretly hoped to protect. With an army of giant Titans, he killed millions upon millions. Finally, in his last conversation with Armin, he admits that he really wants to flatten the world. According to Eren, his actions were not for others but for the desire to see a free world where there is no one else.
Attack on Titan : Everything that happened after Eren's death
How much did Eren's death affect the Aldians and the rest of the world of Attack on Titan?
Regardless of Eren's ultimate goal, these actions were merciless and equally as brutal as other tragedies we've seen in anime. This complexity between good guy and bad guy is what makes Eren such a lovable and interesting character. Are there any other scenes where you think Eren is the villain of Attack on Titan?
