As we approach the end of this marvelous series we unfold more secrets about the history of the titans, the Eldian people, as well as humanity as a whole. The story is getting incredibly complicated and Eren's deathlike grip on becoming the Messiah to save the eternity of mankind isn't helping.
But as I sit and stew over the past episodes and grit my teeth waiting for the next episodes to be released, I realized a few things that may either be ironic nonsense or simply genius work by the author.
One of the predominant common factors between all characters and regions is manipulation and deception. Is clearly manifested in the powers of Zeke Yeager. But it also can be seen in many others including the history of the Eldian King, the people of Marley, the Tybur family, and also the foreign delegate who comes to the aid of the Eldians in Paradise - Kiyomi Azumobito.
When we look at each individual region we start to notice that every one of them has had their share of manipulating history, deceiving outsiders, and all of this for their own private gain.
The Marleyan had rewritten history to become the good people and paint the Eldians as evil. The Azumobito family is fuelled by its greed for money and only wants to help the Eldians in Paradise for the natural resources and had deceived the world in making them think that the Azumobito had hatred towards Eldians. The Tybur family who had possession of the Warhammer titan manipulated the world into thinking that they were the brokers of peace.
It all starts making sense when we see the diehards of Marley, the Eldians within the walls, hellbent on becoming Honorary Marleyans. Through the writings of the books by Yeager, we can see how consistently the Eldians within Marley are brainwashed into cementing the history that the Marleyans have created. Although, the generation of Zeke may have done everything out of force and need, the newer generation of warriors do it because they think it is the right thing to do.
And finally, the Eldians. For one, the Eldian King had stolen the memories of the past from the rightful owners of those memories. Not to mention that the nobles within Paradise knew about the past but deceived the people to many many long lengths by keeping silent.
We again see the same trend of manipulation and deception when Historia finally meets her father. Rodd Reiss tries his best to manipulate Historia into taking over the Founding titan by consuming Eren. He deceives his own daughter into doing something that was justified in his eyes...all up until Historia makes it her personal mission to set things straight.
One of the best manipulators we have seen so far in the series is Zeke. Both through his Beast Titan and in his character itself. He had made his way into the top of the ranks within the Marleyan army and the leader of the warriors.
He has manipulated a large chunk of the Marleyan army to do as he says. Even knowing the circumstances, these soldiers have gone out and far to show the Eldians in Paradise the ways of the modern world and helped them get stronger.
And yet again, Zeke manipulates them to turn against the same people they have helped in an excellent fashion.
I am genuinely scared of Zeke. He is the only guy who has deceived death. The closest someone has come to Zeke's level of deceiving death could be commander Erwin who had walked out from the mouth of death numerous times to only die to Zeke. How poetic.
Zeke, on the other hand, somehow finds his way out of the trickiest situations and has even escaped the blade of Levi a few times now.
This has made it extremely difficult for me to put any faith in Eren. The new Eren, at least. The Messiah Eren.
Eren has shown numerous times that he can be manipulated very easily. After his visit with Keith Sadies, he realizes the biggest truth of all times - he isn't special, just human. But in season 1 he was manipulated into thinking he was a loser and Keith did a good job at doing so.
We can also argue that Grisha manipulated Eren into this lifestyle and has set a chain of actions and pushing Eren into a mission that he would otherwise not even know of.
Given the past history of Eren being prone to manipulation and the fact that Eren has done a 180 against his own morals of saving his people, avenging the deaths from his hometown, being loyal to his friends, to now being hellbent on wiping the population and mentally torturing his friends and degrading them, and physically hurting them, it is difficult to say that Eren is not being manipulated.
Everything aside, I am still waiting to see how the series ends before diving into the manga. I am curiously waiting to see if there is any explanation given about Ymir Fritz and her deal with acquiring the titans' powers. I believe that there are a plethora of reasons fuelled by manipulative motives and deception.
I would be disappointed and maybe even dissatisfied if the cycle didn't come full circle starting and ending with Ymir Fritz.
