Many Attack on Titan fans have questioned the nature and physics of the world of the hit anime since its very beginning. From the Titans themselves to the technology, fans have had plenty of questions and theories as to how things work. One of them is if Eren’s afterlife world really exists.
The afterlife world, as fans have referred to it, has puzzled many watchers. Is it a figment of Eren’s imagination? Is it a real place, given that Armin gets pulled into it? Whatever the case, this article will endeavor to answer that question and ponder the meaning of the afterlife world in Attack on Titan.
Disclaimer: As usual, the following article will contain major spoilers for Attack on Titan. Likewise, any opinions are solely the author’s and should be taken with massive silos of salt since this is purely theorectical.
Discussing the possibility of Attack on Titan‘s afterlife world
Comparison to The Paths
The Paths in Attack on Titan is a physical place, a seemingly endless desert with a sole tree of energy at its center with the Founder Ymir guarding it. So basically, it’s what connects the Subjects of Ymir. The sole tree is called the Coordinate, where all paths of Subjects of Ymir and Titans cross.
That is clearly a real place, as nearly every Subject of Ymir gets pulled into it at one point or another. The afterlife world, where Eren is a kid again and seems completely at peace, is another matter entirely. Armin seems to have been pulled into it, but he’s the only one that seems to see it aside from Mikasa later.
The idea then, that any Subject of Ymir could be pulled all the way in there, makes a lot of sense if they were all pulled into the Paths. Since there’s no explanation for it, that’s one theory that might work considering the Paths also can access memories and manipulate time itself apparently.
Relation to Titan Powers
It seems like Eren’s situation is a combination of his mind being overtaxed and the Titan powers working through him. Armin being among the ones that could see into them and interact with Eren, appears to prove the Titan Power theory all the more likely.
After all, the Titan Powers seem to do everything else or at least help it along. More than likely, since an actual afterlife isn’t shown in Attack on Titan, it’s a product of Eren’s unconcious trying to keep himself afloat combined with his own Titan Powers.
Hallucination or not?
Then brings up a question: is it a hallucination or something more? Considering Eren’s mental state verges somewhere between resignation at being a puppet on strings to a complete mental shutdown and breakdown via his appearance as his childhood self being free and happy, it brings to mind several suggestions.
It might be the powers reacting to his mental state since Eren can run, speak, breathe, etc. seemingly without the need to eat, though that would be incredibly difficult to pull off. Mikasa, likewise, is brought in, given how Eren dies by her hand and the two have a heart-to-heart before the latter is killed.
Being a hallucination would be a tough sell, however. It’s well established that Titan Powers in Attack on Titan take a major toll on their minds and bodies, and having all that power at one time in a mind not ready for it would cause serious trauma. So, why wouldn’t Eren try to escape into a more free and peaceful existence?
An escape, or another wall?
For all of Eren’s protestations and statements to the contrary, he is still trapped. As a person causing a massive amount of death and destruction, Attack on TItan portrays Eren as no more correct then the Marleyan government with his genocidal actions.
It still portrays Eren as trapped in a heavy cycle of violence, one which none deserved to be in. In comes an afterlife world of sorts, an alternative ending where Eren and Mikasa just left and fond peace and freedom their own way. To the former, it might be an escape, but to an outside viewer it’s another wall.
To an outside viewer, Eren is still trapped in a prison of the mind instead of a physical one. The afterlife world may seem free, and to him it is. There’s no real walls confining him. No Titans to kill. No restrictions. It’s a nice idea that doesn’t truly exist for him.
Eren’s psyche and the cycle of violence
At that point in Attack on Titan, Eren is absolutely trapped in the cycle of violence. He himself sees no other option and no other way out for the Eldians on Paradis. He sees Marley and the rest of the world as the enemy, and nothing short of complete, absolute destruction will serve the needs of Paradis.
In the meantime, his mind is inside the afterlife world and free to float as he seems ignorant to the situation. The dreams and vision of Eren explaining his plan to Armin, and later Mikasa leaving her scarf behind, attest to the fact that Eren wanted a way out but there was none except what happened.
But even with all this, the manga does show there’s a glimmer of his humanity left. Eren could’ve easily shown Armin all the horrors of the world or made Mikasa suffer. But instead, he showed Armin all the beauty in the world and showed Mikasa an alternate timeline in which they eloped. It doesn’t absolve him of the genocide, but it
To conclude, the notion of an afterlife in Attack on Titan doesn’t seem to exist. Without conclusive evidence, like a statement from the author or something else within the story, it’s a little difficult to ascertain if Eren is making the afterlife world real by himself or if the Titan powers are doing that work.
In other words, Eren appears to be in a safe spot for his mind as his body works automatically. If anyone else has anything else regarding this theory, they are free to discuss and add in the comments.
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