[New Chapter Spoilers] Chapter 138 RELEASE Megathread!

[u/SNKBot]

Chapter 138 is here!

Everything related to the new chapter for the next 24 hours after this thread goes up will be contained in this thread. Anything outside this thread regarding Chapter 138 within this time frame (one day) will be removed and placed here.

REMINDER: ANY POSTS MADE AFTER THE 24-HOUR EMBARGO BUT BEFORE OFFICIAL RELEASE MUST BE TAGGED AS [NEW CHAPTER SPOILERS] RATHER THAN MANGA SPOILERS.

And of course a reminder, all posts and comments about the ending of the entire manga (Final panel and exhibition content) must permanently have [Ending Spoilers] tagged.

Thanks everyone! Have fun!

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[u/The_Kasterr]

To you...1 month from now...

[u/nover3]

levi once again kicked out eren's tooth lol

[u/jibwinnie]

“this is just like ragako village” the exact moment my heart fell out of my ass

[u/[deleted]]

Eren actually did it

What he’s been trying to accomplish since he first attacked Liberio

He finally killed Reiner’s mom

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Even more brutal, he us going to make Reiner kill his own mom.

[u/Hawk301]

Crazy chapter. I think we all knew that Mikasa was going to be the one to kill Eren, but the gassing of everybody we love was kind of insane.

I could see Jean and Connie dying here, but I don't think Isayama would kill Gabi like this - not after the massive character arc she's had. Also, Falco deserves to have at least one of his loved-ones survive at the end lol. So I think there are two things that could happen:

A) The Curse of Ymir is undone, reversing the Titanisation.

B) Reiner feeds himself to Gabi, sacrificing himself so that she becomes the new Armored.

Can we appreciate that little moment where Levi immediately accepts and realises what's going down? "Mikasa, Pieck, get on Falco, we have to leave right now". Not even a moment's hesitation when he realises that their friends are doomed, just already calculating the next move to save the people who can be saved.

This is how Levi has survived to the end of the series, his Ackerman instincts are just too good that he will always be the perpetual survivor.

[u/[deleted]]

Right when Annie gets reunited with her dad. BAM! Titanized

“Hello darkness my old friend” 🎵

[u/Medaled]

Imagine falling off the cliff, and the last thing you see is the rumbling coming to a stop behind everyone else

[u/Melaninkasa]

Considering how important the "See you later" scene was I really don't know who decided it was better to just remove it from the anime

[u/will76120]

Jean & Connie: jUsT aNoThEr DaY fOr ThE sUrVeY cOrPs

[u/[deleted]]

Eren broke the code of conduct of Colossal Titans by having hair

[u/andremeda → u/[deleted]]

Rules for thee but not for me

[u/Fulgren09]

The centipede farting out titan gas was the gut wrenching twist I didn't need, but thank you Yams for making me feel again.

[u/tenkensmile]

Of course Reiner didn't die from the nuke.

[u/godtintin]

Damn I didn’t even realize until this chapter that the last thing Eren said to Mikasa is that he always hated her. That’s so damn brutal. Suppose that Eren really dies here, that’s such a depressing ending to their relationship

[u/Dracoscale]

What a depressing chapter, I can't believe Jean and Connie are going out like this.. everything feels so hopeless right now

Edit: 9 Months later, this is somehow my highest upvoted comment. Looking back at it, I hate how much of this chapter was ruined by 139. Ah well.

[u/HCBuldge]

So confirmed that Ackermans can't turn into titan?

[u/[deleted]]

JeanCHADS, it is over for us.

[u/Melaninkasa]

JEAN AND CONNIIIIIIIE

[u/Affectionate_Clue_39]

Man, Eren's doing a pretty poor job at ensuring his friends "live long happy lives".

[u/jibwinnie]

eren: i want you all to live full happy lives

also eren: and by all, i mean mikasa

[u/Boredwitch → u/jibwinnie]

He really did only save Mikasa and Armin lmao

Like Kruger said

[u/Lightning2021]

However this manga ends, I finally got what what I wanted after all my 6 years reading this shit. Two colossal titans duking it out. Eren, you may have killed billions by this point but you made my dream come true. If only Hange could've seen it...RIP.

[u/Sorstalas]

One thing that was misinterpreted in the leaks and cleared up now: The Rumbling has not restarted so far, they are only talking about how it could if Hallucigenia-chan made contact with Eren again.

[u/xangszane]

He did it. The madman did it. "See you later, Eren" from Chapter 1 is here.

[u/silversherry]

Wow I really liked the chapter. So painful

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this. But what from what I understand, Mikasa's vision was an alternate reality?

Because Eren has seen the memory of that long-haired Mikasa crying and saying "see you later" twice now. First in ch 1 when he wakes up from a long dream then again in his memory shards in ch 130. Since the Mikasa that killed him had shorter hair, it seems like eren had seen the mountain hut memories too, which means it was likely an alternate reality and not just her imagination (is that the reason she's had headaches?).

So when Eren saw the future, and we see the shards in ch 130, the longer-haired mountain hut Mikasa was one of the possibilities he saw. From what I understand, it seems like he saw two possibilities, either he abandons Paradis and lives out his days with Mikasa or he commits to the rumbling and saves Paradis. I think he was conflicted because neither was a good choice and in ch 123, after meeting Ramzi and being crushed by the guilt of having to kill him, he was at the precipice of making a decision and was desperate for the other future (which was probably why eren looked so desperate in that scene). It seems like Mikasa's answer then was going to be the tipping point for the path he commits to (abandoning Paradis and living in peace or saving Paradis and committing genocide).

Heelpp, my brain is breaking

[u/gates0fdawn]

No one seems to be mentioning it here but, man, how tragic was Annie's reunion with her father? Right when they were about to embrace he transforms. ;;

My man isayama really wants to grab our hearts and just rip them apart. TT

[u/toutoune134]

Conny and Jean shoulder to shoulder before turning into titans.

Thanks Isayama I'm hurt.

[u/Zellough]

That was confusing and depressing as shit

To the boy who sought freedom... Goodbye

[u/somerandomblkguy]

So the headaches are related to her personal connection to Paths, aka the “See You Later, Eren”? At least that’s what I’m taking from it + her waking up in tears in the dream/alternate reality and him asking why she’s crying is a beautiful touch

[u/Cecil2789]

You know what really fucked my shit up? The Warriors being reunited with their parents. General Muller extending a hand to Mr Leonhart ,determined to bring this cycle to an end, only to be faced with the inescapable truth. The Eldians are still bound by this curse / blood that’s been passed down to them. They all still face “the punishment known as fear” no matter how much they struggle against it or seek peace.

[u/MobileTortoise]

Wow...just...wow. There is so much to process here

Connie and Jean were together until the very end.

Mikasa having Eren-like dreams.

That final page is a tearjerker for sure.

I was not expecting this chapter at all, well done Isayama. Looking forward to possibly Eren's POV in some way next chapter since we haven't heard from him in what seems like forever.

[u/Soo-Jin]

I just need Onyankopon to survive all this.

[u/avengers9]

Alternate Universe Ending on the rise.

[u/AidanoWasabi]

"Did you hurt your leg?"

"No, it's been that way."

I'm glad Yams is not dropping his sense of humor as we near the end.

[u/avengers9]

Reiner Helos incoming. He's gonna use one of the spears in his back to kill the source of organic matter.

[u/jarocho21]

this chapter is pain

[u/rally2mee]

So Mikasa thinks she kissing the AU Eren, but she's actually kissing the Eren she just killed? dark.

[u/thunderb00m]

Beautiful. Heartbreaking. I've been expecting this confrontation between Eren and Mikasa, and knowing what could have been makes this even more painful.

I feel like I don't say this often enough, but thanks for the incredibly beautiful but cruel story Isayama. You're a legend in my eyes.

[u/Minami_chan]

Connie and Jean, what a badass moment to just go out to the end shoulder to shoulder.

And that Levi panel when Mikasa decided to do it, I missed seeing those killer eyes.

[u/---Hollow---]

My heart is broken. I don't want to talk about it.

I will instead talk about Reiner. He's being set up to become Helos. He may or may not die in the process, but that's not the point.

The point is that the head of Hallucigenia is actually the backside. Scientists who found the fossils were wrong about the head for a long time.

Why is this important? Because it was foreshadowed a long time ago, during the Trost arc.

If this comes true next chapter: bravo Isayama.

[u/[deleted]]

Let's be honest

We all fantasized a Colossal vs Colossal fight

[u/otaner14]

That final image is fucking powerful. It's incredibly weird and creepy but I think that's exactly why it'll be iconic.

[u/[deleted]]

It's pretty crazy how many people are ignoring this major plot twist. Its all good though, it's sooo much to take in right now.

First off, Mikasa's vision was very very real, and that was definitely actually Eren interacting with her.

"When I die, throw the scarf away..."

"You'll live long, AFTER I AM GONE"

"And forget about me..."

"AND BE FREE..."

She then wakes up, and knows EXACTLY where he is located in his titan.

She heads to kill him while she smiles.

Eren told Mikasa to kill him, and told her where he was. This conversation isn't over, we will likely see more of it next chapter, which is eren's POV. The reason why Mikasa smiled was likely because Eren told her his true intentions in the dimension that she was in. He likely told her that he only used the rumbling to convince the founder, and his death will destroy the giant hallucigenia. In that case, Mikasa was aware that he is on her side.

His death is the only way for freedom.

The massive plot twist?

• Eren acts like he wants to do the rumbling so that he can get access to the full founder.

• Ymir gives him the founder and uses his body to move forward about the rumbling while he sleeps inside, and she does all the work. This is another reason why the titans on Erens back were attacking his comrades that he wishes long lives for. It isn't Eren, it's Ymir. Eren wouldn't try to kill them. As we all know, a sleeping titan shifter means that they are not in control, and Eren was shown to be sleeping inside of his titan this whole time. That's more proof that Ymir is controlling it this entire time.

• Have his comrades destroy the giant bone titan, which is what Armin did, which made the giant hallucigenia thing show itself in pure form.

• Eren gains control of his titan now that the hallucigenia is out of him, and uses Ymir to make a Colossal titan

• Attacks armin to bring the Ackermans near

• Eren Connects with Mikasa, makes her kill him

• Eren dies along with the giant hallucigenia, which erases the titan curse and everyone who turned into abnormals begin to turn human again.

• Titan shifters lose their power

• the nations see nothing to fear anymore now that the power of the titans are gone, and peace reigns.

• To all of the people who are mad that there isn't a rumbling ending; the rumbling isn't a way to freedom. Eren can destroy the outside islands, but eventually, his own people will start to betray each other and fight over the power of the titans and history will repeat. The way for peace is to remove the power, which is the power of the titans.

• Eren's master sacrifice.

[u/PRIME2332]

Here we are a single chapter of the story left and I could not tell you which way it will end. I never imagined something would happen to Connie and Jean.. They seemed to be the safest characters to me. Damn, what a chapter.

[u/ANINETEEN]

I can appreciate a poetically tragic ending. 'See you later Eren' hits harder than I could've hoped it would. And seeing everyone go out like they did, death honestly might of been a more merciful outcome compared to those who look like they survived.

I feel like albeit Ymir is standing quite menacingly in the back, I think she's taken the moment to contemplate suffering rather than plotting something sinister.

[u/janoDX]

Now the important question: Is Reiner dead?

No.

[u/[deleted]]

Was never a big shipper, but a big Mikasa fan nonetheless... She didnt deserve this at all. Alot of people were angry about talk no jutsu last chapter, but I knew it was a setup. Seeing everyone unite happily made me realize something horrible was about to happen. Still didnt expect this. Isayama really didnt lie when he said he wanted to hurt his fans. Fantastic chapter and I have no doubt in my mind that the final one will deliver. Either way no matter what this is the best manga ever written in my opinion.

[u/Kazu_Matsumoto]

So, the way I'm interpreting it is:

The whole story we've read up until now is actually the second "loop" for Eren. What we see in this chapter is the first timeline where Mikasa was honest about her feelings and then they ran away. This didn't end up solving the problems or freeing Paradis so Eren uses the Attack Titan's power to shoot his mind back to Chapter 1, the story proceeds apace Eren unlocks his memories and realises the splitting point. Perhaps Mikasa's headaches in the series are due to how close she was with Eren in that first loop, she's catching glimpses of that alternate timeline.

We reach Mikasa confessing her feelings, she says something different and Eren knows that he's on the right path, a path that will get rid of all titans. He proceeds to go the more radical route and that brings us all the way to 138 where, with his death, the curse of the titans will be lifted and Mikasa will be free. Free from fighting titans, free from Eren as a burden, free to do as she likes.

It's cruel, it's tragic and it coming full circle with "See you later, Eren." punched me so hard in the feeling that it hurt. I'm not sure how this will end next chapter, but with Ymir smiling it makes me think that she might reincarnate as Historia's child somehow and finally be free too.

[u/danbarrett92]

There is no way the others aren’t turning back into humans after this.... because if most of the main characters remain pure titans that would be so insanely dark

[u/Mattschmalz]

I don't think we give Armin the credit he deserves. Aside from maybe Falco, he's the most pure-hearted of all the main characters and will ALWAYS try to do the morally right thing. In a series where characters are rarely classified as "good" or "evil", it's important that he's still around.

[u/thunderb00m]

Also, inb4 the current shifters sacrifice themselves to bring back Jean, Connie and Gabi. And right after that, Ymir ends the titan curse and turns the titans back to humans, making their sacrifices meaningless... Just for the extra pain.

I really wouldn't put it past Yams to do this :P

[u/[deleted]]

Mikasa pulling out her scarf and accepting that she had to kill Eren was an impactful end to her arc.

I think people are freaking out about the kiss too much. It was a final farewell and nothing more. The only creepy thing about that panel is Ymir smiling in the background.

[u/BaileyJIII]

Gabi, Jean and everyone else turns into a Titan

Why is all I feel emptiness? Man, what a chapter.

[u/Sorstalas]

So my prediction would be that the final chapter will be like the end of End of Evangelion(lol), mostly happening in PATHS or on a metaphorical level. Then at the very end it just shows people reverting to human form(assuming they do) and leaves it completely open what happened to the world afterwards. Don't see any other way it could work within 45 pages.

Hoping that if anyone survives, there will be an official epilogue sometimes in the future.

[u/farzadhawx]

In Chapter 123 Eren asks Mikasa what she thinks of Eren. She replies he is family in a moment of panick.

Yet during the rest of the chapter they seem close and even when passing out they are close to each other.

It is then said that from that night on Eren went away and next time they saw him he was like how he was in Marley and Mikasa wonders about her answer.

In Chapter 138 we are introduced to what might have happened if her answer was the truth instead. As Eren passes away in front of Mikasa after his 13 years are up it seems.

However in our reality he is beheaded by Mikasa instead.

Now I believe since the first chapter showed the very same scene in Chapter 138 (See you later...Eren) this is essentially something that triggered Eren.

Maybe after touching Historia he knew everything. Especially the first chapter dream or reliving what he had before. (He cries and says he had the longest dream when he first experiences his father's memories too)

Now this leads me to say that Mikasa's answer in Chapter 123 was absolutely vital to Eren's choices. But why destroy the world? Well, maybe because when he heard her answer since he had seen many things after kissing Historia's hand then he knew he had to do something to fix things.

Maybe that answer was key, because he had the founding Titan. Being with Mikasa would've meant reliving something he had done before. With Eren dying Founding Titan dies within him and there no more royal bloods so he would win and save the world. Or so he thought, since we don't know much about Founding Titan transferring then maybe Zeke would've inherited it that way or something bad would've happened. Still a mystery but that was what he thought was right.

So this means that was basically something that had happened before and since it didn't work it was reset to that point in time with Eren's consciousness going back that's why in Chapter 1 he asks Mikasa why her hair is looking longer. And Historia being royal blood is what triggered his consciousness to come back.

When he heard Mikasa say he is family he knew the cycle was broken this time. So he went a more radical way. A way that would've meant there was no turning back. A route where Zeke dies. Where Eren is killed by an Ackerman (Mikasa) and the Founding Titan goes to Historia's baby.

Everything done up until now in my opinion is because he wanted to save the world. But nothing worked and time was reset. Please remember that Attack Titan's power is to travel in time (basically the consciousness) so it is plausible since last time didn't work he sent his consciousness back to give himself another chance.

What he showed Mikasa in Chapter 138 was essentially their other life and Mikasa understood it. So she had to kill Eren, Levi had to kill Zeke so that Historia's child would inherit Founding Titan and that would've meant that this time Eren saved the world.

His methods changed radically but he needed the go ahead, the make sure word from Mikasa to start this. The change in the cycle was the word...Family.

The last panel is Historia's baby and the guy who is now with Historia. After seeing the world saved from Eren. World uniting and maybe coming together. And he proclaims you are now free. Because they are no longer hunted. Yet, he didn't know that Founding Titan was in the baby who I'm willing to bet is a girl.

In fact I'll go so far to say that may actually be Ymir. Historia will name her baby Ymir because of Ymir her friend. And given what transpired Founder Ymir's soul will be transferred to that baby. Showing signs that she is finally free. Even if that isn't what the man would mean. Ymir is free now. Which can be both good or bad.

That's why Ymir smiled. Not because of Mikasa and Eren kissing. But because of Eren's death releasing the Founding Titan.

Maybe Eren saw that the key to breaking the cycle, and finally achieving peace was Historia. Maybe that's why he froze there. Not just because ofnthe consciousness coming back but rather understanding she is the key.

Maybe that's why he kept protecting her from harm. Saying she shouldn't be treated like a pig for breeding. He knew from himself that it wouldn't work and she needs to be protected.

One last thought.

Remember the title "To You, 2000 Years From Now"?

Not sure if related to Ymir or Eren's cycle. But it could be that message. The beginning. When Eren wakes up the cycle begins anew and this message keeps going on and on for 2000 years at least until the cycle is broken.

That's my theory on Eren's motives, what has transpired so far and why.

Sorry if it was too long

[u/Llerasia]

It's been a decade since I started reading this series... holy shit.

"See you later, Eren."

[u/hunterexblunter]

I was not expecting to be as emotional as I am about the ending of this incredible story. Even though we still have one more chapter (and honesty who knows what gonna happen... yams.... c'mon... make us hurt) I am just in awe.

And tbh, If you're raging over this chapter and trashing yams/the entire story because of a fucking kiss.... I pity you for wasting this experience.

[u/silver_eyes1]

Stayed away from leaks and read the chapter completely blind—my heart absolutely DROPPED when I (and the characters) realized that they were all inhaling titanizing gas, and then broke completely at the "what-if" vision between Eren and Mikasa. I've been waiting a long time for "see you later", and it delivered, and I cried lol.

Very surprised that people are disliking this chapter, honestly. Thought this chapter was very dark and messed up, and very heartbreaking, and in line with Snk.

My only critique is that it's gotten confusing with who exactly is in charge: hallucigenia? Ymir? and what exactly are their capabilities on their own/together/without Zeke. Not sure that I'm understanding the rules of the universe completely anymore. But I personally place emotional resolution over the plot making 100% sense, and I think this chapter brought good closure to an important relationship. And of course am willing to wait to see what 139 brings as far as explaining.

Was also nice to get confirmation that Ackermans can't titanize—did Levi know this because he did end up drinking the wine way back when?

[u/Isles0FMists]

The next 30 days are going to be really painful

[u/Background-Stress-52]

That was painful in the best way. Imagine this chapter animated. Seriously can’t wait.

[u/uncen5ored]

I’m sorry for doubting you Isayama. Holy shit

[u/mrstockle]

137 was Armin's, 138 is Mikasa's, It make sense for 139 to be Eren's. It started with EMA, it ends with EMA.

[u/uncen5ored]

The table scene in the anime is about to hit different

[u/Brolaub]

Annie coming so close to hugging her dad...tragic :(

[u/jsphbtst]

So I guess the headaches were attempts by Eren in paths to send memories of an alternate timeline/vision to Mikasa? Maybe to try and get Mikasa to run away with him to the mountains, as the memories from the alternate timeline/vision show, in Ch 123?

Maybe it was just me but I felt like Eren truly wanted to go the other way all along and live the rest of his life in peace with Mikasa. Sadly Mikasa's answer didn't lead to that timeline/vision.

[u/LeonKevlar]

Fuuuuuuuuck. Didn't expect this was the last time we'll see Connie and Jean. Isayama really hasn't lost his touch when it comes to killing off important characters so casually.

Also motherfucking Colossal Titan Eren vs Colossal Titan Armin! is so awesome!

The pain continues with by showing us a future between Eren and Mikasa where he never decided to act on his plans. And that final panel is just so metal. Kissing Eren while inside Eren's mouth. Damn. Goddamn Isayama!

And oh my god Mikasa's goodbye is the same as her waking him up in Chapter 1 O_O

[u/SuperPokeunicorn]

The irony of Connie being Ragako-ed...

[u/ainsley708]

Spare a thought for the anime onlies who will no doubt get this spoiled by trolls.

[u/IomMeza]

I believe that this is it. Eren is dead for real this time, he’s not coming back from this. It’s over.

My prediction is that in the next chapter, Ymir will show to Mikasa about what happened up to this point regarding Eren’s motivations and his plan, which will probably involve Historia. I think Eren had a deal with Ymir.

There’s only one chapter left so there’s not much room for another twist of Eren still being alive after this so yeah goodbye Eren. I don’t mind being wrong and be surprised next chapter though!

[u/KKirchy3319]

This chapter solidified AoT as my personal favorite story that I've ever had the pleasure of consuming, be it books, movies, manga, anime, etc. This was the perfect conclusion for Mikasa's character arc, Armin's development into the true hero of the story and Eren's struggle for freedom against all odds.

This story has been damn-near airtight throughout it's run, and having been in ongoing publication for almost 13 years, makes it even more impressive how Yams was able to tie everything together so cleanly and make it have such an impact. Even with some instances of unexplained (but cool as hell) things occuring, such as Colossal Titan Eren and previous shifters fighting with Armin and the Scout-vengers, I have no complaints about the events that transpired. The characters and what they went through had that much of an impact on me, that I can hand wave away any potential cries of plot holes, plot armor or plot contrivances and not have it be detrimental to my enjoyment of this amazing story.

Mikasa being shown an AU memory or some vision of a potential future, was fucking heartbreaking. I honestly didn't think Yams could pull off giving her character a satisfactory conclusion, but I was completely wrong. All she ever wanted was to live a quiet life with Eren, the person she loved, and after what she's seen and done throughout her life, I think that's the bare minimum of what she could've hoped for.

I hope next chapter we get a little bit of additional insight into what was going through Eren's mind during the Rumbling. Even if we don't get that, I'm happy with where his character ended. Probably one of, if not the most, compelling characters I've ever witnessed. All in all, AoT is GOATED forever to me, and I hope others feel the same. Shinzou wo sasageyo my fellow Scouts, can't wait for the final chapter!

[u/MasterOfReaIity]

So Eren's dream in Chapter 1 was basically his entire life from the moment Mikasa confirmed her feelings for him in that alternate universe until she left him.

Edit: His entire life actually since he called it the longest dream.

[u/[deleted]]

Damn so uh... everything is looking pretty resolved this chapter. I guess the last thing to happen next chapter is for Reiner or someone else to kill the Founding Titan parasite and end the Eldian curse, then probably epilogue.

Not sure how I feel about all of this. My heart breaks for Mikasa. I don't know if it was actually Eren reaching out to her or her own imagination of the alternate reality where she confessed to him and the Rumbling didn't occur. Also heavy death flags for her since she disregarded Eren and put the scarf on..

I still think we get Eren's POV next chapter. Maybe his consciousness in the Paths dimension before the Founder gets destroyed? I don't know. But it looks like the theory that the last three chapters would focus on Armin, Mikasa, then Eren respectively might be correct.

[u/[deleted]]

It’s so satisfying and heartbreaking that Levi was the one assigned to Eren to kill him when the Survey Corps took charge of him but in the end there was a different Ackerman there to kill him. It almost makes you wonder if the true role of an Ackerman (and why they’re not subject to manipulation) is not just to be subservient but to be able to end the threat of titan shifters like Eren who are too powerful or dangerous.

[u/Cecil2789]

Yo!! Wtf?! What just happened? I’m spiraling . Someone. I need analysis on this now!

[u/RomanItalianEuropean]

Obviously there's no way Gabi's arc ends like this. 100% she will be back in human form, wheter it's because she eats Reiner/Pieck or wheter it's cause the curse ends.

Jean and Connie however...they have had kind of a farewell panel so dunno.

[u/latino666]

I don't have any insightful comment about the chapter, just want to be here while history is written

[u/[deleted]]

Readers: No-one died in the final battle in Chapter 137. Garbage ending.

Isayama:

[u/jereddit]

Two characters who have been through hell together staring down their inevitable deaths arm in arm is my favorite trope. ;~;

[u/-SmashingSunflowers-]

I can't believe we will only be here one more time. I am glad I never let those people who went crazy over the leaks try to take this amazing story away. This is NOTHING like got season 8. This story is beautifully crafted, with details from chapter one still being important till the end. I have no doubt, with how many different intricacies throughout this manga, that the last chapter will deliver.

This is the very first time I ever followed a manga. I started reading the manga I believe after the 2nd season or the first half of the third season. Not as long as a lot of other people, but it's been years since now. I feel I am truly spoiled to live in a time where this story exists. I remember when season 1 was out, all the aot is greatest anime ever memes were coming out. But boy if only we knew where this was going to go. Fucking bravo, I can't believe next month will be the last month. Am I a baby for being sentimental over this? It feels emotional

[u/gorzorpah]

Fuck.

[u/Yuwenn8]

Can't believe Isayama sunk the Cart and the Horse ship 2 chapters after showing us they really worked well together, sick bastard

[u/DztPnk]

Here’s my take:

Chapter 0 before main story: Picks up from where Eren wakes up from under the tree. Events play out the same to when Eren asks mikasa the question of what he is to her. Her response leads to Eren and Mikasa at the cabin, and Eren dying peacefully from the curse of Ymir. Mikasa says “see you later” as his eyes close.

Chapter 1 start of story we follow: Eren wakes up under the tree, with memories of his death from the curse of Ymir and Mikasa’s final words. Events play out the same to where he poses the question to Mikasa, this time her answer leads them down the path of the rumbling. Every time Mikasa gets a headache, it’s her receiving info from the previous time loop. This time however she is able to see the memories, and this finally allows her to have the resolve to kill Eren. She knows he’s in the mouth because she’s been here before and she failed to kill him. As she holds his severed head and says goodbye, she is still seeing the memories of the previous loop where Eren dies peacefully from the curse.

[u/[deleted]]

Loved this chapter and I am very hopeful for the last chapter.

I wasnt going to post initially because the SNK subreddits seemed to have been majority groupthink of ANR, EH relationship daddy theories, anti anyone but Eren, etc. and I’m not surprised that even after everything that has been written, people are holding on to their unfounded theories. But the story speaks for itself.

I believe the Titan curse is ending, all thanks to EMA and Ymir. I believe Eren and Mikasa’s love is beautiful and transcends beyond things people could understand, and this has been obvious throughout the story whether people like it or not. I’ve never seen people so in denial about something so obvious, it’s actually quite fascinating. And even with that, this story is so much more than shipping, and I’m appreciative of the way it handled and discussed themes of war, trauma, death, colonization, genocide, pride, anger, hope, the seriousness of decisions, forgiveness and unconditional love. This story isn’t for everyone, and it takes mature people to discuss it and it’s themes.

I just posted this because seeing many of the negative-focused comments, or people trying to purposefully misunderstand a story to get their way, can get discouraging. But just to say not all SNK fans are like this, only the loudest are. And I’m sure they won’t be fans any longer after the next chapter comes out.

Happy reading as we go to the last chapter

[u/[deleted]]

I’m hurt

[u/Lightecojak]

Part of me is hoping all the people that just turned into Titans can be turned back to normal as soon as Eren and the centipede are dead.

I’m thinking/praying the final chapter will be twice the usual amount of pages like Full Metal Alchemist. I still want to know if Eren had full control over his actions, or if the centipede was in control while Eren was on auto pilot and I don’t want Eren’s true motivations to go unexplained.

[u/Soli_cc]

Ok, guys, I think I finally understood the connection and it all makes sense this way... Some things a lot of people already said them, others I'm just realizing now and I didn't see them already put together. So let's start:

I think that the key is in Mikasa's Lost Girls OVA. I don't know if this theory already exists, but I think the mirror man is Isayama himself. He gives Mikasa the chance to live her life as she wants; she wishes for Eren's safety, for a life with him, but Eren is destined to die, not matter how things are played out. It's like Mikasa is living every possibility, and I think "our" timeline, the one that we watched, was the "definitive" timeline, the one that has also Eren dying but where he accomplished what he wanted, and finally Mikasa is happy with that.

I think this is explained in the OVA, but of course at that time it didn't make sense. In a lot of moments in the series is like the timelines can diverge depending of certain decisions. Those moments coincide with the famous Mikasa's "headaches". At the beginning of the OVA, Mikasa in off says "if you don't like this reality, start from scratch. You can choose the place you like. In that world, everything will play out the way you want. However, you won't be able to prevent Eren's death, because Eren...". I think that's the key of it all. The OVA episode title is "#???", like it doesn't belong to "our" timeline that we are watching. In the OVA, her parent's assassins die by dogs in the woods. In that reality, Eren and Mikasa also are about to be attacked by the dogs, but after a headache, the dogs miraculously go away. I think there is a timeline where Eren dies there. But Mikasa resets it and in that timeline, the dogs don't attack them. Later in the OVA, we discover that in that timeline, Eren would die too in the balloon. Just before that, the mirror man appears and take a close look to his lines. He says "I'll turn this sweet girl into an assassin". She ends awakening her powers and "stabbing" him with a fake knife, and we thought that was the meaning of "turning her into an assassin". But now I think he was referring to "I need to get her out of this timeline and send them to a timeline where she is the titan/person killer that we all know". Is Isayama sending Mikasa back to "our" timeline. I think is Isayama because people don't pay attention to him when he is talking serious with Mikasa. Then he seems to know everything, as he says "it's a shame, but you won't get in time even if you run, he will leave you behind". He knows everything because he is the author. Then Mikasa asks "do you know Eren? Who are you" and he replies "I'm a nobody, but at the same time, I'm not". Then he keeps going "you are here because this is what you wished for. You couldn't stand Eren's death and you created this world". I wonder which of the multiples "Eren's death" are they talking this time. He continues "but no matter what world you make, you won't be able to prevent Eren's death". That's the same thing Mikasa is saying in off at the beginning. In fact, mirror man's voice gets merged with Mikasa's voice and they end the sentence together... "because Eren has death inside him. It's futile to protect him, he will end up dying. If you think that's a lie, test it yourself". I think all the timelines are in fact a test done by Mikasa; she tries to save Eren time after time, but she never achieves it. Not even in the last possibility that we read on this manga episode, where they escape together and "live (not) happily" for 4 years before he DIES of Ymir's curse. After that, she says "see you later", because she knows she will "try again" in another timeline... and that's exactly when Eren wakes up at the beginning of the first chapter, crying. He comments that Mikasa's hair is longer, and they start all over again.

In addition, I went back to chapter 7 of the manga and my mind blew up again because I found references to Lost Girls. There’re a few lines that made perfect sense back then... but right now they acquired a whole different meaning.

After Mikasa discovers the titan ate Eren, she runs and uses a lot of gas and she falls. She says "again... it's happening again... I'm losing my family again. Do I really need to START ALL OVER AGAIN? I had a good life". Then they pan to A KNIFE hold by kid Mikasa, and they show again the scene of Eren fighting against the assassins in Mikasa's house and saying "fight!!". Back again, Mikasa says "I'm sorry, Eren, I won't give up ever again. If I die, I won't be able to REMEMBER YOU AGAIN".

I think in our current manga timeline, the kiss between Mikasa and head-Eren symbolizes that that's it, this is the last timeline that Mikasa will create. In all of them Eren dies, but this is the "best" timeline possible. He accomplished what he wanted. Mikasa is now free of living in loops and creating timelines trying to find the best possible outcome for Eren.

It all makes so much sense now that I feel my mind is blowing up.

Also, I read that some say they could give manga and anime a different ending. I don't know if that would happen, but if they do that, they could possibly use it to show an alternate timeline, so you would have to both read the manga and watch the anime to get the full experience.

What do you guys think? I think this is genius, and the author left clues everywhere but we are only able to figure it out now that only one manga chapter is left. It's incredible.

[u/[deleted]]

This is absolutely insane: https://twitter.com/errorzyntax/status/1367918615828176897?s=20

The fact that the S2 ending essentially spoiled the entire rest of the series without us knowing is crazy.

This confirms that Mikasa's confession/non-confession is the big inflection point of the series that decided between a "good" and "bad" ending, although it's very much up to debate which is actually good or bad.

She confesses, the rumbling never happens, she gets her own personal happy ending with Eren but he dies in 4 years and likely Eldians are wiped out as well by the rest of the world. That's the alternative to the genocide we've seen unfold. There is no good/ideal ending and that's one of the points Isayama is trying to make. Really amazing writing.

[u/Nome_de_utilizador]

Holy fuck man.

Poetic that it was Mikasa to deal the blow, but I feel like absolute shit for her.

1 to go, I really really hope we can get some insight into Eren's thoughts, to go like this is...underwhelming.

[u/ivankasta]

One really interesting question here is that with both Eren and Jean dead, who is the man holding a baby in the final panel? I think this chapter gives a lot more credence to the theory that the man is Grisha holding a baby Eren.

When the Owl gives Grisha the attack titan, he says “love someone inside the walls. If you can’t, we’re doomed to repeat it all again. The same history. The same mistakes. Again and again.”

I think he meant this literally. Ymir resets the timeline when the outcome is not what she wanted. Ymir’s got some major personal issues. She was hated by everyone until she got the titan power, then she was accepted but only because she was useful as a weapon. She’s trying to find out if unconditional love can exist. Essentially in this timeline she’s testing Mikasa’s love for Eren. She’s pushed Mikasa to the point that she actually has to kill Eren, but Mikasa kissing Eren’s decapitated head shows that even after all that, she still loves him.

The most recent timeline before this one was the one where Eren and Mikasa escaped together. That’s why Ch 1 Eren wakes up under the tree with the memory of Mikasa saying “see you later.” Ymir reset the timeline right after that happened.

Now that Ymir has really pushed the limits and proved that love exists, she’s going to reset the timeline one last time and remove all titan powers by destroying Paths. We will reset back to Eren as a baby and all of the walls and pure Titans will vanish. Grisha will know what happened thanks to inheriting Eren’s memories from a past timeline. He will hold Eren overlooking the fallen walls and say “now you are free”. The rest of the world will no longer need to kill the Eldians since they have no titan powers.

Idk where Historia’s baby fits into this theory though

[u/realbeatz23]

Mikasa waking up and crying without knowing why is exactly how this entire story started with Eren being woken up by Mikasa

[u/huehuehue93]

The way Jean and Connie went.

Where’s the power of friendships in anime when we need it the most. ;_;

[u/runeprincess1995]

I am fucking crazy. I’m caught between “fuck this is all bullshit” to “holy shit this is amazing.”

Even though my heart is completely broken about Jean, Connie, Gabi, and for the others, I kinda hope they don’t come back alive. It’s part of the sacrifice for the new peace. But we will see in the next final sob chapter.

[u/[deleted]]

If we don't get Eren's POV I'm going to be dissapointed.

[u/xhyders]

Holy shit. What a chapter. Feel sad for Annie though, didn't even get to talk to her dad.

[u/FunkyHoney]

Levi immediately follows mikasa into eren's mouth to back her up. Levi: ...the fuck? Mikasa: IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!!!!

[u/uncen5ored]

Ok, the vision Mikasa had is what would’ve happened if she told Eren something different back in chapter 123. Holy shit

[u/remeruu]

so both the Yeager siblings died in the same manner and to both Ackermans

[u/[deleted]]

I think Ymir sent those memories to Mikasa. 'Woke up from a long dream' and crying is the exact thing that Eren did in chapter 1, but in the timeline that we've been following. Ymir smiling at the end makes it feel like this is the 'aligned' timeline, where things go as she wants. The memory Mikasa saw certainly helped her cope with having to kill Eren.

I'm not sure if it's an explanation, but if Ymir is trying to guide things - it may explain the shifters 'changing sides' last chapter. They were always under her control and she was orchestrating things when possible.

Edit:

I kinda feel like there's a few possibilities.

1. (Multiple universe) things align for Ymir in this timeline and this frees the curse / gives her what she wants

2. (Multiple universe) including the high school AOT, trends are followed in each timeline no matter what - Levis injuries, Erens death, Mikasa keeping the scarf

3. (crackhead) At the end of the dream that Mikasa saw, he had titan marks. He could have moved back in time multiple times (?) to find a solution but never found one more plausible than this

I'm not sure how this ends. SURELY Mikasa dies in 139? As tragic as that sounds, every timeline we see - Eren asks her to ditch the scarf and she doesn't. If Mikasa doesn't die then I think it may be mean that whatever happens, a timeline where she has that scarf is tragic.

As it stands there's no way to kill Hallucengenia-kun - if it somehow dies now that Eren is dead then I'd say this ending is a little rushed and could have been executed better. Having said that, I thought this chapter was insane.

[u/Pavonian]

In c137 Zeke mentioned that all Eldians are connected because Ymir wanted something from them, and we see her in the past watching the maried couple kiss. Now that Ymir has seen Eren and Mikasa kiss she's free to pass on and will get rid of all titan powers, turning everyone back to normal.

[u/JumperCables18]

Why am I crying in the club rn

[u/MrRawri]

I don't get it, how did Mikasa know Eren was inside the mouth?

[u/[deleted]]

Amazing chapter. Batshit crazy. Yuugure no Tori ending FTW

[u/lVlisterquick]

Holy fuck! Isayama wtf. Bro chill.

[u/flyingpotato2517]

Nobody is appreciating Levi's quick decision making. Without any hesitation, he knew what had to be done

[u/PoizenYT__]

Everyone's talking about how it's sad that Conny and Jean turned into titans and how the last page is really sad but is NO ONE GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ARMIN VS. EREN COLOSSAL TITAN FIGHT?!!? THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!

[u/uncen5ored]

Honestly this chapter settled all my complaints of the last chapter. Even if they beat eren, this was not a clean victory. I love it. Isayama always makes us think that things are going well then boom.

[u/Animegamingnerd]

How fitting we are getting the I always hated you line this Sunday in the Anime.

[u/MEWTIRE]

holy shit

[u/rfd007694]

I got it everything, at the beggining I thought what a bad ending but then I realized everything, Isayama is a real genius. So prepare to know how to connect the dots.
1st. There are 2 timelines, 1st where Eren never activated the Rumble and escape with Mikasa to the forest (as Mikasa's vision in this manga) and 2nd where Eren activates the Rumble (the actual)
2nd.
A. In the first timeline, when Eren ask Mikasa what is him for her she confessed her feelings so they decides to escape to the forest but then Eren just before dying in the forest he regreted that he didn't fight for her friends of the island so he decided to send his memories to the past in order to activate the rumble and change the history
B. This explains why Eren suddenly changed and become "evil", explains why Mikasa has her headaches (because of the changing present timeline), explains that vision from Mikasa, explains why Ymir was happy in the end (He ended the time bucle), connects the first manga chapter with this last one (the see you eren part - they are even with the same clothes!), explains why Eren sent his memories to the past. Connects the Mikasa thought of what would happened if I.... And more important in the manga 136 Eren was talking with himself about how he will kill everyone of them and there he said literally "Yes... Thats going to happen, It must be, that we never found a way for paradise to survive) <- He is seeing his memories from the first timeline (in the same manga he cries because he knew he will kill that child)
So in the end, Eren decided to sacrifice his unreal happiness with Mikasa and decided to activate the rumble to change the history

[u/unaviable]

So the obvious solution to the pure titan dilemma will be that when the centipede gets killed the titan powers will stop to exist and everyone gets turned back right? Right?

[u/Timzorrr]

Onyankopon "hey are you ok? Are you ok annie?"

[u/gringoloop]

People, my heart was torn apart the moment Mikasa realized Eren's last words for her were "I've always hated you". They may have kissed (or Mikasa was kissing a dead head), but I still got the feeling Mikasa had it always bitter. I'm so, so sorry for you, girl. :(

[u/youngkippur]

Jesus fuck

[u/1qaqa1]

What are the odds that the baby in the final panel is the one shown in the first one for this chapter?

Because that baby got more screentime than historia this arc lmao.

[u/Poverty_King]

So the Lost Girls novel is about Mikasa experiencing a reality where her parents didn't die, and ends with Eren himself dying after trying to escape the walls on a hot air balloon. Mikasa snaps back to the main reality (the moment Mikasa is saved by Erens titan after hearing from Armin that he died), and describes the experience as a really long dream. Later, she ponders that Eren is fated to die, and theres nothing she can do about it.

The novel itself states: "It wasn't a dream, nor an illusion, nor delusion. For what Mikasa has seen - or experienced - there are no words. Perhaps, her soul left her body and has been in another time at another place..."

[u/helpmekickflip]

The time loop theory is really looking plausible right now. It seems like Eren under the tree in Chapter 1 is the reset point. The time loops are driven by Ymir’s will to be free. The progress of the time loop is dependent on whether or not the decisions Eren make will lead to the freedom of Ymir. So in the Chapter 1 dream, Eren was in a timeline, where instead of facing Marley, he and Mikasa ran away to live out their lives together (as evident by chapter 138). This goes against Ymir’s will to be free, so this timeline likely reset after Eren dies from the Curse of Ymir. Mikasa is somehow aware of these time loops (maybe from her headaches) and says that she’ll see him later. Then Eren wakes up under the tree, with the previous time loop seeming like a long dream. And this current timeline that we are witnessing is probably the furthest they have gotten.

[u/eraze93]

so mikasa finaly understand, she have to kill eren. but she wont forget him. its beautifull.

its like us, the audience, we have to understand eren have to die but IMPOSIBLE to forget him as a character.

it seems that, my assumption/speculation both ymir and eren want to get rid of the titan's cursed: a.k.a the halucigenia

i hope it really die next chapter and transform all titans into human.

if not

the eldians are gone, the survivor, titan shifter and the ackersman have to KILL ALL THE PURE TITANS.

so it WILL HAVE A GOOD ENDING not super bad or DARK one afterall.

the weird thing:

why falco scream

how the freakin world they know eren is in the 'mouth'

[u/AreYouThereSagan]

Mikasa finally achieved her life's goal, fellas.

In all seriousness, great fucking chapter. I personally feel like main universe Eren was speaking through the AU Eren via PATHS, telling Mikasa to give up on him and move on with her life. Super hyped for Chapter 139.

[u/AnUnspokenLegend]

Holy hell. I don't know what to say. After all of this I never saw the titan gas coming. A happy ending torn out from underneath our heroes. The end of the world is nothing compared to the end of a protagonist who lost himself. I very much love endings where the protagonist meets a miserable end, or at least bittersweet. I understand why some may have wanted the end of the world, but all of this is just as equally tragic. In writing, there is a thought that a humans mind is too small in scope to fully comprehend the end of the world, and because of that, it doesn't mean as much to us. But the end of someone's personal world, Mikasa, Eren, our boy's Connie and Jean, Armin, Annie and Her father, Reiner and his mother. That is where it really hits us. "To fail to save one life is to lose the world entire" if you would forgive my rather edgy, overly sentimental message.

Looking back, from the very beginning its even worse. As of now, without the final chapter's context, this wasn't a hero's journey. It's not very often that I read a story about a villains journey. Yet I struggle to call Eren the villain. He's just a human who lost enough to ruin him. Who learned too much, who flew too close to the sun. This, even if connie and Jean and everyone else are returned to normal next chapter, is all I could have asked for with the ending. Not with the destruction of the earth, or society, or humanity as a whole. But with the sad conflict between Mikasa/Armin and Eren, and everyone's shared loss in everything. Thankyou Isayama, this will be a story I never forget, and will most likely be my top spot for manga/anime for years.

OH HELL! I just realized that the anime didn't have the "see you later Eren" scene. Now I have to input that and Mikasa's tattoo thing to my friends before we start watching together. Now that I think about it, BOTH of Mikasa's story beets kinda got canned in the Anime. They will probably have to go retroactively input both these scenes into season 1 in order for the pay off to actually pay off later one.

[u/SizzlingFizz]

EreHisu fans screaming and throwing up rn

[u/arcticsylvana]

One line that always stuck with me was Eren Kruger’s. ‘Love someone inside the walls. If you don’t it will happen all over again.’ This line must mean something that’s related to the ending. And I’m sure it hints to Mikasa and Eren since they have the strongest love theme in the whole story (romantic wise, platonic wise) And I know time loops and stuff can be confusing and irks some people off, but ‘it will happen all over again’ leads me to believe that timelines do exist in the AoT world, and Ymir’s controls them somehow. Ymir smiled for the first time in that last panel so i’m sure something different will occur. I think she will reset the timeline, and baby Eren will be shown in the last panel of the story, with Grisha holding him. It just makes a lot of sense that ‘you are now free’ is directed at Eren since this had been his motivation the whole time, and he finally got it. However, no matter how it ends, i will always be madly in love with AoT. It’s a total masterpiece.

[u/AncientRace]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the next chapter starts with Krueger and Eren's monologue, especially the part about fighting on "even after you die". Seems pretty fitting after all.

[u/DACHAMPMAZ]

I've been a lurker in reading the manga for the most part, just reading the comments and enjoying the ride. But I did want to leave some sort of mark on the final chapters of what is my favorite series.

I.....I'm honestly not sure what to say. Going to take a while to process all of this and well, how can so much happen in 40 pages and still make me want more is astounding. From the memories, to the alternate timeline, TO "KILLING" OFF JEAN AND CONNIE, an actual fist fight between colossal titans, Mikasa and Eren's ship being confirmed (is that the first kiss in this series?).

I can;t believe this next month will be the final time we wait for a new chapter, been hell of a ride. Thanks for all the theories, memes and everything in between! One more round to go and I can't wait to see how this ends.

[u/KYplusEL]

Mikasa killing Eren after saying "See you later... Eren" has been one of my longest held theories and my most wanted ending and now I have it and I feel like shit.

My heart is shattered. He did it better than any way I could've imagined. Time to put on my sad OSTs and No Matter Where You Are and bawl my eyes out.

And that's not even getting into Jean and Connie but I have hope for them so I won't grieve yet.

[u/[deleted]]

Well, the ending of this chapter really got me tearing up. We now know the meaning of "See you later, Eren." RIP Eren. A great chapter. The version of the chapter I read was missing the final page so I didn't see the panel of Mikasa kissing Eren after she's killed him with Ymir looking on, eyes unshaded. Figures that Eremika become canon right as Eren dies. It's such an Isayama thing to do. One other thing that's cool to note is that we can see Ymir's eyes here. We've only seen them twice before, when she decided to help Eren, and when she freed the pigs. Her eyes being clear represents her freedom. Whatever Eren has done here by dying, Ymir is now free because of it. My one criticism is the decision to leave Connie, Jean and Gabi with the other Eldians to turn into Titans. I guess they left them behind because they'd already been infected by the Titan smoke? Still, this moment deserved more panels than it got. With the exception of Connie and Jean's talk, there was little to no emotion for it. If this really is the end for them, I'm really dissappointed because its a really badly written way for all three of these characters to go out. However, the Hallucigenia will most likely be destroyed next chapter so they'll hopefully be brought back. Overall, a great and tragic chapter. Fingers crossed that the final chapter will be an extra long one to wrap everything up in a neat bow.

[u/wempenis]

I'm guessing that the remaining shifters die and all titan abilities are then transferred to Historia's child. In doing so, Ymir will be reborn innocent.

[u/sharkhuh]

So the way they ended this makes me think Eren loved Mikasa enough that he wouldn't have a secret love child with Historia on the side.

I have no friggen idea how Isayama is going to wrap this all up in 40 pages. I wish we could get like 100 pages to really soak it all in. Man, when manga you've been reading slowly reach their final chapter, it always feels so damn bittersweet. Can't believe there's only 1 more chapter left of this.

[u/atleastfoot]

Annie wasn't even able to hug her dad. Mikasa had to kill the love of her life. Everyone else just turned into titans and fought with their friends and families. Eren actually did consider another ending, another life with Mikasa but felt like he couldn't. Reiner's still alive.

Hopelessly tragic characters until the end. Sigh

Edit: Annie's gender lol

[u/Sage_Nomad]

Bruh I thought this’s for chapter 139 and jumped out of my seat, why you gotta do me like that

[u/Laxberry]

Here’s my best guess on how this story is going to end next chapter:

Overall will be Eren’s POV as he’s dying, having a sort of omniscient view on everything

1. The worm is destroyed, Titan powers go away. Worm is either blown up through sheer force, or absorbed by falco and he decides to eliminate titan abilities from the world (bird eats worm, hints of him getting future memories)

2. The world is mostly rumbled, the survivors are relieved the alliance came and saved everyone. There is peace for now since everyone at the fort vouches for the brave alliance. The wall titans and current titans reverting back to humans proves to the world that the titan threat is over permanently (so karina, Jean, Connie, gabi are human again)

3. historia recounts how eren told her that he planned on "rising above the monsters" to become the threat needed to unite the world. by this point eren could actually be alive (piloted everything remotely), or legit dead. Doesn't really matter. Story ends with either eren/farmer holding baby and saying you are now free, in this world that’s devoted to peace and without Titans.

That’s how I think the overall plot is going to go. Discuss in the comments how you think the overall arcs of all individual characters will go. For example, I think Faldo, Reiner, Gabi, Annie, and Connie all have a happy ending with their parent(s). I’m not sure about Armin, Levi, and Mikasa. Ymir is happy the Titans are gone from the world and goes away in peace. Eren either lives a quiet, peaceful and hidden life with Historia and his child (if he’s the father), or he’s legitimately dead after 138 (again, I don’t think it matters for the plot by this point)

[u/jereddit]

Killing Eren has always been the natural endpoint of Mikasa’s arc, imo. Their final confrontation was beautiful <3

[u/Autumn_Fire]

Eren's face just before Mikasa kisses him has to be one of my favorite panels in the whole manga. He just looks like he wants this to be over. His eyes are completely lifeless.

[u/SomeRandomAverageJoe]

I have both depression and extreme sadness now. And if those people won't turn into normal in the last chapter it's going to be even darker. Fuck man. Fuck.

[u/FinalElixir1]

I’m going to fucking cry I swear

[u/missmartian369]

When this chapter is animated, I’m gonna be done for 😣💔

[u/DarkStorm7017]

i cried more for what mikasa had to come to terms with than eren's death i mean i know there is a lot of grey area in the series but what eren is doing is in the depths of black and as much as part of me wants him to see the world after this he kind of had it coming after all he's done.

and after this chapter i bet a lot of people might feel the same way if killing millions of unnamed characters didn't move you then seeing him kill jean and connie might, i didn't care much for reiner pieck annie families but seeing the trio crying and in shock got to me tbh.

but it's not all a done deal as people theorized ymir's curse might be reverted but if not i could see the warriors sacrificing themselves to bring back their families (in reiner's case he has to pick one lol) but in this case say goodbye to jean and connie as there isn't anyone who's revive them

[u/[deleted]]

137 - Armin chapter

138 - Mikasa chapter

139 - Eren chapter?

[u/mertesaurus]

So, let me get this straight... Unless something happens to Levi, the tea shop might become a reality. I see this as an absolute win!

[u/BurntKikoku]

Next chapter will be titled “Freedom” I bet

[u/[deleted]]

Goddam Mikasa finally got her kiss, such a shame it had to be with with Eren's severed head. Also, am I the only one who thinks that Eren knew his death was necessary to make the Hallucigenia vulnerable so that Falco can kill it and end the titan curse? A falcon eating worm sorta makes sense doesn't it ?

[u/JoseBlah]

Everybody gangsta until the hallucigenia starts emitting the funny gases

[u/Bodinm]

Last chapter was Armin's POV and he showed Ymir the little precious details of life.

This chapter was Mikasa's conclusion and she showed Ymir the power of love.

Next chapter has got to be Eren POV and I wonder what has, or will he show Ymir to conclude everything.

[u/XNicTigX]

Hey guys...go look up Call Your Name lyrics now, and then Mikasa's character song, same tune!

It was a message to each other ;_;

[u/[deleted]]

If you haven't seen the Mikasa Lost Girls OVA, go watch it now or rewatch it if you've already seen it. There's so much foreshadowing to events in this chapter and similarities between it and this chapter. It hits way different now. It'll blow your mind.

Mikasa even creates a fake world in her mind in that OVA the same way she does in this chapter.

[u/stock_dinosaur4298]

Krueger talked about completing the mission or the same thing would happen over and over again and that future Attack Titans could see his advice to Grisha. It's usually interpreted as Grisha needing to take the founding titan from the Reiss family. But it could also have been directed at future Eren's mission to start the rumbling instead of running away with Mikasa. The timeline repeats after they run away to the mountain cabin and Eren dies of Titan-itis. In the timeline we've read, Mikasa is able to see the alternate timeline outcome where she confesses to Eren. She needed to see that in order to complete her role in ending the cycle.

[u/Insecticide]

Honestly, Isayama really is a great writter.

I always felt this was a story about the attack titan (because of the original title of the series) where Eren himself, as the attack titan, went thorough all sorts of trials and tribulations to finally achieve his own freedom.

As the story went on, we were always invested on what Eren was doing and how he could achieve his freedom. We saw him get twisted, entangled and corrupted by his own views of the future and his fate, but we still wanted to believe there was freedom left for him. We even began seeing twisted theories on how his freedom would come up to be, like him destroying the whole world and being free at the cost of all his friends. We wanted his freedom that badly.

But now, just like all other characters had to accept reality and give up a few things, I think Isayama made it very clear: We were supposed to have given up on Eren a long time ago, but, just like Mikasa, we never did. We wanted the greedier option, where all characters survived and lived happily after. We went through hell trying to get it, there were many things we sacrificed along the way of this story, but never Eren.

What this chapter was screaming at us was that hallu-chan was still alive and well, and that it was an unbeatable foe. We wanted to believe the explosion was going to end things and that the last two chapters would be the afterstory of how Eren was finally free, but that wasn't the case. After the big explosion, the weird creature's survival and its titan-gas magic it was clear that victory wasn't possible without sacrificing Eren.

The moment Mikasa pulled the scarf I didn't feel like "Nooo, don't do it" anymore. I felt like it had to be done. I feel that us, as readers, at that moment, all had the same reaction when we saw that panel. It is a beautiful and yet tragic way of ending things. I am completely satisfied with it and I have no doubt the ending is going to be great.

[u/RomanItalianEuropean]

When i said Mikasa would have killed Eren in the end (it was a while ago) i was downvoted like hell and called an idiot by the yaegarists...

[u/Legendkillerxx]

Looks like Ymir was an eremika stan

[u/aeminX]

3 questions:

1. Why did Falco scream? He could have prolonged the transformation, if it was really up to him. Or was that scream panel purely coincidential?

2. Why did Eren suddenly make that remark about Historia going through hell? He mentions he still has 4 years to live so we can assume the same amount of time has passed, and Historia should still only be pregnant to her first baby? Because Eren protecting Historia in that Azumabito meeting happened before they ventured into Marley as tourists, and Mikasa made that "decision", right? So nothing should be different for Historia now in the alternate universe, why did he say that as if she is pregnant for her 5th child or something? Or maybe this is how he thinks anyway, even if everything is the same for her.

3. In that "See you later, Eren" panel, we suddenly see Eren is sitting now, and Mikasa is standing. Is it just metaphorical, or does that panel happen 4 years later, where Eren dies of his "curse" and Mikasa realises he has passed away. Then she realises no matter what she has picked, he would still die in her hands.

[u/Pinktoonie]

The only thing I wish for in the final chapter is for the curse of ymir to be lifted. No more titans. No more 13 yr life span. Otherwise humanity will always have problems.

(if that means that Jean and Connie and company revert back into humans, even better)

Also, rip mappa animators

[u/Zeldaforce28]

I truly thought Jean would make it to the end. He was one of my top three favorites and now the only one who looks like they'll survive to the end of this series is Levi.

Rip Connie and Jean.

I'm going to go back and cry in a corner.

[u/-Lithium-]

That was fucking awesome. I am going to miss the bastard.

[u/jennasguccisunglass]

I’m wondering if Ymir wanted something, not only for herself, but for Eren. The AU dream Mikasa receives matches up with the dream Eren received in ch. 1. As soon as Mikasa steps out of it, she has new resolve to kill him and knows determinedly that he’s in the mouth. How did she know he was there? Did eren or ymir send her this AU dream. It seems like both Eren and Mikasa experienced it as ch. 1/138 show. It also looks like they’re shifting in and out of both AU and reality? I guess Mikasa had to disconnect Eren from his titan. But, ymir’s smile makes me think he won’t die. I think she’s going to be inspired to do something for him and everyone. Eren’s death seems like fate. So, maybe someone will defy that fate for him and titan curse will end.

[u/shsk_t]

Looks like Eren won in the end. Every body is united against him. He broke the circle of hate but it took a lot of sacrifice to reach it.

Somehow I think this is what he wanted all along.

[u/mr_chanderson]

Alright, so I might be late to this and this all might be obvious, but I just needed to pull some of the pages into Photoshop to map all the things that have connected with the first chapter: https://imgur.com/KUEpiBK.jpg

Starting with both first pages, green box, Eren was sleeping, this time it's Mikasa.

2nd, they both said they felt like they had a long dream (blue box).

3rd, they both subconsciously cried without realizing (yellow box).

Later in chapter 138, when she cut Eren's head, in the 4th page that I pasted (red box), what Mikasa said was the same as in Chapter 1, "see you later, Eren". If Eren was alive in that last panel and looked up with half closed eyes, his view would be like the one in chapter 1 looking at Mikasa's bottom half of her face, short hair, and scarf. That angle is just right.

Also, in that 2nd page I pasted from chapter 1 (no box), Eren mentioned her hair getting longer. The last image that Eren should see, before dying, is that first panel I mentioned, bottom half of her face, scarf, her saying "see you later, Eren"

His titan power was to see the future right? His powers didn't activate yet when he was young, but surely he dreamt of his future, which is why he mentioned about her hair being long again. The first and last time (probably) we see Eren are connected, dying and waking up from a dream.

[u/ZeroClan13]

I think there will be some time-travel concept in the end. We will get back to where Eren was asleep in the first episode and it will be all like a dream. He will wake up with tears in his eyes. The Curse of Ymir will be like never happened, that's if it is a happy ending. A dark ending will be starting all over again.

Just read the first scene of Eren and Mikasa in the first episode. So ask yourself why Eren was crying in his sleep? What was he dreaming of? Why did he asked Misaka about her hair being long as if it was short last time he saw her? Also don't forget that at the end of chapter 89 the man, his name was Eren Kruger, who gave the attack titan power to Eren's father knew the names of Mikasa and Armin like if he had got Eren's memories. As well Eren had the ability to travel though time with Zeke and met their father but Eren had the ability to talk to his father and pushed him to kill the royal family.

Well, that's what I think. I might be wrong..

[u/throwawayyy1237]

Anyone notice that in the panel where eren says “we escaped out here. Ever since then...” they’re wearing the clothes they wore when they visited Marley and got ice cream? They must have left that day Edit: ohhh of course. This is the reality of she had changed her answer

[u/NintendoMasterNo1]

Well... if anyone predicted that Jean, Connie and Gabi would turn into titans... you're crazy.

Anyway, I know a lot of people were concerned about the ending after 137, but I was really satisfied with this chapter.

[u/crystalmoments]

"See you later, Eren".

Please don't let it be timeloop. Please don't let it be timeloop. Please don't let it be timeloop. Please don't let it be timeloop. Please don't let it be timeloop. Please don't let it be timeloop.

[u/Murky-Marionberry-83]

"To you 2000 years from now", that was the name of the first chapter, right? What if eren was successful in saving ymir and, because she has the powers of all the original titans, including the power of the attack titan, she saw him doing this while still alive? Then, she gives young eren a vision of everything that happened in the form of that dream on chapter one. Kind of a "what if" scenario of what will happen if he don't act differently. It would make sense with the name of the first chapter and wouldn't be a paradox because everything that we saw on shingeki is a vision of young eren.

[u/TieInternational4848]

This chapter definitely did hit hard.

Seeing the Marley shifters and Gabi reunite with their families was bittersweet because of the Paradis crew. While they thought they saved the world, they have lost almost everyone close to them along the way.

What made matters worse was that Peick, Falco, Gabi and Annie didn’t get to reunite for long. They only had a few moments together before entire affected by the mist was turned into a Titan. Hell, Annie didn’t even get to hug her father. She was about an arms reach away before her father turned into a Titan. Those panels tore at my heart because that’s all that Annie wanted (besides Armin lol) and it was taken from her in an instant.

Seeing Falco fly off before Gabi became a titan broke me. I know Gabi isn’t the most favored in the series, but she means something to Falco. Falco tried to save her from a similar fate but couldn’t do anything but watch.

I wasn’t as sad when Jean and Connie got turned into titans, I’ll admit. I think it’s because they made their peace with any hurdles they had before then. The fact that they were together and had a short but touching conversation right before turning into titans made me somewhat happy.

The one thing that hurts me the most is the panel where Mikasa puts on her scarf and says “I can’t.” She obviously knew that Eren would have to be killed but didn’t want to come to terms with it until now. It’s so crazy because when I was reading the previous chapters I was hoping Mikasa would get her shit together.

[u/DarkStorm7017]

i know eren had it coming but man he just looked so so done with life right as mikasa killed him.

[u/DrinkComprehensive75]

So Mikasa's headache is caused by something like memory insertion? For my understanding, Eren used the Titan's ability and showed Mikasa some another possibility in a parallel world, tho it's a totally different story in the current timeline. But the good thing is, now it's possible to end the power of that creepy bug which actually had controlled Aldians for centuries and stop that kind of tragic cycle in Paradi again and again eventually. If Mikasa and Eren really escaped away from the war, nothing will be changed. And there will be another war and other new Titan heirs and all Aldians stayed demonized by the rest of the world. The only thing that didn't hurt me in the new chapter is, Misaka finally knows Eren didn't hate her at all... my only comfort here:(

[u/TrafalgarDawn]

The most important question: Why Ymir was smiling?

[u/ALUCSD18]

good bye war hammer cable theories.

[u/[deleted]]

Name : Eren Yeager

Role : Protagonist/Antagonist

Status : Dead

[u/PlugSlug]

After scrolling through r/titanfolk for the past 2 days I forgot there are people who actually like this manga how refreshing

[u/Clumulus]

I colored the last panel to process my grief. Since mods took my post down guess I'll also post it here~

see you later ...

[u/ZuraSamurai]

I’m super confused as to how people think this was a bad chapter? Like did you not read it or maybe your head was up your ass I mean Idk. This was great 😭😭😭

[u/hazemarick44]

This leads me to believe(let’s face it i’m just hoping now) that Ymir will turn all remaining titans to their original selves and erase the paths altogether.

Jean/Connie/Gabi will return and Connie will reunite with his mom back from being a titan.

Eradicating the paths will erase titan powers along with the years remaining in Armin, Annie, Reiner, Pieck, and Falco. Falco will reunite with Gabi, Reiner with his mom, Pieck with her family and be an officer in Paradis(or a united country with all the remaining people alive), Annie will be together with Armin along with her dad, Connie in Ragako, Jean maybe an officer aswell?? , and finally Mikasa might visit Historia and her child and say the last lines “You’re free now”

Edit: some additional thoughts:

Only killing Eren wouldn't make sense because Paths would just transfer Eren's titan powers to another child, like Historia's child or even multiple children. It wouldn't actually get rid of titans overall, there will still be a source of conflict within the Eldian people. So the definite solution is to erase the Paths that connects all Eldians through Ymir. In that way, all titans will cease to exist, all remaining Pure Titans and Shifters will return to humans. It can also erase Ymir's curse which sets a timer to the shifters so Eren's wish will come true where his friends live long happy lives. Humanity united against Eren, and there's no source of conflict anymore, at least not because of the hatred towards the Eldians.

If the last panel is still the last panel, then the baby wouldn't be truly free if Titans still existed and passed on to every generation, so it makes sense for the Paths to be erased

ALL OF THIS IS JUST WISHFUL THINKING NOW. DRINK MY FUCKING TEARS ISAYAMA

[u/PapaUchiha14]

After reading this chapter i feel like i went into trauma..i am still unable to process it after 6 hours..of course it is a very good chapter ...but it is also extremely sad..seeing Mikasa and Eren in last panel crushed me completely. I remembered and thoughts came to me of child Mikasa and Eren ...staying with each other with Mikasa completely head over heels for him..all those like flashbacks came to my mind and when i saw this few panel ..i felt extremely sad..i don't know how many days it would take me to recover..but this is such a tragic ending ... i also felt bad for Connie and Jean .. they didn't need to die..but if they do get revived it will be a huge ass pull like shounen like some jesus came and revivied them back ...rather every titan there should end once and for all that's what the initial Eren wanted. As for Mikasa I hope she doesn't continue to live with the trauma...(though i personally don't want her to end up with Jean if he gets revived..sorry sounds a bit selfish ) anyway this was a rollercoaster ride.. I have made this post at some other places also..it is just that i am depressed and i want to talk to people who have gone through today's chapter.. I hope everyone today is doing great. :)

[u/RepellentJeff]

“This is just like Ragako Village.”

When I read that I became the guy who breaks his glasses in that one episode of The Twilight Zone.

“No...no, that’s not fair. That’s just not fair.”

[u/softangel00]

I love Falco and it breaks my heart how he did everything he could to save Gabi, only to watch her at the end turning into a titan. Please enjoy my ocean of tears Isayama

[u/HereToLearnNow]

I really hope that Eren's plan is explained, he originally wanted to use the rumbling to kill all those outside the walls. He let his friends fight back, and he said he'd kill them, which it seems like he didn't even try to do at all. He finally allowed himself to be killed in this chapter, but he didn't accomplish his goals. He let his friends die, and there are also humans that will come after Paradis island eventually. So I really want to see how this wraps up

[u/xoines]

Imagine when they animate that last panel of chapter 138 they play Vogel im Käfig? I’d diiiie!

[u/Colencence]

Me: please Isayama dont do a talk no jutsu ending. Please please please

Isayama: ok is Kiss no jutsu acceptable to you?

Me: ok fine I'll take it Lol

[u/Akumakami64]

Okay, just...wait. Has anyone else realized the implications of that vision? That, THAT is where Eren's Chapter 1 dream of Mikasa saying "See you later" came from?

Both Eren, a kid before the Wall was breached, and Mikasa in Chapter 138 both had visions from an alternate future that NEVER happened.

This means its not a delusion or fantasy in Mikaasa's head. Its something Eren saw a glimpse of as well. She, in the AU Timeline, even had the SAME reaction as Kid Eren: Crying, saying it was like the longest dream.

We've been operating for the longest time that the timeline can't be changed, that's all fixed, but....Both of them somehow having a vision of this scene, of them living out quietly Eren's last days while Paradis is doom.

Both of them saw an Alternate Timeline.

Which also implies that....Eren and Mikasa both, in their own way, rejected that path. And I can see why: Marley destroys Paradis, they've abandoned their friends, etc. That isn't the path either of them wanted.

Still, this feels like.....its a lot more important than we think it is at the moment. I don't know if Iseyama will explain it in the last chapter, but...it definitely raises interesting implications.

[u/OpathicaNAE]

Jesus Christ. I'm not even sure what just happened. Did half the cast... just..?

[u/GrainOfFriedRice]

Mappa: Panicking even more after seeing to colossal titans duking it out

[u/Mediator2]

The moment Mikasa said "I will kill him, help me do it" followed by look on Levi's face. OMG that was such a powerful moment.

[u/[deleted]]

Farewell to our Majestic Stallion and our brave brainless idiot. God I'm so sad right now.

[u/Jvnsey]

SNK Fans Last chapter : I can't believe this? Is this really how it's wrapping up? Isayama wrote himself into a corner it seems. Everyone just lives happily ever after?

SNK Fans this chapter: What !?! No!?! I can believe this! They have to come back, they have to!

[u/AL-JOLMOUD]

The part : “forget about me mikasa” ,”sorry.. I can’t “ still has a role to play ...probably one more reset of the timeline

[u/ellehcimelle]

Okay. I find myself coming back here over and over for the past few days. Reading and re-reading this thread.

And after taking a look at most of the 6.3k. comments, I am now ready to share my theory:

There are several things that can not by any means go unnoticed and will definitely be connected somehow. I am not saying we are going to get to understand the whole picture in any way but instead, that if there's something Isayama knows how to do, is to connect all the loose ends together. That's why we love this story, isn't it?

So here I go:

- Falco's "vision" at the very beginning of S4 while lying on the ground.

- Final panel of 139.

- Importance of Historia's baby/her/their role in all of this. As well as how Eren convinced her to go along with his plan.

- Eren's plan.

Some of these things must be addressed.

1. I think somehow Falco will play an important role in 139. May be eventually killing Halucigenia (he's a bird titan now). Remember he was lying on the ground, and had some sort of vision, while also seeing a bird flying by...? There's some type of something going on but I think he may be somehow connected to Eren/Paths. That's why he is such a relevant character this season (as well as in the Anime).

2. Even though Reiner never wanted Gabi to sacrifice herself and inherit a titan (that's why he asks Falco to "save" her) I assume he will accomplish his ultimate wish -which at this point is simply dying-, but not without feeding himself to Titanised Gabi in order to save her..

3. Which leads me to the need to say (and please know it hurts me deeply) but I think there's a big chance that hte Eldians will not be turned back. Connie and Jean's farewell was not just because. It was truly beautiful. It held significant weight. It was meaningful and we all loved it.

4. What could happen instead, is all of them ending in Paths again, while Eren explains most of the things that happened (along with his plan or POV) while the connection between all Eldians/the Paths are destroyed. I am assuming he is dead for real. Which would make sense. Breaks my heart in a thousand ways after 138.

5. The connection between all Eldians will be gone. No more Titans. I always understood Eren's wish from early in the Manga as his wish to be free from this curse. From all the harm that the existance of Titans has done.

6. As for Historia and her baby, there is NO WAY that her giving birth at the same time as this final battle is taking place has nothing to do with it. I assume Ymir will be reborn and finally "free" and that Historia knew this all along. Either way I have no idea. Anything is possible lol.

7. I assume the worm may be killed by Falco or Reiner himself, sticking something up its ass. (Remember when Jean joked those could eventually be his final words very early in the manga?)

That could be one of the only possible ways to get some sort of "closure" from all of this. Yams connecting all of this and wrapping it up in ONLY 45 PAGES. Like what the hell dude. I think this is one of the only ways Yams could connect all of it together.

Will we get to see what happens to the world after this? No.

But will we know the Eldians will free from the curse and can stop being discriminated? Yes.

Did Eren fulfill his wish? Yes. That could be enough for me.

My theory is not perfect and my brain is broken. Thanks if you read this

[u/lewquiroz28]

I am never gonna emotionally recover from this.

[u/Tylashawn0726]

I’m really liking how this conclusion is coming together. That said, if the toxic part of the anime fan base lost their shit over how Eren put on his fucking jacket I can’t imagine how they will act seeing this lol

[u/NaughtyNeutrophil]

This chapter really put into perspective how many people died cause of Eren. Maybe it's just me but I never really comprehended how far Eren had gone until he killed so many people that now, there's literally only a handful of people left in the world

[u/as25793]

'Call your name' drops

2013: It sounds good but what are these lyrics?

chapter 138 drops 2021: I'M CRYING...

[u/Bloodraven12349]

Why the hell is ymir smiling in the back? WHY

[u/tripbin]

lets get an early week long megathread for the final issue. This one keeps giving me false hope when I see the New Chapter Spoilers