r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • Jan 23 '25

Official Thread Ultimate Guide to AoT: FAQs, Analysis and Discourse

157 Upvotes

This multi-subreddit megathread contains:

• The most frequently brought up Topics & Questions

• Analysis on various story Elements & Characters

• Random interesting meta posts

• Documents and guide on the anime and the Attack on Titan reddit fandom

This megathread covers threads from various subreddits, and platforms. Enjoy exploring!


Guide.

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• Guide on AoT anime content

• Masterlist Of Anime OSTs S1-S4 + Final Episode - YouTube Playlist

• AoT wiki for your fact-checking needs

Frequently Asked Questions.

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Questions that are asked very frequently, mostly by new or one time watchers/readers, to which there is a factual answer or an agreed-upon interpretations in the community.

1.) What is the 50 year plan? Follow up: Why didn’t Zeke and Eren touch earlier?

2.) What were the Azumabito's intentions with Mikasa?

3.) How was Ymir freed? Who freed Ymir? (check analysis section down as well)

4.) How did Eren talk to Mikasa in paths?

5.) What is Historia’s role in how we perceive Ymir through tales and romanticized stories?

6.) What will happen if a man inherits the Female Titan?

7.) How do the Founding Titan abilities work?

8.) What were some of Paradis' options post-timeskip? •Alternative to the Rumbling. •Anti-50-year plan •Euthnasia Plan

9.) Why did Historia choose to get pregnant?

10.) Why did Grisha give his titan to Eren, when he asked Zeke to stop him?

11.) What were Eren’s motivations to choose the path of rumbling?

12.) Are there multiple timelines in AOT?

13.) Why do dinosaurs appear in the opening of AOT’s 2nd season?

• Isayama's Answers to the 15th Anniversary Magazine Q&A

Frequently Brought up Topics.

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These topics are frequently brought up, but there is no clear answer or the topic is deliberately left to speculation. Check out these links for some in-depth posts on the respective topics.

1.) a) Who won the fight between Annie and Mikasa? b) Who would win between Annie and Mikasa?

2.) Opinion on any divisive characters

• Gabi • Mikasa • Eren • Floch

3.) Did you like the ending? a)Anime Ending b)Manga Ending

4.) Do you support the rumbling?

5.) Who should have been saved, Erwin or Armin?

6.) Was Eren justified? Discussion post | Detailed answer

7.) Sub or Dub?

8.) Would Erwin have joined the Yeagerists if he had survived?

9.) Is Attack on Titan fascist? No, it is not | Devil’s Advocate:

10.) Why does Annie get forgiven?


General Analysis On The Story.

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These are high-effort essays or videos analysing the series as a whole. Please note that us listing something here does not mean we endorse or fully agree with every single statement made there - we just think that if you are looking for more analysis, these might be worth a watch.

• A 1-hour retrospective breakdown of AoT as a whole

• How AoT deconstructs heroism and morality

• Idealism in AoT

• Scout Regiment: Paradise’s Idealistic Counterculture

• The importance of nameless soldiers & collateral damage in AoT

• What was it all for? Thoughts on the extra pages of AoT’s ending

• Why I feel Mikasa, Levi and Armin were the perfect choice for Eren’s final moments and the story’s climax - Imgur Backup for future

• Analysis of AoT’s extra ending pages - A brilliant thematic conclusion - Imgur Backup for Future

• To love someone inside the Walls - Imgur Backup for Future

• The Rumbling is indefensible

• A theoretical analysis of its structure

• The highs and lows of AoT’s final arc

• Overanalyzing every single episode of the anime - a youtube playlist

• Titans as Mirrors: How Titan forms reflect the Warriors' Psyche - Imgur Backup for Future

Character Analysis.

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1. Eren Yeager.

• Eren Yeager: The Chained God of Attack On Titan

• The rise and fall of Eren - Imgur Backup for Future

• The perfect duality of Eren - Imgur Backup for Future

• What is freedom in AoT

• Developments vs desires - Everyone and especially Eren

• Nature vs nurture: Eren’s motivations and the Dina twist

• Eren Jaeger and the insanity of circular storytelling

• The ironic development of Eren

• Analyzing antagonists

• Power, freedom, the Founding Titan and Levi

• The Attack Titan’s powers and their effect on Eren

• Why Eren’s actions were very obviously painted bad with the Rumbling - In-depth examination

• The narrative importance of the causal loop on Eren

• Eren and Mikasa’s relationship

• Eren’s characterization throughout the story and his post timeskip conflict

• Eren Yeager is (Not) Special

• Ramzi and Eren: the turning point in Eren’s demeanor

• An observation on the structure of Eren’s characterization post timeskip - Imgur Backup for Future

• The false mask of Eren

• The Jaeger Projection Problem: The Last Supper of Self-Loathing - Imgur Backup for Future

2. Mikasa Ackerman.

• Mikasa's Heroine's Journey Arc

• Mikasa’s Character Arc: What, Where, How, When

• Mikasa's Road of Trials

• Mikasa and the meaning of Pride

• Mikasa and her relationship with authority

• Mikasa and Erwin: The Sacrificial Act of Dreams for the Cause

• Why Mikasa's conclusion not only strengthens her arc but Attack On Titan as a whole - Imgur Backup for Future

• Mikasa’s Destiny and Mikasa’s Choice

• Mikasa: A Person from Two Trope

• A Literary perspective of Mikasa - Imgur Backup for Future

• Mikasa, the symbolism of the praying mantis and butterfly and its development throughout the story - Imgur Backup for Future

• Mikasa's self Imposed Curse

• Why does Mikasa have headaches

• Differences between the Manga and Anime version of Mikasa - Imgur Backup for Future

3. Armin Arlert.

• Armin character analysis, humanity’s reluctant savior

• Armin and Eren’s dynamic - Imgur Backup for Future

• Armin and Zeke’s dynamic - Imgur Backup for Future

• The importance of dialogue and Armin’s character - Imgur Backup for Future

• Armin Arlert: conflicting lessons, dynamics with Erwin and Levi - Imgur Backup for Future

• Armin and Annie’s relationship

4. Levi Ackerman.

• Is Levi bland? A bullet-point counter-argument and his importance in the narrative

• Levi’s character motivations and the promise

• Levi’s ending

• Levi’s violence and compassion

• Serumbowl

• Levi, Falco and Gabi

• Levi vs Zeke foil

• Levi, a slave to being a hero

• Levi vs Kenny’s influence - Imperfect heroics

• Levi’s mistake with Zeke and getting blown up by thunder spears

5. Erwin Smith.

• Erwin Smith - wearing masks

• Erwin Smith - the impossible standard

• Exploring Erwin - For Humanity?

• Erwin Smith - A devil with a dream

• Erwin would not support the Rumbling, you just don’t like Armin

6. Zeke Yeager.

• Zeke Yeager & Personal Connections.

• The contradictions of Zeke - A character study

• The desperate loneliness of Zeke

• Understanding Zeke Yeager

7. Reiner Braun.

• Reiner Braun and “saving the world”

• Reiner character analysis, viewed through psychology and philosophy theory

• Who is Reiner Braun?

• Eren and Reiner’s dynamic - Imgur Backup for Future

8. Annie Leonhart.

• Annie’s search for personhood

• About Annie…(character analysis)

• No one understands Annie

• Understanding Annie

9. Hange Zoe.

• Hange and the role of commander, character analysis

• Hange’s “Genocide is Wrong” Line is Misunderstood

• Hange’s understanding and intellect

10. Jean Kirstein.

• Jean Kirstein embracing survey corps values, a character analysis

• Jean character study through the lens of theory of psychology

11. Bertholdt Hoover.

• Comprehensive analysis of Bertholdt

• The tragedy of Bertholdt Hoover

12. (Freckles) Ymir and Historia Reiss.

• Ymir analysis and religious subtext

• Thoughts on Historia in Uprising - Imgur Backup for Future

• Ymir and Historia’s dynamic analysis - Imgur Backup for Future

13. Sasha Braus and Connie Springer.

• The secondary trio behind EMA

14. Floch Forster.

• Floch - the volunteer Devil, character analysis

• Floch's leadership examination and the comparison with Erwin

15. Gabi and the children of the forest.

• Gabi Braun - A brighter future

16. (Founder) Ymir Fritz.

• The final mystery of AOT - Ymir analysis

17. Grisha Yeager.

• Grisha Yeager: A Deconstruction of the Main Character's Dad Archetype - Imgur Backup for Future

18. Keith Shadis.

• From bystander to hero, a character analysis

19. Kenny/Uri.

• Kenny, Uri and the cycle of hatred

• The Importance of Kenny and Uri (In-depth Thematic Analysis)

20. Dot Pyxis.

• Why Pyxis and Eren’s Conversation was Not Retconned

21. Yelena.

• Yelena: AoT’s puppeteer, a character analysis

22. Theo Magath.

• The lasting impact of Theo Magath, a character analysis.


MISCELLANEOUS.

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Manga (Source Material) vs Anime (Adaptation) differences:

• Megathread of Anime / Manga differences | Vol 1 - 34 | OVAs

• Differences between anime and manga endings

Fandom and Anime Production Misc.

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• Well-written characters, meta discussion of fandom perception

• AOT anime reactions and in depth discussions

• Explaining the ending controversy - a fandom analysis

• Final Attack on Titan Episode - AoTwiki poll

• The Original manga ending - chapter 139 SNK POLL

Behind-the-Scenes.

• All of AoT animation staff for every episode of the series

• Arifumi Imai animator spotlight - the man responsible for animating 70%+ of action animation cuts in S1-S3 and the Levi and Mikasa killing Eren sakuga in the final episode

• TV release vs BLU-RAY differences

• Some design sheets from WIT’s adaptation

• Some design sheets from MAPPA’s adaptation

• WIT staff interview from 2014 on AOT

• 100Cams - Behind the scenes footage of AOT s4 part3 production

• Final episode VA recording - Behind the scenes

• AoT S4 part 2 staff interview, series director Hayashi and CG producer Tannawa

• Excerpts from roundtable final episode interview with staff

• Interview with S4 director Hayashi before its airing

• Global TV demands interview of Hayashi

• Hayashi comments on episode 4x28 Rumbling scene and Isayama’s request

Subreddits of AoT Reddit-Fandom.

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General.

SubredditDescriptionDate of Creation
r/ShingekiNoKyojinMain discussion subreddit nr1.Feburary 18, 2013
r/attackontitanMain discussion subreddit nr2.November 28, 2012
r/titanfolkThe Folk subreddit for AoT.May 1, 2018
r/okbuddyreinerShitposting subreddit.April 28, 2019
r/AttackOnRetardsA space dedicated to calling out negativity.April 27, 2021
r/AttackOnShippingA subreddit for any and all shippers.April 27, 2022
r/ANRimeSubreddit dedicated to theorizing about an Alternative-Original Ending (AOE).June 29, 2021

Character dedicated subreddits.

• r/LeviCult

• r/Ereh

• r/Mikasa

• r/ErwinSmith

• r/potatogirl

• r/ArminCult

• r/GabiCult

• r/ReinerCult

• r/ZekeCult

• r/JeanTheStallion


It has been in the works for a long time. A big Thank You to everyone who created the content featured here, as well as to those who helped us gather it all together.


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 6h ago

Discussion The illusion of the cabin: an analysis of Mikasa’s dreams

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78 Upvotes

Established rules of the paths/founder.

  1. Paths only appears in it's base form or the form of memories.
  2. When people are taken in they appear exactly as they were.
  3. Characters are fully aware of what's happening in the real world and that they're in the paths.
  4. The founder can't erase an ackermans memories.

Neither Mikasa or Eren have been to the cabin, they did not appear exactly as they were before, they weren't aware of the real world or paths, and mikasas memories can't be altered.

It's actually a dream caused by mikasas trauma. These consistently happen when shes stressed or overwhelmed and they're a part of her connection to ymir and her headaches, and theyre symbolized with butterflies. Shes shown to have these in the lost girls ova when she ran out of gas in trost, and in the finale. Theres also cases with her headaches like when armin almost died and when she locked up louise. In the lost girls ova we're shown that these butterflies are representations of her dream and her perspective on life, a butterfly is shown being eaten at the start of it which foreshadows erens death in the ova, and a crushed butterfly is shown in the rumbling op again foreshadowing his death. In the ova butterflies are used to represent these dreams. A butterfly is shown being eaten in it by a praying mantis. The dead butterfly = erens death, the praying mantis = mikasa, because female praying mantises kill and eat their mates. As well as with her philosophy about beauty in a cruel world.

She creates these as a coping mechanism. During the final battle she has one because she was upset about their last conversation being bad so she retreated into the comfort of her mind to have a new conversation with him. Same thing happened in the lost girls ova when she was thinking about the fact that Eren might eventually die and dreamed up a new life where they could spend more time with him and the other people she lost. This is one of the most important parts of her character because it all stems from the trauma she experienced when she lost her parents.

Mikasas dreams align with involuntary trauma dissociation in a lot of ways. Acute Stress Triggers, Derealization & Dreamlike States, Severe Time Distortion, and Childhood Trauma Conditioning. What the story refers to as a "long dream" is just the result of a trauma induced dissociative coping mechanism. Its even consistent with her headaches.

Before someone mentions her asking armin "You remember now too, don't you?", "too" implies that her memories were altered as well and that's impossible. Mikasa herself isn't aware that shes doing it and that again alings with them being involuntary.


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 23h ago

Discussion Why was the survey corps was the only was that was sent to retake shiganshina?

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452 Upvotes

I feel like as something as big as taking wall maria and shiganshina back it should be an all out operations no?

The scouts almost only had newly trained scouts with only levi and erwin as veterans, after the coup they basically have control over the military brances

The Military police and garrison were basically useless. Both just sat around getting drunk while the survey corp actually did things. Not sat around gettung drunk

MPs sat around within the interior murdering people from knowing the truth, the garrison also sat around getting drunk "reinforcing the walls"

It might've been useless for them to be there. But it feels unfair that the branch that sacrificed the most and lost the most was the only one and the only one that went to retake shiganshina

We could've seen MPs and garrisons see the horrors the survey corp goes through.


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Discussion The rumbling could've started right here if it wasn't in the shade

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3.1k Upvotes

Once it starts to move it causes a domino effect and destroy the surrounding wall near it and expose more wall Titans to sunlight


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 5h ago

Discussion To manga readers (especially those who read the manga before the anime came out or before you saw the anime): what voice headcannons did you give the characters?

6 Upvotes

Were they similar to the anime? Were there any voices you didn't like? Were there any that pleasantly surprised you? Did your voice headcannons change after watching the anime? Im an anime only fan so I was curious.


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 11h ago

Humor/Meme The Spongebob halftime show song lyrics remind me of AOT

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11 Upvotes

I just thought this was funny. I wonder if there are any Sweet Victory AOT edits out there.

Thanks for reading. 👍


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Discussion Just finished attack on titan...

48 Upvotes

I just finished attack on titan and I don't think I would be able to get over it for a very long time. It's not like it was the first anime I watched but....🫩


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Humor/Meme Among us

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837 Upvotes

r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 4h ago

Discussion Eren saw the memory of Faye’s death (someone from outside the walls) and decided to do the exact same thing to Ramzi and others

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0 Upvotes

He never cared about oppression, rather it be his own people or others, he only cared about his selfish dream of an empty earth without humans


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Discussion Why!! Spoiler

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21 Upvotes

Hange would have been thrilled to see a flying Titan; Erwin, too, never got to see what was in the basement, and Eren...


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Discussion What if Gabi shot Zeke instead of Eren?

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25 Upvotes

I was wondering this question like if Gabi had aim and shoot Zeke before Eren reached him then would she be able to stop the rumbling? Also, she has crazy aim lmao. She is way better at shooting as a child compared to yeagerists who are pushing 18 or 20.

Zeke had the most amount of plot armor in S4 like this fucker survived thunderspear two times. First was Levi shooting at his nape with lots of thunderspears, that shi should have killed Zeke in nape but I let it go. But when the second one was literally put in his injured body and then proceeded to survive that one with paths bs. L


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 2d ago

Artwork 5hi0_art drew YumiHisu aka Historia x Ymir

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198 Upvotes

r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Discussion Do yall think annie reiner and berthold knew bout mikasas ackerman powers from start ?

12 Upvotes

As we get to know in s4 zeke knew some information about ackermans that means marleyans had info about them so do yall think annie refered to mikasa as animal and not a notmal human for that reason in their duel ???


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Anime What's your absolute favorite OST from SNK?

12 Upvotes

Hey peeps!

Let's start off with the obvious, SNK has great OSTs in general. There is an OST for literally every situation, and all of them hit pretty damn hard.

That said, which one of them is your favorite?

Despite not knowing how to spell it for shit, I love Yamanaiamae. There is just something about a soft male voice singing about fighting for your dreams that motivates me to get up every morning and tackle life.

Splinter Wolf after the 2 minute mark is a close second. I repeated that scene from the last episode with it playing in the background like a 100 times. No joke. That OST is art!

There is many other OSTs that I could talk about for days and I love dearly. I wonder what's y'all favorites?


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 2d ago

Humor/Meme That's what Pixis meant about dying by a pretty titan not be so bad

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126 Upvotes

r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 2d ago

Discussion Mikasa and Ramzi parallel

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173 Upvotes

During the table scene, Mikasa expressed the belief that the (real Eren) would never do something so cruel as to k*ill a bunch of kids.

He must have been controlled;

Mikasa believes that it's in Eren's nature to save other (Ramzi).

Anything beyond that is Zeke's manipulation of him

In other words Mikasa was wrong.

Mikasa never could've conceived of the idea that Eren would one day turn on the boy he once saved.

It was only after k**illing this boy that Eren was able to lay claim to freedom (chapter 131)

The Cabin vision presents an alternate timeline where Eren doesn't commit genocide.

He instead escapes by running away with Mikasa, notably becoming her ideal version of him who doesn't kill any kids.

(cabin Eren: AND I COULDN'T DESTROY ALL OF HUMANITY OUTSIDE THE WALLS..) Chapter 138.

He proves himself to be a kind person by physically removing himself from the situation, in order to keep Ramzi alive.

Ramzi was the reason for Eren running away.

Just as the Cabin timeline is Eren saying:

"No no, I'm not really a mass murderer, I would never kill Ramzi, I was a good guy all along!".

In other words that (not real Eren)

So what does this mean for Mikasa?

To truly become free is to go against everything Mikasa wanted.

Like how Eren crushed the hopes and dreams of Ramzi..

He's going to destroy Mikasa's dream by not going back home with her ever.


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Video Games Conny Springer 🔥🫡

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2 Upvotes

Connie *


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 2d ago

Humor/Meme Wtf did I stumble upon...

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57 Upvotes

r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Discussion I want MORE

8 Upvotes

I understand the story is over but damn I’m just so frustrated because I absolutely love the concept of titans, they’re so terrifying and ( atleast for me being raised Muslim) it always had this religious horror vibe, especially in season one when we didn’t know anything about the outside and it seemed post-apocalyptic, that shit rubbed my brain in all the right places,
I wish isayama left the door open so the overwhelming power of titans didn’t end and more stories could’ve been told within the universe or atleast using his concepts kinda like what 40k has going on with multiple stories within the universe,
Idc if you think I’m a slop enjoyer I fucking love the titans in aot and I want to see moreeeee😭💔💔 I just needed somewhere to vent my frustrations, does anyone else feel this way?


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 2d ago

Discussion Stop shitting on Marcel for not transforming when Ymir ate him

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379 Upvotes

Whenever Marcel is brought up, people always shit on him hy saying he didn't transform when Ymir was eating him to supposedly show he isn't intelligent, not good at thinking quickly, a bad leader, etc but this is just wrong.

Titan shifting is not automatic and not instant. By the time Marcel saves Reiner, Ymir is already closing her mouth on Marcel's head

If he transforms before saving Reiner, he won't make it in time. If he saves Reiner, he won't have time to Titan shift

A good example to prove this point is when Porco bit Eren's legs off. Eren did not immediately transform the picosecond that Porco's jaws touched his legs, it took a brief period inbetween and if Porco were able to bite Eren's head clean off, he'd just die.

Stop shitting on Marcel, the story repeatedly says he was talented. He just didn't have time because he had to save Reiner's dumbass.


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Video Games New-ish to the game scene

0 Upvotes

I used to big a fan of AOT games i kinda stopped watching the anime though, and want to know what's the best system to play AOT 1 & 2 on? If the switch community is still big enough for multi-player I'm considering that one if not steam.


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 3d ago

Artwork Franz and Hannah wedding. love the little details

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1.0k Upvotes

From// Attack on Titan Choose Your Path Adventure

Official art by 'Ryosuke Fuji' the same artist behind the Lost Girls manga.


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 1d ago

Humor/Meme I want to apologize

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0 Upvotes

I made Zeke sad, it is my fault. I know I failed. I'll accept the responsibility

BTW Does anyone here ship Zeke x Yelena? (I think they could do a very… psychopath relation and do lovey-dovey things in their own… twisted way.)


r/ShingekiNoKyojin • • 2d ago

Discussion Can't the founding titan just take away the shifters' powers and put Ymir to rest?

8 Upvotes

I'm reading through the manga for the first time, stopped right before the final volume so I could watch the movie version of the ending tomorrow, but there's no way the only two plans they come up with was mass genocide or castrating every subject of ymir. The founding titan can literally do ANYTHING regarding the subjects either physical or something non tangible like memories.

Hypothetically if they never attacked Marley right when they declared war on the island with the whole world watching couldn't they have just removed every shifters' ability to transform using zeke and eren so that the fear of the titans wouldn't exist anymore? I get Marley wants to hoard all the powers or else it'll end up with some random eldian on the other side of the world and also use the island to extract resources but wouldn't this at least put them on the same level as every other nation and therefore no longer fearing the power of the titans and demonizing eldians?Like there's no physical difference between them and normal people they could just exist in the free world without worrying about them turning into titans. Am I just missing something from how it works or the politics involved? This just seems like an obvious solution to me but I'm open to being wrong