The matter of just who to root for in Shingeki no Kyoujin is often not an easy one, for multiple reasons. One is that Isayama’s writing is muddled enough and his obvious sympathy for certain bad people prevalent enough that the two sides often blur together. Another is that the plot is building towards something that requires it to withhold as much information as possible until the big reveal in order to maximize surprise. In a sense it reminds of the old truism about TV shows built around a bickering “just friends” main couple – the whole “will they, won’t they” thing is dragged out for years, and when they inevitably “do”, it usually marks the beginning of the end.
As I watched this week’s events play out – starting with a flashback sequence to a very ugly moment in the story – I couldn’t help but think that it was a bit strange that we’re expected to consider Erwin’s side as good and Reiner & Bertholdt’s side evil. Based on what, exactly? To be honest we’ve seen very little evidence of redeeming behavior on the part of the “good” humans – isolated acts of decency to be sure, but that’s hardly conclusive. And Reiner and Bertholdt (and Annie for that matter) – despite the Marco incident – don’t seem like particularly evil people. Just soldiers fighting for a cause, the same as the heroes of the story. I could talk more about this, but it would be heading into spoiler territory so I suppose it’s best not to.
But of course, we’re not to be privy to the reasons for this divide and what it means yet, which means filling our bellies as best we can with table scraps. With Reiner down – though not out, thanks to another bit of Deux ex machina – Bertholdt is the key to everything now. He clearly sees this battle as a matter of personal redemption for past shortcomings. His loyalty to Reiner seems very human, and it’s that loyalty that makes him hesitate to transform, knowing that the resultant explosion would likely finish off his friend. That explosion gives Armin a last chance to try and negotiate, which I get the impression is intended to be a sign of weakness on his part.
For Mikasa it’s an opportunity for an ambush and for Hange a chance to finish off the Armored Titan, but I think Armin does genuinely want to try and resolve things peacefully here. That seems pretty naive on his part to be honest, which is frankly a little out of character, but there really isn’t a lot to be said between he and Bertholdt. Bertholdt’s hesitation in transforming is almost certainly a mistake, though once he does the Colossal Titan is pretty much the only thing in Shiganshina that really matters.
I also wasn’t too thrilled to see Armin freeze under pressure here and have to be corrected by Jean of all people, though I suppose the weight of command would be a heavy burden on him so early in his career. Fortunately for him I don’t buy for a second that Hange and her squad are dead, which means Team Armin are going to have some help in taking on Bertholdt. Meanwhile the ball is in Erwin’s court to do something useful for a change, as the Colossal Titan rains hot death on the town (literally) and the Beast Titan could hardly look more smug as he stands at a safe remove and watches things play out.
Simone
May 15, 2019 at 8:13 pm“I couldn’t help but think that it was a bit strange that we’re expected to consider Erwin’s side as good and Reiner & Bertholdt’s side evil. Based on what, exactly?”
I mean… as things stand now, and without considering further information from the manga… Reiner & co. are the aggressors. The others were minding their own business, at worst killing mindless Titans to try and move beyond their cage. Reiner & co. are actively seeking to genocide a vast population. Their actions have already killed far more people than Erwin has, and most of them civilians. I don’t really see much of an equivalence.
Guardian Enzo
May 15, 2019 at 8:17 pmWith all the looks behind the curtain we’ve seen, I’m not so sure.
Simone
May 15, 2019 at 11:32 pmEven knowing what I know, I don’t think Erwin’s *faction* is in the wrong here, even though Erwin himself may be an asshole. All armies have assholes, even the ones fighting for good causes. Without context from the manga it’s really pretty clear cut. There’s one side that infiltrates, betrays, attacks, slaughters, and another one that’s just trying to survive, however ruthlessly. Bertholdt and Reiner certainly look like relatively normal soldiers, but that if anything seems to me more true to life than having everyone in the enemy army be a cackling villain, down to the last minion. There’s that picture of concentration camp guards having a nice pic-nic on the grass, you know… “just following orders”.
Things have become more muddled recently, but I’d still say that the “good” (or “least bad”) guys are the ones who are just trying to survive and protect their own people without pursuing imperialistic aggression or unleashing some crazy ideological crusade. You know who I’m talking about there.
Guardian Enzo
May 16, 2019 at 5:45 amThere are so many factions on the “good” side – how do we know there aren’t just as many on the “enemy” side too?
Simone
May 16, 2019 at 6:09 amI’m not counting all the factions, just THE specific faction that we know of and isn’t, y’know, completely fucking crazy. Of course there might be a similar one on the other side too, in which case the only desirable outcome would be for them to prevail and stipulate a peace of some sort. Since the others would just turn the world to ashes between them.
Marty
May 15, 2019 at 10:52 pmDespite all of its faults, I will give Attack on Titan this much credit, when they want to do action, they do action VERY well.
Guardian Enzo
May 15, 2019 at 11:10 pmUnless by “action” you mean two guys running on a wall. Cause that was just derpy.
I agree with your statement generally, but there are some lapses at times with the action animation which are really irritating given how profitable this show is. Obviously scheduling backups at Wit are the problem more than budget.
Akka
July 4, 2019 at 4:55 am“I couldn’t help but think that it was a bit strange that we’re expected to consider Erwin’s side as good and Reiner & Bertholdt’s side evil.”
Considering the whole coup d’état plot was spending half the screen time with the “heroes” saying “we are no better than them in the end”, the entire “human titans” story being about people who are decent and feel remorse for what they do but need to do it anyway, and this very episode having Bertholdt “nobody is in the wrong”, I don’t really see how we’re “expected” to consider any side as “evil” and not just the human side as “protagonist”.
Honestly, as much as I enjoy your analysis of AoT, I always have the feeling that you just so much dislike the author’s opinions that you just try very hard to see whatever happens in the way that allows you to dislike it. It’s like each time there is the possibility a grey area or ambivalence, you simply consider that it’s not possible and is instead incompetence at making a more manicheist point.