Attack on Titan: Had Mikasa stayed with Eren, the world would’ve burned

Attack on Titan is one of those series that gave us a tragic love story that fans couldn't help but root for. Hajime Isayama teased Mikasa's feelings for Eren, but left them unspoken until the very end. It was only in the final moment, when Mikasa had to behead Eren, that fans saw them share a kiss. Many fans were not happy with this ending and voiced their opinions online. They have asked, what if Mikasa had chosen differently? What if she had stayed by Eren’s side during the Rumbling?

While it is a romantic gesture and would confirm all the tension built up around the dynamic of Eren and Mikasa, it would have defeated the survival horror aspect of the story. Also, looking at the grim reality of the world they lived in, chances were that even she would not have made it alive.

The whole point of the story was written in a way that these characters were fighting for a bigger purpose, and that was to save the world. Mikasa's actions heightened the emotional and narrative tension in the plot. She was the one who ultimately stopped the genocide he set in motion.

Mikasa's action in Attack on Titan wasn’t just a sacrifice. It was an act of mercy. Eren made himself the villain so his friends could be heroes. Mikasa understood this. That’s why she went through with it, even though it shattered her.

So, if we were to imagine an alternative scenario where she decided to choose Eren, then here would be some probable scenarios. One could be that nothing would change in the grand scheme of things, except now even Mikasa would die too.

In Isayama's ending, Eren had resolved to wipe out humanity outside the island. His mind was set. He wasn’t pausing for reconsideration. If Mikasa in Attack on Titan had joined him, she might have stood beside him as the world burned and been destroyed with it.

Also, other very competent characters could have stopped Eren. Isayama chose her just to give closure about them. And that someone could have been Levi. He had already lost everyone he considered to be close, so Levi would have finished this in a second with no hesitation.

Here’s the part that complicates everything: Eren wasn’t truly in control of the Founding Titan. The one with the real power to start and stop the Rumbling was Ymir Fritz, the original Titan. Eren was a vessel.

In Attack on Titan, Ymir needed to choose to end her 2,000 years of servitude. So at the end of the day, they needed to find a solution that would not only stop the genocide and save humanity, they needed to end this cycle for good.

The power of tragic love in the story of Attack on Titan

In many ways, Mikasa staying with Eren would have felt emotionally satisfying for a while. Fans longing for a romantic resolution could see them together in the end, standing amidst a broken world. But the truth is that such an ending would be hollow. It would have destroyed everything the series had built up: the cost of freedom, the consequences of choice, and the burden of love.

Eren and Mikasa’s love in Attack on Titan was about what you’re willing to sacrifice for the ones you love. Mikasa chose the world over Eren. Eren chose to become a monster to give his friends a chance at peace. That’s the horror and beauty of it.

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Final Thoughts

Just like how Eren in Attack on Titan was not able to find a peaceful solution to end things, Mikasa also had to help him out by making a difficult decision. It was a burden on both their shoulders. This ending is about cycles, about destiny, about the fragility of peace.

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