Why Is Eren Killing Everyone in Attack on Titan? Explained

Eren Yeager was initially a rather bland protagonist compared to other characters in the series. However, the last season has turned everything upside down, and if you’re wondering why Eren wants to kill everyone in Attack on Titan, this article can give you an explanation.

***Warning: This article contains spoilers for the ending of Attack on Titan***

Why Eren Wants to Destroy the World in Attack on Titan, Explained

Eren is prepared to massacre most of humanity because he wants to ensure the survival of the Eldians.

About 75 percent of the way through the manga and anime, it’s made pretty clear that the world hates the Subjects of Ymir, believing them to be the source of evil due to their titan powers and the carnage they wrought on the world in the past. They fear the Eldians’ power to turn into titans and want them to be eradicated completely.

Many Eldians who grow up outside Paradis Island are even brainwashed into loathing their own kind, with Zeke being a prime example. Eren knows this, and came to the conclusion that there is no peaceful way to avoid the upcoming war and is convinced the only path to survival is to make sure that the world cannot be given a chance to attack the Subjects of Ymir.

At the same time, Eren also believes he cannot cause further hatred to grow among those who survive the massacre. That is why the protagonist orchestrates a plan where Armin, Mikasa, and the rest of his friends become the saviors of the world and paints himself as the devil that must be stopped. Basically, Eren pulls a similar move to Lelouch’s from Code Geass.

During the manga’s final chapter, Eren even elaborates his scheme to Armin and other group members in the Paths. He locks their memories temporarily so they won’t hesitate to cut him down during the final fight but makes them return after the dust has settled.

It is clear that Eren was conflicted about his actions and had shown some remorse for the horrible transgressions he would cause. Unfortunately, those feelings do not stop him from performing his plan since he couldn’t figure out any other way to save Paradis.

Did Eren Turn Evil in Attack on Titan? Explained

However, this isn’t to say what he did was entirely justified or right. In fact, it’s safe to say Eren really did turn evil in Attack on Titan in order to carry out the course of action he personally thought was right.

This is laid out better in the anime, where Eren and Armin’s final conversation digs deeper into why Eren did what he did. While it was entirely possible for him to choose a better course of action by working together with his friends, he instead decided to go with the solution that, in his own words, an “idiot” like him could come up with. Part of this was because of what he saw through the Attack Titan’s power, but there was also the hatred of the Marleyans which motivated Eren’s actions.

This resulted in a genocide of 80 percent of the world’s population, and even Armin says Eren will go to hell for what he’s done. Eren doesn’t argue with this fact, and doesn’t show complete remorse for the actions he took either.

It’s a messy situation for all involved, but is also fitting given how the rest of the story played out. After all, a core theme of the series is people being molded by the world around them and exploring how their choices — both good and bad — stem from this.

Hopefully, that answers your question about why Eren wants to kill everyone in Attack on Titan. We also have more articles about the series, so be sure to check them out before leaving.