Attack on Titan is Anime's greatest example that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions

Attack on Titan is one of the most significant pieces of fiction to have dropped in the last two decades. Attack on Titan has surpassed the realm of anime and has even become embellished in pop culture, with each new episode becoming keenly anticipated around the world. It is also an amazing entry point for those venturing into the medium of anime and manga.

Attack on Titan is interesting for two reasons: the lore and the themes. The lore within the series runs deep, and there is always something new to discover. The themes of Attack on Titan are also deep and multilayered. Every time someone falls into the series, there is always something new to be unearthed about the story.

One theme in the series that does not get as much attention as its other themes is the theme of tyranny. Attack on Titan shows how easy it is for societies to devolve into autocracy and fascism. This can be seen through the citizens of Paradis and Marley.

Marley and Paradis Island are at two different phases throughout the series' runtime, but it does not stop the leadership from tyranny. Attack on Titan uses this to show that most tyrants start from a good place, which is protecting their people. The intoxication of power then takes over, and they try all means to consolidate power. Keep reading to find out how Attack on Titan does this.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and contains spoilers.

---

How Attack on Titan reveals the truth about tyranny

Tyrants are known for their use of propaganda (Image via MAPPA)

Attack on Titan is a juggernaut of a series that encompasses so many elements that each year, new theories spring up. Due to its massive depth, Attack on Titan is deemed an allegory. An allegory is a story that holds hidden and deep meanings, and AOT fits that criterion. Beneath the action, adventure, and fantastical elements, AOT is a story about the dictatorial nature of humans.

For most of AOT’s story, viewers are shown the perspectives of those on Paradis Island. They see how existence for them is stifling as their population soars, and the basic resources dwindle.

There is also a clear disparity between the rich and the poor, as the latter struggle in the titan-prone Shingashina district, while the rich get lots of space. The sad thing about Paradis Island is that it's laden with resources, but none of that can be used by the citizens due to the constant fear of Titans.

Karl Fritz robbed Eldians of their humanity by reducing their choices (Image via MAPPA)

Most of the Paradis Islanders' woes stem from the actions of Karl Fritz, a leader who believes his actions are the only right and any opposition to them is wrong. He believes the existence of his people(Eldians) is an absurdity, and one that must be corrected by their elimination. So, he weakens the Eldian Empire and retreats into a tiny Island, hoping for Eldians to enjoy a brief moment of peace.

Where Karl Fritz descends into tyranny is when the Ackermanns and the Oriental clan reject this frail notion of peace. Karl Fritz acts like a stereotypical tyrant and hunts them down. Despite Paradis Island being a monarchy, many of its structures are authoritarian. There is a central government, a religion that is tied to the state, and a group of undercover enforcers who take out opposing voices. This leads to an effective cycle of tyranny that is nearly unstoppable.

On the other side of the aisle, the Marleyans are guilty of doing the same thing. After the Marleyans gained freedom from the Eldians, their focus shifted from protecting their space to conquering. This was due to the newly found power of the seven titans at their disposal. With that power, Marleyans set out to conquer and rob conquered nations of their freedom. Their approach was simple: claim superiority over other countries, and pass on that ideology to their progeny.

This brainwashing led to years and years of expansion for expansion's sake, where the rich grew large at the expense of the disenfranchised. The Tybur's were the biggest benefactors of the Marleyan expansion, as they lived like royalty and watched their fellow Eldians suffer and be used as child soldiers. The pacifist actions they took to undermine Eldian cruelty are all but forgotten; now, they are reaping the actions of their ancestors.

---

Final thoughts

In the latter stages of AOT, tyranny rears its head once again with the emergence of the Yeagerist, a fascist group that believes in Eldian supremacy. This group conducts a coup and becomes the new power in Paradis Island. They are also supportive of Eren’s genocidal actions as they believe it is the only way for Eldians to survive. However, they fail to see that they are repeating the same cycle that the previous Eldian Empire took.

---