Is Eren Yeager a hero or villain? The Attack on Titan mystery

Attack on Titan is set to return for the second half of Season 4, and there are still numerous questions about Eren Yeager that need to be addressed. We know he's jaded, traumatized, and prone to reckless behavior, but can he overcome those flaws? More pertinently, will he?

Eren's recent actions have once again raised doubts about his true nature. So far, he's used his abilities for what seems to be the greater good, even if his methods often teeter on the edge of ethics. How long can that last before what's "right" gets lost in his crusade?

Admittedly, his motives are complicated and his actions speak volumes, but have we been getting the message wrong?

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Attack on Titan: Has Eren been the bad guy right under our noses?

When Attack on Titan executed the twist of all twists — revealing that Eren was secretly a Titan — it raised a myriad of questions about what was really going on. Soon after, it seemed clear that his Titan status was just another complicated thread woven into the tapestry of a tragic life.

Now, though, his recent actions have once again cast a long shadow of doubt over Eren's role in the fight.

In Attack on Titan, the impulsive Yeager has always adhered to the notion that ends justify means - especially when fighting the enemies of Paradis in the name of freedom. Despite that, he has slowly developed a feeling of hatred toward the very concept of war, and one of empathy for some of those he once saw as mortal enemies. That is, until he decided to wipe out Marley.

No one can really blame Eren for being bitter and angry in Attack on Titan, considering what he's seen and endured over the years: The kidnapping of Mikasa, the death of his mother by the Titans, being eaten himself, and the deaths of countless soldiers who laid down their lives in the belief that Eren was their last hope.

In Titan form, Eren has even less control over his anger and seems to relish the slaughter of his enemies, often appearing to have lost grip over his sanity. So when he launched a surprise attack on Willy Tybur, the scene quickly and predictably spiraled into chaos.

The Attack Titan destroyed the stage on which Tybur stood, brutally crushing his body, and then, as if taunting him, flung his limp frame into the air. As he tore through the assembled military brass, he displayed little to no regard for human collateral damage. While he had succeeded in killing Tybur in classic Attack on Titan fashion — chowing down — his berzerker rage had caused the deaths of dozens of innocent civilians.

Eren in Titan form (via: mediascrolls.com)

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There is a genuine debate to be had about Eren's plan

While Eren's motivations in Attack on Titan seems genuine — ensuring the safety and security of his people — his methods beg the question: is he still the good guy? How much innocent blood does he have to spill before his crusade can no longer be justified?

His plan to initiate the Rumbling and ultimately use the Founding Titan to sterilize all of Ymir is certainly problematic. Making an entire society infertile to end the Eldian family line is ethnic cleansing, if not borderline genocide. While that would mean no more Titans going forward, does he have the right to do it? These are issues Attack on Titan isn't afraid to take on directly.

We can debate the tenets of relative morality, doing unethical things for the greater good all day. But when more people are hurt than helped, it becomes increasingly hard to call him the "hero."

Would a hero continue to make decisions that jeopardize the people he fights for? Or kill those he seeks to free from oppression? Some risky decision-making is justifiable when fighting a superior and ruthless force, but when it's a constant pattern of behavior from such a powerful person, people might start asking some hard questions. As it stands, Eren is the villain, and he might have to make some sort of sacrifice to redeem himself, or someone may have to stop him.

Thankfully, we don't have to wait too long to find out what it'll be, as Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 2 premieres in January 2022.

Note: Opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer