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Attack on Titan anime series has finally reached its conclusion. With the decade-long journey of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa ending, it unveils all the mysteries regarding the Titans. As such, the fandom gains more profound insights into the progenitor of all titans, the Founder Ymir Fritz.
Ymir becomes a pivotal character towards the end of the series, as it is through her that Eren can initiate the Rumbling. She also actively tries to prevent the Scouts and Warriors from approaching Eren, kidnapping Armin using the Okapi. This leads to the final question of whether Ymir Fritz is an evil antagonist of the series.
Attack on Titan: is Ymir Fritz evil in the end
The Tragedy of Ymir Fritz
To address the question “Is Ymir Fritz evil?”, it is crucial first to understand her character and her circumstances. The tragic tale of the Founder Ymir was unveiled in the Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 21 (titled “From You, 2000 Years Ago”), which depicted the immense suffering and torment she endured throughout her life.
Her home and village were invaded and burned by the barbarian tribes known as Eldians, resulting in the death of her parents. She was enslaved, lost her ability to speak after her tongue was cut off, and eventually was punished for a crime she didn’t commit. Her torments continued even after acquiring the titan powers, as she was forced by the Eldian leader Fritz to annihilate the Marleyans and bear his offspring.
Even in death (which occurred while she saved King Fritz from an attempted assassination), she wasn’t set free. Her soul was trapped within the path, forced to serve the will of the Frtiz bloodline for the next two millennia, and it would continue if Eren had not liberated her.
Ymir Fritz: a victim
As the progenitor of all Titans, Ymir Fritz is the strongest titan in the Attack on Titan series. However, she is partly responsible for her unfortunate demise. Even upon gaining titan abilities, she remained King Fritz’s slave, enduring all the sufferings he inflicted upon her.
The Attack on Titan series rationalized it as her love for the king. But it was unrequited, blind love that Mikasa described as “nothing but a long nightmare” in the Attack on Titan Finale. Ymir was not only an eternal slave to King Fritz's bloodline but also to her emotions.
A victim of circumstances, all her distress, paired with the miserable existence she led and her inability to find peace even after death, added to her frustration. After enduring 2000 years of agony, she reached her breaking point.
Eren: the savior
As Eren pointed out, Ymir had been waiting all this time for someone to liberate her from her pain and the shackles that bind her. Eren turned out to be that person, auguring her that she was neither an enslaved person nor a God, vowing to end her torment.
Presented with the choice to break free from her longstanding obligations, she has an emotional breakdown as she decides to follow Eren’s path, triggering the Rumbling. In the final episode of Attack on Titan, Eren reveals his reasons for continuing with the Rumbling, where he mentions he is merely a selfish idiot who got a hold of power and didn’t know how to utilize it appropriately.
Ymir appears to be the same as him. Besides being a victim, she is also a naive young girl blinded by her deep love for King Frits. Despite everything, she could not overcome her feelings until the very end. Only through Mikasa could she see things clearly overcome her feelings and finally break free from the shackles of love.
Was Ymir, the Founder, genuinely evil?
In simple terms, the question “Is Ymir Fritz evil?” is open to interpretation. Initially, she was just a gentle girl. However, she tolerated evil and lacked the strength to resist it. The wicked King Fritz used her as a tool to exploit her powers.
After two millennia of suffering, she turned bitter, wanting to end everything, much like Eren. Yet, she was merely going along with Eren’s plan, releasing all her accumulated anger, frustration, and sorrow. At this point, she transformed into a vengeful spirit, which some might view as evil.
Final thoughts
At the beginning of Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 21, in the conversation between a young Historia and Frieda Reiss, they mentioned Ymir the Founder as a kind girl who’s always thinking about others. The author of Attack on Titan, Hajime Isayama, is renowned for crafting his characters with tragic backstories.
This narrative of a kind young village girl who ends up as the fearsome Founding titan responsible for eradicating eighty percent of humanity (albeit following Eren’s wishes) vividly illustrates humanity’s tragic nature. It demonstrates how even the most compassionate individuals can be led to evil by their circumstances.
