Mikasa was the final season's main character and the Attack on Titan finale proves it

On November 4, MAPPA released the Attack on Titan finale. The 10-year-long epic saga has finally reached its conclusion in a heartbreaking finale. It has received worldwide acclaim from fans who have been awaiting the final episode for several years now.

The Attack on Titan finale had one of the biggest conclusions to an anime in recent history. It perfectly wrapped up the story and provided fitting conclusions to all the protagonists of the story, including Eren Yeager and his friends Armin and Mikasa, with the latter standing as the central character of the season.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoiler for the Attack on Titan finale and the manga. Reader's discretion is advised.

How the Attack on Titan finale solidified Mikasa as the main character

Expand Tweet

Mikasa Ackerman was introduced in Attack on Titan as Eren's adopted family member. She joined the Survey Corps with Eren after promising Carla, the protagonist's mother, that she would always protect him. Throughout the years, we have witnessed Mikasa's character development, both in terms of emotional depth and her role in the story.

Her transition from a secondary character to a central figure in the story is demonstrated in the Attack on Titan finale, as she went from Eren's protector to being the one who ended his life in order to save the rest of humanity. Throughout the series, she has shown an unwavering amount of loyalty towards Eren and has always been protective of him.

As seen in Part 1 of Attack on Titan's Final Season Part 3, Mikasa clearly has romantic feelings for Eren, which she could not express to him when he asked what he meant to her. Her inner turmoil and the ultimate choice to end Eren's life in the finale played an essential part in driving the narrative toward its conclusion.

Mikasa confesses her feelings to Eren(image via Wit Studio)

After Eren's final showdown with his friends in the finale, it was all up to Mikasa to put an end to things. She had to be the one to end his life and save the rest of humanity from destruction. Her bond with Eren takes center stage as she confronts his radical actions and their catastrophic consequences.

During her final confrontation with him, she told him, "I'll see you later, Eren," and killed him. This served as a pivotal point in the entire story, as Mikasa's inner conflict and the weight of her decision to kill him came to the forefront. She had to kill the one person she had loved the most in her life in order to save the entire world. Overall, her actions, choices, and personal growth are some of the highlights of the Attack on Titan finale.

Why does the Founder Ymir choose Mikasa to end her woes?

Ymir in Attack on Titan(image via MAPPA)

The finale followed her character until her death, a treatment usually reserved for the central character of a series. In the Attack on Titan finale, Ymir apparently chose Mikasa to be the one to free her from her suffering, which makes sense considering the similarities between the two characters. Ymir was enslaved to King Fritz for over two millennia due to her unfaltering love for him, despite knowing that he was simply using her for her abilities.

Mikasa shares a similar story to Ymir, as she was also bound by affectionate feelings for Eren ever since he saved her from her kidnappers. Since then, she has always gone out of her way to make sure he stays out of harm's way. Although her feelings for Eren remained unrequited until the time of his death, he was aware of them. However, he did not address her feelings and used her for the sake of his plans.

It is thus widely believed that in the Attack on Titan finale, Ymir chose Mikasa to help her break free from her own chains and achieve the freedom that she has been longing for throughout her entire life.

What happens to Mikasa after the War?

Expand Tweet

The Attack on Titan finale saw the end of Eren's brutal war against the world at the hands of Mikasa Ackerman, who had to do the one thing she never wanted to do in her life. After Armin fought with Eren's Founding Titan, Mikasa came to terms with what she had to do in order to put an end to the fight. When she realized that Eren was still in the titan's mouth, she smashed through the teeth and had one last confrontation with the protagonist.

Realizing she has no other option, Mikasa decapitates Eren after exchanging one final glance with him. With the knowledge that she has now killed the one person she had sworn to protect, Mikasa leaves the battlefield with Eren's head to give him a proper burial.

In an epilogue following the Rumbling and the War, Mikasa was revealed to have lived a peaceful life, which was something she had always longed for. Three years after the war was over, the world had already moved on to the next conflict. However, Mikasa was far, far away from the issues of the world and was living a quiet life.

As the episode came to an end, she was seen sitting next to Eren's grave and was visibly still mourning his death. The end credits revealed more parts of her life, as she was seen visiting Eren's grave. It's clear that she went on to live a long and healthy life and was eventually buried with the red scarf that Eren gave her.

In conclusion

The Attack on Titan finale provided a bittersweet ending for the characters, especially Eren, who never got to experience the freedom he had desired to achieve his whole life. As for Mikasa, although she got to live out the rest of her years in peace, the death of Eren left a major scar on her life.

Ultimately, the tragic love story of Eren and Mikasa came to an end in the Attack on Titan finale. Although fans did not get to see Mikasa live out her years with Eren by her side, her journey from a young, timid girl living behind the walls to one of humanity's strongest soldiers and the central focus of the final season has been nothing short of a spectacle to watch.