User blog comment:SilenceInTheLibrary/Annie's Future/@comment-9096809-20130822000140/@comment-1971498-20130912134302

@Miskos3: Exactly, that's what I mean. The whole series is at a point where everything is morally ambiguous all while we don't even know anything to properly contextualize it all. Do we even know the reason why they're attacking the humans inside the wall? What exactly are the Titans? Why is the world of SNK set in medieval times even though it's hinted that it's set 2000 years from modern times? etc. The only thing I dislike about this kind of thing is how people get picky and judgemental towards certain characters, instead of just enjoying the show or analyzing it for what it is. Backstories aren't always there to excuse characters, they can simply serve as context/explanation, it's only with works like Naruto where repeated flashbacks have become a stigma among anime/manga fans, giving the actual narrative device such a bad name (yes, even if Naruto can use it well on occasion).

@68.81.92.39: Again, who's to say who deserves what? Annie isn't obviously portrayed as someone to feel sorry for, but her backstory so far gives everyone something to empathize with. Does that mean we have to sympathize with her? I honestly find that it's up to the person (the same thing can be said about those debates surrounding controversial issues such as the death penalty), but at least Isayama has the right idea to balance it out by making her motives seemingly understandable and her attitude being subdued in nature, while still portraying her actions as being utterly brutal. I honestly don't see some sort of redemption arc for Annie unless the whole moral compass of the series gets inverted (eg. if it turns out that the founders of the people behind the walls are actually complete monsters that did horrible things while the military are simply doing their dirty work), and even then, that doesn't necessarily mean we'll instantly get treated with a happy ending or some form of redemption. (consider shows like Shinsekai Yori or heck even Psycho-Pass for that matter where despite the understandable nature of the main antagonist's ideals, their methods and goals are still horribly skewed).