User blog comment:San&Ashitaka/Ending ( everyone dead plan off, welcome bittersweet!! )/@comment-6049744-20140101123901

Isayama has pretty much trained me to expect the most cynical outcome possible, so I can only assume that the majority of characters will be dead by the end, including favorites like Jean, Levi and Hange. Of the main trio, I am convinced that at least one of them will die.

If Eren dies, it will make Mikasa stronger; what he gave her will always be with her, or something. Meanwhile, Armin will cement his desire to see the world for both of them. If Armin dies, Eren will similarly cement his resolve to see the world, and of course fuel his desire for revenge, making for a good final battle. The worst outcome is if Mikasa dies, because it's pretty much clarified that the only thing Eren has ever managed to protect is Mikasa. If she dies, Eren will go berserk, maybe losing himself to his rage and leading to his own destruction during the final battle. I do not see Mikasa's death as something that will lead to an optimisitc ending. She represents the best part of humanity; the desire to protect what one loves, but also represents a kind of hope for Eren that he IS capable of protecting something.

I also expect the basement to hold nothing of real value, afterall, Eren is kind of just assuming there's something important in there. Or maybe what's inside cannot be comprehended, leading to a cliffhanger conclusion on if it was useful. Either way, Wall Maria will be reclaimed somehow and what's left of the cast will venture out and find new civilizations. The Titans won't be fully destroyed, but there is hope, so long as humanity still has the will to fight.