Board Thread:Manga/@comment-171.99.228.49-20160131022420/@comment-5774380-20160725092305

The thing is that at this point whatever ZRBA's motives are is irrelevant. Even if they have their reasons for doing what they are doing, even if they think they are the "good guys" (and even if they are right), and even if they are doing it against their will; we are in a situation when the Corps can't do anything about it, and that's because ZRBA decided that it should be that way. Bertolt specifically says it in chapter 78: "I decided it. [...] None of you have done anything wrong [...] It's just that you all have to die, there's nothing you can do now".

ZRBA have made clear that they will never explain the Corps why they want to kill them, that there's no room for negotiations, and that the only fate that awaits them is death; even accepting that they are innocent but that they must die either way. That reduces all possible options to just one: "kill or be killed". ZRBA will have to take their reasons to their graves.

Also, Zeke didn't tell him "kill them sadistically". He could have killed Armin quickly and painless with a single punch; he could have grabbed him, remove his equipment and abandon him to his fate on a roof where he would be harmless and possibly would die either way; but no, he said "burn like a mosquito, and I wish all of your friends would have died too". That was just him being sadistic for the sake of being sadistic. "An eye for an eye". He deserves what he gives.