Board Thread:Manga/@comment-27321453-20180208183201/@comment-29325824-20180209122059

For those chastizing Eren for his actions, I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt. I'm not fully defending him, mind you, but it was pretty obvious with Willy's speech (and the support he got) that peace was simply impossible no matter what Paradis would have done. Aside from just rolling over and die.

I don't think Eren was happy about what he had to do (after all, he realized he was the same as Reiner in the end and had to steel himself), but striking first and hard (though only after Willy declared war) was probably the only option they had left. End the war before it could truly begin. Either that, or the Attack Titan is subtly influencing Eren for its own ends, which I'm not ruling out.

Because, face it, how Marley and the rest of the world have been treating Eldians for something their ancestors might have done is just inexcusible. Paradis is now just fighting for their own survival. If you remember, Jean even chastized someone for attacking civilians, makin it clear that it's not (purely) retribution. Plus they are aware they aren't the noble good guys and don't lie about it, as opposed to Marley who keep potraying their atrocities as being "good".

Also, on a side note, I think that there's more going on with Zeke, and that the lights the SC have been setting up might be for Armin to know where or where not to drop. I mean, the Colossus Titan's raw power is going to be the definite game changer here.