Board Thread:Manga/@comment-27321453-20200708115559/@comment-44328804-20200802163633

Eradicate Us wrote:

Yeah. I'd love that.

What also gives me hope for Zeke being Eren's dark foil and rival is what we saw with Shikishima in the live action. He was stronger, smarter, tougher, and darker than Eren. There's also that last cutscene in Season 2 of the anime with Eren looking off with a pretty intense look in the distance where Zeke was. Finally, there's the opening cutscene of the Attack On Titan 2 Final Battle video game which shows Eren and Zeke in their titan forms about to duke it out with each other.

I'm sure Eren would need help vs Zeke, and perhaps Historia could help a lot with that after she helps vs Eren who she herself would probably need help against.

Moreover, I still have hope that either Eren's intentions are better than we currently see, or he's brainwashed and in for a change of heart, or some combination of both.

But I'm not satisfied with Zeke being the final villain either, since I'm convinced Tom Xaver brainwashed him, but instead want him to get his final change of heart that sees him become more like a hero for the true final battle, just like Shikishima in the live action again. I want him to become Eren's single biggest help in the real final battle, and the one Eren gets very close to before the end of the story (the one Eren can't sacrifice, but has to anyways). Pretty much everything I'm thinking too, and I've seen many others think it as well. Another thing to add about the games: remember in the 1st one, Eren had a slaughter move against Zeke? Considering the other 2 slaughter moves were straight from the series, even the one against Reiner which at the time wasn't in anime form yet, Isayama clearly gave that detail away along with permission to let that game dive into season 2 territory loosely.

But I think Zeke may be the final villain, even with his tragic backstory. He and Eren may still have a moment like you said, but he was never that brainwashed like the other warriors, as he's been on both sides of the conflict, and even came up with a plan that threatens both sides. Who do you think would be the villain in that true final battle you imagined? Just asking lol