Board Thread:Manga/@comment-5774380-20160109013258/@comment-24407809-20160113052844

206.117.89.6 wrote:

Swiftfoxmark2 wrote: I don't understand the emotional attachment people have to Reiner, Bertolt, or Annie. All three of them are responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, including Eren's mother.

I can understand how the characters feel about having to kill their own teammates but at the same time, they are the enemy. They declared war on the people in the walls by murdering and conquering the outer regions. From what we can piece together so far (or at least my reading of it), they're child soldiers, drafted unwillingly and mentally unprepared for what their mission would entail and its consequences (hence Reiner's split personality and Zeke practically forcing them to continue shown in this chapter). I don't see how you could not have sympathy for them, honestly. They're not bad people, just taking orders - and they were definitely not just acting when they made friends with the others. If there's anyone to hate, it's the (relatively newly revealed, I'll admit) big-bad Zeke and the other adults in whatever tribe they're from who made them do this. I also don't see how anyone could think that Reiner would have gone down so easily, considering how it was foreshadowed when he escaped alive after having his spine cut. And from a storytelling perspective, the three titan shifters' stories are far from over. For Reiner to die now would leave too much untold. And, really, no major characters, good or bad, have died. Marco (poor guy) is really the biggest, but up until now he was just a motivator for Jean's growth and leadership. I don't think they're being forced really being forced by anyone from the Homeland. Hell, if anyone's forcing them to do anything, it's Reiner (dude was straight up savage, threatening Annie and her father like that). As for Zeke, I don't really think he's forcing them to fight (granted, he's not letting them go rescue Annie, but considering all of his evidence that she isn't being tortured (and the fact that we, the readers already know Armin was lying to Bertl when he told him that), I think that he's kind of justified in that regard). I'm getting more of a "you helped start all of this, you have to help me finish it" vibe from him.

And, again, Reiner was really quick to jump to the whole "OH CRAP GOTTA KILL MARCO NOWNOWNOW ANNIE I DON'T TRUST YOU IF YOU DON'T HELP KILL MARCO SOMETHING BAD MIGHT HAPPEN TO YOUR DAD *knudge knudge wink wink*" plan. Even if he did create an alternate personality to help himself deal with all of his guilt, he seems just a tiny bit too ruthless to be someone who was forced into this.

Not to mention he straight up tells Bertl (right before they're about to battle the Survey Corps) "Dude, I don't think you're a very reliable person. Get it together, because I'm not gonna babysit you this time."

Reiner and Zeke should really sit down together and compare their "HOW TO BE A GREAT ANTAGONIST" notes. I think they could both teach each other something.