Board Thread:Manga/@comment-34196931-20190708230504/@comment-33179669-20190725224537

I realized that there are more than a few themes related to brothers and sacrifice in this chapter. Sorry if this was already mentioned above.

I realized that there are three pairs of brothers in this chapter: Marcel and Porco, Colt and Falco, and Eren and Zeke. First off, Colt holds Falco close to comfort him as he transforms into a Titan, knowing the explosive energy and shockwave will kill him. Porco sacrifices himself, having been injured so much that he can't regenerate, to save Falco, now knowing that his brother confirmed (via memories) that Porco was always better than Reiner. Finally, Zeke, who also seems to be mortally wounded, and Eren, who has been shot in the head (as a Titan) more than enough, risk it all for each other and the goddamn plan. In the process, he gets decapitated (and I'm pretty sure his brain is still conscious) by a high-powered rifle shot to the neck, sending his head hurtling towards Zeke's outstretched hand.

I don't know if there's a single word and precise theme that describes the pattern here, but there is a pattern, which I personally find interesting. One set of brothers clings to each other as another pair of brothers (I consider Eren more or less complicit in this act) sacrifices them, killing one in the process and turning the other into a monster. The surviving half of a third pair of brothers lays down his life to save the remaining half of the first set. Lastly, the second pair tries to fulfill their destiny before one brother is (more or less) fatally injured by plot armor (GABI!).

Putting Porco and Marcel aside, let's focus on the Yeagers and the Grices. The older brother of one duo (Zeke) who is responsible for the death of the other pair's older brother (Colt) and the transformation of the little brother (Falco). He pays for this by being crippled and quite possibly losing his younger brother (Eren) to decapitation. The older Yeager survives and the younger Grice survives.

One half pays the price for destroying the bond of a whole by losing his other half. It feels like some sort of massive metaphor to me. Maybe it's inspired from story in a religion or mythos.

Beats me!