So I have a few opinions as a non-manga reader. Based on the comments I've seen so far, it seems a lot of readers who hated the manga ending were a bit more ok with how the anime executed it, specifically with how they changed Armin agreeing to Eren's genocide plan in the manga.

My one minor gripe is how Eren/Ymir undid the titan change of the secondary/minor characters (Jean, Connie, Gabi, Annie's/Pieck's/Reiner's parents, etc.). I feel like the impact would've been greater if only the primary titans lose their abilities, and the rest died. Jean and Connie's conversation before they turned was amazing and them coming back made it lose its impact. Then maybe Annie and Pieck go into self exile because of what happens and only Armin and Reiner return as ambassadors. Oh maybe Annie stays for Armin.

Question for the people who are more knowledgeable: I get Eren and Armin conversing on the beach and Eren wiping it from Armin's memory until the after the end, but when does Eren and Mikasa hiding out in the countryside happen?

[–] GrossMargin@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Since the power to wipe memories doesn't work on Mikasa, it would've happened right at the end just before Mikasa knew Eren's head was in the mouth.

[–] scytale@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Thanks. But the actual event itself where they are talking - did that actually happen in real life? Since Mikasa's memories can't wiped, was that actually a conversation they had in their minds and did not happen in reality like Eren and Armin's conversations? Sorry it's been so long and I don't remember all the details of the previous seasons if there was a scene and setting like that.

[–] GrossMargin@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The cabin scene happens in the Paths same as the Armin meeting. It's Eren and Mikasa "dreaming" of the life they weren't able to have together. Similar to Eren and Armin visiting the far away places they had dreamed of when reading Armin's book together.

The cabin scene would've happened in a timeline where Mikasa had confessed her feelings to Eren when they were in Marley together. When Mikasa calls him family. If Mikasa had confessed her feelings instead, Eren would've left everything behind to go and live in peace for the last four years Eren had left before his Titan timer ran out. Of course as a result, in that hypothetical timeline, Eren doesn't go forward with the rumbling and he therefore gives up his ability to guarantee his friends' safety.

The thing is, there is no alternate timeline in AOT. The future Eren saw when kissing Historia's hand was the only timeline that would happen. Mikasa wouldn't confess her feelings, Armin and Eren wouldn't be able to look at the wonders of the world together, and Eren would always follow through with the Rumbling, dooming himself while saving his friends in the process.

[–] scytale@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

happens in the Paths same as the Armin meeting

Thanks for the clarification. One more thing, in the conversation between Eren and Armin at the beach, Eren tells Armin that he will wipe his memory and he will only remember what they talked about in the end. Doesn't that mean it actually happened (there was a beach scene in the previous season) and did not just occur in the Paths?

[–] GrossMargin@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Correct. That all happened in Paths. It's all still "real" in that they do actually talk to each other before the end (all Eldians are connected to each other through Paths). It just didn't happen in the physical world is all.

[–] offthecrossbar@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago

Having just watched it last night, I had the same gripe as you did regarding the titan changes coming undone, but now I think it kinda works well with the shift in tone we get when it's revealed that despite the events that took place, the cycle is doomed to continue.

There's a real sense of optimism after the fight that I think is actually pretty important to one of AoT's messages about how even if we're trapped in these awful cycles, there are moments within those cycles where things can be good and worth living for.