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What if the ending of Attack on Titan isn’t what it seems? Here’s the fan theory: some believe Hajime Isayama planned for Eren Yeager to succeed in his quest, letting the cycle of violence continue, and only changed it under pressure—meaning the “canon” ending is actually an alternate, softened version.
The theory traces back to Isayama himself. In September 2013, he said he was aiming to end the manga in 20 volumes. At that time, he intended for the series to have a tragic conclusion, inspired by the film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Mist, where every character dies. He considered a version where the protagonists do not break the cycle of suffering—Eren’s actions lead to total destruction, not peace.
Fans cite multiple clues. The most direct comes from Isayama’s own interviews. In November 2018, a Japanese documentary revealed that Isayama struggled with completing the manga, and acknowledged fan expectations were influencing his decisions. By June 2020, he said only 5% of the manga was left, but was still weighing how to end the story. This suggested he hadn’t finalized the ending, despite years of serialization and detailed planning for major plot reveals.
Another clue is the narrative structure up to the finale. Attack on Titan spends over 130 chapters building Eren’s resolve, showing the futility of peace within the walls, and portraying the outside world as just as hostile as the Titans. By chapter 139, Eren’s defeat and the sudden dissolution of Titan powers feels abrupt to some fans, who see it as inconsistent with earlier foreshadowing and moral ambiguity.
Counterarguments are substantial. Isayama always planned key plot points in advance, mapping out which volume would reveal major “truths.” The series’ pacing and thematic focus on cycles of hatred align with the final arc, which ends with the power of the Titans vanishing and the survivors beginning peace talks. The manga’s publication timeline further undermines the theory—by January 2021, Kodansha announced the final chapter would be released after an eleven-year run, and Isayama confirmed he was finishing the story on his terms.
Sales data adds another perspective: by November 2023, Attack on Titan had over 140 million copies in circulation. The story’s global popularity may have influenced editorial and authorial decisions, but it doesn’t prove the ending was forced or inauthentic to Isayama’s vision.
So, is the alternate ending theory believable? There’s real evidence Isayama considered darker outcomes. He repeatedly mentioned wanting a tragic conclusion, and was surprised by the manga’s success. But there’s no documented proof he was pressured by publishers or fans to change the ending at the last minute. The canon ending—Mikasa killing Eren, the Titans’ curse ending, and a devastated world seeking peace—is the only version released, collected in 34 volumes from March 17, 2010, to June 9, 2021.
Why does this theory matter so much to fans? Attack on Titan’s ending is tangled up with identity—Eren’s, the Eldians’, even the fandom’s. Many connected with the story’s bleakness and refusal to offer easy answers. For fans who saw themselves in Eren’s struggle, the sudden hope in the final chapter felt like a twist in the narrative—and a twist in what the story was saying about human nature and cycles of hatred.
For those hungry for more speculation, here’s another theory to chase: some believe Ymir Fritz manipulated every event from the Paths, making the entire story a loop she alone controls.