#Levi Ackerman in Shingeki no Kyojin Chapter 136 analysis

[ourmondobongo]

Levi Ackerman in Shingeki no Kyojin Chapter 136 analysis: Part 01/06

(I was trying to post them before the final chapter, but I'm just too slow in writing T-T Here it goes anyway...)

Hello, dear SnK readers!

This series of posts will be about an analysis of Levi's character in SnK's plot and especially in chapter 136.

Here, I'll flesh out parts of the dialogue, drawings, and plot analysis the best I can as one of Isayama's plot lovers and Levi Ackerman's huge fan.

This came from my sadness at seeing Levi's amazing character being ultimately reduced/downcasted/degraded for very unfair reasons that I particularly guess could become a little less unfair remembering certain aspects of his and SnK's story.

But, of course, you are free to like, dislike, agree or not! This will be my own viewpoint, after all. I just kindly ask you all to remember that respect is essential so we can keep a healthy talk!

Little explanation before we start...

For about 8 years now, I've been reading the manga and watching the anime.

So I do believe that more than writing a plot for pure gore or the sake of X or Z  romantic relationship (this last which sometimes is really and purposefully exaggerated in the anime by WIT Studio, and maybe I will write about it another time), for more than 11 years our dear Isayama presented the world an amazing thriller about human-eating creatures and complex human issues. 

I highlight this here because sometimes I think it is actually easy to forget how ample SnK gets discussing serious issues. Which in response might lead us to overlook details - especially if involves the expectations we carry over events/characters based on our desires rather than the core of the plot.

And in fact, from the beginning to the end, SNK brings us pain, violence, and bloodshed. But more importantly - it brings us questions about what freedom is; being powerful x powerlessness; political, social, and economic issues; conflicts and wars; culture of hate and prejudice; dimensions of fear; technological advances; socio and psychological issues; life and dreams and death (and for the sake of brevity I will stop here, but this list is just a scratch of what we have seen!)

So everything isn't just as "simplistic" as it seems.

Isayama only gives us 45 pages per chapter, so like the Paths, all details are connected between chapters, and they all matter!

Let's go!

ANALYSIS Chapter 136 Part 01/06: Number of the chapter

To understand Levi's character, monologue, and importance in this chapter, let's take a look into the context of what was happening in SnK's plot at the moment.

For this, I'll start from the very beginning: the number of the chapter! #136

The meaning of Number 136

I've seen a lot of people discussing number 139 (that will be AoT's last chapter) based on numerology. So I decided to search number 136 just by curiosity. And if this isn't amazing, I don't know what to say. (Highlights are on me.)

First source:

"The numerology energy represented by the number 136 expresses itself as a source, where things begin.

A beginning might be the start of anything — exploring new lands, leading a new mode of thought, manifesting something material, evolving something into a new form, discovering something — but generally involves a process for continued existence. Without a process along which the new might proceed, the beginning would also be the end.

[#136] It's also a nurturing energy, meaning it generally considers something's continued existence before beginning that something — instead of just starting things willy‑nilly."

(Souce: https://affinitynumerology.com/number-meanings/number-136-meaning.php)

Second source:

"Another way of looking at angel number 136 is as an expression of root number 1 (1+3+6=10, 1+0=1). The vibration of the number 1 is all about new beginnings, optimism, and inspired leadership.

136 assures us that we are on the right path, even if our situation has been a bit out of balance in recent months.

[...]number 136 relates to your prevailing thoughts and feelings. It carries a response to your prayers, hopes, and wishes.

You will discover that the more positive your thoughts are; the better are the results of your labor. Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes. This sign from your angels assures you that you are not alone. In case of any doubt, reach out to your angels for guidance.

Source: https://thesecretofthetarot.com/angel-number-136/)

And lastly:

"Your divine guides are alerting you that certain aspects of your life are coming to an end. As such, you should prepare for a new adventure.

This is an opportunity to take advantage of the gains you have made in the past. It’s also a chance to right your wrongs.

You have another chance to do things right."

Source: (https://thesecretofthetarot.com/angel-number-136/)

So, in summary, I can see that number 136 is about:

having new beginnings rooted in facts that happened in the past (nbp);

finding balance through tough times (bttt);

preparing for changes (c);

being sure you are doing the right thing even if it looks terrible or uncertain (dtrt);

a response to prayers, hopes, wishes, thoughts, and feelings;

second chances.

Now, now.

I know nothing about numerology material, really. And this number has absolutely nothing to do with Isayama's drafts for this chapter. But I can pinpoint a few nice lines about how the whole chapter carries some aspects of its numerology meaning:

We have a flying titan! (nb/c)

Annie is back to help everyone; (all)

Reiner and Falco remember their promise to save Gaby (bttt);

Levi takes over the SC's leadership in a crucial moment; (bttt/c/dtrt)

The SC finally decides to kill Eren; (all)

The shining parasite appears again (nb/c)

Marleyans save Eldians and vice versa; (all)

Levi's reminiscence about the past, his beloved SC teammates, and he reaffirming he did not regret letting Erwin die instead of Armin; (all)

Annie and Mikasa saving each other; (all)

Armin fighting with himself, his self-hate, weakness, and doubts; (all)

Armin meets Zeke in the Paths (all).

A few examples of the many connections happening here:

Having new beginnings rooted in facts that happened in the past (nbp);

The flying titan had been a recurring topic in (and out of) the manga for years- from the OVA when Pixis imagines a flying titan; then more seriously during Marley Arc and later on. Still, seeing it happen was definitely a new beginning for so many possibilities! And changed the endgame of SnK since it was how everyone was saved and then able to stop Eren later.

Having Annie back and saving everyone - including Mikasa (and vice versa) - is something unique in that we saw how they were real enemies at the beginning! Then they became more friendly in chapter 132, and now this chapter. (It was so nice for me!)

Finding balance through tough times (bttt);

Falco is our "bird" titan, and he saved everyone at their worst moment. This certainly can be a way to find a little balance through tough times. (Otherwise, everyone would be dead.)

Captain Levi taking the leadership while Armin is MIA and Annie calming Mikasa about killing Eren are also examples of finding balance in chaos. (I will get more into it later, but basically, amidst the pain and panic, we have heads focusing on what is important.)

Preparing for changes (c);

Falco's support gives the Allies a little bit of time to reorganize and correct their course of action. Then they have little time to take the most debated choice up until this point of the entire second part of SnK's story - killing Eren. This is a big change in terms of how it affects the whole story.

Meanwhile, the Marleyans and Eldians stopped fighting each other. This is the beginning of a big change that says a lot about how enemies can change in the face of death (again).

Armin fighting himself to help his friends - that monologue was rather raw, cruel, and a display of sheer desperation of a young man whose shoulders were impossibly heavy under the weight of failing to save his friends and the world.

Yet, he realizes a way out just in time to become the game-changer of the whole story/who would save the world - like Eren had long said to Levi when our Captain was deciding who would get the injection in that roof.

Being sure you are doing the right thing even if it looks terrible or uncertain (dtrt); a response to prayers, hopes, wishes; and second chances.

I will come back for this part later too (with mostly Levi), but even now it's undeniable that Levi's actions and his monologue can relate to this. Settling that everyone should finally give up on the idea of saving Eren/keeping him alive hurts the SC's members, looks terrible for them. But in the end, it was the right thing to do.

This is also an answer to the prayers and desperate pleas from the thousands or millions of people on the verge of dying before them and all around the world.

So Levi's final order about killing Eren is also a second chance he gets for them all to stop the mass-murdering they are witnessing, which would become 10 million times worse if Eren wasn't stopped...

(Chapter 134: In the depths of despair)

So, yeah, there are A LOT of things happening here in this chapter that we can single out just by a simple number interpretation. (And I swear I could keep going further on this too. But let's keep advancing for now…)

Complementary to our reading here, I also don't know how many people noticed it, but something that should be quite obvious about this whole chapter is that it's purposefully rooted in situations that marked significantly the characters in the past.

Why would it be that?

Well, because this chapter is answering the question the Marleyan Secretary made in the previous chapter (135):

In other words, the Marleyan Secretary is wondering - "Wow, there are enemies people fighting with their lives on the line against that monster. But why would they risk themselves? Why would they do something so dangerous and impossible when they would actually get benefits if the part of humanity who hated them vanished?"

"What exactly do you think they are fighting for…?" is the Marleyan question.

And I believe it can also be Isayama trying to reach his readers and make us wonder again - why are your brave and beloved characters fighting Eren instead of settling down and waiting while he literally incorporates the Devil and erases their enemies?

The answers are all (directly and indirectly) shown through personal reasons of Annie, Falco, Reiner, and especially Levi as to why, despite the deadly situation, they (and the rest of the allies) were still risking their lives to fight against such a living hell of a nightmare.

And while we read the chapter, especially Levi's part, we can say that concluding that "this chapter is really working like an answer" can also be supported by the chapter's title: "Dedicate your hearts" or "Devote your hearts".

I will explain the chapter's name in my others posts, though, because it will be quite long and involve many other chapters. But keep in mind that the Survey Corps is a core thought for Levi in #136, so we can now take a little dive into my point 04 - namely Levi's taking over the SC leadership in a crucial moment and his role in this part of SnK's plot!

(It will be in the Analysis Part 02!)