#become the alpha bro average anime symbol damaged his reputation even further

[bittergirlsworld]

My thoughts on Erwin Smith as a character (very badly elaborated, I fear) after reading again the Uprising Arc and RTS Arc

Been thinking and I don't believe he wanted to know if his father was right or not, because being killed by the government was an answer to this itself; he wanted to prove the "world" that his father was right therefore innocent, so his life was taken for nothing. It explains his mental state and the reason why he saw himself as a first class con man (Isym also describes him as a con man, so it was probably the true about his person) because you need to have insane manipulation skills and a very loose sense of attachment to ascend in a military hierarchy while keeping secret of something this heavy. It surprises no one how much of a mad man he was in his last months. This kind of guilty wouldn't scratch a second thought in a actual evil person but he was not evil at all. He was never flippant about the lives that died under his command; he single-handedly created the formation that cut human losses expedition after expedition, so the argument that he didn't cared about casualties does not stand for too long.

I think it's also never taken in consideration the setting where erwin was made commander: the reputation of the Survey Corps was in flames due Shadis bad admin + public outburst, Shadis was the first commander that left the chair before dies and in the day Erwin assumed, Wall Maria fell; short after, the government sent that mock expedition to "reclaim the wall" that was just population control and it was under his commandership but he didn't had a single say in this matter.

It was crucial to the Paradis rulers that the general public hated the scouts and saw them coming back every expedition dead and broken: it kept them compliant with living trapped within walls and every time someone questioned this (ex: Eren) was just use the scouts as an example of what happens when you venture outside the walls: you either get insane, broken or you die. The SC was part of the propaganda the government used to keep their population alienated and on a leash (also burning books, murder thinkers and revolutionaries; the conversation Kenny has with grandpa Ackerman where he says that they even killed their own to avoid questions on why existed diversity within people [implied in-walls genocide?])

Yes, he was a master manipulator, ruthless and a political genius, orchestrated a coup on his own with two or three allies, the man was brilliant through and through. But I think people get these traits and paint him as someone who slaughters and coerce and that's just not the truth. He was very honest with the adversities that the scouts faced it, from the casualties to the tight budget. Who did he coerced into staying? Erwin is portraited as someone who spent so much time lying to himself that he started to believe his own lies so they became his twisted truth. It was to prove his father, yes, but it wasn't for humanity too? Wouldn't humanity benefit of it? Wouldn't they all be as free as you can be? Wouldn't people stop to die over limited resources, Wouldn't the underground become pointless, Wouldn't land be available? Wouldn't humanity benefit?

Erwin was also a character created to serve a purpose in the story (a foil to the MC, a counterpart to the important captain, a political genius to establish the queen, a inspirational commander to follow, a reliable leader to expeditions, a good soldier when you need to see him fighting, a professional yapper when you need a speech) every appearance of his was very plot driven. He would be more of an inconvenience being alive, so he needed to go now he served his purpose: lead them to shinganshina. He was always meant to die in that roof. Having a presence that feels this large compromise a lot of the personhood of a character. More of a tool, less of a person. He was only humanised when people saw him through Levi's eyes (and this is not a "eruri" comment. See their relationship as soldiers, friends or lovers, the only time Erwin is human, it's when Levi decides to free him).

(On a side note: Erwin was extremely suicidal on his last months alive. He had little regard for his life and physical integrity, going as far as to say "I am replaceable" and "Use me as a bait". Of course, plot wise was crucial that he was present on Shinganshina, he needed to die and also the mission as it was projected would not succeed without him. His last speech, as a iconic as it is, sounds pretty much as a depressed person telling you life is meaningless. He recovers himself, barely, in the second part of said speech when he talks about the fallen comrades, even then, it's a man burdened by guilty talking. When he loses his arm, he doesn't allow himself the pain of it. His answer is that he deserves it.

Doesn't escapes me that in all the manga, almost every interaction Erwin has, people make sure to remark how evil he is, how ruthless and inhuman and cruel, for things he had absolutely no control over. Added with the guilt he already had since a child, his mind was in a state of decaying for decades when the main events of AOT happen.

It hurts more because (and I am aware that's an unpopular opinion) he had absolutely no fault on what happened to his father. Who gives knowledge that can get both of you killed to a child and doesn't even instruct them to keep it shut? His father failed him. He would be offended if people point this, tho. Pixys' reaction to his story shows a bit how outsiders react to it when he tells him.

The most heartbreaking line is when he smiles after Connie tells about his family (which wasn't right of him at all, but then again, he wasn't in his right mind) and Levi says he makes him sick and his answer is a sigh and a "I've been told this since I was a child". That man had such a twisted sense of self that he was miles away to even be considered a shell of a person.)

In a way, I'm glad his character ended as it did. I'm genuinely glad he never reached that cellar. The truth of it all was not only disappointing but cruel and staying alive he would be the one leading them into this unknown hell and the one burdening the blame for all these things out of his control. Prove his father right would be the most pyrric victory ever. As they say, thank you, Levi.