#snk chapter 136

[momtaku]

What do you think about the panel where Levi says he has no regrets about not picking Erwin? It kind of bothers me because it invalidates Levi's conflict then when deciding whom to give the serum to.

The wording of your ask is very different from how I see it, Anon. On that rooftop, Levi did pick Erwin. He picked Erwin over everyone and everything, including what was best for himself, the survey corps and humanity.

Levi's decision was never about who was right, or better, or more deserving, or more pure, or any of the nonsense people have floated these last 5 years. Levis admitted his decision was based on his feelings for Erwin and not anything logical. Plain and simple, Levi decided that he couldn’t drag Erwin back into the hell of their existence after Erwin had finally found peace. The way Levi saw it, humanity would be ok enough in the hands of others. Erwin deserved to rest. Levi wasn't going to allow Erwin to continue in a role that had already taken so much from him.

So I was not at all surprised in 136 when Levi said he didn't regret his decision. Prioritizing Erwin in this way was something Levi would never regret. 

Thanks for the ask!

[commandereyebrow]

Summary of snk chapter 136

[h0estar]

with the new chapter fast approaching, i just wanted everyone to know that even tho Armin has the highest chance of survival out of everyone in the alliance rn, i still found the time and effort to make him a prayer circle. so please, everyone, let us join hands together in prayer as we sit around the fire and fucking sing Kumbaya mf live 🕯️🙏

[rivaille-13]

RIVAMIKA Development

Chapter 132: (Small details)

"Everyone start inspecting your equipment."

From R-L panel: Could be that Mikasa assisted Levi with the inspection of equipments?

Chapter 133:

"Just... Lend me your strength."

Mikasa's face expression. Helping each other out.

Chapter 133: (Paths - Silent interaction)

Needless to explain the way Levi looks at her and agree with her.

Chapter 134 & Chapter 135

Protection and Guidance.

Chapter 135:

Levi: "... Even if I was in top shape... I still wouldn't choose to charge into that. So stay calm. Mikasa. Don't rush. Wait for me to get their attention. I'll act as bait."

Mikasa: "Captain!!"

Trust and concern.

Desperation.

Chapter 136:

• Realizations.

I did include the others' faces. I think it's a great way to let the readers know that Connie and Jean realized that both Levi and Mikasa felt the same way when accepting that it's time to let their lieges go.

Chapter 137:

Acceptance and care.

Parallels showing that only the two of them are looking in the same direction.

----------------------------------------------------

There is so many more I like to mention, so many RivaMika panels and interaction that happened since Chapter 132 up to date... But shitty tumblr only allowed me ten pictures for a post. So I chose the most important ones (Cause hell, every RM panel for me is fucking important) and yeah. Here it is. If RivaMika still not canon, I don't know anymore ahah.

[ldwoolart]

Am I the only one not upset with the leaks? First of all we are getting tiny glimpses of a chapter with no context and second we still have 2 chapters left after this one. I get being worried about how the manga is going to end but the amount of anger and hateful comments I am seeing before the chapter has even released is a little ridiculous.

[paliira]

~~ My Eruri thoughts on chapter 136 ~~

It seems like even though Levi says he has no regrets about having not chosen Erwin his look & expression full of despair says exactly the opposite. I mean he definitely wouldn't like to bring Erwin back to this hell but he does miss him A LOT.

I think Levi is ready to sacrifice himself in the name of his promise and a higher goal that Erwin would approve of. The salvation of mankind has now turned into a beautiful metaphor since Isayama showed that even in the face of impending death from the rumbling the Marley and Eldians are still killing each other. Did Levi, Erwin and their comrades imagine the world to be like this? In their dreams it was idealized, it was innocent and beautiful. Therefore, I can assume Levi is unlikely to want to stay in this world, he already believes that this real cruel world is not worthy of his friends' deaths.

So it's probably the time for us to mentally prepare for his death. Damn, I understand it perfectly well that this will be the logical conclusion of his story, but the mere thought of it hurts me so much I can't!! T_T

And as for Levi's regrets of course he stays true to his decision and would not want Erwin to see this nightmare. Here he is straightforward as always. I'm just curious if he has ever regretted that Erwin was not around? Did he allow himself to feel these egoistic desires, did he miss Erwin? Has it ever happened that his personal feelings to be near Erwin, to talk to him, just to feel his presence ever prevail over his decision to free Erwin from the fate of becoming a devil?

Now as I am typing this I realize that probably Levi did not allow himself such thoughts... In my mind he is already the personification of altruism in this story. His heart is too pure and beautiful for this world. And considering how many times Levi's inner thoughts were shown to us after chapter 84, this is exactly the number of times he remembered Erwin, that is, we can conclude he is constantly on his mind... Oh God I can't stop thinking about them 😭💕

Idk if killing Zeke is relevant anymore... I just hope Levi will make the right decision and if he has to die his death will be one of the most honorable and dignified. Can we hope for one last Eruri scene? 😔🥺🙏

[bunneechan]

There was barely any Annie and Bertholdt interaction but she really cared about him okay

[sunnysunsins]

He's precious even as a gigantic bird monster

(I'm too lazy to translate my notes, but i basically just wanted to do a quick sketch of my son resting and (as always) got carried away with overanalyzing the details)

The note-less version of the sketch:

And some cuteness in a little head tilt and a really tiny FaruGabi:

"Hey Gabi, do you have a boyfriend?"

"I do! He's a 5 meter titan with gigantic claws and a jaw that can crush diamond. Oh, and he can also sprout a 70 meter wingspan at will! He's so cool, right?"

[vnillabeanbby]

Shingeki No Kyojin Ch.136 SPOILERS!!!

Isayama...sis...MISS GURL.

please stop hurting my babies like this. PLEASE. they deserve nothing but happiness but yet here they are, suffering 🥲

Look at Levi’s face while he’s remembering Erwin. lmaooooooiaminpainoooooooo

MY POOR BABY ARMIN. He’s being so hard on himself and for what? ugh I just wanna hug both of them rn

[annashittyglasses]

“Erwin...I didn’t pick you...and I have no regrets about that.”

“About entrusting the future to that kid who had the same look in his eyes as you.” -Levi Ackerman, ch.136

Armin is such a cutie patootie. Such a precious baby.

[momtaku]

//Spoilers 136// Hi! What did you think of Levi's monologue? Did you see it as Levi moving forward by letting go of his revenge against Zeke, asserting that his choice to chose Armin was the good one and overcoming his survivor guilt? Or did you see it more as a farewell, a potential death flag, a sign that his role is over? Maybe something else? I'm a bit confused about this part so I'm looking for op thoughts!

It would be an understatement to say I loved it. Levi’s monologue was a reiteration of what I already knew, a clarification of things I’d suspected, and mostly just an affirmation of everything I love about Levi. 

 I’m going to take it panel by panel.

“Where is Zeke?  Where is he?  

“Must kill monke” has become a meme at this point so it’s no surprise that Levi is still hyper focused on Zeke. He opens his monologue with the thought that’s been in the forefront of his mind since RTS.

Even if I did find him, I’d just be a burden in this state.  Dammit… 

We get a look at the damage from the titan bite last chapter. Levi’s gear is mangled. His leg is as well. Levi is accepting that he can no longer fight. 

My interpretation of this is that Isayama is managing our expectations as well. We’ve been asking for 55 chapters whether or not Levi will kill the beast titan. This might be our answer. 

I’ve never bungled one of his orders, not even once.  And yet for some reason, his final order is the one that I just can’t….

What’s so interesting is that Erwin never ordered Levi to kill the beast titan. That was Levi’s own promise in reaction to Erwin’s sacrifice. Levi has internalized this order and made it a focus on his own. 

Interesting too, this is the first time Levi’s flashback hasn’t included Erwin’s smile. I think Levi’s disappointment in himself is coloring his memory here causing him to see Erwin as disappointed. 

Recognizing that he most likely can’t kill Zeke, Levi now reflects on the bigger picture.

Our role may have ended there, we got those brats to the sea.  If that was the extent of our role, tell me…

Finally we get clarification on why listening to Armin’s dream affected Levi so profoundly.  It’s connected to the mission of the Survey Corps.

The mission of the Survey Corps was very specific. In simplest terms, the Survey Corps was the military division in charge of the exploration and reclamation of human territory from Titan-infested lands. That mission was fulfilled when the titan threat was eradicated and the entire Island was deemed habitable. Levi is acknowledging that reaching the sea fulfilled the original Survey Corps mission.

Listening to Armin’s talk, even before the basement truths were discovered, Levi recognized that Armin’s mission extended beyond the Survey Corps. Armin was looking, not just past the walls, but into whatever existed beyond the territory they hoped to reclaim. Levi valued that.

When you guys devoted yourselves, was that in order to trample the hearts and lives of others?

After thinking about the original SC mission, Levi is now reflecting on how those ideals would translate into their modern predicament. Their mission was officially land reclamation, but they wore the wings of freedom in symbolism of that. He’s asking how far would they go to secure their land and their freedom from threats.

 No…when we dreamed of a world without Titans I’m pretty sure that was an absurdly innocent and idealized world, because if it wasn’t, it won’t have been worth what they devoted.  

Their world was small before the basement. They couldn’t have known about the threats beyond their small island, but if they did, Levi is confident that they would never have devoted themselves to it’s destruction. Levi is here reiterating that no one would support the genocide. Not Erwin. Not Mike. Not his squad. 

This acknowledgement is important to Levi in the face of his acceptance that he might not kill Zeke. Reaffirming that the original Survey Corps would’ve fought on the side of humanity, might help ease any guilt he might feel.

I know my friend @lostcauses-noregrets​ has answered dozens of asks about whether or not Levi would choose humanity over Zeke. I’ve entertained a few myself. We’ve stated over and over (and in her case, and over again) that Levi cares about humanity.  But understanding now how Levi believes he fulfilled his role when the kids reached the ocean makes it easy to see why he could focus on Zeke. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about humanity, obviously he did, but he viewed himself primarily as a member of the original survey corps. This was the last item on his to do list.

Reflecting now on how Erwin and the others would prioritize humanity is likely a comforting thought for Levi. He might not kill Zeke, but he can still honor those he loved by continuing to fight no matter what. Perhaps he grips his weapon in the panel that follows as an indication of his resolve.

Erwin, I didn’t pick you, and I have no regrets about that. About entrusting the future to that kid who had the same look in his eyes as you.

If I die of heartbreak, this is the line that does it. I’ve written elsewhere that Levi would not regret his decision to let Erwin rest because that decision was never about who was right, or better, or deserved it, or was more pure, or any of the ideas I’ve seen floating about these last 4.5 years. Levis made his decision based entirely on his own feelings for Erwin. He couldn’t drag Erwin back into the hell of their existence after Erwin had finally found peace. Levi let Erwin rest, confident that he could fulfill the remainder of Erwin’s mission. That’s not something Levi could regret.  Entrusting whatever comes next to “that kid who had the same look in his eyes as you” is as poetic as it gets. I almost can’t believe it’s Levi uttering those words. But Levi sees Erwin in Armin and that why he can entrust the future to him. 

Thanks for the ask! This was fun 💕

[sitapoes]

They never could’ve guessed what the world they devoted their hearts for would be like.

[pleasantanathema]

If you had told me it would be canon that Zeke builds sandcastles, I would not have fucking believed you. 

[whats-her-quirk]

TAGGING SPOILERS BUT

who else is laughing about zeke’s pity party around the sandcastle

[bunneechan]

Things that keep me up at night:

There are only 3 chapters left in Attack on Titan

There are still a lot of unanswered questions and a lot that need closure

They aren't even close to wrapping things up with Eren

The possibility of an open ending may or may not drive me insane

What is the point of Historia at this point?

Will the curse even end?

Dhfkgllglhlglskskkrktlcchsk

[rivaille-13]

Latest chapter got me lost for words. I just let my smol Levi illustrate my baffled emotions ._.

Don't die. Survive.

- Levi Ackerman