Why did Eren turn evil?

Eren Yeager's transformation, often perceived as a turn to "evil," stemmed from a complex interplay of traumatic experiences, the shocking truth about his world, and an unyielding desire for freedom. His actions were ultimately driven by a desperate attempt to protect his home and friends from a world intent on their destruction.

The Catalyst: A Journey Shaped by Trauma and Revelation

Eren's path was not a sudden descent but a gradual, horrifying evolution influenced by profound personal losses and a series of shocking discoveries about the true nature of his world.

Early Traumas and Losses

From a young age, Eren was exposed to unimaginable horror, which deeply scarred his psyche and forged his resolve:

• Witnessing His Mother's Death: The traumatic sight of his mother, Carla Yeager, being devoured by a Titan during the Fall of Shiganshina was a pivotal moment. This event instilled in him an initial, burning hatred for Titans and a vow to exterminate them all.
• Loss of Comrades: As he joined the Survey Corps, Eren continually witnessed the gruesome deaths of his fellow soldiers and close friends. This constant exposure to mortality, particularly the loss of individuals he cared about, reinforced his conviction that extreme measures were necessary for survival. Notable examples during the Titan invasion of Trost include:
  • Marco Bott
  • Thomas Wagner
  • Mina Carolina

These repeated losses cemented his resolve to fight relentlessly, no matter the cost.

The Truth of the World

A turning point occurred when Eren and his comrades learned the devastating truth about their world beyond the walls:

• Humanity's Existence Beyond Paradis: The revelation that humanity thrived outside their island, but viewed Eldians as devils deserving of extermination, shattered Eren's previous worldview. He realized that the Titans were merely tools in a larger global conflict.
• The Cycle of Hatred: Understanding the long history of persecution against Eldians convinced him that there was no peaceful resolution. The world's collective hatred for Paradis Island meant that a war of annihilation was inevitable.

This discovery shifted his focus from fighting Titans to confronting the entire global population, which he perceived as an existential threat to his people.

The Influence of the Attack Titan and Future Memories

Eren's unique ability as the wielder of the Attack Titan, which allowed him to see into the future and influence past Attack Titan users, played a critical role in his decisions.

• Visions of the Future: Eren saw fragmented, yet horrifying, visions of the future – specifically, the total annihilation of Paradis Island and his friends – if he did not take drastic action. These visions solidified his belief that the Rumbling was the only way to break the cycle of violence and secure the survival of his people.
• Predetermined Path: The Attack Titan's ability to be guided by future memories meant that Eren was, in some ways, following a predetermined path, constantly pushing himself towards the outcome he foresaw. This burden of knowing the future and the immense responsibility to alter it weighed heavily on him.

The Pursuit of Absolute Freedom

At his core, Eren has always been driven by an intense, almost obsessive, desire for freedom.

• Breaking the Walls: Initially, freedom meant breaking free from the walls that confined them and seeing the world.
• Eliminating the Threat: Once the truth was revealed, freedom evolved to mean eradicating any entity that threatened the existence or liberty of his people. To Eren, the outside world represented a larger, more insidious "wall" that needed to be torn down for Paradis to truly be free.

Eren's Justification for the Rumbling

Eren's decision to initiate the Rumbling, while catastrophic, was born from a utilitarian perspective: sacrificing the majority of humanity to save his own people and ensure their future. He believed it was the only way to escape the cycle of hatred and achieve true freedom for Paradis Island. His transformation was not out of malice for its own sake, but out of an extreme, desperate measure to protect those he loved and the future of his homeland.