#attack on titan analysis

Another moment I loved in Ch54/55

We get more backstory on Nile AND Erwin all in one scene. I don’t know if this was mentioned in the anime, but Nile was actually planning on joining the Scouts with Erwin. But he fell in love with someone and chose to be close to her/protect her, then chose Military Police. (Spoilers) This makes Nile’s ending even more impactful and saddening, because we KNOW how important his wife and family is to him. He had the chance to go back to them but chose to press on forward to his demise.

And then we get this from Erwin!

Like?? EXCUSE ME??? Erwin was in love with Nile’s wife back then?!?!? But instead of pursuing her, he chose Titans/truth. Not only does this kinda establish Nile as a type of foil to Erwin (he is what Erwin could’ve been and vise versa), but it also gives Erwin more dimension. It emphasizes that Erwin chose to lose out on a normal life in search of the truth of his father’s words. He chose avenging his father by pursuing truth, and sacrificed ‘normal’ things like love, etc.

Cherry on top is Nile’s sassy crossed arms after realizing the fact that his wife could’ve been swooped by Erwin Smith if the guy wasn’t obsessed w Titans/truth