Would Erwin support Eren's ruined plan?

Key conclusions

• Ervin's calculated ruthlessness may have supported Eren Rambling's plan as a strategic deterrent to Marley.
• Erwin's pragmatism and strategic mind could have led to diplomatic solutions rather than total destruction of Eren.
• Erwin's legacy as a leader suggests that he would support a restrained Rumbling, using it as a deterrent rather than an apocalyptic measure.

U Attack on Titanleadership and morality are deeply intertwined themes in which characters must make impossible choices in order to survive. After discovering Marley and the outside world, the story tests the characters' resolve, asking how far they would go to protect humanity. Although the method is different, leaders like Eren and Erwin have ideals opposed to each other; they have one thing in common: to give up everything for an idea. The search for what drives these characters reveals the twists and turns of personal and moral impasses they find themselves in.

One of the most intriguing “what ifs” in the Attack on Titan should be: If Erwin Smith had survived, would he have supported Rumling Eren's controversial plan or not. Much of his calculated ruthlessness was integral to many victories within the walls. The question is, does that pragmatism extend to a cataclysmic move like Rumbling? This can only be guessed. Conjecture, of course, will lead one to explore Erwin's character, his motivations, and what kind of reaction might occur to the threat that Marley poses.

Erwin's ideal and ruthlessness

A dream sanctified by the death of his father

His journey began with the death of his father, who came up with a theory that there was a place beyond the walls where humanity existed. This opinion was rejected by both society and the government. This instilled in Ervin a deep conviction to know if it was true, even if it cost him his life. Unlike most people within the walls, he knew that somewhere in this world there could be life beyond, shaping his worldview to reveal secrets hidden from the public eye. The mysterious circumstances of his father's death only strengthened his determination to defy the odds and ultimately prove his father right.

He often found himself in a moral gray area because of this quest to find the truth. He's known for his sacrifices, and Erwin weighed the greater good against his personal ambitions at every turn, just like Eren. In Ervin's case, any risk worth taking was fair game, even if the price was putting his comrades in danger. This beastly ambition, cutting across ethics, would later draw parallels to Eren's thinking against the Marleyan threat.

Erwin and Eren's mindset

Realizing that success requires sacrifice

Both Erwin and Eren display a certain level of single-mindedness that makes them relentless in their pursuit of their visions. For Erwin this meant getting answers he believed to be outside the walls, while for Eren it was a matter of ensuring the safety and freedom of the Eldians at all costs. In pursuit of their goals, each took morally challenging actions to which they were subject, and which appeared extreme to others.

In many ways, Erwin's mentality resembles Eren's determination in the series' final arcs. Erwin never did anything as drastic as mass murder, but many of his plans involved sacrifices that most people's moral code would deem off-limits. Bearing in mind Erwin's pragmatic nature, he would probably see Grucat as the lesser of two evils, but how far he would go in indulging it is anyone's guess.

Would Erwin support Rumbling?

Calculations of the leader in the face of total war

Had Erwin lived to learn of Marley's involvement and oppression of the Eldians, he might have made a more strategic decision about this new threat. His curiosity was finally quenched when he learned of Marley's existence; Perhaps Erwin's ambitions would be to secure the safety of the Eldians without the need for total annihilation. Instead of the Roar, he had the ability to create some diplomacy or other method, as he had a remarkable ability to observe situations in an unobserved way.

At the same time, however, Erwin was a realist, and he knew that the Marlians had nurtured and passed down their hatred of the Eldians for generations. So he may have agreed to Roar as a deterrent to further attacks, but not to Eren's proposed course of action to wipe out most of humanity. So Erwin probably presented a balancing argument where Rumbling could be used more as leverage rather than an actual plan.

Erwin's reaction to Eren's actions

Leading or confronting a former comrade

Eren's actions in the Roar, an extreme measure based on his desire to protect Paradise, may have elicited Erwin's sympathy. Perhaps he appreciated the usefulness of Eren's powers in getting Marley and the rest of the world to discuss their positions. Conversely, as a tactician, he would definitely be opposed to the scale of Eren's plan, and thus would instead level his controlled use for the purpose of balancing rather than genocide.

If Erwin was strongly against Eren's methods, then he could have tried to stop him by offering another solution, since we already know how desperate Eren was when he tried to force Hanji, if she knew a better way, knowing what the moral implications and what at the cost of complete destruction, perhaps leading to the Parade. Alternatively, he could negotiate with Eren, offering a vision that could protect the Eldians without destroying the entire world. Such guidance could change the course of Eren's plans and perhaps soften the blow of the conflict.

How could the result be changed

Paradis and Eldia are on a different path.

If Erwin had influenced Eren, the course of events in the Attack on Titan it would be different. While Eren decided to go to full-scale war, Erwin would steer the story towards a negotiated approach, appealing to the interests of the Council and the outside world. Perhaps with his strategic mind, Erwin could solve the problem and save Eldia without plunging the world into chaos, thus charting a new path to peace.

Another example of this parallel universe would be the question of whether or not Paradise needs to exist under tension if neither Marley nor the world is completely devastated. With Erwin at the helm, who would lead Paradis, there could be just as much defensive preparation to make limited shows of force to deter them from their diplomatic impasses, to leave room for further alliances or understandings.

Potential impact on the Rumbling plan

A leader torn between ideals and reality

Erwin's legacy as a calculated yet idealistic leader suggests that his approach to the Marlean threat was different from Eren's. Although he shared Eren's willingness to do whatever was necessary, Erwin's strategic nature and thirst for knowledge may have led him to a decision far less devastating. If Erwin were to support Eren, it would likely be a tepid endorsement aimed at using Rumbling more as a deterrent than an apocalyptic endgame.

The question of Erwin's hypothetical involvement in the Rumble is a tricky one: will his belief in realistic approaches willingly accept the course of Eren's plan, or will his ideal push him to take a more balanced approach? Fans can only speculate, but one thing remains clear: Erwin's presence would leave an indelible mark on the storyline Attack on Titan and perhaps led him to a fate far from what he actually met.