Debating Attack on Titan's Final Season Choices

If you want to start a heated debate among anime fans, just bring up the final season of Attack on Titan. This show’s last act made choices that split its enormous fandom down the middle—sometimes with a single episode, sometimes with a single brutal line. Today, I’m counting down the top 5 most controversial story choices from Attack on Titan’s final season. Whether you loved it, hated it, or just can’t believe they went there, these moments fired up forums, launched a thousand YouTube essays, and probably ended a few group chats. Let’s break them down, starting at number five.

Number 5: The Studio Switch from Wit Studio to MAPPA

The final season of Attack on Titan aired its first episode on December 7, 2020, but it didn’t just bring new plot twists. It brought a new look and new energy, thanks to the handoff from Wit Studio to MAPPA. Wit animated the first three seasons, earning acclaim for kinetic action and bold visual style. MAPPA took over for the final season, with Yuichiro Hayashi and Jun Shishido directing, and Hiroshi Seko writing scripts. Kohta Yamamoto joined Hiroyuki Sawano to handle music. Fans instantly noticed changes in animation style and tone. Some praised MAPPA for handling a massive workload under tight schedules, while others pointed out differences in fight choreography and character models. Arguments broke out over CGI Colossal Titans during The Rumbling, and whether the atmosphere had shifted too far from the earlier seasons. The debate wasn’t just about visuals; it was about whether the soul of the show changed with the studio.

Number 4: The Introduction of Marleyan Perspectives

Attack on Titan’s final act upended expectations by shifting its spotlight from Paradis Island to Marley. For the first time, episodes focused on Reiner Braun, Gabi Braun, and Falco Grice—new characters on the “enemy” side. The show opened with the aftermath of war and the reality of life in Marley, recontextualizing previous villains as victims of their own propaganda. Some viewers praised the choice for adding depth and moral complexity, but others complained it slowed the story and sidelined beloved characters like Mikasa Ackerman and Levi Ackerman. The opening episodes of season four contain minimal screen time for Eren Yeager and his friends, instead building sympathy for Marleyan soldiers and Warrior candidates. For many fans, this shift was bold storytelling; for others, it felt like a bait-and-switch after years of investment in the original cast.

Number 3: Gabi Braun’s Killing of Sasha Braus

On January 10, 2021, fans witnessed one of the season’s most polarizing deaths: Gabi Braun, a young Marleyan Warrior candidate, boarded an airship and shot Sasha Braus. Sasha, known as “Potato Girl,” had become a fan favorite since season one. Her sudden, almost random death at the hands of a newcomer ignited immediate backlash. Some viewers labeled Gabi as irredeemable, while others argued that the story was showing the cycle of hatred and the loss of innocence on both sides. Social media trended with “Gabi hate,” but some fans pushed back, discussing how Gabi’s arc mirrored Eren’s early motivations. The controversy didn’t fade quickly. Weeks after the episode, debates raged over whether the decision to kill Sasha was “shock value” or necessary narrative escalation.

Number 2: The Global Genocide of The Rumbling

Perhaps the most jaw-dropping plot twist of the final season was Eren Yeager’s decision to unleash The Rumbling. Eren used the Founding Titan’s power to release hundreds of thousands of Colossal Titans from within Paradis’ walls, sending them marching across the world in a genocidal wave. The Rumbling represented a literal apocalypse, with Eren declaring the intent to destroy all life outside the island. This was not just a shift in scale—it was an explicit choice to turn the protagonist into an antihero, or outright villain. Fans argued ferociously over Eren’s motivations: some saw him as a tragic product of endless war, others condemned the narrative for appearing to rationalize genocide. This story choice forced viewers to grapple with questions of morality, trauma, and cycle-of-violence rhetoric that went far beyond typical shonen anime fare.

Number 1: Eren Yeager’s Death and the Resolution of the Titan Power

Topping the list, and guaranteed to fuel arguments for years, is the series’ ultimate resolution: Eren’s death at the hands of Mikasa Ackerman, and the abrupt end of all Titan powers. In the final confrontation, Mikasa kills Eren, which in turn causes the mysterious source of Titan power to vanish. All Titans revert to human form, and the “curse of Ymir” lifts. The show reveals that Eren orchestrated much of the story to ensure his friends would be hailed as heroes for killing him and stopping The Rumbling—seemingly sacrificing himself to spare a fifth of humanity. The epilogue leaps forward three years, showing Paradis rebuilding and Armin Arlert leading peace negotiations under Queen Historia Reiss. Fans debated whether Eren’s plan made narrative sense, whether his actions were justified, and if the ending “redeemed” or vilified his character. Some appreciated the tragic, cyclical nature of the resolution; others thought the rapid wrap-up and time skip left too many questions. The show even closes with a scene set centuries later, hinting that war and destruction are unending. For some, this ending was poetic and inevitable; for others, it was unsatisfying or even nihilistic. The debate is so fierce that even years after November 5, 2023—the final episode’s air date—discussion threads still fill with passionate essays and counterarguments.

There you have it: the five most controversial story choices from Attack on Titan’s final season, from the moment the animation changed hands to the world-shattering ending that nobody can stop talking about. Did I miss your personal number one? Do you think Gabi’s actions were justified, or should The Rumbling have been handled differently? Let me know your ranking—I know this list is going to get people talking.