Why did Eren Jeager cry in the first Episode after waking from his sleep?

Eren Yeager cried in the first episode. 

Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan is the lead protagonist and the subsequent prime antagonist of the manga and anime. He is the narrator of his shifting personality and character and we see the world of this story through his shifting changes. While we see that the Attack on Titan anime has brought some minute changes to the manga storyline, we also see that the love for the manga and the anime remain the same and in a proportionate balance.

In this article, we will examine Eren Yeager as a protagonist, and an antagonist and also try to decipher the reason why Eren Yeager cried in the first episode.

Eren Yeager: the protagonist who vowed to explore the world beyond the walls

Eren Yeager is the lead protagonist at the beginning of Attack on Titan. He is a very motivated lad who aspired to become a part of the Survey Corps and explore the world beyond the walls of the Shiganshina.

Eren is frequently subdued by Mikasa who cares for his life more than his dream and wants him to not risk it in pointless and life-threatening endeavours. Eren throughout the beginning of the story until much later remains the lead protagonist and as a character, he has always been plagued by thoughts of freedom and independence. From the walls, from the titans, from Marleyans and then from himself.

Eren Yeager cried in the first episode. 
Still from ‘Attack on Titan’s first episode. (Image via Wit Studios)

Eren’s major goal was a fight for freedom and he was ready to destroy whatever obstacle stood in his path. Eren also sees Mikasa as the most important person in his life and his idea of freedom is therefore extended to her freedom as well.

When Eren Yeager cried in the first episode, we see Mikasa asking him why he had tears to which he replied that it might just have been a bad dream. Mikasa in this manner has always been the anchorage of support for Eren’s character.

The shift from a protagonist to an antagonist: Eren Yeager’s reasons for change

Eren Yeager has killed the most in the Attack on Titan franchise. While he has mostly relied on his Titan abilities to fight, he also used his cadet corps training as a major tactical tool during battle.

Eren was also later shocked that he ate his father without even realizing it as Grisha injected titan serum into Eren and also made his son eat him, giving him the power of the Attack Titan and Founding Titan. Eren also came to terms with committing genocide to end the ongoing cycle of hatred. This was an attempt at ending all of the Eldians to prevent any inheritance of the Titans.

Eren Yeager cried in the first episode. 
Eren Yeager. (Image via Wit Studios)

Eren Yeager has been betrayed by his trust in the world. He has been betrayed by family, friends, and also the ideas he had of the world. This was seriously reflected in his personality and ultimately led to him turning into the prime antagonist of the show.

Eren Yeager cried in the first episode as a part of memory has been inflicted on his mind from a future self and this has been one of the strongest motivators behind his change.

The images from the future and why Eren Yeager cried in the first episode

The opening scene of the Attack on Titan anime shows Eren waking up from a dream with tears. The closest argument to this incident could be the fact that Eren was seeing flashes of memory from his future self.

As he was the holder of the Attack Titan and this particular ability to project memories across different holders in the past and the future. It is also later known that the holders of this particular titan can choose the memories they wish to show to their predecessors in the past.

Eren Yeager cried in the first episode. 
Eren Yeager crying in the first episode. (Image via Wit Studios)
  • Eren’s memory of the fall of Shiganshina is an extension of the memory of his future self. His future self reflects certain parts of his memory onto the younger Eren. This tells us that from the very beginning of the show, we are shown how darkly this particular story could turn around.
  • We are also shown how Eren during the first episode is shown to be dismissing his visions as bad dreams, but his confrontation with reality becomes the major point of breakage in his character, and we see a possible conclusion as to why Eren Yeager cried in the first episode.

Attack on Titan has been a show with major twists across its storyline. We see a diversified narrative and a dark undertone about humanity throughout the story and since the very beginning when Eren Yeager cried in the first episode. While we wait for the final part of the ongoing season of Attack on Titan to release, we can very well see how this anime has become one of the most acclaimed shows of all time.

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