One of the most popular anime series, Attack on Titan, will soon come to an end, but many fans are still wondering about the scene from the previous seasons. Three seasons on, and many still want to know – why did Eren attack Mikasa in season one?
Eren attacks Mikasa because he’s lost control after transforming into Attack Titan. It’s only his third transformation he’s aware of, so he has yet to learn to control his abilities. However, the sudden hatred could have been caused by the previous argument Eren and Mikasa had and Eren’s determination to prove his strength.
If you wish to learn more about this moment in season one and get to know some crucial parts of Eren’s character, just read on.
Eren Attacks Mikasa Because He Couldn’t Control His Titan Form
Although at the start of the fourth season, Eren has complete control over his abilities, that’s not the case in the first season. In season one, episode eleven (Idol: The Struggle for Trost), the Titan Shifter abilities Eren possesses are only newly found, and he transforms in order to seal Wall Rose and rescue the Trost District.
Eren’s a Titan Shifter, which means he can go back to his human form and control his abilities – but not right from the start. Being one of his first transformations, a shifter inside couldn’t remain in control of the actions (similar to what happens to Flaco in season four).
However, a moment before Eren’s transformation, he is already annoyed with Mikasa for being overly protective – and he wants to prove that he can get the mission done. However, once transformed, his Titan form has affected the way he responds.
The attack on Mikasa can be interpreted as Eren showing his strength in a much more primitive way. The irritation from earlier arguments and desire to prove his friend wrong has been transformed alongside Eren – and become a bloodlust he couldn’t control.
Was It Eren’s First Transformation?
The first time we see Erin transform is not when rescuing the Trost District. Actually, we first see it in season one, episode nine, when he gets eaten by a Titan – it’s the first time his abilities are revealed.
Eren makes the ultimate sacrifice during his first mission in Trost in order to save Armin from being eaten. However, once in the Titan’s stomach, he refuses to give up. He is motivated by revenge on the Titans, who, as he says, have robbed him of everything.
He managed to save himself by transforming into his Attack Titan form, and then wows he’ll exterminate all of the Titans. However, like when attacking Mikasa, Eren’s not in control of his actions – his human consciousness is in a dream-like state.
After these events, we see the captain claims that the other crew members saw him becoming a monster, which is why he must be killed. The cannonball is thrown at Erin, Armin, and Mikasa, but Erin transforms and uses his Titan hand to deflect the cannonball.
Everyone stares in horror as a transformed Eren emerges from the smoke with Mikasa and Armin hidden inside the ribcage – resulting in the second transformation. The transformation that led to attacking Mikasa is the third one.
How Did Eren Become a Titan?
Although Eren gets flashbacks through different episodes, it’s not clear how Eren got his abilities until season three. However, in the sixth episode of the third season, his memoirs get restored – and we get to see the actual first time Eren transformed (and the reason behind it).
In this episode, Eren finds out that Grisha, his father, had injected him with a serum and was the reason he became a Titan in the first place. However, the serum turns Eren into a Pure Titan, an unintelligent creature that cannot be controlled. In this new form, Eren devours his father – gaining the Attack and Founding Titan’s power Geisha possessed and returning to his human state.
But why did Eren take so long to transform? A person possessing the Titan abilities must sustain a blood-drawing injury and have a strong goal or belief in mind at the time of injury in order to transform. Therefore, the first two transformations (that fans see in an anime and manga book) are there to show Eren’s main goals – protecting his friends and fighting the Titans.
Is Eren the Protagonist or Antagonist of the Series?
In season four, Eren developed into a villain while still serving as the protagonist of the narrative. He chose to exterminate the humans who lived across the water because he understood that they represented a danger – he saw it as the only way to save Paradise Island. However, there are many reasons that pushed this exceptional anime character to become the villain, such as:
- Watching his mother get eaten by a Titan,
- Witnessing the death of his friends,
- His friends’ betrayal,
- Learning what’s beyond the wall,
- His violent nature.
However, Eren’s hatred shifts from Titans to humanity once he discovers the history of Marley and Eldia and that the nation of Marley is responsible for turning humans into Titans and filling Paradise Island with them.
Part two of season four ends with an army of Titans led by Eren entering Marley. From hero to anti-hero whose main goal is to protect his loved ones, we witness Eren’s amazing character development – and there is yet to come for those fans of unique Japanese culture who haven’t yet read the manga.
The Show Doesn’t Offer Clear Answer on Why Eren Attacks Mikasa – We Can Only Guess
The plot of this black-and-white manga and the series it’s based on gets more complicated with each season, and so does the relationship between Eren and Mikasa. However, when fighting Titans or humans, Eren always had one goal in mind – to protect those he loved. Therefore, we can only assume that the attack on the person he loves was caused by his transformation, not the will to harm Mikasa.
