Armin’s role
Rewatching SNK season 3 and getting emotional about Armin inheriting the Colossal Titan and becoming the next Scouts Commander like
Erwin implicitly trusted Armin when he said to start looking inside the walls. When asked if it’s another gamble, Erwin says “No. Arlert has proven himself. He’s one of our greatest weapons, that I know.” We never see Erwin express such trust in anyone else but Levi.
In Season 3, Erwin also briefly gives Armin command. It’s just so emotional watching that scene – how Armin is nervous, but Erwin lets him lead, instead of micromanaging or trying to correct him – to know that Armin will one day take on Erwin’s position as Commander.
When Armin wakes up, he says, “Wait, does this mean that I need to become Erwin’s replacement? There’s no way. I can’t!” Hange then says since she’s the next Commander, they’re both in a difficult position. Now Armin himself is the next Commander – literally, Erwin’s replacement.
Hange was the one who explicitly said she thought Erwin should have been saved instead. Yet she named Armin as the next Commander without as second thought, in full faith that he was the right person for the job. She must have known for a long time that it would be him.
It’s Eren who saves Armin’s life, talking about how all he has left in his heart is hatred, how Armin will be the one to save humanity. And in chapter 132, Reiner said Armin is their only chance at stopping Eren. So Eren basically empowered Armin to defeat him by convincing Levi to give him the serum.
So far we haven’t seen Armin be able to use his Titan powers for any kind of noble cause. But now it looks like there will be a face-off between him and Eren.
Armin was the one who inspired Eren to see the view of “freedom” in the first place. But Eren’s view of that “freedom” is vastly different than Armin ever imagined or wanted.
Armin’s voice is also the narrator of the story. We once joked that he would be the only survivor of the story. Maybe not so funny anymore.
