-how eren manipulated his own Life and what the episode name means
That Eren Jäger, the Series Protagonist had manipulated certain Events in the Past as Adult, by timetravelling, was shown as canon in Season 4. but but that Eren manipulated his whole life which he did was more of an unspoken detail, but lets break it down:
Eren Krüger in the beginning was often said to be Eren from the Future. although Eren didnt significantly age, whenever he time travelled, this Theory is actually not far off since Eren Krüger owns the Attack Titan and lets Grisha survive - in order to have Grisha have another Child - Eren Jäger. Krüger showed Grisha how to use the Powers and ultimately let Grisha eat him in order to inherit the Titan Powers. krüger also saw faint visions of Armin Arlert and Mikasa Ackerman - Eren Jägers future bestfriends and Krüger told Grisha to „complete his mission for the sake of Armin and Mikasa“ which left Grisha confused but Eren Krüger knew exactly what he was saying.
In Season 4, Eren infiltrates Marley. He cuts off a leg and goes by the Name „Eren Krüger“. Not a coincidence if you think of it. Of course Eren was envisioned with past memories of Grisha Jäger and Eren Krüger when he inherited the Attack Titan but it seems to be more than a coincidence that Eren Jäger took on Krügers Name than a simple homage. Above all, Krüger has a similar Haircolor and Eyecolor than Eren.
2. Eren is visible in earlier Seasons, placed as Easteregg and subtle foreshadowing.
That Eren was placed in Crowds and Backgrounds was a rather interesting finding after people rewatched the Series after its ending and definitely not a coincidence - but what is it hinting on to now?
Not only was he placed to prove his time travelling activities as young adult but also to hint on Erens influence on his own Life. The fact he was there from the very beginning proves, that he controls his own life. To make the young Eren go through pain just to become the Man he needs to become in order to resort to radical measures. His Plan, to restore the Eldians Reputation by willingly playing the Role of the „Devil“ worked, but only he made sure that everything would lead to his very moment.
Im 100% convinced, the Reason why Eren wanted Armin to be alive, and not Erwin, was because if Erwin became the colossal titan, he would have stopped Eren immediately and therefore needed Armin instead who is too emotional and irritational to realize Erens actual plans until the very end. (Although lets be for real: Erwin should have been revived)
3. Grisha Jäger being manipulated by his Son Eren
We were all confused as to why Grisha killed the Reiss Family until In Season 4, we find out, that Grisha had been told so by Eren since Grisha on his own couldnt bear the thought of killing children. Eren reminds him of the restorationists and his deceased sister Faye, ultimately convincing Grisha to steal the founding Titan away from Frieda Reiss.
Grisha gave Eren a titan serum, turning Eren into a mindless Titan before letting Eren eat his Father to inherit the Attack Titan and the Founding Titan - that Eren would desperately need for his Plans.
The anime was always known to be different. Expect the unexpected. Season 1 gave us the image, that titans were caging in Humans and that the Colossal and Armored titan would be some sort of leaders of the mindless titans. Season two - as brief as it was - turned everything by revealing Reiner and Bertholdt to be not only traitors but also foreigners along with „Ymir“ as the three could read an ancient language on a preserved food can. It also showed the direction of where their home lies. Season 3 threw everything aboard with political issues and inbalance - the problems Grisha tried to fight back then with the Reiss Family when killing them - and a new Deutersgonist Zeke Jäger, whos a direct descendant of the Fritz Family (Dina Fritz) and actual „King“. And when we thought thats it, Season 4 throws a curveball at us, starting very confusingly at the other side of the Ocean at Marley.
But why is the first Episode called „to you, in 2000 years“ now?
Because the Ending shows us what happened 2000 years after the events of Attack on Titan. It gives us insight on how the world had moved on since the happenings in Attack on Titan. The focus remains on the tree where Eren had rested after carrying the wood sticks and he unexplainingly shed a few tears when Mikasa cought up to him telling us that the Metropole is built on the Ground near Shiganshina District of the outer wall Maria.
But it also shows us where it all started. At the Tree where Ymir Fritz as Slave tripped over and rolled down the hole into a Pool where Hallucigenia lies. And how 2000 years later, after the Apocalypse in the fast forward time lapse, a young man with a Dog walks through the abandoned, Bombed City, where the nature had fought its way back, and finds the huge tree, still present. The rest is up to everybodies imagination.
But In that Tree Hallucigenia still lives, ready to grant a Human the Titan Powers.
history will always repeat itself and the End is just the beginning.
