LYNILYNILYN ARTS

my trash ass foolishly expecting the manga and anime not to end before i did and now knowing i will have to spend the rest of my life without it:

Recently I realized that Erwin and Levi are literally the image of yin and yang symbol because of both their appearances and personalities. And I decided to write a post with all the details I’ve noticed related to this yin and yang thing.

Yin and yang theory:

Yin and yang is a concept of dualism in ancient Chinese philosophy, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another.

When yin meets yang:

When yin person finds their yang person they become bonded to each other and find full balance in this relationship, which fulfills their potential to the fullest. Levi’s and Erwin’s lives changed completely after meeting each other:

Levi gave Erwin his strength and it helped him to change the image of the Survey Corps the majority of people had in their minds. With Levi by Erwin’s side, people finally started to think there might be a chance that one day the humanity will win in this war against the titans.

Erwin gave Levi freedom and meaning of life after he had lost Farlan and Isabel. Also, Erwin became the source of power for Levi, which made him Humanity’s Strongest soldier.

Personality:

➤ Levi as yin

Yin people are quiet in social situations and don’t like conflicts;

They enjoy solitude and a quiet, peaceful environment;

Are melancholic or phlegmatic (I believe, Levi is phlegmatic);

Yin mindset is more intuitive, emotive, and holistic;

They are very caring and enjoy creating a home (nest) for themselves and their partner (Levi cleans Erwin’s office and prepares tea for him);

Self-confidence and personal authority are attractive to yin people;

Regularly creating time for calm and peaceful activities is important for them (Levi likes cleaning and drinking tea);

The moon archetype strongly resonates with yin people;

Need to be led by someone (Ackerbond).

➤ Erwin as yang

Yang people have a strong creative streak that demands expression (Erwin is very creative when it comes to writing love letters);

Have heightened energy, vitality, and are more restless;

Are choleric or sanguine (I believe, Erwin is sanguine);

Yang mindset is more logical, serious, organized, and rational;

Mental stimulation, adventure, and achievement are key needs to be met;

Comfortable in making decisions with ease, speed, and confidence;

They appreciate the talents and gifts in other people; 

The sun archetype strongly resonates with yang people.

Childhood:

➤ the upper world / the underworld

➤ the beloved parent they lost: father / mother

Father / mother parallel is mentioned here because yang represents masculinity or man side, and yin represents feminity or woman side.

Appearance:

➤ blond-haired and tall / black-haired and short

Other details:

➤ the Sun / the Moon

Erwin is the Sun (chapter 84 “The Midnight Sun”);

Levi is the Moon (his character song “The Dark Side of the Moon”).

➤ the white and black horses

Interestingly, the majority of soldiers’ horses are light / dark brown, and few characters have white (Erwin, Petra, Isabel, Christa) and black horses (I noticed only Levi having a black horse, but I may be wrong).

➤ the red and blue symbolism 

Shadowgale96 wrote about this here and here.

➤ they represent the Wings of Freedom

Erwin is wisdom (white wing / white bird)

Levi is strength (dark blue wing / black bird)

Also, it’s symbolic that black and white birds were replaced with ravens when Erwin died. It’s like they both died at that moment: Erwin died for real and Levi died from the inside.

➤ the light / darkness parallel

This scene from episode 49 is especially good for showing the light / darkness parallel. The room is perfectly divided into two different parts each of them correlated to an appropriate character.

When the balance is upset:

When yin person lost their yang partner they experience oversleeping, slow thinking, sluggishness, compulsive behavior, lack of motivation, and apathy.

Oversleeping: after Erwin’s death Levi feels tiredness and emptiness. Also, there’s a chance he finally slept in a bed for hours because Isayama-san mentioned his “bed hair” during the Oita Autograph Session;

Slow thinking, sluggishness and compulsive behavior: Levi got hit by Thunderspear explosion in chapter 115;

Lack of motivation and apathy: Levi’s overall condition after chapter 84.

When there’s no yin person nearby, yang people experience an inability to relax.

Inability to relax: Erwin is more relaxed when he has Levi by his side. Also, he shows his calm and soft smile to Levi only.

I'm so emotional by Levi's monologue this chapter. It took us 84 years but it's finally here and all this time I knew it's going to break me. Levi is giving his all to humanity because that's what they always fought for. That's what his comrades devoted their hearts for. His comrades and their goals are still the center of his thoughts and no matter what happens he won't give up on honoring their sacrifice. That's grand, really grand. He's not regretting letting Erwin go and entrusting the duty to Armin because he knew he's going to be the savior of humanity.

It's just so emotional, for this is most likely a death flag for him and again I'm not at all ready for it; however, I'm just so glad we got to see another precious moment with all the veterans dreaming about a better world even though it was just in Levi's imagination. I also love how a special panel was dedicated to Levi's closest and most dear people aka Hanji and Erwin in his life. I still believe he deserves happiness and a life post-war. Idk what Isayama is planning. Levi's story might go everywhere but one thing I'm sure of is HE'S NEVER GONNA GIVE UP ON SAVING HUMANITY AND HONORING HIS DEAD COMRADES.

me: I shIP IT YO

Mike and Nanaba: *die*

its been 1000 years sense i drew these two so here is a comic i decided to finally line and (kinda) color

so i got @sensitive-eruri for the Veteran Secret Santa! im SO sorry its late!! but here it is i hope you enjoy babe!

I've been thinking. Actually I was remembering that scene of Levi and Erwin where they stare at each other while the stones that Zeke throws destroy everything around them.

While the young recruits scream in panic and fear, Erwin and Levi stare at each other, communicating in that language that only they know how to understand.

That language that they share with their eyes is anything else than the trust and extensive knowledge of each other.

How do you get that kind of trust? What does it take to have that link? What Isayama names as Ackerbond, we in real life call it love. Love in general.

Love is defined like a feeling of universal affection that one has towards a person, animal or thing. Love also refers to a feeling of emotional and sexual attraction towards a person with whom you want to love, to have a relationship or coexistence under the same roof.

We know because of the author's words that Erwin and Levi practically shared a room. According to details, Levi only slept a couple of hours, and he slept them on Erwin's chair in his room.

Not only to draw hasty conclusions we will say that they slept together, but because of the situation at that time, it is logical that rooms were shared between recruits and military in general.

Sharing moments outside of work, intimate moments, dinner, nights, paperwork until late. The hours of talking about strategies, theories, analysis of battle tactics, etc. Having tea, watching each other sleep. Watching the other wake up. Observing the other get up.

Walking and unfolding in a small space that keeps the dreams, nightmares, sorrows and confessions that any human being has, including Erwin.

He was an ordinary human being like everyone else. There is no human being who is silent 24 hours at day, or who is Commander during 24 hours. Everyone has moments to be honest, to speak like the normal person he is... In those moments Levi was with him.

They knew each other in everyday life, what was under their Commander and Captain facades. They knew each other being only Erwin, the professor's son... and Levi, the underground orphan.

When in the scene I mentioned at the beginning, they observe each other in silence while chaos reigns around them, they are putting all their lives on the scale.

What must be risked, what must be sacrificed, what must be saved and what must be achieved. That's why they go to the scene where Levi kneels before Erwin and gives him his release. He knows his partner's life, he knows everything he carries on his back and conscience. We all cry, criticize and curse Levi, at his decision to let Erwin die. But he knew him so much that he knew that the purest and noble thing he could do for Erwin was to help him free himself from the torture that eaten him night after night, day after day.

The blame.

Levi took the weight of his partner and carried him alone, with the courage and strengh that only someone who loves with the deepest part of his being can does.

No one can judge that decision, I made it... and I was so wrong!.

Levi, only Levi knew him so much, only he loved him so much to set him free. While it was his turn to continue dealing with hell on earth and also with a bleeding heart for loss. Another loss in his life. How much courage, how much strengh!!.

When I think of love, I see them now.

Love is not pink novels, petals and dates at sunset. Love in real life is surrender, soul connection, sacrifice, pain and loss. But all this is in exchange for having loved. Having followed that light, whom you loved. Being there with him, in good times and in bad times. In life and even death. Just like the wedding vows.

I am sure there will be another opportunity for you after this hell. There is little left for both to be free.

Thank you Levi.