Considering it’s been two years since the anime’s finale, it’s fascinating how Attack on Titan fans still continue to dissect the series’ intricate worldbuilding. Hajime Isayama masterfully built a whole world and wrote all his characters with so many minute details and depth. Every season, while ending on major cliffhangers, left a deep impact on viewers. And as a result, his storytelling has led to tons of discussions on Reddit as fans debate the many questions left unanswered; one of which is the fate of the Wall Titans after the Rumbling.
First introduced as the backbone of the Walls, upon Eren’s activation of the Rumbling, these giants marched across the world, killing approximately 80% of all human life to protect Paradis. But while the Wall Titans were akin to an unstoppable force of nature, their ultimate fate was still mysterious. As all the Eldians lost the ability to become titans, fans speculated whether the Wall Titans would remain Titans or revert to their human form. In a Q&A for Attack on Titan’s 15th anniversary translated via @AttackOnFans on X, Isayama finally clarifies this mystery, offering a chilling conclusion to their arc and sparking even greater discussions.
A Transformation and a Tragic End
In the interview, Isayama answers a fan’s question, “Did the Colossal Titans of the Rumbling turn back into humans?” with a candid admission: “If I had had space to draw, I would’ve done it. But they would go back to being human and be completely naked; then they would be lynched by the people who were about to be trampled by the Titans.” This revelation paints a grim picture. After the Rumbling concluded with Eren’s death in Episode 87, the power of the Titans disappeared as well. This means that the Wall Titans reverted back into their original human forms – the Eldians turned into Titans centuries ago by King Karl Fritz.
The nudity mentioned by Isayama is an interesting detail because in most of the series, we see the humans turned into Titans still be fully clothed when they revert back. Although there is one notable instance of Ymir being fully naked the first time she becomes human again after having been turned into a Pure Titan by Marley. The common thread between these two instances is that they were in Titan form for a significant amount of time.
In Attack on Titan Season 2, Episode 10, a flashback shows Ymir, a Pure Titan for 60 years, emerging naked after consuming Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie’s friend, Marcel, gaining the ability to shift. This contrasts with typical Titan shifters, who retain clothing post-transformation. Why the difference? One theory by Reddit user u/kemorsky suggests Pure Titans lack a full human body, possessing only a nervous system or minimal remnant. Going by this theory Ymir’s body likely regenerated entirely upon gaining shifter powers, explaining her nudity – because her original clothes would have long deteriorated in the harsh, hot Titan environment.
This also aligns with how the Scouts have been slaying Titans for decades without any of them ever finding a human in the nape. Moreover, when Titans die and their bodies disintegrate, there are no human bodies or even skeletons left behind. And while that could be because the humans inside Pure Titans have the same ability to disintegrate in death, it does make more sense for the disintegration to have happened much earlier, leaving behind only nervous systems or hard-to-detect human remnants that hide the truth about the Titan’s true nature.
A Reflection of Attack on Titan’s Themes
Attack on Titan actively explores themes of dehumanization, revenge, and redemption through the Wall Titans’ fate. While it’s unknown if King Fritz got explicit consent from the Eldians he transformed into Wall Titans, it’s highly unlikely any of them understood the full scope of what it meant to be turned into giant Titans meant to guard Paradis for centuries and kill on the orders of the Founder. Even worse is the possibility that they never got to consent to the transformation, making them unwilling pawns in a conflict they did not choose, much like Annie and Reiner’s coerced roles.
Alternatively, it’s also possible the Eldians that turned into the Wall Titans volunteered for the role, perhaps motivated by hate for Marley or love for their people. But with so many theories presenting so many different scenarios, fans are left speculating. For instance, some fans think the grim outcome described is fitting, while others argue it misses a redemptive arc.
Redditor u/ToceanZ actively highlights a Wall Titan’s “sad eyes” in a scene where the crowd passes a baby, suggesting the Titans consciously witnessed their actions and felt remorse for them but were helpless to do anything except follow Eren’s orders. This detail emphasizes their tragic humanity trapped within monstrous forms. Though Isayama doesn’t depict this in the manga or anime, the Wall Titans’ fate says a lot about a complex post-Rumbling world.
There were over 500,000 Wall Titans which far outnumber Paradis’ population. It’s easy to see how such a large population may pose reintegration challenges. And faced with the human versions of their worst nightmare, the Rumbling survivors couldn’t help but lash out, making the Wall Titans’ march conclude in a haunting, human tragedy leaving a legacy of unresolved pain.
H/T: Reddit
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