Time Loop Theory: Eren's Dream (Ch. 1) and Mikasa's Headaches as Proof of Her Realizing the Truth

I don't think the theory is that all the loops are the same -- in fact, everything seems to point to Eren trying different things each time, and only now is he desperate enough to carry out the current timeline.

As for how this relates to the show's exploration of free will, you hit on what makes this work so well exactly. Eren is a slave to the future -- he more badly than anyone to be free, to the point where it defines him as a character. But he alone knows that things are just on an immutable course towards disaster. It's why he didn't react when Sasha died, it's why he doesn't entertain any alternatives to his plan, it's why he apologizes to that young thief who he knows he will kill.

/r/titanfolk Thread Parent