The latest episode of Attack on Titan (Season 4 Episode 25 aka Episode 84) revealed more about Jean’s inner conflict, including the fact that he is still in love with Mikasa all these years later. In the background of the series, there’s been a quiet love triangle that apparently never died.
Read our review and analysis of the newest episode here.
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He Imagined a Life Married to Mikasa & Having a Baby Together
Jean’s love for Mikasa goes far beyond a crush. He is apparently so smitten with her that he would like to marry her and have children together.
At the beginning of the episode, Jean ponders how if he just went along with Floch, he could have that easy life he once dreamed of. We see that in Jean’s fantasy world, he would have a wife and child who would benefit from the good life he was leading too. It looks like Mikasa is the woman he’s dreaming of having that life with.
In the end, he determines that he must move forward and save innocent lives, no matter how enticing his fantasy world might be to him.
Translations vary depending on the source. One has him saying, “I’ve earned the right to live a happy life with my wife, my kids, and even my grandkids.” I prefer Hulu’s dub version, which reads: “My wife, kids, and even my grandkids deserve a bit of the good life, too.”
This version fits better with the idea that he’s envisioning Mikasa as his wife. She’s fought alongside him, so she “deserves” the good life too, along with their kids and grandkids. I like how he’s picturing her feeling happy and content in this scenario — a feeling she’s never had in the series.
Some might argue that it might not have been Mikasa in his fantasy, merely someone who looks like her, which is certainly possible. (Even that alone would indicate he still has feelings for her.)
However, some fans say you can see Mikasa’s scar if you look closely enough.
I couldn’t make out her scar, but am hoping that those observations are accurate.
The Love Triangle Is Subtle But Heartfelt
The Eren-Mikasa-Jean love triangle is so great because it’s so subtle. Mikasa has never held back in showing the world how much she loves Eren. She’s open about it, to the point that it annoys Eren at times. And although he’s shown that he cares for her, he hasn’t truly reciprocated the romantic side of her love.
Jean, meanwhile, has been quietly in love with Mikasa, but never voiced it to her since that first time they met.
We knew in earlier seasons that he had strong feelings for her, even from Season 1 when he first saw her and told her how beautiful her hair was. And then Eren wanted her to cut it, which she immediately did. He felt like that really affected his faith in other people, he commented, which was an interesting thing to say.
When Mikasa tells everyone that she’s strong and is going to keep fighting, he gets everyone to go after her so she’s not fighting alone.
In Season 2 he even saves her from being eaten by a Titan.
This is one of the few times Mikasa has needed anyone to save her.
When everyone’s discussing who might succeed Eren and eat him, Jean volunteers after Mikasa does, quickly explaining why the person can’t possibly be her.
He’s quietly been in love with her — to the point of wanting to marry her and have kids together — this entire time. But it was subtle and not in our face, so it was easy to miss.
This episode was definitely a boon to Mikasa-Jean shippers, while Eren-Mikasa shippers have likely been losing hope this season.
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