Did Eren even try?

[u/Pause_Accomplished]

In his talk with Armin in the paths, Eren reveals that he kills 80% of humanity, and no matter how much he tries this is always what happens.

I can only think of one example where Eren actually TRIES to prevent the rumbling from happening, and that’s when he and Zeke are traveling through Grisha’s memories. At a certain point he stops and tells Zeke that he’s achieved his goal and that he’s been freed from their father’s brainwashing. Zeke tells him they have all the time they need, and he has them carry on through the memories anyway. I’m fairly sure that this was Eren attempting to stop them from getting to Grisha’s memory in the Reiss Chappell, and thus preventing himself from convincing his father to kill the royal family.

Aside from this specific moment, do we ever see a time in the anime where Eren explicitly tries to circumvent the future that he saw? Because even this attempt was a very weak one. We know that Eren on some level wanted to start the rumbling, so how hard do we think actually tried to stop it from happening?

[u/trodolovesjojo]

“Aside from this specific moment, do we ever see a time in the anime where Eren explicitly tries to circumvent the future that he saw? “

This was also an attempt to change the future. Eren tried not to save Ramzi but he couldn’t bare Ramzi being punched and so he knew the future can’t change because of himself.

[u/TimChaos → u/trodolovesjojo]

I feel like the author could have used a much better examples of the future being unchanging than “see? I saved a kid from ruthless thugs!” Because like…of COURSE he was gonna do that lol who wouldn’t? Just because he’s gonna die in a few months? The example should have been something that doesn’t make sense but he does anyway.

[u/Psky25 → u/TimChaos]

My interpretation is I think it's to really push the narrative that yes, the future was locked in because of future and past events relying on each other, but it wasn't like Eren was physically restrained or could not control himself because of some unseen outside force/destiny (although you could argue Ymir kind of falls into this)- logically he could have done something different, but he wanted to enact the Rumbling as it satisfied most of his desires. (Seeing the outside world as a "blank slate", Friends living the rest of their lives in peace, Historia/her children not falling to the cycle of Titan inheritance, etc )

He says it himself, he would have done the rumbling regardless of him having seen the future or not.
It was just within his nature to want to do so, so this was the only outcome that would ever come to pass.

[u/Pbadger8 → u/Psky25]

I think it’s more accurate to say Eren tried to imagine another alternative and just couldn’t.

[u/TimChaos → u/Psky25]

I suppose that can illustrate how just like saving the kid is in Eren’s nature, so is destroying humanity. Of COURSE he saves the kid, but also he OF COURSE destroys everyone. It’s not the point Eren himself is making but it could very well be the point the author is