EREN SPENT TIME IN MARLEY AND REALIZED THAT THE PEOPLE THERE WEREN'T DEVILS, BUT ORDINARY HUMANS JUST LIKE THE PEOPLE ON PARADIS. HE SAW INNOCENT FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND PEOPLE SUFFERING UNDER THE SAME HATRED THAT DESTROYED HIS OWN PEOPLE.
BUT HE ALSO REALIZED THAT EVEN IF HE KILLED THE MARLEYAN GOVERNMENT, THE HATRED AGAINST ELDIANS WOULDN'T DISAPPEAR. THE WORLD HAD ALREADY UNITED AGAINST PARADIS, AND HE BELIEVED THAT AS LONG AS THEY EXISTED, HIS FRIENDS WOULD NEVER BE FREE.
HIS DESIRE FOR FREEDOM, HIS FUTURE MEMORIES, AND HIS INABILITY TO ACCEPT A WORLD THAT DENIED HIM FREEDOM EVENTUALLY PUSHED HIM TO CHOOSE THE RUMBLING.
THE TRAGEDY IS THAT EREN UNDERSTOOD THE ENEMY'S HUMANITY AND STILL CHOSE TO DESTROY THEM BECAUSE, TO HIM, HIS FRIENDS' FREEDOM MATTERED MORE THAN EVERYONE ELSE'S LIVES.