Attack on Titan is not especially sentimental; it has included tragic deaths of beloved characters who were defending the people of Paradis Island. Among the show’s character deaths, one struck viewers more deeply than the others. Sadly, a gunshot wound claims the life of Sasha Blouse, popularly known as the potato girl. Her friends are horrified to see her body, but not because she has passed away. No, they are staring at Eren Jeager, their friend, and Titan Shifter, laughing wildly at her.
Eren would never have laughed at one of his college’s deaths during the first few seasons, aside from the fact that it was rude. Eren was a sensitive person who lamented the deaths of all of his fallen allies. His motivation for destroying all the Titans was to ensure that no one else would ever have to experience such a loss. It’s startling how different Eren Jeager is from his earlier character; what happened to him? Why Did Eren Laugh When Sasha Died?
Why Did Eren Laugh When Sasha Died?
Even after the attack on Marley, Eren still had doubts regarding his own Rumbling plan. When he was back in Paradis, he was still talking himself out of carrying out the plan by yelling, “Fight! Fight!” to himself as he peered in the mirror. Who, after all, would think that the future is “fixed”?
Now, here’s the deal. After attaining the Attack Titan’s foresight ability, Eren experienced major changes. The future was visible to him. He saw what was going to happen. However, he remained doubtful if that was actually THE future. It’s likely that at first he believed there was still hope for change.
Now, back to Sasha. Eren KNEW that Sasha wasn’t going to be alive in the near future. After hearing the news that Sasha died, Eren realized that the Path was really set in stone. He can’t stray away from it. He realized that he had to do it; that it was his destiny to start the Rumbling.
It was like resigning to fate. I bet in his brain, it was like this:
“Heh, so Sasha actually died and her last word was really ‘meat’”
“I guess the Path really is fixed.”
“I have no choice but to kill thousands of innocent people.”
Eren can’t help but to laugh nervously amidst the reality that dawned upon him.
He really had no choice. He has to start the Rumbling. Nay, no matter what he tries to do, he WILL start the Rumbling.
And so he did.
Conclusion
Eren laughed because Sasha’s dying words being “meat” are somehow ironically fitting, since meat was all she cared about, so to speak. Eren remembers this, and it is shown to us that she stole steak, which she afterwards chose to share with everyone.
She “lived” for the meat (all that reclaiming land and whatnot), and when she died, that was the one thing that was always on her mind.