To understand the real depth of this scene we are going to look at the surrounding context given in 131, as well as the further implications in 138 to try to get to the bottom of why eren asked the question. +
First is context. This scene is eren at his most lost and self loathing, following on from his breakdown with ramzi which was the first time he’d released any of the emotions that had plagued him since the ceremony. + 
He hates himself for the path he has chosen, despite wanting it deep down, and even thinks of himself as worse than the man who destroyed his life because he knows everything in advance but will still do it anyway. +
131 was his attempt at a conscious resistance towards the future. He tries to rationalise not saving ramzi as it would be wildly hypocritical, but goes on to do it anyway as that’s just who he is and he cannot overcome his nature. +
This is INTERNAL influence. ‘I guess the future doesn’t change’ in this scenario because his decisions don’t, him saving ramzi creates the memory of saving ramzi because he would never not save the downtrodden child he sympathises with. It is self fulfilling. +
That’s how we find the distinction between 131 & 123. Eren Yeager, at his most vulnerable, then surrenders control by passing it on to mikasa, someone outside of his own influence. He’s even still crying from his confession. It’s a separate type of ‘resistance’. +
This is EXTERNAL influence. Both mikasa’s answer and everyone else interrupting is something that he actually can’t control, unlike the previous situation and it’s telling that his final ‘test’ is through a type of surrender. +
In both situations it’s almost like he is trying to reaffirm the inevitability of the future, as a means of lessening his personal guilt and culpability despite not truly believing this as shown by the dialogue change to ‘i’ll kill them’. +
Now we ask, why mikasa? Why this specific question? In his lowest hour he turns to the one who he has always wanted to protect but has always thought is stronger than him. It works on a couple levels. +
At his peak of self loathing and looking at the reflections of both himself & mikasa, whose dreams he will rob, he’s genuinely questioning why she cares for a piece of shit like him. He brings it up with zeke, unsure if she could actually just care for eren the human being. +
It’s also a type of selfishness distinct from that of his goal, in fact it’s the opposite. 138 shows us the complete reversal, the full abandonment of the ideals and duties that had shaped both of their lives up to then. +
Beautiful in its impossibility, yet still a shared craving from some part of themselves. Eren specifically has done this exact same thing in the past, it’s not a wish of his that is new or out of the blue in any way. +
This doesn’t happen in real life because it’s not in character for it to happen, and that’s when we get to the true crux of the scene: it doesn’t actually matter. Deep down Eren even knows this, and that’s what makes him asking so interesting, he’s ‘half hearted’. +
Eren is the epitome of the cycle, did the memories create him or did he create the memories? Where is the line, where did it start? His answer is that it just doesn’t matter to him and THAT is why it ties so perfectly to the ending. +
‘Even if this was all set in stone from the start, even if this is all what i wanted’ he will keep moving forward regardless, the philosophy or distinctions just don’t matter to him. He sees the future he is ultimately happy with and no one will stop him from reaching it. +
Eren as a cycle is emphasised in so many ways. Victim to perpetrator, starting his own cycle, even becoming the ‘fuel’ for the same cycle thematically (not actual titans just ‘power’), all because he was born into this world. It’s such nuanced writing. +
Back to 123, it’s even further evidence that mikasa is far more ‘free’ than eren. When thinking back to the moment, she questions what could be if she had changed her answer, something eren never actually did. The parallels are brilliantly done. +
These are the reasons why i think the scene is so brilliant in it’s pointlessness, and is truly distinct from his other moments along with tying perfectly to the ending. People will overlook it cus ‘romance’ and miss so much of the depth in both their dynamic & scenes.
End
End
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