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avariantflaire · 5 months

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Why Levi and Petra?

Of course, upon general viewing of SNK and its characters, it's clear that they have established Erwin, Levi, and Hange as the leading trio of the Survey Corps. They represent this faction of the military and in interesting ways, mirror the main protagonists of the series.

While there is a lot to be said and appreciated about Levi's relationships with Erwin and Hange, I have come to find that the character who humanizes him is the lovely (albeit forgettable) Petra Ral.

Early in the series, we are introduced to Levi as Humanity's Strongest Soldier. Erwin makes use of his abilities in this sense, and Hange often relies on his strength in combat as well. That is not to say this is the extent of their relationships: we have Levi's iconic "Give up on your dreams and die" scene with Erwin (S3 E16) and the infamous "Maybe we should just live here [away from my responsibilities] together" request from Hange (S4.2 E8). However, something to note with both scenes is that while they give depth to Levi's relationship with both characters, he essentially serves to highlight others. In the former, Levi's response directly challenges Erwin's dream, and allows this commander a defining moment of growth. Similarly in the latter, Levi is used as a means for Hange to express and eventually overcome their fears and insecurities about the deal they've been dealt as the new Commander of the Survey Corps (which at the time was rapidly disbanding under the Jaegerist movement).

In other words, Levi is the "subplot character" to Erwin's and Hange's individual arcs. (According to John Truby, 'The subplot character… provides another opportunity to define the hero through comparison and advance the plot.')

Which begs the question… at what point in the series, if any, is Levi defined as a character in and of himself?

Two prominent scenes from season 1 come to mind, which are namely: 1) The dying soldier scene (S1 E9), and 2) Petra's conversation with Eren in headquarters (S1 E15).

In the first, Levi comforts a dying soldier and vows to carry on their will and exterminate all Titans. When the soldier passes before he can reply to Levi's words, Levi turns to his fellow soldier Petra and asks her if he was heard. Petra provides confirmation, emphasizing the peaceful expression on the soldier's face.

In the second, Petra confronts a gloomy-looking Eren, who has been tasked to clean headquarters along with the rest of the Special Operations Squad (aka the Levi Squad). She specifically points out how Levi is 'not the hero he's expected to be' in the sense that he has a terrible personality, though she does so while smiling almost fondly, as though it doesn't matter what his personality is because they can always put faith in him as their Captain. It seems she wants Eren to understand this - or a notion similar.

It is in both moments that we are able to clearly see Levi beyond being a powerful soldier. Always, he is a threat. When he enters the scene we expect the shift in the dynamic of the battle - we expect him to win. He's a trump card. Erwin's last words to him are an order (S3 E16), and Hange's last words about him is "he's [Armin's] underling now, so really put him to work" (S4.3.1). Levi acknowledges Erwin's and Hange's humanity, bolsters it even, with the conviction of "dedicating your heart". In SNK he is the symbolism, the embodiment, of a soldier. That's all he really ever gets to be. Even his softest moments with - heck, anyone in the series - are meant to deeply reflect on the guilt, the burden, the purpose of getting the job done. ("So… you're telling me… I've spent all this time and energy running around killing people?" (S2 E12) / "Just think, if your hands were still clean... Jean wouldn't be here right now." (S3 E2) / "If we just run away and keep on hiding, what will we have left?" (S4.2 E8))

But for those singular moments in season one, he's more than just the threat. We see him as a human not only with (personality) flaws, but also with dreams and convictions, tied so seamlessly with his comrades' cause that we are reminded painfully, at the end of the series, that it was Levi who carried them all to the end. Throughout the story we see Levi lament fallen soldiers; we are exposed to how much he empathizes with his comrades and their deaths, to the point where it can be said that no one keeps us more aware of the lives that have been lost throughout the show more than Levi himself.

In this manner, Petra was the subplot character to Levi's hero. She gave the audience a (subconscious) glimpse of the Humanity within "Humanity's Strongest" and built the bridge that would lead us to compelling and important revelations about Levi's thoughts and actions as the show progressed. It's Petra whom he finds tending to a dying soldier; Petra whom he asks for confirmation that the soldier heard; Petra who, against all expectation, asks Eren to see past the station, the status, the soldier, to the person himself.

"He's not quite the great, perfect hero society makes him out to be, huh? The real Captain Levi is shorter than you'd expect, temperamental, crude, and unsociable. (…) You thought that because he's skilled, he doesn’t have to follow the rules like everyone else?" (S1 E15)

It's even Petra who, despite her rank, asks Levi to step aside when Eren becomes a half-baked Titan. Here, Levi's robust intuition and split-second decision making skills are shown even away from the battlefield. It's Petra who leads the Special Operations Squad in their apology to Eren (S1E19 "Bite"), who first instills in us (narratively) the notion of trusting your fellow comrades. More specifically, she is who convinces Eren to place his life in their hands. It's this notion that Levi carries with him even until the final arc - "I've saved Eren countless times over - each time, more comrades dying. All because I believed he was the hope of humanity." (S4.1 E13) In the manga (Ch112), it's Petra we see at the forefront of this belief.

"Do you, Eren? Do you find it that hard to trust us?" It's Petra who dies, her words the final say in convincing Eren: "I believe my squad will be victorious." (S1 E21)

"It's like some awful joke," Levi reflects later on, as his comrades' dying hopes and dreams flash by in the canopy of the forest. "What the hell was the hope that we saw? Such bullshit. It's not even funny." (S4.1 E13) "We" here could definitely mean the soldiers who've given their hearts, but the metaphorical representative of this heart is Petra herself... "Eren! Trust us." (S1 E19)

And in the end, it's Petra in the forefront alongside Erwin and Hange, representative of her fellow soldiers, the one (experienced/veteran) Scout we've seen and interacted with in the entire series to have professed the values of hope, of trust, of belief, which is henceforth carried on by Levi himself, his own convictions, his own dreams. They are, in the entire series, the glimpse we get into the Scout Regiment beyond the series' titular character and his comrades in the 104th, and a thorough dive into what makes Levi Humanity's, not simply its strongest.

Her character song, "The Light of Dual Wings", can literally be taken as an allegory of the dreams the Scouts have entrusted to Levi. That's how prominent she is as a Scout; how coded her devotion to Levi is, whether interpreted platonically, romantically, or narratively, as the dedication of hearts.

So, yes, I love them together. I love their scenes, the implications of them narratively, the values Petra professes so effortlessly in the air, washed away by the higher tides of the Female Titan arc. I love that it's still Petra at the forefront, in all of Levi's reflections moving forward, because she is our first glimpse into Levi's character, the real him.

In the end this is just a ship post struggling to keep from delving too much into the symbolism of Levi and the Scouts (how Levi is the face of the Scouts more so than Erwin himself, really), the truest depiction of humanity's collective fight for freedom in this entire series. In his early days, Eren wanted to be a Scout, after all. It is Levi and Petra who push him forward into 'that hell' - for better and worse, respectively.

#levi ackerman #petra ral #rivetra #levi x petra #levipet #aot #snk #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #levi character analysis #levi petra relationship analysis #aot analysis #snk analysis #i even cited episode numbers!#i was too lazy to get the overall episode number though xd #so you get dumb citations like S4.3.1 lol #analysis.vtf

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sonofthesaiyans · 18 days

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Hats off to Jean Kirstein, the Scouts' unlikeliest hero.

Honor dictates that I say a few words to honor the birthday of one of the 104th's strongest and most naturally gifted soldiers.

Jean Kirstein is a character who, at one point, I would have said had one of the most impressive arcs of any individual character in Attack on Titan. Once content to keep himself to the sidelines in service of the royal government, Jean has really come a long way from when we first met him in the early days of season one.

Jean has always been abrasive and cynical, holding on to no fantasies about the miserable world he and his friends have long been trapped in. But in spite of all he's gone through, he's shown a keen sense of judgement and natural leadership that has allowed him to survive again and again in a situation he at one point would have been all to happy to look the other way, and never turn back. In a world where insanity dominates between the Titans and humanity, Jean always seems to know what to do even when he's at an utter loss of what the outcome could be, and he's so often been a voice of reason when faced with the panic of his comrades or the zeal of his friendly rival turned mortal enemy, Eren.

His old pal Marco recognized this potential in Jean, and it seems Marco's words have resonated strongly with Jean long after his own demise. Understanding what was at stake, he took a hard look at what he signed himself on to and charged at it head on. Through and through, he's proven a dependable ally to those serving by his side and ultimately, under his own command. One of Jean's greatest assets, and perhaps in his own mind his greatest curse, is his nobility. Whatever his faults and failings, Jean has always sided with the greater good, and is one of the most incorruptible characters on Paradis. He's been pushed to his limits every bit as much as the rest of his circle......And through it all still stands tall.

By no means flawless, and I actually have some far stronger opinions about Jean in spite of the fact that I rarely ever comment on him around here.......And that's a discussion for another day.

For tonight though, gotta acknowledge the impressive track record of a guy who probably never should have been a Scout in the first place.......And somehow has lived to speak of the experience after going through Hell and back time and time again.

Seriously, Jean Kirstein would have been a worthy contender to become Commander of the Scout Regiment, or second-in-command under Hange and/or Levi. Whatever the case, he's certainly been an asset to the greater cause of freedom, and perhaps understood the meaning of what that was far better than Eren himself EVER did.

Keep moving forward as you always have, Commander Jean.

Happy Birthday to a man worthy of wearing the Wings of Freedom.

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Oh, and one last thing; If you really do truly love Jean, then for the love of all that is good and just.........

Do NOT even think about it with the lame as hell Horseface jokes. I think the fact that I acknowledged not just Jeanmarco, but also "Jeankasa" up here is being pretty generous as it is. So please, don't push it, alright?

Besides, I can name five other characters who look more like horses than him.....

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hanjiist · 1 year

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guess who got to meet Hajime Isayama :)

here’s what we talked about:

he was so kind and humble! he asked why I loved Hanji this much and said he’s glad he drew a character that people can love to that extent (I told him Hanji is like my 3rd parent...) - he said in the beginning, he thought it would be fun to add a weird character to the story, but as events proceeded, Hanji became more and more duty-focused, serious and reliable. i said one of my favorite scenes is when hanji is very tired and shakes in stress in the military hq, he said he’s really surprised i like it and the other Hanji in the sign also liked this scene. i told him i wanted to hug Hanji during that scene and he understood. i believe he really got what Hanji meant to me and that’s why Hanji’s smile is different in the illustration he made me compared to the one he made for the other Hanji fan.i asked if Hanji’s death was planned from the beginning, he said no, he only planned for Armin, Mikasa and Eren’s ending, but the role of the adults in SnK was to guide those three, tell them about the world and transmit their mission onto them. basically Hanji was meant to give out their duty to the next generation. which was why Hanji had to end up that way. i think it’s beautiful and very much like them, believing in their values and something greater than themselves until the very end

#snk #hajime isayama #hanji zoe #hange zoe #mynotes #i cant believe i actually met yams hes the kindest ever #commander hanji #hanji always #snk spoilers #attackontitan #snk analysis #official source #snk news

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levmada · 9 months

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You said you could write an essay on S3 Eruri poster, DO IT 👁️ 👁️

THANK YOU FOR ENABLING ME😩BTW TELL ME HOW I WROTE A 7 PAGE ESSAY ABOUT ERURI IN LIKE 2 HOURS BUT MY ACADEMIC LIFE IS SUFFERING😭 | 2.2k

alright. (here it is in the best quality i could find:)

this image was a promo for season 3. i believe it refers to both part 1 and part 2, even though Erwin’s major character arc is finished in part 2.

first of all, before dissecting the image i'm going to lay out all the puzzle pieces needed for us to do that. let’s focus on Erwin’s father first.

Erwin’s father’s suspicious death is what drove him since he was a child. he resolves to find out the truth about his death, and that expands to proving his father right about his theories concerning the world that they live in—by any means necessary. his curiosity and sense of justice is a major motivator for him, but arguably the biggest is Erwin's sense of guilt, that he got his father killed for sharing his theories with his classmates.

Erwin becomes a soldier (assumably, as soon as possible at age 12). and at first, he is still open about his curiosity, his hopes and his dreams. in one scene as a cadet he’s insisting to Nile that there’s more to their world than what’s presented to them all, especially concerning the mystery of the Titans, but Nile brushes him off. furthermore, during Erwin’s monologue, we learn that everyone dismissed him as a naive boy with an overactive imagination, as well as a death wish for his intentions to join the Scouts.

[youtube link of Erwin's backstory - a couple second-long clip]

because of that, Erwin became much more closed off. he learned that if no one would take him the slightest bit seriously or even give him the time of day, he would have to present himself as someone powerful and worth listening to. he can’t find the truth solely on his own.

so, Erwin manipulates and schemes to further his goals. only in the no regrets side story do we see that for ourselves before he became commander. and hell, he was practically commander already in every way except in name. he came up with an actual planned formation that decreased soldiers’ deaths; he made the battle plans; he was given full authority over Levi and his friends (notable since they were known as a couple of thugs from the underground at the time) with Shadis having next to no part in such a thing. he blackmailed the powerful politician that wanted to disband the survey corps, he was smart enough to figure out Levi, Isabel, and Furlan’s plans and trick them too. hell, when Levi had the sword to his throat to kill him anyway, Erwin physically gripped the sword and held him back, and convinced Levi to join their cause instead. Levi back then, whose actions always centered around his friends’ survival, who had a clear ego himself.

Erwin must’ve gleaned something from his conversation with levi in the castle, after his first Titan kill. that Levi was fascinated at the idea that he could protect others for a cause.

so in short, Erwin is a genius. he has the intelligence, strength, and charisma - and if not, he gains it - to ascend the ranks as well as keep himself alive.

because of Erwin’s actions and how he reacts to the consequences, it’s easy to conclude that he’s a shameless ego-maniac that believes, and will, do whatever he wants with no regard to anyone else.

that’s not it.

Erwin is universally loved by the entire survey corps in the present. for example in season 2 after Eren is kidnapped, and many are injured after the Colossal and Armored Titans appeared again. everyone appears comforted and in higher spirits when Erwin and his backup appears to assess the situation.

and it’s true. without Erwin’s leadership, the morale and the Survey Corps’ successes aren’t nearly what they are.

but in his conversation with Levi in season 3 part 1, Erwin sees himself as replaceable without a doubt. and that's only the tip of the iceberg.

earlier in that season when Erwin is talking to Zachery, Erwin expresses that he doesn’t know if the coup is right, or whether it’ll just lead to suffering. he has plenty of doubts. he’s actuely aware that his actions are drastic, he holds lives in his hands that he has willingly let slip through his fingers for the sake of the truth.

hell, he isn’t bothered when he wakes up with his arm missing. he will pay the rest of the price when he ‘ends up in hell’. it’s spoken like a joke, too, and after that, Levi helps to ease the tension. in his own way, he tries to make Erwin feel better by teasing him.

later in that scene, when Hange gravely shares their theory that the titans are actually human beings, Levi seems devastated and the mood is clearly solemn, but Erwin smiles. because this was proof that his father’s theories held water, that they’re one step closer to learning the origins of the Titans and the truth of their world.

while a village of people are either titanized or dead. yes, Erwin was extremely selfish in that moment. he is selfish, but he’s not heartless.

if you still have any doubts at all about that, just go and watch the entire crate scene(link). i won’t add screenshots because there’s simply too much to put lol.

Erwin’s guilt is endless. he confesses to Levi that he felt suicidal many times, but his motivation to keep going was for his father, and the truth. it’s a complex in his head that he dissects then and there: that all he’s done, he’s done for the sake of humanity, justice, of bringing freedom to everyone in a world safe from the titans.

but his intentions are also horribly selfish. at his core, he’s still a hapless child who just wants to see what’s in the basement. the truth.

in that monologue, Erwin’s self hatred is completely exposed. he feels that he tricked everyone, including Levi, into ignorantly joining his selfish ploy. that he’s irredeemable, and he deserves a fate even worse than death.

back in the hospital room, it’s canon and has been expanded upon that in that moment when Erwin smiled at the news that Levi realized that Erwin’s true intentions are selfish. but what did he do? he did what he’s always done ever since that fateful day in the storm. Levi learned that there’s a darkness within Erwin, but he still cares for him. even without an explanation, he feels that way. regardless of whether you see their relationship as romantic or not, Levi loved him and that’s undeniable.

back to the crate scene, after Erwin shared all of that with the extra visual of Erwin standing upon a mountain of corpses so high that the ground wasn’t visible underneath, Levi kneels and reassures him. “You have fought well. It's only thanks to you that we've come this far.” and he promises to kill the Beast Titan (furthermore, Levi’s devotion is clear in his obvious passion in season 4 to do just that).

but Erwin’s love for Levi is the same. Levi is also in the image beside Erwin’s father.

back in No Regrets, Erwin is outright smitten with Levi from the beginning when he first saw him using the ODM gear in the Underground. (i'm out of images i can add.. curse you tumblr.)

he needs him to join his cause. and he goes to great lengths to do just that.

Erwin knows that Levi is invaluable. for example in season 1 after Levi announces that he’s going back to his squad, Erwin stops him and makes him refuel his equipment when it was pointless. the truth is that after seeing what the Female Titan was capable of, the last thing Erwin was about to do was risk Levi’s life. ERWIN, the man who’s known for taking risks and making deadly gambles, won’t risk Levi’s life.

in season 3 part 2 the first idea Levi proposes is for everyone who’s still alive to escape on Eren while he fights the Beast Titan. Erwin immediately states that he won’t even get close to him and dismisses it. the most important battle of humanity (said Erwin), Erwin who has gotten countless comrades killed, committed so much sin, has shown himself to be incredibly selfish, would rather die without his life goal being completed than get Levi killed.

you could argue: well obviously not. in both those cases, Levi is in invaluable asset. he’s a tool. of course Erwin would take costly action to keep him alive.

but even if Levi did die to the Female Titan in season 1, Levi wasn’t needed for the operation in Stohess to succeed. in fact, he was injured. assumably he twisted his ankle, and Erwin put him out of commission for weeks. including during that battle against the Colossal and Armored titans, as far as they know the biggest threats to humanity. Levi wasn’t allowed because he had a minor injury. if Levi was just an important tool, Erwin would've gambled Levi's life on killing the Female Titan when he had the chance. Erwin would’ve had Levi join everyone else in rescuing Eren too.

Erwin wouldn’t be able to live with himself if Levi died under his orders. while Levi has expressed many times that even if Erwin were to lead them all into hell, he wouldn’t regret it for a second.

and in season 3 part 2, Erwin sacrifices himself (on top of scores of teenagers in classic Erwin fashion) in order for Levi to have a chance to succeed. for Levi to live, and for there to still be a hope of making a peaceful world.

with all this in mind, we have the tools to understand this promo image (god i'm such a loser).

Erwin’s conflict in season 3 part 2 is between finding the truth for his father’s sake no matter the cost, or continuing living for his duty’s sake symbolized by Levi. selfishly following his personal dream, selfishly pursuing the basement regardless of how many people die. or, selflessly bringing justice to his father’s murder by proving him right even if he can't be a part of it, selflessly leading the fight to finally bring back the hope and strength that Levi represents.

canonically, Levi is also Erwin’s last bastion of his humanity. without him, Erwin would have no qualms of acting like the monster Floch later portrays him to be. (i can add a link of proof later if anyone actually reads this lmao.)

Levi, and Erwin’s father are important to him. they give Erwin his reason to live in different ways.

this is represented by their positions on the poster. both of their profiles are visible, taking up the same amount of space in frame, both are looking back, presumably at Erwin with suggestive looks, as if waiting for Erwin to act.

specifically, let’s center in on Erwin’s father. he’s on the left, notably the side that Erwin lost his arm. this isn’t a coincidence. here, Erwin’s father represents his selfishness, even his suicidality (think back to Erwin’s comment about paying the rest of the price for his sins on hell while referring to his arm). to be succinct, Erwin’s father represents loss. and in a related meaning, he represents Erwin failing, and losing his life.

his father’s expression is different from Levi’s. his head isn’t turned towards him as much as Levi’s is, implying either a lack of confidence in Erwin, or that he isn’t supporting what he plans to do, and yet in his expression, he looks at him imploringly, worried. he’s asking for something. Erwin to stop all this self-torture? Erwin to bring justice to his death and find the truth about their world? pity? it’s not clear.

Levi is on the right. “his right hand man” right? (isayama is a genius by the way). Levi also appears to be in front of Erwin, but he’s looking back much more purposefully. he isn’t afraid, and he has no doubt. his brow is furrowed and he’s looking at Erwin pointedly, also expecting something from him, and that’s to lead him. Levi looks sure of himself, but he’s noticeably frowning, showing that he’s not completely confident. as well, Levi isn’t in uniform. actually his shirt and collar are that from no regrets when he met Erwin.

finally, Erwin. you don’t need to take more than a first glance to understand that he’s in turmoil. although most of his body is in frame, the perspective of the picture is from above him, while his father and Levi are at level with the viewer. as a result Erwin looks smaller, almost powerless. his cape billows behind him so that he isn’t shielded by it at all. symbolically, Erwin the man, and not Erwin the soldier, is being exposed here. one of the lapels of his jacket is blown aside, his commander’s necklace is strewn, and one of his legs appear to be raised as if in the middle of the motion to step back. his fist is loosely clenched by his side, further exuding his lack of confidence. he looks worried.

he’s worried about judgment from both Levi and his father. he has a choice to make that will undermine the other. he’s unsteady, and isn’t sure how to proceed.

this image literally says a thousand of words without saying anything. as i’ve explained, Erwin’s conflict between executing his father’s wish regardless of the consequences and who may die (including Levi, if Erwin were to agree to Levi's plan), or to fight valiantly in pursuit of a peaceful world with everything Levi represents: compassion, strength, sacrifice.

and of course, we know what he chose. he chose Levi. he gave up on his dream, this thing that gave Erwin the will to live, and willingly charged into a battle he knew he wouldn’t live through, let alone win.

even in near-death, coincidental or not, Erwin’s arm raising away from the syringe and his words - the question to his father in the classroom that started Erwin's whole journey - affected Levi’s choice. specifically, Levi recognized that Erwin’s dream was killing him from the inside, and it has all this time. he had become a slave to it like Kenny had. that is one of the reasons Levi let erwin rest, and erased all his burdens with death.

essay complete😈

#i had to reread midnight sun and erwin and levi's last conversations for this essay so i expect compensation for my upcoming therapy visits #/j #aot #aot manga #snk manga #aot official art #snk promo image #eruri #aot analysis #snk analysis #attack on titan manga #snk official art #snk levi #aot erwin #erwin smith #character analysis #erwin snk #erwin aot

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lenok993 · 5 months

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#please read #levi #levi ackerman #snk #snk meta #aot meta #snk thoughts #aot thoughts #snk 137 #snk 138 #snk 139 #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #snk ending #aot ending #snk analysis #aot analysis

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cosmicjoke · 2 years

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Hange’s Sacrifice and the Culmination of Levi’s Loss and Grief

I think it can be said, without question, that the person within the Survey Corps that was Levi’s closest friend, was Hange. More than any other character, it was Hange that we always saw Levi with, it was Hange with whom Levi shared the same goal, it was Hange who Levi was partnered with the most, and Hange who, out of all his comrades, remained with him the longest, held out the longest. Certainly I think, whether you’re involved in any kind of shipping wars or not, it can’t be denied that with Hange, Levi had a closer personal relationship than just about any other of his comrades. And truly, I think, this is why it was her death, and the circumstances surrounding it, which really served as the tipping point for Levi. Which really plunged him into a state of near crippling depression. I say near, because as we know, Levi still found the strength, somehow, to keep fighting, even after she was gone. But God, it was maybe the hardest thing he’s ever had to do, and that’s saying a lot, considering the amount of loss and pain he’d suffered up to that point.

To really understand just how heavy a burden, just how acute the pain of Hange’s loss on Levi was, I think it’s also necessary to look at what happens just one chapter before, I believe, when Levi is at last able to make it to his feet after being severely injured by Zeke.

We see the panel of Levi pulling himself along the deck railing of the boat the alliance is using to sail to the Azumabito port. He can barely stand, needing to grasp onto the railing, needing to lean his weight almost entirely against it just to stay on his feet. Subsequently, I would point to this exact panel whenever anyone makes the absurd claim that Levi could have fought with his comrades during the battle with the Yeagerists back at the port. No, he couldn’t have. He was barely able to fight during the final battle against Eren. But I digress. Anyway, Armin finds him and naturally expresses alarm at his being up and about, taking hold of him and telling him he should lay back down, to which Levi replies that he’s slept enough. And then he says something that’s really crucial to understanding his character, I think. He tells Armin “Besides, if I sleep much longer, all of you are going to forget I even exist.”.

What this tells us about Levi is just how much of his sense of self-worth is wrapped up in his ability to help people. If he can’t help people, from Levi’s perspective, he might as well not even exist. This truly is a heartbreaking revelation about the way Levi views himself. That he sees himself as worthless if he isn’t able to help others. It also recalls Kenny’s dying words to him, just before he went into his speech about everyone being a slave to something. He said to Levi “What are you, a hero?”. And indeed, that is the thing Levi is a slave to. It isn’t a dream of Levi’s, to be a hero, the way it was to say, Reiner. It isn’t self-serving, it isn’t to boost his own ego or standing in the world. Levi, because of his great strength, and because of the harsh and desperate circumstances of his life growing up, understanding the fragility and fleeting nature of life, feels an incredible responsibility to use it as a sword and shield for others, to protect others, to fight for others and preserve their dreams. He knew he had these abilities which were far beyond that of any other person, abilities which, for a long time, he didn’t understand the purpose of, until he was able to make his first friends in Furlan and Isabel, and he understood finally what his strength could and should be used for. Because he had this thing that nobody else seemingly did, an immense power, and so he felt it was his responsibility to use it for the sake of the people around him. He was doing this as far back as his time in the Underground, where he fought to protect not only Furlan and Isabel, and their dream of living on the surface, but other delinquents and orphaned children who sought refuge and protection under him, as part of his gang. Levi always understood his strength didn’t make him better than anyone else. It wasn’t something he ever bragged about, or felt made him superior, or more deserving than others. It wasn’t something which fed his ego, or gave him a sense of self-importance. He never saw himself as a savior. For a very long time, he didn’t even know what the point of him having his strength was. He just knew he had it, and after meeting Furlan and Isabel, understood that he could use it to keep others safe. And so eventually, in his mind, possessing this thing which nobody else had, being, in a sense, privileged to have a strength no one else had, Levi felt he owed it to others, to use what he had to their benefit.

And so, every time Levi fails to protect those around him, every time he’s unable to save another person, and they die, Levi feels the weight of that loss tenfold, because in his mind, to save them, to keep them safe, to keep them alive, was his responsibility, was his duty, was what he owed to them, with his great strength.

Now, maybe one of the truest examples of how Levi doesn’t see himself, or wish himself, or dream of himself as a hero, but rather simply is a hero, is that, in AoT’s final arc, he’s robbed of the very thing which allowed him to embody that role to begin with. He’s robbed of his strength, and rendered a physical liability even, needing to be carted around and taken care of by others in the midst of extremely precarious and uncertain circumstances. And yet, even with his strength gone, the very thing which he felt made him responsible for others in the first place, he continues to feel that way, continues to feel as if he owes it to the people around him to fight for them, and protect them, and save them. He doesn’t sit around lamenting that his strength is gone and feeling sorry for himself because of it. He doesn’t wallow in self-pity at being robbed of the thing that made him capable of protecting others, that made him special, even. Instead, he pushes past his physical weakness, forcing himself into action, even when he can barely stand, because he continues on in feeling he owes it to those around him to fight, to lay his life on the line for their lives. It isn’t Levi’s strength, then, that compels him to fight for others. It isn’t Levi’s strength that engenders in him the value with which he regards life.

Rather, it’s Levi’s heart.

He was never a hero because it was easy for him to be one. He was never a hero because he was strong. He was a hero because he understood the value in other people’s lives, and no matter his own circumstances, no matter his own abilities, or struggles, he felt he owed it to people to protect that life, to give his in exchange for theirs.

And so now we come back to Hange, and how her death, and the circumstances surrounding it, brought Levi the closest to his breaking point that we ever saw.

It’s been pointed out by others how, when Hange flies off to intercept the colossal titans, in order to give the alliance the chance they need to get the plane airborne, while all the other members of their group watch on as she fights for them, Levi isn’t able to. His eyes are fixed on the ground, a stricken expression on his face. He only looks up for a brief moment when the people around him begin to cheer, and for an instant, hope comes into his heart, that maybe Hange, somehow, miraculously, will survive and make it back to them. Only the hope is short lived, as they make it onto the plane, and Hange continues to fight, separated from them. Again, the rest of the team watches on as Hange at last succumbs to the burning heat of the steam coming off the titans, bursting into tears as she falls from the sky, and once again, Levi is unable to watch, rooted to his seat on the plane, his eyes fixed to the floor. He can’t bring himself to watch his best friend’s sacrifice. He can’t bear to witness what, to him, is his failure to give what he owes to her.

In the moments before Hange leaves, Levi calls out to her, and the obvious implication is that he’s doing so in an attempt to convince her to stop, to stay, likely with the intent to take her place, and give the alliance the time they need. Only Hange cuts him off before he can even get the words out, telling him she needs this, that this is her moment, her chance to finally live up to the role of Commander that she’s been struggling for the past five years to fulfill. Her chance, at last, to live up to the ideal that Erwin set, an ideal which, poetically, Levi himself gave Erwin the chance to embody by telling him five years earlier to “give up on (his) dream and die”.

Levi had already sensed this possibility, when Hange expressed to him her fears of what their fallen comrades would think, seeing where they were now, and where Hange herself, specifically, had lead them. Levi tells Hange that she sounds like “him”, meaning Erwin, and expresses his own dismay at the similarity, wishing her to stop, to not make the same sacrifice to duty that Erwin had made. He can’t bear to lose another friend to that. He can’t bear the burden of another failure to protect the people he cares for. And yet, shortly after, that’s exactly what happens. Hange makes it clear that she won’t be stopped, that this is what she needs, and Levi can do nothing but support her in her decision, allowing her to leave with an affirmation of their ideal, telling her to “dedicate your heart” as proof of his belief and respect in her, and what she now dies for.

But this truly is the bitterest of pills for Levi to swallow.

Just hours before, he pushed through his own physical frailty and weakness to rally to the cause of humanity, overcoming his own limitations to simply stand up and prepare for battle, to lend his arm to the fight and the protection of his comrades. He continued to feel, despite having every excuse in the world to sit this one out, that it was his duty and responsibility to fight, to give whatever he had left to his friends and fellow soldiers, and to humanity as a whole, only to have that determination thrown back in his face, as he fails yet again to protect the life of his best friend, unable to do anything as she gives her life up for the cause.

Levi’s body language following Hange’s sacrifice really says it all. Never before have we seen him so outwardly dejected and despairing. He sits with slumped shoulders, very nearly curled in on himself, as if in shame, and a visibly pained expression etched into his features, brow furrowed in what seems a struggle against tears. With Hange’s death, the weight of all his losses finally begins to bend Levi, threatening to break him. He is bowing under the weight of his anguish, brought to the brink of hopelessness, and doubt. He is struggling to find the will anymore to continue on, to find the purpose in it.

There really couldn’t have been a heavier burden for Levi to bear in that moment, then to once again have to accept another friends sacrifice, and his own inability to save them, when already he felt as if his weakened state threatened to make him useless. Hange’s death could only serve to reaffirm those feelings in Levi, that belief he holds that, if he isn’t able to help people, he may as well not even exist, so immersed is he in the notion that he owes his life to others, to their hopes and dreams. Levi has never lived for himself, he’s always placed the lives of others above his own, always regarded the value of others lives as above his own, and yet, he alone remains alive out of every close friend he ever had. The weight of that burden would be enough to break just about anyone. Any man lesser than Levi would have succumbed in that moment to utter despair, and given up.

But Levi didn’t. He didn’t give up. He kept fighting, right up until the very end. He saved more lives. And he gave meaning to every, single one of his comrades sacrifices. And after, he continued on still, in their memory, living out the life they had given their own to realize, continuing to bear the weight of their dreams on his shoulders, to make certain what they gave wasn’t given in vain.

#Levi Ackerman #hange zoë #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #SNK analysis

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selenestarmoon · 1 year

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Eren and Cinder: Slaves of Freedom

Many people hate Eren and Cinder to the point that they consider them bad characters and it's one thing to dislike a character and another to be badly written and to be fair, Eren and Cinder aren't bad characters. You might dislike them, very much actually, but one thing doesn't take away the other, they're both well written and I'm writing this because I don't want people to think they're bad characters just because they don't like them.

They both share a strong desire for freedom and in this post I'm going to explore their desire for freedom, why they became obsessed with being free as well as other things they share:

Eren and Cinder suffered since they were children due to situations that were beyond their control. Eren witnessed the destruction of his home and the death of his mother Carla as well as being turned into a titan by his father Grisha and later on he would suffer a series of betrayals and find out that everything bad that happened to him was the product of a war that he did not even know existed and Cinder was mistreated on the farm where she was sheltered until Madame adopted her but this mistreatment went from bad to worse, then Rhodes gives her hope of being free as a huntress but she could not bear the abuse and she kills her abusers and then fights Rhodes and kills him.

Both situations are quite different but the effect it caused on both is practically the same: they hate themselves for their impotence and want to be free because they want to have control of their lives, give meaning to all pain they went through and believe that power and violence is the only thing that can give them what they want. Eren and Cinder are victims of a system bigger than them that failed them and they choose to destroy it but at the cost of being left alone in a toxic and self-destructive cycle.

Basically, this is how they want to be seen by others (powerful and untouchable)

because this is what they really are (pathetic and unsure of themselves)

and they know it better than anyone and they hate themselves for it. They're irrational, immature, angry, cowardly in many ways, yet also a frightened children deep down.

Their desire to be free through violence, to have power, and to have a narrative they're in control of has caused them to enter a self-destructive spiral and ironically they become slaves to their desire for freedom to the point that they lose sight of what that they really want (to be loved) and cut off the few positive relationships they have left, taking them away from what they really want.

Cinder only gets close to others for her own benefit and while she projects onto Emerald and Mercury and feels some affection for them, in the end she chooses to abuse and manipulate them and despite Eren genuinely loving his friends but in turn abusing them, he hits them and forces them to do things they don't want to do, Cinder and Eren both share a main flaw when it comes to their relationships and that is that they're afraid of loving other people, afraid of showing vulnerability, they don't trust others because they don't want to be hurt again. Their relationships are selfish love because they are based on how they feel without taking into account the feelings of others. This is so to the point that they also affect people with whom they have no close relationship because they steal agency because they have been deprived of it.

If you notice, Eren and Cinder seek to have a narrative like the trope of the chosen one: one person is a failure and having a series of horrible things happen to them only to realize that they were special for being the chosen one all along but to Eren and Cinder's disgrace they're not chosen but are a deconstruction of this trope.

Eren experienced a series of misfortunes and betrayals, he receives a power that shortens his life expectancy to 13 years and on top of that the whole world wants to destroy his home because of a war that he didn't know existed but wants to believe that he is the chosen one who was destined to activate the Rumbling and that there was no other solution to save his island. On the other hand, Cinder was abused her entire life and felt betrayed by the father figure who inspired her until Salem arrives and grants her the ability to be a Maiden (which is quite a dangerous position since many seek her power either through the power itself, the relics, or both) being left in an abusive situation with her and Cinder chooses to believe that she was meant to be the one chosen to have the Maiden's Powers.

They seek to be special because they hate themselves and they want power because they want control of their lives. They would rather be monsters that everyone fears

than admit that they're just traumatized and wounded children.

After all, what kind of person wanted to become a monster anyway?

A person pathetically unable to feel good as a human being.

We see that this deconstructed trope, far from being something good and rewarding, is actually dehumanizing. Eren knows that his mother's death was circumstantial but chooses to believe that he caused it and planned it only to feel like he was in control and Cinder chooses to believe that her role as Maiden is her destiny and that she destroyed the kingdom she hated to feel that it was by her own choice when actually everything was planned and decided by Salem.

Eren and Cinder are fascinating because of how contradictory they are, they want to be free but at the same time they want to adjust to a narrative where everything is decided for them. They both think that way because they believe that freedom consists of doing what they want without consequences, but what they don't know about freedom is this:

Here Ezio is explaining the meaning of "everything is permitted" from the assassins creed which is basically the meaning of having freedom. Freedom consists of making choices and taking responsibility for the consequences of those choices, but Eren and Cinder don't make their own decisions and when they do they don't want to take responsibility for them. They want the feeling of power and control that comes with choice, but they don't want the responsibility for it.

Eren knows about the world situation regarding Paradis and he wanted to protect his friends and home but deep down he just wanted revenge against the world and the system that hurt him. He didn't want the world to be destroyed but he wanted to be the one to make that choice.

Cinder knows about the situation of the world of Remnant with the classism and discrimination that she and many others suffered and decided to perpetuate the cycle because she wanted revenge against a system that failed her. She doesn't care about the state of the world but she wanted to be important and Cinder, like Eren, is going to make a choice about the world but in turn she has the opportunity to make a different choice than Eren.

In a sense, Eren represents what could happen to Cinder if she doesn't realize her way of thinking that she has to be the chosen one to prove her worth as a person and not acknowledge her pain and the pain she caused others will get her nowhere. She needs to realize that she doesn't need to prove her worth but to acknowledge that she is already valuable and special just by existing, which Eren failed to do. Eren was called to realize it by his friends but he failed because he prioritize his self-loathing and anger against the world while Cinder will be called (possibly by Emerald and Mercury) to realize this and she will listen.

While Eren condemns himself by wanting to continue with his flaw (being afraid to love others, wanting to feel better about himself by hurting others and being special because his childish delusions of grandeur and his inability to let go of his childish feelings of entitlement) and not being able to grow, Cinder will grow as a person and overcome these same flaws. Both are very related to the final destiny of the world, except that Eren ultimately chooses to destroy his while Cinder ultimately will chooses to save it. Eren's choice was selfish and Cinder's will be selfless. Eren chooses to die because he cannot deal with the responsibility of his choice while Cinder will choose to die to save the world and will hold on to her final choice even knowing the consequences of taking it.

Eren died as a slave to his need to seek freedom and to feel better about himself in a chosen narrative but Cinder will die truly free for the first time in her life by recognizing what she really wants (to be loved, make her own choices and hold on to them with all the responsibility that entails).

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cerise-apple · 5 months

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That’s it. That’s the only reason Attack on Titan exists. Good day

( follow me i post smart content )

#anti attack on titan #attack on titan #snk #shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan ending #anti aot ending #ymir fritz #anime analysis #aot analysis #attack on titan analysis #snk analysis #ymir #titan #rant #my rant

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nenithil · 2 years

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Hi! Do you think Moblit had a crush on Hange? Or he was just a very loyal subordinate?

hello! tky for the ask!

It's hard to say in the Manga (although Moblit sacrificed for Hanji, it generally has nothing to do with romantic feelings to sacrifice his life for others in SNK), so I'd talk about the materials of au smartpass.

At least in Hanji's eyes, Moblit's sacrifice has nothing to do with romantic love. They are just comrades in arms, what he did was for their ideal:

I know. At that time, it was no accident that I was saved…

The adjutant who understands the priority of life in the Survey Corps, made judgment in an instant and did not hesitate to act… ——「眠りと夢のはなし《第二幕》」Vol.01：ハンジゾエ

Obviously, Hanji saw Moblit as a dedicated subordinate. What moblit did was also in line with Hanji's comments. Hanji believed that due to his attention, her work efficiency has been greatly improved:

"Listen to me! My efficiency is getting higher and higher recently! There are obviously more things Ican do every day!" "… I don't smell sense of fatigue from you" "Probably because of a proper rest… And thanks to the adjutant who manages things for me!" "No, this is just what I should do…" ——————the first advice：Moblit Berner

Moblit also believes that all these are his duty: “….Once addicted, even your life will be ignored." ”I think it's my duty to protect her at that time." ————Taking shelter from the rain: Levi&Moblit

Interestingly, in the same Au, Moblit showed his desire to develop a closer personal relationship with Hanji. He is a little envious of Levi. But does that mean moblit have a crush on Hanji?

I don't think so, because in this Au, Moblit seems to be happy with levi-han's relationship, and he blessed Levi: …It's nice if the Squad Leader could notice the existence of Captain… Then he couldn't help smiling at Levi's shyness.

This is not like a man who had a crush on sb, at least not the style that isym is used to describing. When Jean saw interaction between Mikasa and Eren, or Ymir saw Historia and Reiner, they were both triggered or even annoyed.

So I don't think he had a crush on Hanji. He admired Hanji and wanted to develop equal friendship with her. He hoped that Hanji could be healthy, happy and give full play to her greatest strength to change the future of mankind:

“Hange…is so much smarter than everyone else. Their ideas are different from normal people’s, so I’m sure their research will eventually take humanity to new heights–they’re someone who’s capable of freeing us from the Titans. But they’re like a single, thin stake. Unstable and wobbly, no telling when they might fall. So it doesn’t matter who it is, someone has to be there to hold them down at the base. Even if it’s someone weak.”

————Moblit Berner :“A Story of Having Too Much to Drink”

#hanji zoe #hange zoe #hans zoe #moblit berner #snk analysis #snk #snk ship

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everythingseasoning · 1 year

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I started rewatching S2 of AOT and here is a little brain dump (for my own archive purposes)

I finished 3.5 episodes, E26-29 and into E30.

Wow. We see that Eren is such an acts of service kind of guy. He will do anything to save the people he loves… He was willing to die in a snowstorm to retrieve a lost Historia during their winter training. Eren is NOT OKAY with seeing people he cares for get hurt— he turns into an impassioned human whenever he witnesses something unjust. It’s really cool to see that somebody else cares that much for you. Eren will risk his life, do whatever he needs to do, for the people he cares about. And well. It adds up for what happens in S4 and the end of the manga. I fr want an Eren in my life (minus the genocide!!!)

I have a worm making its way thru my heart and that worm is Reiner. Reiner is so brave and manly and it is making me feel some typa way. Couple that with Eren, and the AOT guys are making me not 100% gay. Anyways. Then we have Ymir, who is fiercely caring, insightful, and super tall for Historia. Ymir who I like a lot more this time around, who would take care of who she loves and protects them with all her attention. I feel like Ymir and I share the same level of care for people we love. I like her a lot, I want a Ymir in my life too. She and Historia deserved a happy ending. They all did. (I am also traumatized by Miche and Nanaba’s death — no — I’m not kidding, I just, had a mini trauma episode— which happens everytime I witness something violent, even if fictional).

I’ve been taking notes on the plot (as usual, #mal’s endeavors), and I have to say there is sooo much going on within every character, for all characters, all at the same time. Idk how isayama made this all coherent as one story in one timeline — like how do you do that? for how complicated it is — but like yup. He did that.

(I.e. we get a glimpse of Sasha’s backstory and her journey of being a scaredy-cat girl who only thinks about her own wants, to becoming a courageous soldier—like I’m so proud of her — We’re just starting to see Reiner’s bravery and amazing way of taking action to help the scouts, and then also his split personality disorder— We’re learning about Ymir and Historia’s past.

And it all happens in one damn day).

/// the question is do I squeal about their characters and read fanfiction and adore them — or do I keep watching the show — or do I do my own ff???

#mal is random asf #mal’s archives #mal decided to share her thoughts #attack on titan #aot #aot analysis #snk #snk analysis #attack on Titan analysis

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the-last-hipopotamovolador · 1 year

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I hate to see people comparing Eren (even as a fandom joke) to a fucking gringo republican who believes in usa-white supremacy, like??? are we talking about the same character???? of course Eren is a toxic character, a fucking GENOCIDE, and he could NEVER be catalogued as a good person, but contrary to a white supremacist gringo who never in their fucking lives have suffered oppression of any kind and who was always in a place of power and luxury, a person who are just oppressors full of ignorant hatred , Eren's hatred is born FROM THE OPPRESSION, from the suffering that he all his loved ones and all of the people in the paradis island had experienced for centuries, being born in a oppressed country which was condemned to a life of violence, hatred and ignorance. of course none of that makes his actions good or fair, he's still the biggest genocide in the snk universe, but making that comparison is totally out of character and ignores all of Eren's story and origin and all of the plot of the manga/anime itself. I think that if we made a comparison with real life, Eren would be the leader of an anti-state armed extremist group from a "third-world" country or something like that. 🤷🏻

#shingeki no kyojin #mio #eren jeager #snk #attack on titan #aot #character analysis #snk analysis #eren jeager analysis #shingeki no kyoujin #shingeki no kyojin discourse #eren jeager discourse #attack on titan discourse #anime discourse #snk final season

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sonofthesaiyans · 6 months

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Okay, the ACKERTALK.....

Mikasa and Levi Ackerman, humanity's strongest warriors. The sole survivors of a powerful bloodline that's all but extinct on Paradis.

Well the results of my most recent poll have confirmed my belief that the Ackertalk, or Ackerbond, whatever you prefer to call it is still a major point of contention among us AOT Fans.....And Ex-Fans. We all know that the Ackerman bloodline is unique in the Titanverse and that they're immune to the effects of Titanization. Still, for something that was set up to be a major plot point in solving the mystery of the Titans, it seemed to become an afterthought the longer the story dragged out. Unfortunately a pattern that is undeniably prevalent in this faux pas that's been mistaken for a masterpiece.

Mikasa and Levi, we know they're distantly related somehow, so it was natural to expect there'd be more development between the two that further clarified their unique position in this fucked up world they're trying to salvage. Yet somehow that relationship only got surface level acknowledgement, and I think we can safely say never came into full circle........Neither did really any aspect of Mikasa's heritage in regards to Hizuru and the Azumabitos (Did the Azumabitos even ONCE acknowledge Levi either in any of that btw?) Since this is the clear winner in the poll, one simple question: What did you guys hope to see from this Ackertalk had it taken place as was long anticipated? What questions were you hoping to be answered had it come to pass?

Please, don't like or reblog this post unless you intend to answer. I think we all agree Isayama owes us something on this front.

I genuinely have to know, what did you guys hope for most from this? Oh yeah ,and if you happen to be a Rivamika fan, NO you can't bring that discussion here. Thank you.

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clfixationstation · 4 months

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The dynamic is NOT Eren gets angry, Armin soothes him. It's Eren gets angry and Armin does damage control for him. Eren slips into despair and Armin gives him hope. Armin gets tangled in his own anxieties and hopelessness and Eren comforts him. Eren encourages him, puts his faith in him, gives Armin the confidence to flourish.

It goes both ways. They have such understanding of each other, such kindness and respect the reserve only for each other (& Mikasa of course).

#cl thoughts #it not being reciprocal in fics is a peeve of mine #like Armin is fucked up too #both are mentally ill in similar ways #frustration at their lack of usefulness resulting in a willingness to sacrifice themselves #erearu #eremin #eren jaeger #armin arlert #armin #eren yeager #aot #snk #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #eremin analysis #armin analysis #eren analysis #aot screencaps

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cosmicjoke · 2 years

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One of the most interesting and I think important contrasts in Attack on Titan is the one between Levi and his uncle, Kenny.

Kenny believes, after his encounter with Uri Reiss, that kindness can only be achieved through power. He believes that if he’s somehow able to attain as much power as Uri, then he too can become a kind person, and let go of his cruelty. Kenny’s beliefs aren’t entirely unfounded either. Though rather than it being power that allows for people to generally be kind, I would say it’s more ease of living that allows it.

In general, people living in a controlled society and civilization are more capable of kindness and generosity because there just simply isn’t the same level of struggle and fight for survival as there would be otherwise. Without a constant threat to our lives, such as starvation, not knowing where our next meal is going to come from, or fear that we’ll be killed by some bigger, stronger animal, or even the every day threat of being killed by other people due to enforced laws and greater availability of life essentials, like food, water, shelter, etc... we’re given then the luxury of idle thought, which leads to philosophy, which includes concepts like morality, etc... If we aren’t in a constant battle for simple survival, we suddenly can afford to consider things like moral questions and other, more abstract notions. So Kenny’s belief that with power comes kindness has in it a definite element of truth. Kenny feels he’s never been able to be kind because, due to the persecution of his family inside the walls, he’s never been able to afford it, being in a constant fight for his life, and the lives of those he loves. This struggle for survival has turned him cruel and cold-hearted. It’s turned him violent, and with that continued necessity of violence for his own survival, he began to twist into a person who enjoyed violence; a person who began to engage in violence for his own pleasure and amusement, killing random MP’s for simple revenge. The harshness of Kenny’s life is what turned him into a bad person, or so he believes.

Ironically, in his quest for become kinder through the seeking of more power, Kenny only became crueler and more ruthless, disregarding the lives of others for his own, selfish gain and dream.

Levi, by contrast, is the opposite, and really serves as an exception to this rule, or this notion of Kenny’s.

Levi is largely acknowledged as the character in AoT who has suffered and lost the most. Everyone he ever loved and cared about ends up dead, his family and friends alike; his comrades. He grew up in abject poverty, and was exposed early on to the cruelty of human beings and the horror of death, watching his mother be used like an object for the pleasure and amusement of others, before finally succumbing to disease, after which Levi was trapped in a room with her decomposing body for who knows how long before Kenny found him. No one in the brothel even knew Kuchel had died, which means no one even went to check on Levi before Kenny came. And when Kenny did find him, he was starving to death. Starvation isn’t something most of us can ever even imagine. What it’s actually like, what kind of pain it causes, what kind of sickness.

Levi was then raised by Kenny for a few years, in which Kenny taught Levi how to kill, exposing him to yet more violence and cruelty, before abandoning him on the streets of the Underground to fend for himself while Levi was still very much a child. The Underground is a place where the dregs of society end up, many of them criminals escaping the law. It’s a cutthroat environment of kill or be killed. A ruthless world where kindness and compassion isn’t allowed to exist because of the overbearing struggle to simply survive.

Levi lived this life that most of us are lucky enough to never have to experience. That life which society usually protects us from, in which our survival isn’t at all guaranteed, or even likely. Where starvation is a real possibility, where being killed over some sort of dispute, over territory, or over resources, food, water, shelter, clothing, isn’t just possible, but even probable.

Given that he lived this sort of life, being in a state of constant struggle and uncertainty, with no promise of tomorrow, living in a constant state of fear, by Kenny’s measure, Levi should have turned out like him. A cold-hearted, ruthless killer, incapable of kindness, compassion or generosity for the harshness of his life.

This is an important theme in AoT, this idea of nature versus nurture; this idea of how much our environment and the circumstances of our lives impact who we become. Many characters within the world of AoT use their upbringings and the circumstances of their lives as an excuse for their behavior. Ala, “I did this because of that”, “because of this experience, I was made into this”, and so on.

If anyone had an excuse, then, to be unkind and cruel and unempathetic, it would be Levi. Not only did he grow up in a constant struggle to simply survive, but he was also an outcast, spurned by society above, rejected as unwanted riffraff, not even allowed to consider citizenship, or seek the benefits of such.

And yet... Levi is also largely acknowledged as the kindest and most compassionate character in AoT, the most empathetic and caring. The fact of Levi’s character directly contradicts Kenny’s belief, that you can only be kind if you have power, or control. That you can only be kind if you have the luxury of it, if you aren’t in a constant battle to survive. Levi, while physically powerful, has no real power beyond that. He ran a gang Underground, but he never sought that power out, rather was roped into by Furlan, who wanted Levi’s strength to help him in his own endeavors. And Levi considered Isabel and Furlan to be equal partners in that with him, sharing in the responsibility, and having an equal voice and vote in the decision making. Instead of wielding what little power he had there to gain more power, instead of letting that power make him crueler, as Kenny did, he instead used it to try and help as many people as he could, taking in other abandoned children and delinquents, giving them a chance at survival they might otherwise have never had, using his strength to better people’s lives. Levi’s innate goodness of heart is what dictated his actions and behavior, regardless of the circumstances of his life, or the cutthroat nature of the world he occupied.

Later, while part of the Survey Corps, and while having a limited role of authority as a Captain, Levi still wasn’t in charge of any significant decision making. He wasn’t the final authority on any of the big decisions or operations. He’s never had ultimate power over anything. He saw himself, and was largely treated as a weapon to be wielded by others whom he considered more capable than him in making important decisions, and he allowed it because he believed it was the best way for his strength to be utilized, to be wielded as a sword and shield for humanity. The power he did have, as a physical weapon, he allowed to be used by others for their benefit, not his own. And that kindness, compassion and generosity which had always dictated his actions continued. He always went out of his way to express his gratitude towards his comrades and friends. He made it a priority to give meaning to their sacrifices. He took the time to ask after them and to check on their well being. He constantly put his own life on the line in an attempt to protect theirs, and the lives of all the people inside the walls. He kept fighting for them even after he’d lost everything.

I always point out how Levi’s befriending of Furlan and Isabel is a prime example of his innate goodness. Because it would have been far easier for Levi to survive on his own, without the weight or pressure of having to care for and look after two people weaker than himself. It would have bettered his own chances of survival, if he were to have continued on alone, with only himself to worry about. But he didn’t do that. He allowed them into his life, even with the risk it posed to himself, and in spite of the harshness and cruelty of his experiences growing up. He still retained an open and generous enough heart to make friends, even after all of the terrible things he’d been through, even after all of the awful examples he’d been set and exposed to, from growing up in a brothel, to watching his mother used and abused, and then seeing her waste away and die without anyone offering any kind of help to either of them, and then later being abandoned by his sole guardian to survive in a world where survival wasn’t even a likelihood.

Levi’s experiences didn’t make him cruel, or cold, or ungenerous. They did the opposite. And that’s truly a testament to his innate kindness and compassion. That experiences that would, for many, make them meaner and less sympathetic, like with Kenny, with Levi, only enhanced those qualities already existing in him. His sensitivity toward other people’s suffering, and his wish to somehow ease that suffering, was only brought more to the surface.

Levi’s cruel and deprived upbringing may have made him rough around the edges. It may have made him too blunt and honest for other people’s tastes. It may have robbed him of the social skills required to be charming, or likeable. It may have stolen from him the ability to ever, truly fit in or navigate social interactions with ease. It may have made him violent, and intimately aware of the nature of violence, and its unavoidable role in the human condition. But one thing it never made him was cruel, and one thing it never took from him was his compassion or kindness, or the value with which he regards the lives of others. That truly is testament then to the opposite of Kenny’s beliefs, that even in a world where we struggle to survive, empathy and goodness can still win the day.

#Levi Ackerman #shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan #meta #SNK analysis

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