Summary
AlthoughEren Jaegeris presented as the protagonist ofAttack on Titan, a better protagonist isLevi Ackerman. Eren is the central character who, after taking up the fight against the Titans, becomes a Titan himself: the Attack Titan the show is named after. On the other hand, Levi is the eventual leader of the Special Operations unit in the Survey Corps, a group of highly-trained fighters who battle Titans up close using combat grace and advanced gear.
As the plot unravels and the two evolve, the Titan attacks are discovered to beorchestrated by a country called Marley. Marley is intent on subjugating the Eldian population, who have the potential to become Titans, at home and on Paradis Island. Eldians are purportedly resented because of an ancient uprising.
Attack on Titan’sendingsees Eren channel the Attack Titan’s ability to influence the Founding Titan, Ymir, to command Titans to march over the world. This calamity is called the Rumbling and it causes a genocide of untold proportions, turning Eren into the final villain of the series. Levi is pivotal to Paradis’s opposition to this offensive and to Eren’s ultimate downfall.
Attack On Titan: 10 Best Levi Quotes
Levi Ackerman is one of the best characters in Attack On Titan. Although he’s quiet, he really knows how to make his words have an impact.
Levi Is More Emotionally Engaging Than Eren
Even Great Friends Like Armin and Mikasa Are Unable To Bring out Eren’s Potential
In terms of character arcs, Eren feelsespecially one-dimensional next to Levi.Eren deals with many ofAttack on Titan’s saddest moments, like his mother’s death and his own dual fate as a Titan and human. However, he is self-centered and stubborn. In many of those moments where Eren has to pick between his ego and the welfare of his team, like facing the Female Titan with the Survey Corps in season 1, episode 21, Levi pushes him in the right direction. By the end, Eren hardly grows more emotionally compelling.
Although Eren is centered, Levi is more complex and emotionally engaging.His story is also touching and tragic; his relationship with Kenny, his mentor and adoptive father, provides many ofAttack On Titan’s most heartfelt (and heart-wrenching) moments. His problem-solving isunorthodox and cunning compared to Eren’s strategies, which could be characterized as brute force. When Eren is on trial by Paradis for his ability to transform into a Titan, Levi attempts to prove that Eren can be “tamed” by beating the bound Eren mercilessly.
Furthermore, Levi’s natural ability asa member of the Ackerman clanand his extensive training give him thebest Titan-killing skills in the series. Many decisive fights are settled by Levi’s ingenuity and agility. By the end of the series, he has racked up the most Titan kills of any character. Eren’s strength primarily comes from his Titan’s accessory abilities, but on his own, he doesn’t even possess the strongest Titan.
Levi Works To Build a Better World After Eren’s Rumbling
Levi sees more than his fair share of hardships and triumphs, emerging as a cool-headed leader. What’s remarkable is that, despite his strength, he always relies on his teammates. Through impeccable leadership all throughoutAttack on Titan, heleads Paradis to victory. His willingness tosacrifice his comrade Erwin to save Arminin the battle against the Colossal and Armored Titans was a pivotal moment of selflessness that cemented the future of Paradis. His memorable “Hail Mary” against the Beast Titan sees him put his life on the line to protect the walls of Paradis.
No less notable is his determination in the initial invasion of Marley. The leader puts himself aside and directly in the face of danger when the moment calls for it, and his skills certify victory. In the final moments ofAttack on Titan, against Eren and the Jaegerists, Levi leads the charge. Out of dedication to Paradis and its inhabitants, and a sincere love for humanity,Levi gives up everything yet continues to fight. Levi and Mikasa’s joint efforts in particular are pivotal when Eren’s Rumbling is finally brought to an end.
There can only be one Eren Jaeger, but the better world he craved might have arisen if everyone inAttack on Titanstrove to be like Levi Ackerman.
Yet, Levi doesn’t revel. Instead, inAttack On Titan’s finale episode, he retires from fighting to a diplomatic and generous life. This episode is what drives the point home. Eren set up a world-changing event that wiped out most of Earth’s population and permanently changed relations between countries. In spite of those efforts, the final images of the series, with the specter of war returning to the world,show that his intentions were futile.
This sense of futility is precisely whatthe creator ofAttack On Titanintended. Eren’s actions, in the long run, mean nothing in a world where war, conflict, and oppression are the norm. On the other hand,it’s Levi’s virtue, virtuosity, and patience that could have broken the cycle. Following Levi’s evolution in the main series and through theNo RegretsOVAs leaves the viewer in awe of his fortitude. There can only be one Eren Jaeger, but the better world he craved might have arisen if everyone inAttack On Titanstrove to be likeLevi Ackerman.
Attack On Titan
Cast
Based on the manga, Attack on Titan is a dark-action fantasy series set in a world where humanity has been corralled into walled cities from fear of monstrous human-eating Titans that exist outside of them. When protagonist Eren Yeager’s mother is killed in front of his eyes at a young age, his thirst for vengeance leads him to join an elite group of soldiers created to fight back against the Titan menace.
