eightfallingstars

[eightfallingstars]

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (2022–) Season 2, Episode 6

[eightfallingstars]

Humanity’s strongest

🖌️ grandgth | X

[eightfallingstars]

The last touch.

[eightfallingstars]

I wanna be the one you steal I wanna be the one you shield I wanna be the one that your love can heal

Years & Years, Shine

[eightfallingstars]

Humanity’s strongest

🖌️ grandgth | X

[eightfallingstars]

One thing I think people don't really understand is what it specifically was about Erwin that Levi admired so much and why he considered Erwin to be a greater man than himself for so long.

Specifically, it was Erwin's seeming ability to sacrifice his humanity for the benefit of others. To Levi, that seemed like the ultimate personal sacrifice and so, also, an act of ultimate altruism. And we see Levi try to emulate Erwin in this regard throughout the story, because Levi has always wanted, more than anything, to simply help as many people as he can, to the greatest extent of his ability.

But it's something Levi struggles to emulate, and that's where I think Levi's admiration of Erwin lies. He sees Erwin as capable of a greater sacrifice than himself. Levi's speech to the 104th, about his willingness to become a "lunatic" that kills people, so long as it means others don't have to do the same, is a manifestation of this desire on his part. To be like Erwin. Levi believes that Erwin is willing to be a monster so long as it spares others the same fate, and Levi wants to do that, too.

But, again, we see Levi really struggle throughout the story to do that. We see it in his obvious disturbance over having to torture Sannes. We see it in him giving up Petra's badge to a grieving soldier, unable to turn a blind eye to his pain. We see it in his struggle to stand by while others engage Annie in Trost. We see it in his inability to drag Erwin back to life and make him suffer as their commander. We see it in Levi's failed attempts to remain at a distance from his comrades in the hopes that, by doing so, he won't feel the pain of their losses so keenly. I could go on and on with examples of how Levi isn't ever, truly able to sacrifice his humanity. How he isn't quite ever able to make himself into a monster.

But it's ironic, because it's actually Levi's inability to sacrifice his humanity that is the mark of his own altruism. Because he cares too much about people to ever close his heart to them, no matter the cause.

He saw Erwin's ability to do this as altruistic because he believed it was in the service of something entirely selfless. And he believed Erwin could take the burden of that sacrifice because it was done for the greater good. Because it was done for others. It should have absolved Erwin of any guilt for that reason. Because, ultimately, it wasn't for himself.

But then he discovers that, in truth, it was never selfless. That Erwin sacrificed his humanity for a personal dream, and as a result, was burdened by a terrible guilt that began to consume him.

This realization is when Levi at last begins to understand that Erwin was never a greater man than himself. Levi never would have sacrificed his own humanity for anything less than the greater good, for example, because his own altruism lies in the compassion and care he holds for others. Nothing is worth more to Levi than people and their lives.

What makes Levi's admiration of Erwin, and his belief that Erwin is a greater man than himself, particularly ironic, is that it's Levi's own naked and overwhelming humanity that Erwin admired in Levi. His great humanity is the very thing that allowed Erwin to entrust to Levi his own fate and the fate of humanity. He knew, because of that purity of heart and intent in Levi, that Levi would always do the right thing, that he'd never compromise what he felt was the morally right choice. That, in fact, Levi would never sacrifice his humanity to any cause.

Again, Levi's admiration of Erwin's seeming ability to sacrifice his humanity for the greater good was always a product of his own, deep desire to help others. Levi wanted to be able to do that, to be like that. To help people in the most effective and meaningful way possible. He saw Erwin's ability to cut his heart off from sentiment and feeling for a goal greater than himself as the greatest sacrifice one could make for others, and thus, as testament to Erwin's altruism. By comparison, he felt his own inability to do the same was testament to his being somehow lesser, as failing to do all he could for others. In truth, though, it was always his inability to cut his own heart off that defined the genuineness of his commitment to others. He wanted so much to help because he cared.

That's why he followed Erwin with such loyalty and belief. He believed Erwin was more altruistic than himself because he believed Erwin was more committed than he was capable of being.

But of course, that was never true. Again, it was always Levi's inability to sacrifice his humanity that was the mark of his altruism. It was his inability to become a monster that marked him as the true encapsulation of the Survey Corps' ideals.

To fight for humanity.

Because what could more truly define the fight for humanity than a refusal to give ones own humanity up? What could more truly encapsulate that fight than compassion and kindness? The very things humanity itself is defined as.

Levi was never able to stop caring. He was never able to bring himself to become cold and unfeeling toward the suffering, plight or need of others. And so he carried the pain of that always. It was a great burden to him, to have to carry that pain. This pain of empathy. It caused him great suffering. But if it meant easing the burden of others, it was a pain Levi was willing to hold. And again, that's the irony, that he thought of himself as a lesser man than Erwin because Erwin, he believed, had sacrificed his humanity to spare others suffering the same.

All along, it was actually Levi carrying that weight, the burden of taking on violence, taking on "sin", taking on loss and grief and isolation, not because he'd sacrificed his humanity, but because his humanity was something he couldn't sacrifice. He could never shut off his heart. He eased the suffering of others by caring for their suffering. By showing them he cared. That came from Levi’s humanity. From feeling the pain in others, from wanting to understand and soothe it, even as it hurt him in turn.

It's because of that that Levi fought so hard for others.

His very altruism was always rooted in his compassion.

[eightfallingstars]

I really can see him as a detective in some kind of noir movie, solving a murder case and saving you. But he is cold as ice of course, he won’t fall that easily for you. May be he’s drinking in some fancy bar or smoking in a dark alley.

This one I finished a while ago, last year I think and I thought I upload it here on tumblr as well. Please give credit if you use it and do not claim it as yours ✌���

Made with Procreate

© 2024 flxrartsstuff. All rights reserved. Do not modify, repost or claim as yours.

[eightfallingstars]

[eightfallingstars]

Remember, my sweet star and wolf.

By likeafunerall, and reposted with permission.

[eightfallingstars]

their little secret

[eightfallingstars]

Shinzo wo Sasageyo!

[Update: Sorry, it has Glaze to protect my work from AI]

[eightfallingstars]

How could I go through pride month without drawing my precious lesbians~💖🎀🧡

[eightfallingstars]

Last winter in Hogsmeade ❄️🤍

[eightfallingstars]

[eightfallingstars]

[eightfallingstars]

I want to think that it was Levi who made the first move 🤭

[eightfallingstars]