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sailorspica · 6 months ago

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dare i argue...

kenny has a very interesting, consistent morality that isn't all that aberrant compared to most of AoT's main cast.

he is our main source of ackerman lore, whose fallen status within the walls directly telegraphs the position of eldia in the larger world, so on closer inspection, kenny, levi, and mikasa are more than a bit analogous to grisha and the warriors. in kenny's case, i think most of the elder jaegers. hear me out:

my ongoing beef with the uprising arc anime adaptation includes this scene with kenny's grandfather. confoundingly, WIT cut significant length from grandpa's explanation about the ackermans' persecution at the hands of the MPs, but gave kenny a line that... is ghostwritten by zeke jaeger.

in the manga, kenny discouraged kuchel from carrying levi to term for reasons he doesn't verbalize (snk 65)

in the anime (aot 43), my subtitles say "I swear, ain't no point being born in a craphole world like this where there's not a single dream worth pursuing."

the dubbed line is "who'd want to be born into this piece of shit world anyway? there isn't a dream you could have worth suffering through it."

btw i think WIT giving kenny like, 5x more lines with the word "dream" is fucking cheesy and childish; i could see how this mindset is challenged immediately by carla in bystander, but does kenny have to be the one to say it? we get that from historia and alma and ymir already! plenty of characters express thoughts of regretting being born, but this and zeke's are particular to eldians and ackermans, not individuals

but what grandpa ackerman says about this "deal" between the ackerman patriarch and the crown echoes grisha and zeke's propaganda bedtime stories. the first generation born within the walls hoped that ignorance would spare future ackermans, and eldians left behind when the walls went up hoped compliance would save them from... paradise, conscription, what have you. historical omission and revision: neither fucking worked! that ackerman patriarch died pointlessly, every eldian sacrificed to marley's imperialism from foot soldiers in the trenches to the warriors and proto-warriors, ksaver's generation and older, died pointlessly.

much like the warriors, i don't think any of the above excuses or downplays kenny's wrongdoings, but contextualizes them:

he's a serial killer

as far as we know his Ripping was mostly MPs. as of this scene in ch. 65, the latest were lurking outside a dying old man's home, whether that means they monitored the eldest living ackerman closely, or they were there to jump kenny. point is, killing cops is uhhhhh cool. i don’t care he becomes one himself later. the old 2nd wave feminist adage of “the personal is political” applies to any gender, really, and we should all take police violence against vulnerable populations personally, so whether you frame kenny’s kill count before joining the MPs as self-defense or vengeance, there’s a net positive of fewer MPs terrorizing the streets of the interior and the underground.

he abandoned and/or abused levi

my guess is without his anime-only Zekeism™, kenny’s concern before levi's birth is more specific to kuchel’s circumstances, and also informs his abandonment:

raising a child would make kuchel’s life even more difficult;

the underground and moreover a brothel are no place to raise a child;

as his reaction to levi not knowing his last name goes, living as an ackerman is a curse unto itself (the zeke and ksaver conclusion), even if kenny’s relationship with uri has improved his circumstances;

my most charitable and extracanonical thought for this man is… i wonder what happened to his and kuchel’s own parents. how else do you lose track of your sister like this? did they feel abandoned themselves? did kenny already doubt kuchel would live long or be strong enough to protect a child (maternal mortality, which fellow MP nile dawk brings up in 108)? when he said “i’m not cut out to be some kid’s father,” did he also think that of kuchel? or did he think he also failed as an older brother—kenny and kuchel as grisha and faye...

we only get kenny’s POV of his time with levi, which lasts about five pages of chapter 69. my point is, levi whump revisionism tends to give him annie leonhart's canonical childhood, for which there is no evidence in chapter 69 or in bad boy.

of course, filling the blanks of kenny's pedagogy is grim, and popular fanon isn't unreasonable at all. there's no nonviolent way to teach violence, which kenny calls "the only tool he had" and likely thought of as the only thing he could offer levi. removing levi from the underground didn't seem to cross his mind, either, which could point to a pessimism that people kill people, above and below—the ackermans were wiped out on the surface, after all. but i actually find the understanding of their relationship to the royal family as feudal in the japanese sense helpful here: would bringing him along set levi's path for him, one in service to the reisses? cruel as it was, kenny guaranteed levi's freedom.

he's a cop

okay, this is where the manga gets a little ambiguous/inconsistent with chronology. when kenny gets the anti-personnel squad, he says he’s “never been part of the military before”—he’s actually following levi’s footsteps here, a criminal recruit far outclassing these graduates of the cadet corps. however, to historia, he identifies himself as part of the first interior squad in 845. the fuck?

what is more certain is after he meets uri and becomes his bodyguard 😏, he joins this "assembly" or "council" of nobles and wallists. "bodyguard" does not sound like a role in which kenny would wander the walls doing extrajudicial murder like sannes. when levi and hange interrogate sannes, he proudly lists his own resume (snk 55), which includes killing armin’s parents, erwin’s father, and historia’s mother (the 2nd worst thing to be in the walls is blond), so besides alma, kenny doesn't seem to be included in these panels of the first interior squad "bloodying [their] hands" for peace within the walls.

i think a reasonable conclusion is kenny joined the first interior squad after uri's death in 842, and this squad is so elusive as to be legendary to the average MP. there is probably some translation subtlety with "squad" and "section, " so my understanding is the anti-personnel squad is either part of the first interior squad, or an elite, separate but affiliated group much like levi's special operations squad.

i think of kenny in these three years as unmoored much like iseyama describes levi after shiganshina; the main thing guiding him seems to be his disdain for rod reiss, since he has no hard feeling against frieda. dare i say... rod is kenuri's zeke?

besides his worry for kuchel and debatable care for levi, kenny does, actually, express some of the humanitarianism that motivates his nephew, also in chapter 65 and also excluded from the anime adaptation:

"how much WE lost in those five years?! how many precious lives?!" "he don't give two shits about any of it! not his his family, not humanity, and certainly not you, historia!!

like, HELLO? who is he referring to? the residents of wall maria? the culling that killed armin's grandfather? historia's half-siblings? hell—trost and stohess, mere months ago? i think he's being genuine! this isn't a token, empty phrase, tugging at historia's heartstrings. a killer can value life, i don't think that's that crazy a thing to propose, least of all in attack on titan and least of all in the uprising arc where levi squad kills other humans (also all cops).

kenny's narration in chapter 69 and episode 47 revolves around power. his respect for uri starts from acknowledging him as "the strongest guy around," which echoes over the moment he abandons levi—he's done his level best to teach levi to be the strongest underground, and his philosophy of proving yourself to be the strongest or most powerful doesn't belie a sense of superiority over the weak or any desire to rule; it's the logical conclusion of the oppressed. he thinks of himself as strong, but doesn't call kuchel weak, and his use of "we"—he counts himself part of humanity. his later ambition to steal the founder... makes him more similar to erwin. he just wants the knowledge, the view from up there.

but i think kenny is a little dishonest in chapter 58 before one of levi's coldest "yeah"'s of all time:

i'll kill anyone if that's what it takes to get the job done. ya kill too when it benefits ya, right?

for both men, this object "you" is not themselves as individuals, despite their posturing. it could really, really be humanity, for all three ackermans. mikasa, ten chapters prior:

there are only so many lives i can value, and i decided who those people were six years ago, so you shouldn't try to ask for my pity. because right now, i don't have time to spare, or room in my heart.

and her series-long journey is excavating her heart for humanity. the common fandom complaint that she "only cares about eren" is, to me, similarly reductive as their view of kenny. characters can lie to themselves, or reveal they're more selfless than they thought.

in conclusion:

ACAB

WIT skipped a lot of exposition to animate an extra kenny-levi fight that doesn't even make sense spatially

of course he sucks! and so do the younger ackermans! but they all suck a lot less than they think they do

kenny is also historia's uncle by marriage, in my heart

someone draw him and zeke hanging out

#kenny ackerman #ackerman clan #ackerman family #aot meta #snk meta #my meta

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sevendeadlywhispers · 10 months ago

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7Seals

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Chapter 2

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• Previous Chapter: Chapter One Next Chapter: Chapter Three •Content: Levi Ackerman x OC female. Canon verse!

• Word Count: 2.5k • Warning: This content may not be suitable for all readers. If you've watched all of AOT then you will understand that the show handles heavy subjects such as abuse, racism, violence, and other heavy subjects. This fanfiction will also have the same heavy themes. Chapters with heavy themes will be marked with * at each chapter.

“I want to confess as best I can, but my heart is void. The void is a mirror. I see my face and feel loathing and horror. My indifference to man has shut me out. I live now in a world of ghosts, a prisoner in my dreams.”

- Ingmar Bergman

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Hange's voice shattered the tranquility of my dreams, a morning sunbeam cast through my window. Blinking away sleep, their wide-eyed excitement loomed over me with a lamp illuminating the room.

"Hange, let me sleep," I groaned, flipping over and burying my face in the pillow, shoving the blanket over my head to fend off the morning invasion.

"No can do," Hange declared, ripping the blanket and pillow away with zealous determination.

"What the hell, Hange?" I moaned, propping myself up but unwilling to surrender the haven of my bed. "This better be good," I muttered into the mattress.

"Emergency meeting," Hange announced with urgency.

"I'm not a Captain," I complained, lifting my head to peer at them.

"Everyone is required to go," Hange explained. "It's some big news you don't want to miss."

"Tell me later," I mumbled, shoving my face back into the bed.

Hange's grip on my arm tightened, and suddenly I found myself on the cold floor, the warmth of my bed snatched away.

"We have to go. We seriously cannot be late," Hange urged, dragging me out of the room, my uncoordinated form stumbling in tow.

The hallway was a chaotic stream of scouts heading towards the mess hall, clad in uniforms I hadn't bothered to put on.

"Hange, you couldn't have let me get dressed," I groaned, glancing down at my nightgown, bare feet meeting the cold floor.

The final pull from Hange led us into the mess hall. The room buzzed with murmurs, scouts huddled together, an undercurrent of confusion weaving through the air. Still half-asleep, I tried to make sense of the situation, unsure of what had stirred everyone into this early assembly.

"Alex!" I yelled, waving my hand as I spotted him emerging from the crowd. Behind him, as always, were Miche and Oluo.

"It's happening," he declared as he joined us.

"So it's real?" Hange's eyes sparkled, their smile growing wider, hands trembling with excitement.

"Can someone fill me in on what the heck is going on?" I grumbled.

Alexander looked me over, a critical gaze from head to toe.

"You couldn't get dressed?" he scoffed, pulling off his jacket and draping it over me.

"Sorry, Hange pulled me out of bed," I explained, adjusting the jacket.

"Whatever. Next time, don't come out here looking like a fool," he groaned, scolding me.

"It's embarrassing."

I barely had time to react to Alexander's words when a familiar loud voice sliced through the crowd's murmurs, capturing everyone's attention.

"Today, the Scout Regiment sees change," Captain Erwin announced from the stairs above, his presence capturing everyone's attention.

"Our captains will be put to the test to see if they are fit to lead. Scouts will be examined for potential new captains."

Whispers surged through the crowd like a storm.

"What does he mean, 'fit to lead'?" Alexander scoffed. "Is he going to demote us?"

"Captain Erwin can't demote," I tried to reassure him.

"Starting today, I will be leading the Scout Regiment from this point on. There will be a lot of changes coming, so please brace yourselves," Erwin declared. "Tomorrow, at the first 8 o'clock hour, we will be heading out on an expedition. The main objective is to survey the area and for me to evaluate you all. Any comments, questions, or concerns can be addressed today at my office. You all are dismissed."

Erwin left, leaving us in stunned silence. Anger and panic echoed through the room in a cacophony of voices.

"What does this guy think he's doing?" Oluo exclaimed.

"Hange, did he explain this in the meeting last night?" Alexander questioned.

"No, he only mentioned becoming the commander," Hange replied.

"Then why the hell is he just now saying this?" Alexander complained. "I worked my tail off to be a Captain. I'm not giving it up now."

The confusion in the room mirrored my own state of mind. I wasn't angry, just lost in trying to understand what prompted this sudden change. Why didn't Shadis tell us himself? And why did he leave? It made sense that Erwin was to take over. He did everything for the Scouts, including initiation for the recruits something Shadis was supposed to do.

As the waves of anger and frustration crashed around me, I sought solace, walking away from the upset clusters of people to find a moment of clarity. I felt the gaze of those midwinter eyes once again. Leaning against the wall with arms crossed, he observed the chaos in silence. I took a seat on the bench next to him, offering a casual smile.

"What are your thoughts on this?" I asked, attempting to strike up a conversation as if we were old acquaintances.

"Tch," was all he let out. "Why are you out in your pajamas? You're going to catch a cold."

"Oh, this?" I replied, forgetting about my attire until the morning breeze reminded me.

"I didn't have time to change. Wasn't really given the option, either. I had just woken up." I laughed it off, feeling a bit embarrassed. Normally, I wouldn't care, but Alexander's words echoed in my mind, it was embarrassing that I was out in public in my pajamas.

Levi didn't respond, only his eyes scrutinizing me like I was a parasite clinging to his world.

"Are you excited for the next survey? This will be your second one, right?" I asked, attempting to shift the conversation away from the awkwardness of his judgmental scrutiny.

"Excited?" he responded flatly. "What's so exciting about watching others get devoured by titans?"

My attempt to lighten the mood only made the tension worse. I should've stopped talking, but I couldn't.

My words seemed to hang in the air, intensifying the awkwardness between us. "You're right. Pardon my mistake," I said, my tone trying to ease the tension. "Are you prepared? That's the more appropriate question to ask."

"No question is better," he replied with a bitter tone, and a moment of silence followed. I looked down at my lap, cringing at my own words.

"I'm prepared for whatever the commander throws my way. Are you?" Levi's voice broke the silence.

A smile crept onto my face, and I quickly looked back up to meet his eyes. They locked for a moment before he glanced away.

"I'm never prepared, but I'll be quick on my feet when the time comes," I said in a calm tone.

For that moment, it was nice to have a real conversation with him, even if he wasn't welcoming. But the moment faded as footsteps approached.

"Iris," Alexander's stern voice cut through.

I rose to my feet, meeting his glare.

"Is he bothering you?" Alexander asked, gripping my wrist and glaring at Levi.

"No," I quickly replied. "I was bothering him."

It seemed like Alexander didn't hear the last words I said. Like he wanted to ignore them. My eyes were glued to the ground, trying to ignore Alex's anger.

"Listen here, freak," Alexander's voice carried anger. "You stay in your lane, and we will stay in ours. That's an order. Got that?"

I looked up to see Levi's face completely unfazed by Alexander's harsh words. Levi only looked at Alexander's hand gripping my wrist and then back to me. Never once did I see him look at Alexander.

"Come on," I felt Alexander pull me away from the area as he walked through the crowd. My eyes still looked back at Levi as he watched us walk away.

"I'm sorry," I mouthed as I was dragged away from his line of sight.

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The world outside the walls was a breathtaking sight. The sky stretched endlessly, and the towering trees seemed to touch the heavens. Flowers adorned the landscape with wild abandon. Yet, this beauty came with a price.

"Abnormal to the right!" A scout's urgent cry pierced the serene scenery.

My eyes focused on the grotesque Titan charging mindlessly towards us, a twisted grin on its face, drool trailing from its mouth. The unfolding scene was abruptly interrupted when the Titan crashed face-first into the ground, blood splattering from the back of its nape. There he stood triumphantly on its head as he wiped the blades off with his handkerchief, disgusted by the blood.

Levi's swift action had averted a potential disaster. The casualties he prevented surprised me. One more second and we all could have been trampled.

"Good job, Levi!" I cheered, but the response from others was silent. They pretended the Titan went down on its own. Anyone else and they would have been cheering and profusely thanking them.

Burning eyes bore into the back of my head as we rode toward the woods. I knew it was Alexander, anger radiating from him, but I refused to let it dominate my thoughts.

Unfortunately, avoiding the confrontation proved futile. Alexander's horse closed the gap between ours. "What the hell was that?" he asked quietly.

"What was what, Alex?" I replied, my tone tinged with irritation.

"You know what,"

"No, I don't. Care to enlighten me?"

"Praising that rat," he groaned.

"You, of all people, should know I praise everyone for their Titan kills," I shot back, meeting his glare head-on.

"Captain Wright," Erwin's commanding voice intervened.

"Yes, sir?" Alexander responded, redirecting his attention to the mission.

"Your lack of attention is going to get you and your whole squad killed," Erwin's stern warning hung in the air. "Your insecurities are glaring. Fix it before it's fatal."

Erwin rode off, leaving Alexander visibly angered. The weight of change, with Erwin now the commander, was a tension in the air above all our heads.

Erwin saved me now but later is a different story.

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The velvet black canvas stretched for miles, adorned with iridescent lights scattered across the sky. Outside the walls, the expanse of the sky was boundless, a sight I cherished every time I stepped beyond the confinement.

Sunsets during our missions held a special allure. The hues painted across the horizon were a stark contrast to the constrained skies within the walls. Tonight, I wanted to venture out to the sky that seemed to stretch endlessly, promising a sanctuary of thoughts under the moon's watchful gaze.

The moon, my confidante, awaited me. No one else looked at me the way she did—listening intently, a beacon in my darkest moments. She bore witness to all my secrets, my fears, and the tears shed for fallen comrades.

Tonight, under the celestial gaze, I yearned to share the changes within the Scout Regiment. The prospect of transformation that lingered in the air, and I couldn't wait to confide in the silent confidante above.

In the tent, Alexander's snores were louder than ever. I wanted to shove a pillow on his face to stop his snoring. Sometimes I wonder if my insomnia is because of his late night snoring. Unfortunately disturbing his rare moments of piece felt like tiptoeing around a slumbering beast, and yet, the moon beckoned.

I slipped from Alexander's arms, donned my cloak and shoes, and secured my bag, casting a lingering look at the peaceful figure beside me. The captain's serenity in sleep was a stark contrast to the grumpiness he exhibited while awake.

The crackling fire greeted me as I stepped out of the tent. Someone tended to the flames, their figure cloaked in the flickering light. It intrigued me; late-night wanderers were usually a rarity during our missions. Who was up this late tending to a fire? It didn't bother me none, it was nice to have some company for once.

I plopped down next to them without much ceremony. "Couldn't sleep?" I asked, stretching my hands towards the fire for warmth.

Silence hung in the air, but I couldn't resist stealing a glance under their cloak. "Should've known it was you," I grinned. "How are you holding up?"

Their gaze remained locked on the dancing flames. "Fine," came the curt reply.

"Thirsty?" I pressed on, brushing off the cold shoulder.

No response, no eye contact. Nothing new.

"I'll take that as a yes," I chuckled, setting a pot of tea on the fire. While it brewed, I pulled out my sketchbook from the bag, ready to capture the night's beauty.

Drawing under the moonlight brought me unparalleled peace, and having Levi's silent company wasn't about to change that. I tossed back my hood, basking in the moon's glow with closed eyes.

"You're going to ruin the tea," Levi's voice cut through my tranquil moment.

"Pardon?" I said, meeting his gaze as he lifted the kettle from the fire.

"You're letting it steep for too long," he remarked. "And the fire is too hot. It should steep for three minutes if it's on a fire."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I replied. "Want me to make a new batch?"

"It'll suffice," he said, his tone as bland as ever.

I poured him a cup and served myself one too, watching as he grabbed it from the rim, just like the first time we met. It was a quirky habit, one he refused to let go. Something so small, yet I was intrigued—I wanted to know why the rim over the perfectly good handle on the side. It was a minor detail, but I craved understanding.

While I continued sketching the dim surroundings, I decided to break the silence.

"So, how do you like the Scouts so far?"

"I don't," he replied bluntly.

"Oh, well, why's that?" I asked, still absorbed in my sketch. His straightforwardness caught me off guard, though I shouldn't have been surprised.

"Everyone's arrogant assholes who think they are better than everyone," he stated.

"For a moment there, I thought you were talking about the MP's," I chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood. But my attempt fell flat, met with silence. Once again, I realized he wasn't much of a talker.

"I'm sorry if Alexander is getting to you," I said quietly, looking up at him. His eyes were already locked on me. "He wasn't always a jerk. It doesn't help that all the guys feed his ego."

"Hmph," Levi breathed out, eyes shifting away as he crossed his arms. "Like I'd let that shit bag get to me."

I smiled, my gaze lingering on him. "Good. I'm glad," I said, lowering my voice and glancing around for unwanted visitors.

"It's about time someone stands up to him. But let's keep that between us."

Once again, silence draped around us like a comforting cloak. The more it happened, the more I found solace in it. My sketch continued to capture the moon's tender caress over the land as the night unfolded.

"What is that?" Levi's voice cut through the quiet after a while.

"This?" I said, lifting my sketch.

"Yeah, that," he grumbled.

"Oh, just a sketch of the night sky," I replied casually, doodling away. "It's a beautiful night out, isn't it?"

"I guess you can say that," Levi spoke, his words measured.

"Just look at how pretty she is, Levi," I said, tilting my head back to gaze at the moon. Once again, he didn't utter a word.

"Do you not like the night sky, Levi?" I inquired.

"It's not my favorite," he admitted, a slow opening up to me. A brief pause lingered.

"Do you?"

"Absolutely. She's always there for me. Whenever you need her, she's there," I explained.

"Who is she?" Levi asked, clearly confused.

"Well, the moon, silly," I said with a playful smile.