#snk analysis.

[cielettosa]

LEVI ACKERMAN: WHY HE IS HUMANITY'S STRONGEST SOLDIER

This post contains:

An in depth analysis on Levi's motivations and what underscores them

His view on his strength

Why Levi is so reserved

Why Levi was obsessed with killing zeke

Levi presents a nuanced exploration of the gap between initial impressions and underlying motivations.

While his initial demeanor appears stoic and potentially aloof, bordering on arrogance, a closer look can reveal a profound sense of responsibility and dedication driving his actions.

Levi's act of comforting a dying comrade while vowing to eradicate the Titan threat signifies a deeply ingrained sense of purpose.

This act transcends mere pragmatism, demonstrating an emotional connection to the fallen and a commitment to the collective cause of the Survey Corps.

His vow is a promise to honor the sacrifices made by countless individuals, carrying their collective resolve forward in the fight for a Titan-free world.

He is burdened by the weight of loss yet driven by an unwavering commitment to the ideals and the fallen comrades of the Survey Corps. He embodies the collective hope of humanity, particularly those who dedicate their lives to the eradication of the Titan threat, ensuring that the sacrifices made will not be in vain.

His physical prowess is a defining aspect of his character and role within the narrative.

His strength serves as a pillar of support for those around him. His ability to consistently survive and excel in battle, as evidenced by his reassurance to the dying comrade, instills a sense of hope and security in his comrades. He becomes a symbol of unwavering resilience amidst the constant threat of annihilation.

However, Levi's perception of his strength extends beyond its immediate utility. He views it as a burden, a responsibility inextricably linked to his title as "Humanity's Strongest Soldier."

He recognizes that his superior abilities often come at the cost of countless lives lost around him, leaving him as the sole survivor in dire situations. This realization fosters a profound sense of duty within him.

Levi's strength compels him to carry the memory and legacy of the fallen. He acknowledges that his survival necessitates fulfilling their unfulfilled aspirations and carrying forward the collective resolve of the Survey Corps.

This is exemplified in his willingness to take responsibility for Eren, even to the point of eliminating him if necessary, and in Erwin's unwavering trust in Levi to handle crucial tasks, such as subduing Beast Titan.

While Levi's immense strength grants him immense power, it is not a source of pride or personal gain.

As Kenny said, Levi is a slave to being a "hero".

He feels an immense responsibility to utilize his power for the greater good, becoming a protector and champion for humanity in their desperate struggle against the Titan threat. This unwavering commitment manifests in various ways, from advocating for the desperate measures of feeding civilians to his relentless dedication in the fight against Titans.

Levi's reserved demeanor is a consequence of a life marked by constant anticipation of tragedy and the loss of countless comrades.

His atypical upbringing, from the harsh realities of the underground to the brutal world of the Survey Corps, has instilled a deep-seated expectation of further losses.

This environment makes emotional expression difficult, leading him to adopt a detached exterior as a coping mechanism.

However, Levi's emotional self-preservation doesn't diminish the profound care he harbors for human life. He fights relentlessly for the sake of strangers, suffers immense anguish with each squad he loses, and his empathy for suffering stems from his own deprived childhood, where basic necessities like sunlight and food were scarce.

Throughout the manga, Levi endures a relentless cycle of loss, constantly grappling with the responsibility of being the "last man standing."

He carries the weight of their sacrifices, driven by the unwavering determination to fulfill their shared dream and ensure their deaths were not in vain. This ever-growing burden continues to shape his reserved nature and fuels his unwavering dedication to the fight for humanity's survival.

Levi's unwavering dedication extends beyond his own burdens. He readily takes on the emotional weight of others, particularly evident in his interaction with Erwin.

When Erwin confesses his guilt and internal turmoil regarding the lives sacrificed in the charge, Levi deliberately chooses to shoulder that burden himself.

This act transcends mere support; it is a conscious decision to relieve Erwin of the immense pressure associated with the lives lost.

Levi explicitly states, "I am making the choice," signifying his deliberate assumption of the responsibility.

This choice carries immense consequences. Levi takes on the horror of the charge and the weight of all the lives lost – the recruits who perished and ultimately, Erwin himself.

This decision contributes significantly to the profound weight that burdens him throughout the manga.

It manifests in his overwhelming sense of failure when he ultimately cannot eliminate Beast Titan, and his heartfelt apology to the charging recruits further underscores the gravity of the responsibility he carries.

As the manga progresses, the weight on Levi's shoulders intensifies. Eren, the boy he once vowed to protect and take responsibility for, ultimately betrays humanity, leaving Levi questioning the "awful joke" of the sacrifices made throughout their journey.

The lives he feels deeply responsible for, even going so far as stating to Zeke that he views them as "killed" by their actions, become a constant source of internal conflict and fuel his unwavering determination to continue the fight for humanity's survival.

As Levi enters the final battle, the physical and emotional toll he bears surpasses anything he has faced before.

He loses the last remaining comrade from his friend group (Hange), faces the seemingly impossible task of fighting his former subordinate, and suffers critical injuries, losing an eye and fingers just days prior.

Despite his weakened state, his sense of responsibility intensifies. He refuses to rest even when Armin urges him to, driven by an internal pressure that compels him to fight.

No external force compels him to engage in this final battle; it is solely driven by his overwhelming sense of responsibility.

His determination to protect his remaining comrades manifests in his actions – offering himself as bait for Mikasa, saving Jean, and enduring further injury while saving Connie.

Even while coughing up blood, he maintains a facade of strength, burdened by the weight of being humanity's strongest.

Finally, after temporarily being sidelined due to his injuries sustained while saving Connie, the immense pressure he has been carrying throughout the narrative culminates in a moment of vulnerability.

Levi is forced to confront the "awful joke" of their situation once again. Now physically broken, Levi contemplates his inability to contribute further, succumbing to self recrimination in the face of immense loss, horror, and guilt.

He questions the purpose of their struggle, wondering if it was all in vain.

However, amidst this profound despair, Levi exhibits a remarkable resilience. He reaffirms the idealistic dream that the Survey Corps fought for, recognizing the inherent value of the lives lost and refusing to succumb to regret.

He chooses to look forward, believing in a better future and the potential of the next generation of idealists. Even in the darkest moment, physically unable to walk and coughing up blood, Levi remains the voice of reason, urging Mikasa to pull it together as they are the "only ones left who can kill Eren."

This unwavering commitment to his duty proves the fact that Levi never stopped fighting, even when his own body betrayed him.

Despite being presumed out of the fight, Levi's unwavering spirit compels him to push through his debilitating injuries and excruciating pain.

This final act of defiance proves crucial in both halting the Rumbling and saving countless lives, fulfilling the promises he made to his fallen comrades and granting meaning to their ultimate sacrifice.

In the aftermath, a profound shift occurs within Levi. He acknowledges the immense contributions of his comrades, recognizing that their unwavering dedication fueled his own actions.

The immense pressure and the burden of countless lives he carried finally lifts, allowing him to release the pain he had bottled up for so long.

For the first time, after enduring countless tragedies, we witness Levi shed tears, signifying a release of the emotional weight that had burdened him throughout his arduous journey.

Levi's title as "Humanity's Strongest Soldier" extends far beyond his physical prowess.

It is his unwavering mental fortitude, forged from constant struggle, that truly defines him. He chooses not to succumb to bitterness or resentment, even after facing a lifetime of hardship and loss. Instead, he exhibits an extraordinary resilience, fueled by an unwavering determination to protect humanity.

Many characters within the narrative succumb to the cycle of violence and hatred. They wield their power to inflict pain and dominate others, fueled by the trauma they have endured. Others, like Ymir, become paralyzed by their past, unable to utilize their abilities to help others. Still others, like Zeke, lose hope in the possibility of a better future.

Levi's journey stands as a powerful counterpoint to these destructive tendencies. He demonstrates that even individuals who have suffered immensely, who have every reason to be disillusioned and apathetic, can choose to believe and fight for the betterment of others. He views his exceptional strength not as a privilege but as a profound responsibility, a tool to be wielded for the benefit of humanity and the preservation of individual lives.

Even as the world around him crumbles, Levi continues to exhibit compassion and a desire to contribute positively. He chooses to break the cycle of hate and despair, actively seeking to put more good into a world that inflicted immense pain upon him. This unwavering commitment to hope and the value of human life stands as a testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit, even in the face of unimaginable adversity.

Other analyses by me:

Levi and Kenny

How Levi utilizes his intellect in fighting and decision making and his leadership in final battle

Levi Ackerman (an overall analysis? One of my first one so it's not that good ig)

The Yeagers and the Ackermans I: Their motivations and dynamic

The Yeagers and the Ackermans II: The Similarities and the Contrasts

[rivai-hana]

levi and hange illustration by wit studio

That's amazing art of levihan

[eueuphoriaz]

Just a short clip of the Ackermans' brunettes protecting and carrying their Humanity's strongests.

I think Eren and Hange are the only ones who ever carried them in the whole story. Cant remember clearly, but there you go!

[clfixationstation]

idk if this is a hot take but I don't think Armin is friendly. I think people find him generally off-putting. Like, people think he looks sweet, but also find him strange; for the topics that interest him, the way he didn't stray far from Eren (& Mikasa) socially, and his general demeanor.

I think that as Armin established himself more as he grew up, he developed better interpersonal skills that compliment his rhetorical prowess. I think he's the type of person who sees value in life and in minimizing harm. He offers kindness to his friends and understanding to all. But I don't see him as particularly "friendly"

[4everinyour-roaa]

eren IS the cycle of hatred, he carries not just his own hatred for his enemies, but he also carries that of grisha's, kruger's and all the previous shifters.

he even perpetuates it into his child self, by the act of turning dina to carla he grows that need for revenge in his young heart, fueling his own hatred for the warriors and marley.

which is why the rumbling was never going to free ymir, or break the cycle. you cannot break the cycle of hatred with even more hatred, and more violence.

so it makes sense for the character who symbolizes unconditional and selfless love to be the one who breaks said cycle with her choice.

even in the selfless act of killing her loved one for the sake of the greater good, that very same act was also done out of her love for him.

so as opposed to eren who fought out of hate, mikasa only ever fought out of love.

[sonofthesaiyans]

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.....

[avariantflaire]

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.

[squidzillaa]

DEDICATE YOUR HEART ✊🏻🫀

An explanation of what Levi’s gesture towards Hange Really meant, and how Isayama parallels other AOT media, (ex: smartpass stories and ACWNR), to his manga. 📚🦋🪲

ACWNR chapter 5 is titled HEARTS (2013):

This is the chapter where Hange is first introduced, and talks about dedicating one’s heart:

-

Hange’s Confession to Levi (2020):

Levi’s confession to Hange (2020):

Mistranslation and Ego Surfing 🏄🏻‍♂️:

-

Smartpass story (2017):

“An unthinkable move for a soilder who publicly announced that he offers up his heart.”

“Dedicate your heart.” (2020):

Similar to Nile, Levi does an “unthinkable” move of publicly dedicating His and Hange’s heart’s together. He purposely does it wrong by putting His Left Fist (ring finger 💍) on Hange’s heart and says the famous scout motto, which was the first time he’s “ever said that.” Because Levi and Hange both 'proposed', Levi's gesture towards Hange seals their relationship. (Marriage):

🫀+🫀 Combined hearts

(Side note: SSS/DYH was the Survey Corps moto long before Erwin was ever commander, so it is not His saying. Proof: In the anime Zachary is the first to say it and it is used + talked about in ACWNR. This is information for the antis who claim that Levi used Erwin’s moto towards Hange. 🤗)

This is the one and only time he has ever said the moto, because he had found where to truly dedicate his heart:

-

This was a mutual dedication not an individual one. If it Was individual, he could have said, "Hange, dedicate your heart.” or "I dedicate my heart.” Along with the normal salute, which is your right hand on the heart. Instead he (metaphorically) combines their hearts, and they actually become LeviHan:

-

Just like ACWNR chapter 5 title ⬆️, •••HEARTS••• is placed Right above Hange, who is CENTERED in the middle of Erwin, Petra, and Moblit. She is placed paralleled to Levi, mirroring his same expression, while the rest are neutral:

-

Levi now lives alongside Onyankopon, Gabi, Falco, and Yelena. They advocate for peace and fulfill Hange’s legacy. One of her main goals was to understand the “enemy”, live with and show them that they aren’t the vicious “devils” they fear them to be. To unite as one, so there’s no more war, discrimination, revenge, and hate. For mankind is made equal. 🌏

Levi watches the plane (Hange) that flys above them. As he faces his right side, his blind eye is opened and in view, so his other half (Hange) can watch the world through. Levi is living half for himself and half for Hange. Double symbolism. 🔀🧬🪢💞😎

[moonspirit]

"Armin's love came out of nowhere" T-T. It's an statement I am seeing a lot lately. And even I am starting to falter. Sorry, I am weak, master. :(

Faltering anon, fear no more, I'm here!

Firstly, I have to say: I don't want to sound rude or bash people's opinions, but... *Sigh* I see this take a lot, honestly, and I often wonder if it would be doing the rounds so much if people didn't so gullibly buy into Eren's lies about Armin "inheriting" his feelings for Annie (for the millionth time, you do not inherit feelings, you inherit memories.)

Secondly, the Aruani ship is based on subtlety, nuance, body language and the art of inferring from a manga panel more than what is just "said" - which is, you know, how you read manga.

I'm going to assume you have no doubts that Annie always had a soft spot for Armin, more so than for anybody else in the 104th. The way we understand that she has this soft spot is first and foremost, by reading into her body language, her facial expressions, the underlying meaning of what is said, the context of what is said, the reactions before, after, during, and so on. For someone like Annie to spare Armin's life on multiple occasions, hesitating in front of him several times, taking to serious heart his words and what he thinks about her - literally all of this is inferred by analysis and deconstruction of more than just what's written as text.

The eaxct same logic applies in reverse. Cadet Armin, who we see interacting with multiple people including other girls like Sasha and Historia, gives special attention to Annie, the one girl who's infamously aloof and cold. He isn't scared of her, he approaches her kindly, he looks beneath the surface and finds someone who cares, and he tells her as much. Sure, Armin is nice to everyone but he's no social butterfly; for him to be given noteworthy time and space with Annie of all people, resulting in interactions that have a direct impact on everything that happens subsequently (Stohess, S2, S3, S4), is not something to be ignored.

We don't get to see much of Aruani in their cadet years to be honest. The "what happened before" is a mystery, but considering Annie's tendency to avoid people and social interaction in general (something that is very clearly alluded to in S1), we see her on multiple occasions standing very close to Armin in the background, in both anime and manga. This is the art of showing - what do we understand from this? That Armin and Annie were good friends as trainees, that it is likely that they spent time together if Annie's proximity to him is anything to go by, that it is more than likely that they grew close quite naturally, that it is extremely likely that this is when Annie began to develop feelings for Armin and also when he started to see through her icy exterior and found a nice, caring girl underneath.

This is WHY Armin is able to call Annie "nice" and "good" in the first place, and WHY they affect her so much, including all of her future actions. He didn't make this observation overnight, anon. It took three years of time spent together.

For Armin, the first clue we get about his feelings is when we come to know that he waited a whole month to reveal his suspicions of Annie. A month is a long time when your friends and superiors have died at the hands of the FT, and those alive continue to be at risk every minute. A month is a very, very long time to hesitate and keep your mouth shut when the FT has tried to kidnap your best friend and only Humanity's strongest was able to prevent it. A month is a dangerously long time. Why a month? Why a month for Armin, who, without a doubt understood the moment he saw the FT on the fields that it was an enemy?

Because he knew it was Annie, and because he liked Annie.

I don't think his feelings at this time could be described as love, but they definitely ran deep and close to his heart. Enough to consider the implications of never seeing Annie again and what it meant to know that she was, in fact, an enemy with dangerous and unknown motives and not someone he could stand on the same side with. That is the reason he kept his mouth shut for so long. These are inferences the fandom gets from looking at the picture from above, with the context, the past, the present and the possible future laid side by side.

Everything that happens next in the story of Attack on Titan is, to a large part, a direct consequence of Annie sparing his life, and him trapping her as a result, setting the ball rolling for S2, S3 and S4. The interactions between Aruani have monumental implications in scale even if they take up only a few pages in the manga.

S4 Armin then, visiting Annie's crystal, is someone in love. Bertholdt's memories only give him a better understanding of the person Annie is and the circumstances she grew up in, the life of a warrior, the existences they are forced to suffer - Bertholdt's memories do not make Armin fall in love with her, they make Armin understand why Annie is the person she is. He falls in love with Annie because he already liked her to start with, and now he understands her. At this point, Eren's lies confused a lot of people into thinking Armin visited Annie's crystal only because of Bertholdt's feelings, but two things to keep in mind here:

Armin is a highly emotionally intelligent person, capable of differentiating his feelings and emotions from his actions. The person who caught onto Eren's bullshit the fastest in that room was Armin - you couldn't have gaslighted him into believing this nonsense under any situation. His shock came not from buying into Eren's lies, but from the fact that his best friend is a stranger, saying such things to his face, of all people.

Armin did not spend four years and infinite hours in front of Annie's crystal speaking to someone who, for all he knew, could've been in a total coma, not because he was pushed to do so by someone else's feelings, but because he wanted to. Being with her comforted him. He's already been with her, in the years before they graduated. Annie is a friend, more than a friend, and this emotionally intelligent boy capable of distinguishing between his own desires and the non-existent possibility of someone mind-puppeteering his actions, visited Annie because he missed her. And that's that.

This is already very long, but uhm, well, I hope you have found solid ground to see that Armin didn't just fall in love with Annie overnight or because of anybody else's feelings (again, a LIE, a MYTH) - he liked her, he always liked her, and finally he fell in love.

It's important to give importance to what is hidden between the text. Even what we don't see matters when it is an important factor in understanding someone's actions and emotions.

[elmundodeflor]

Attack On Titan is a Work of Love

Something I'm always in awe of, is how love is depicted in Attack On Titan. Mostly, because it feels realistic and relatable. Love isn't always the big, over-the-top Romeo and Juliet type.

Love is Eren wrapping a scarf around Mikasa.

Armin regularly going to see Annie.

Love is Levi and Hanji knowing each other so well, they’re able to communicate without the need for words.

Historia trusting Ymir so much, that she was the first one she revealed her real name to.

Love isn’t always flowers and big confessions like the ones we see in movies or media. Daily, human love lays in the detail. It’s in consistency, in those little day-to-day gestures a person can have with another. it's in waiting for your partner with a nice meal at home, in sharing a moment of comfort, in understanding eachother by just looking into one another's eyes. it's in protecting and caring and nurturing and motivating.

And it’s why love in Attack On Titan will always feel real. Palpable. Beautifully subtle.

To me, it will always be grounbreaking how, in a world so full of hatred, Isayama managed to create so many unbreakable bonds of the most imperfectly pure love, and how he was able to explore love in all of its different phases and colors.

Love between brothers/family:

Love between friends:

Idolatry (the tpye of love that makes you go blind)

Unrequited love:

Grief (the loss of someone you loved):

New-found love:

It will always be close to my heart, how Attack On Titan shows love at every corner, in every frame: in words of hope, in helping somebody who struggles, in the will to protect somebody at the highest of costs, in the joking and teasing in affectionate ways. It’s all there, in the small, in what the eye doesn’t always see. It’s always been.

So, even when Attack On Titan can be seen as a work of war and life and death and how the evil parts of the human world work, to me, it will forever be a work I remember for being overflowed with love, too.

[happybird16]

Can we talk for a second about how Levi always refers to the members of his squad by their first name. In Japan, referring to someone by their first name is significant. Its more typical to refer to someone by their family name if you don't know them all to well. Close friends even still use honorifics, such as [Name]-chan. There's several instances where Erwin refers to the newer cadets by just their last names, which is typical in a military setting even in other countries, but Levi calls the 104th kids by their names, Armin, Jean, etc.

Levi obviously doesn't care for honorifics or typical social niceties -they didn't really matter where he grew up anyways- but to me him referring to them by their first names -even as they call him Captain (heichou)- means 'we are equals, I trust you'

[rivai-hana]

Seson 4 levi & hange

Hange's Some of the last moments with levi

[eueuphoriaz]

Saw these 2 low quality screen grabs of Levi and Hange's ODM actions. And I just had to find out which fight sequence is it.

So cute that they even have telepathy when fighting.

[clfixationstation]

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).

[4everinyour-roaa]

mikasa and eren are both contrasting characters,

eren deals with a lot of insecurities, mikasa carries a lot of pride.

eren is constantly thinking about the future (quite literally living in it considering titan memories due to the founding and attack), while mikasa constantly thinks about the past.

eren is angry and impulsive, mikasa is calm and collected with a clear idea of what she wants to do.

eren allowed people to enter his heart including reiner and annie which explains his sadness finding out about their betrayal, while mikasa only concerns herself with the people that she loves and has no room in her heart to care about more after her trauma.

even in the way they love each other, all mikasa wants is to be by eren's side even if it means risking her life, while all eren wants is for her to be safe even if it means their separation.

and interestingly enough, their character development is basically becoming who the other used to be, in s4 mikasa starts to be more like eren from s1, and s4 eren is more like mikasa in s1

[diariodeunrincondemi]

Although everyone is talking about Armin and Eren's dialogue (which was amazing), for me the heartbreaking moment was that of the civilian refugees being cornered between the cliff and the advancing titans and the man lifting the baby to pass it back, in a desperate gesture to save him.

A father assuming, in the midst of terror, that he was going to die, but wanting to save his son, because it was better for his son to be an orphan and have a chance to live than to die in that terror.

And that moment is heartbreaking because it is full of realism. Because we still see it today on live broadcasts in the news: adults doing everything they can to protect and save their children in the midst of terror, hoping that it will end and they can live. Because there is nothing more horrible than the death of a person who could not experience life.