Key Takeaways
- Levi’s tragic past shaped him into humanity’s strongest soldier, rising above a harsh childhood and betrayal.
- Levi’s strategic brilliance and unrivaled combat skills made him a force to be reckoned with in the face of enemies.
- Through moral dilemmas and difficult choices, Levi proved his dedication to humanity by sacrificing his own humanity.
One of the most popular characters in Attack on Titan is Levi Ackerman. Soon after he was introduced, Levi captured the audience’s attention with a cold, no-nonsense approach and mysterious nature. As the story developed, more pieces of Levi’s backstory were revealed, including his joining the Scouts for the first time, losing his friends to Titans, and growing up in the lower city.
Related
9 Most Badass Male Characters in TV History
These male characters captivate audiences with their strength, courage, and unyielding spirit.
However, even before those details were revealed, Levi had an incredible sway with the audience due to his power and hyper-competence. He is introduced as ‘humanity’s strongest soldier,’ and he does a lot to back up this claim. He utilizes his swift fighting style and knowledge of the Titans and their behavior to turn himself into an unstoppable battlefield menace.
8 Survived In The Underground City:
Rose Through A Traumatic Childhood
Levi rose to greatness by the time Eren Yeager met him, but this was not an easy path for him. Throughout his childhood, Levi was raised by his uncle Kenny, who was a very strict man who never aspired to be a father figure, much less possessed any skills. He taught Levi the skills he needed to survive in a harsh environment, but not much beyond that.
Eventually, Kenny abandoned Levi and left him alone in the Underground after deciding that he had taught him enough. From there, Levi had to survive alone. However, he managed not to crumble under this difficult experience and found friends and shelter, eventually getting the attention of the Scouts and becoming a member.
7 Saved Eren:
Gave Humanity A Chance
Levi and Eren’s relationship went off to a rocky start. For someone as experienced as Levi, dealing with someone he saw as a brat with too much-unrestrained power bestowed onto him was far from a priority. However, Levi understood that if Eren proved useful, he could be a game-changer in their war against the Titans.
Related
8 Mind-Blowing Anime Plot Twists
A good plot twist can result in an unforgettable moment in an anime. These are some of the best.
To this end, Levi helped Erwin and staged a show before the MPs as they deliberated on what to do with Eren. He gave the boy a severe beating to show that he could keep him under control much better than the Police, which increased their trust and made them give Eren a chance. Despite enraging Mikasa, this plan worked, and Eren was given to the scouts.
6 Went Toe-To-Toe With Kenny:
Surpassed His Mentor
Levi and Kenny had a complicated relationship. Despite raising Levi and teaching him much of what he knew, Kenny abandoned the boy without explanation. Ever since Levi grew to resent Kenny while still respecting his skills and the time he dedicated to him. It was only a matter of time before the two would meet again.
This happened in Season 3, where Levi faced Kenny multiple times. Due to honing his skills and training, Levi rose to become the legendary warrior’s equal, if not superior. His encounters with Kenny show how far Levi has gone in terms of both physical and mental training.
5 Fought While Maimed:
Didn’t Allow Wounds To Stop Him
During season 4, Levi and his squad guard, Zeke Yeager, are in the forests. He is constantly being watched by Levi, but Zeke ends up escaping and turning all of Levi’s men into titans. Even after Levi catches him again, Zeke still manages to slip past him and cause Levi serious injuries due to an explosion.
Despite this, however, Levi remained in a condition to fight throughout the rest of the Manga. He was severely weakened, but this didn’t prevent him from standing alongside his friends as he faced Eren and his titans, even striking a final blow against Zeke when the latter gave him a chance.
4 Defeated Zeke Multiple Times:
Brought The Beast Titan Down
While the Beast Titan was not best suited for military operations, Zeke Yeager’s brilliance and tactical mind allowed him to utilize it in battle by throwing multiple rocks at the same time. This would prove devastating for the scouts during the battle for Wall Maria. However, this did not stop Levi from dismantling his Titan form.
11:34
Related
Best Anime Of 2023, Ranked
2023 produced more than a hundred anime, and these series were the best of all of them.
This would repeat multiple times in the future. Levi despised Zeke for killing Erwin and other scouts, turning people from Ragako into titans, and seeking revenge. Levi got his chance during Zeke’s attempt to escape in the forests. The Beast Titan didn’t escape far, as Levi maimed and brought him down again.
3 Made A Difficult Choice:
Saved Armin
Not all of Levi’s achievements are physical; sometimes, he faces difficult moral dilemmas that leave him with no other option but to make a choice. When both Erwin and Armin were mortally wounded and on the brink of death, it was in Levi’s hands to decide who would get the Titan serum and become the Colossal.
His first choice was Erwin due to the commander’s dedication, experience, and strategic mind. However, Levi changed his decision at the last minute and injected the serum into Armin instead. This was not a simple choice, yet Levi decided to allow his commander some rest after the hell he had been through.
2 Became Humanity’s Strongest Soldier:
Earned His Title By Killing Countless Titans
After Levi joined the Scouts, he quickly proved to be their strongest soldier. He combined the physical prowess and skills that Kenny taught him with his seething spite for Titans after witnessing one of them killing his best friends from the Underground City. Levi rose to the rank of Captain and earned the respect of countless scouts.
Many people put their faith in Levi, including Erwin, who worked closely with the Captain during the first season of Attack on Titan. Levi continued to prove his skill by leading expeditions and utilizing his tactical mind, which helped to root out Annie, the first discovered Titan Shifter. Despite making mistakes, Levi proved his dedication time and time again.
1 Killed His Own Friends:
Was Willing To Forsake His Humanity
Perhaps one of the most difficult challenges is combining mental and physical aspects. This is exactly the kind of ordeal Levi had to face when Zeke turned his entire squad into titans in an attempt to escape. Fighting dozens of Titans alone simultaneously is challenging enough, but this wasn’t the only challenge Levi overcame.
Those titans were his comrades and friends only recently; now Levi was left with no choice but to kill them all. While he accepts this grim reality with dignity and does what must be done, it is still clear that the act pains him greatly. Ultimately, this further fuels Levi’s hatred towards Zeke and motivates him to chase him.
More
Attack on Titan’s True Message Is Not Freedom
One of the biggest themes in Attack on Titan is what defines freedom, but is that truly the message the series was trying to get across?