The release of theseries finale of the anime adaptationof Hajime Isayama’sAttack on Titan, titledAttack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2, was a landmark moment in contemporary anime. For a series that reached heights of global renown and acclaim, this event was the culmination of a decade-long journey that had a major role in anime’s rise to prominence within the realm of popular culture across the world.
Even in the realm of dark fantasy manga and anime,Attack on Titanfeatured an abundant number of major character deaths, which served to highlight the dangers confronted by the main castin their battle against the Titans. Although the tone of the series changed considerably throughout its run, its use of character deaths to define critical turning points in its story persisted until the very end. On this note, here are some of the most crucial and devastating character deaths that forever altered the series for better or worse.
10Petra Ral
Killed By The Female Titan
Levi Ackerman’s trusted lieutenantwho was handpicked by him to be part of his Special Operations Squad, Petra Ral was a capable soldier who retained a compassionate and caring side to her persona alongside her staunch devotion to Levi.
Having guided Eren and worried about his safety throughout the 57th Exterior Scouting Mission, Petra met her end when kicked into a tree by the Female Titan, shortly after witnessing the death of her comrade Eld Gin. Despite his efforts, Levi was unable to conceal his guilt about her death, which was exacerbated by how he heard of her decision to give up her life for him from her father soon after.
9Mike Zacharias
Met A Gruesome End Courtesy Of The Beast Titan
Regarded as one of the strongest members of the Survey Corps, Mike Zacharias boasted a distinguished combat record against the Titans, and this is what made his death all the more harrowing. After fending off a swarm of Titans by himself to allow his subordinates to escape, Mike had the misfortune of encountering the Beast Titan.
Despite having killed five Titans, Mike was helpless against theBeast Titan’s superior long-range combat skillsand Titan controlling ability. In the end, he was devoured alive by a group of Titans on the orders of the Beast Titan in one of the series' most shocking scenes, where his immense resolve faltered in the face of the agony he was being subjected to.
8Marco Bott
Left To Die In Trost By Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner
Marco Bott was a guiding light for some in the 104th Training Corps, as he saw people for who they truly were. His death during the Battle of Trost was a tragedy that left a monumental impact on his comrades, given the circumstances that led to his demise.
After he overheard a conversation between Bertholdt, Reiner, and Annie, where they revealed their true identities, Reiner orderedAnnie to take Marco’s ODM gear away, leaving him to be eaten by a Titan. This event eventually contributed to Annie’s capture as well as the erosion of Reiner’s mental stability, and its significance cannot be understated, although the details behind Marco’s death were not fully revealed until much later.
7Hannes
Eaten By Dina Fritz’s Smiling Titan
Hannes was the one responsible for saving Eren and Mikasafrom the swarm of Titansthat entered Shiganshina, and he became a sort of guardian to them in the years that followed. Unfortunately, he was also haunted by his failure to save Carla Yeager, and held on to this guilt for years afterward.
Further down the line, a chance encounter with the same Titan that ate her during the Clash of the Titans Arc fueled Hannes' desire for redemption, and he tried to eliminate it on his own to protect Eren and Mikasa. Sadly, all his efforts were for naught as he was incapacitated and devoured by the same Titan, which left the main trio desolate and heartbroken at his loss.
6Bertholdt Hoover
Fed To Armin Arlert After The Battle Of Shiganshina
Bertholdt Hoover possessed all the traits of a remarkable soldier, and it was only his indecisiveness that let him down on several occasions. As theColossal Titan, Bertholdt had oneof the most frighteningly powerful abilities in the series, which made his defeat at the hands of Eren and Armin all the more impressive.
However, this victory was earned at the cost of Armin’s life, as he was burned to a crisp by the steam released by Bertholdt’s Titan. After the conclusion of the Battle of Shiganshina and a lengthy discussion about who should inherit Bertholdt’s Titan between Armin and Erwin Smith, Levi Ackerman chose to save the former.
5Sasha Braus
Shot By Gabi Braun During The Raid On Liberio
A brutal reality check for the Survey Corps after theirfirst victory over Marley in Liberio, Sasha Braus' death was a tragedy that many of the main cast never really recovered from. The gluttonous sniper from the 104th Training Corps had endeared herself to her comrades, which is why her death was so heartbreaking.
Gunned down by Gabi Braun, who had snuck aboard an airship departing from Liberio, Sasha succumbed to her injuries after drifting in and out of consciousness. Her impact on the series was immense, as she was the one who saved Kaya from the Titans and redeemed Niccolo, by reminding him of his passion for cooking.
4Hange Zoe
Died While Fending Off Wall Titans In Odiha
The 14th Commander of the Survey Corps went out in a blaze of glory while trying to stallthe advance of the Rumbling, as the Scouts and Warriors attempted to prepare the Azumabito’s flying boat for its flight to Fort Salta. Hange’s actions bought their allies just enough time to escape to make their final stand against Eren, and they died doing what they loved most — observing the peculiarities of Titans up close.
Despite the solemn feeling that pervaded their final moments, Hange was given the kind of ending that their character deserved, in one of the most poignant moments fromAttack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 1.
Led A Sacrificial Charge To Distract The Beast Titan
As the Scouts fought a losing battle, where the Beast Titan’s long-range attacks had decimated their forces and pinned them down with no route for escape, the Survey Corps' 13th Commander Erwin Smith did the unthinkable to secure victory. Taking a massive gamble, Erwin convinced his subordinates to ride out with him in a head-on charge, surrendering their lives to distract the Beast Titan whileLevi Ackerman snuck up behindhim for the kill.
In the process, Erwin chose to give up on his dream of finding out about the world beyond the Walls, and his decision to do so at Levi’s behest was a moving moment, immediately followed by one of the most impassioned speeches in anime history, as he led his troops out to devote their hearts one final time.
2Carla Yeager
Eaten By Dina Fritz’s Titan In The Fall Of Wall Maria
The first real major character death in the series that shook fans as well as the main cast, Carla Yeager’s demise was the spark that set off Eren’s thirst for revenge and shaped his character throughout the majority ofAttack on Titan. Eren and Mikasa never really recovered from her loss, and it is no surprise considering how they were forced to watch helplessly as she was eaten by Dina Fritz’s Titan.
It is safe to say that the events ofAttack on Titanmay have turned out differently if it were not for Carla’s death, andEren’s insane drive to exterminatethe Titans would not have been what it was if this traumatic event had not occurred.
1Eren Yeager
Killed By Mikasa Ackerman To End The Rumbling
Upon triggering the Rumbling to wipe out humanity beyond the Walls,Eren became the enemy of the entire world, and killing him became the only means to end the genocide he was responsible for perpetrating.
While his actions were motivated by a desire to safeguard the lives of his loved ones in Paradis, the choices he made rendered him unworthy of redemption, and his eventual death at the hands of his beloved Mikasa, brought an end to one of the most complex and polarizing protagonists in anime history. Moreover, it also created a world free of Titans, fulfilling the vow he made after his mother’s death at the start ofAttack on Titan.
