Ok, this was a bit of a passion project for me. I recently did a re-watch of the series while doing a side-by-side reading of the manga. I have been wanting to do a character analysis of my favorite character, Levi Ackerman. So, I've been taking notes while reading the manga and I finally wrote it! Couple things to note: When I say "episodes", I'm referring to the manga episodes and not the anime. I do refer to the anime at times, but I'm primarily using the manga as my source. I hope you like it!
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Captain Levi - Character Analysis
Levi Ackerman is often misunderstood as a character, with some wrongly assuming that his stoic and no-nonsense demeanor lacks complexity. However, this superficial analysis overlooks so many things that make Levi a highly intricate character. As "Humanity's Strongest Soldier," he carries a profound sense of responsibility towards his comrades and possesses humility and gratitude for those who sacrificed their lives. He's a perceptive and caring leader, and a moderate realist in a world filled with zealots. Yet, he is also a tragic figure who has experienced the loss of many loved ones. Delving beneath the surface of Levi's character reveals a truly complex character.
Nobody Should Die in Vain
Captain Levi makes his debut in "Side Story: Captain Levi" between episodes nine and ten of Attack on Titan. The Survey Corps are returning from an expedition beyond the walls and the onlookers are admiring them as they ride back on horseback. Eren excitedly points out Captain Levi as "the strongest soldier alive" and "as strong as an entire brigade" in battle, but Levi dismisses the praise with a gruff "Noisy brats...". Hange then remarks to Levi that the admiration of the crowd would vanish if they knew about his obsession with cleanliness. A moment later, Levi displays his combat skills by killing a group of Titans, and expresses frustration when he gets his blade dirty. Shortly after, Petra calls out to Levi for help with a dying soldier, who asks if he was of any use to humanity. Despite being a clean freak, Levi takes the soldier's bloody hand and assures him that he has done more than enough, and that his resolve will give Levi the strength to continue fighting the Titans.
This introduction portrays Captain Levi as an exemplary leader and highlights one of his most defining traits - his aversion to anyone dying in vain. Though he is known as humanity's strongest soldier and a virtually invincible warrior, Isayama humanizes him by depicting him kneeling beside a dying comrade to offer comfort. This presents a powerful contrast between violence and tenderness.
Levi's sense of responsibility for his soldiers also translates into an appreciation for those who sacrificed their lives in battle. In episode 26, “The Easy Path" during the Female Titan Arc, Commander Erwin devises a plan to lure the Female Titan into a forest to trap it. Levi and his squad execute the mission successfully, but not without incurring casualties. When Erwin compliments Levi on his leadership, Levi responds, "That's thanks to the rear squads who risked their lives fighting. They bought us the time we needed. We couldn't have done it without them."
Compassion for Life
In episode 51, “Squad Levi”, Hange informs Erwin, Levi, and Pyxis that the titans they have been killing all this time are most likely humans. This causes Levi to recoil in disgust and disbelief. Levi tells Hange, “The flesh I’ve devoted my life to slicing out is actually part of a human being? I’ve been flying around killing humans this whole time?… Is that what you’re saying?”
Levi has been forced to kill throughout his entire life, having grown up in the underground slums after losing his mother at a young age. His uncle Kenny, who adopted him, taught him only how to survive by wielding a knife and fighting to live. Though Kenny showed no affection towards Levi, he instilled in him a sense of ruthlessness necessary for survival. Despite this harsh upbringing, Levi does not derive pleasure from killing titans. Instead, he possesses a deep compassion for human life, which is a stark contrast to the environment he was raised in.
In a World Full of Zealots…
Levi's grounded and humble nature sets him apart from the self-righteous zealots that dominate the world of Attack on Titan. He is acutely aware of his own limitations and never pretends to know more than he does. The only thing he is confident in is his combat abilities. In episode 59, "Soul of a Heretic," Levi's squad is forced to turn their blades on their fellow humans. This sudden shift is unsettling for some of Levi's subordinates, who struggle with the idea of taking a human life. Jean hesitates to kill one of Kenny’s soldiers and nearly pays the ultimate price for his hesitation. When Jean expresses his regret to Levi, the captain doesn't judge him but instead asks a profound question, "were you really wrong?" In this moment, Levi exemplifies his moderate realist nature by acknowledging that the world is full of grey areas and there are no easy answers.
There is another great example of Levi demonstrating this trait in the Female Titan arc, episode 25, “Bite”. Eren is agonizing over the decision whether to have faith in his teammates or to transform. Eren is about to bite his hand and transform, expecting Levi to scold him. Yet, Levi tells him, “You’re not wrong. If you wanna do it, go ahead. I don’t know the answer. I never have. Whether you trust in your own strength… or trust in the choices made by reliable comrades. No one knows what the outcome will be.”
Again, in episode 54, “Location of the Counterattack”, we see Levi’s humility and realism when addressing Dimo Reeves, a Trost District merchant. In fact, in this scene we also see his appreciation for those who sacrificed their lives. Levi tells Reeves, “The place where humanity first defeated the titans. And… the place that proves humanity’s powerlessness… Many soldiers gave their lives, too. It took all of that plus a chain of countless miracles to keep your town just barely standing here.”
Dirty Work
I would like to discuss one of Levi's traits that was not portrayed as prominently in the anime as in the manga. Levi has a willingness to do what may seem harsh at the time but is necessary to achieve a larger goal. This trait of his is essential in achieving success, even if it may not always be popular or easy to understand. Chapter 56, "Actors," contains a scene that was omitted from the anime. Levi recognizes that for their plan to succeed, Historia must take the throne as the rightful queen of Paradis.
Initially, Historia buckles under the weight of the enormous responsibility, stating, "I... can't... there's no way." Levi then seizes Historia by the collar and raises her off the ground, telling her, "It seems like this is your destiny. If you don't like it, fight back. Beat me." The other scouts view Levi's actions as excessive, and the scene is a contrast to the anime's portrayal of Levi. However, Levi is willing to be the "bad guy" and make difficult decisions that others cannot. In this regard, he shares similarities with Commander Erwin, albeit on a smaller scale. Erwin is willing to sacrifice countless lives to achieve his objectives, a feat that Levi could never bring himself to do due to his respect for human life and duty to his soldiers. This trait was shown in the first season of the anime when Levi mercilessly beat Eren in the courtroom, knocking out some of Eren’s teeth. Mikasa, of course after seeing Levi beat Eren, is seething. She does not realize that Levi had to do that to achieve their goal of keeping Eren with the Scouts rather than turning him over to the Interior.
There are two payoffs to the Levi roughing up Historia scene. The first is when they are planning to defend the wall against Rod Reiss’ absurdly enormous titan. Historia wants to stay and fight while both Erwin and Levi consider that out of the question because they cannot put the queen in danger. Yet, it is Historia who reminds Levi of the lesson he taught her, “Captain Levi. You’re the one who told me I needed to choose whether to run or fight.”
The second payoff culminates in one my very favorite scenes and maybe the most heartwarming and cute scene in the entire series – when Historia punches Levi after she becomes queen, because after all, what can Levi do? Earlier, Dimo Reeves tells Historia, “Once you become queen, smack him and tell him this, ‘I dare you to hit me back’” (note that in the anime, it’s Mikasa who tells Historia to hit Levi).
A Tragic Figure
Levi's position as humanity's strongest soldier ultimately makes him a tragic figure. His own strength dooms him to witness the deaths of those around him. This recurring theme of loss begins in Levi's childhood, as seen in episode 69, "Friends," when his mother Kuchel dies when he is very young. With no one to care for him, Kuchel's brother Kenny takes on the responsibility for a few years, teaching Levi only survival skills while withholding any affection. Once Kenny believes that Levi can survive and defend himself, he abandons him without explanation. This abandonment leaves a lasting impact on Levi, until he finally confronts Kenny before Kenny's death.
This scene struck me as one of the most touching and heartbreaking in the entire series. He asks Kenny, “That day. Why… did you leave me?” I tear up every time I watch or read this scene. In it, we see Levi vulnerable and hurt, a side of him that is rarely revealed due to his stoic and invincible persona.
Kenny tells Levi, “They couldn’t keep going unless they were drunk on something. They were all slaves to something…” For some it was power, others women, or god, or booze. Levi, however, is a slave to his immense power. Because he possesses this power, he also carries an immense sense of responsibility for his subordinates and comrades. This is why Levi feels such anguish when he is forced to see his friends killed over and and over again.
In “No Regrets”, Levi sees his friends from the underground, Isabel and Furlan killed by Titans. In the Female Titan arc, episode 30, “Losers” we see Annie kill Levi’s entire squad, including Petra, Oluo, Eld, and Gunther. The heartbroken yet cold and jaded look on Levi’s face tells the story of a man who loses everyone close to him. He loses his mother, Kuchel, and then his uncle, Kenny.
In the Return to Shiganshina arc, we see Levi lose the man who meant the most to him – Commander Erwin Smith. In episode 72, “Night of the Battle to Retake the Wall”, before Erwin and the Scouts venture back to Shiganshina to find out what is in Grisha’s basement, Levi tries his hardest to have Erwin stay behind because he knows Erwin probably will not make it out alive. Levi tells him to stay behind and let Hange lead the ground troops. Of course, Levi being Levi, he also uses the threat of physical violence to deter Erwin from going, telling him that he will break both of his legs. When Erwin is killed by injuries from the Beast Titan’s rocks, this sparks an unquenchable thirst for revenge in Levi and vows to be the one to kill Zeke (Beast Titan).
The theme of Levi losing his comrades is once again highlighted when he has to keep an eye over Zeke in the forest, attempting to prevent Eren and Zeke from meeting. After drinking Zeke's tainted wine, thirty members of Levi's squad transform into Titans and Zeke orders them to kill Levi. As he faces the Titans, Levi recognizes them as his comrades and wonders if there's any part of them left. Zeke assumes that Levi won't be able to harm them because they were once his comrades. However, Levi manages to kill them all and retorts, "What made you think you could escape from me? Did you really believe I couldn't bring myself to kill my own comrades just because you turned them into Titans? You have no idea how many friends we've lost already.”
The most recent and arguably the most heart-wrenching scene for me was when Levi loses Commander Hange. This moment hit me even harder than when he lost Erwin, because deep down, Levi knew that Erwin deserved peace. Watching Hange and Levi exchange playful banter, with Hange telling Armin putting Levi to work as his subordinate and Levi affectionately calling her "Four eyes," makes this scene all the more emotional. Hange dies heroically, and just before she heads out, Levi utters the iconic, "Dedicate your heart" for the first time in the entire series. I can't help but feel emotional whenever I watch this scene. Ok, who is cutting onions?
In Closing
Levi is my favorite character not because he is humanity’s strongest soldier or because his blades go “brrrrrrrr”. Ok, who am I kidding? That is definitely part of it. But what draws me to him the most is the complexity hidden beneath his invincible aura. Behind his stoic and violent exterior lies a well of compassion, empathy, duty, responsibility, and humility. He carries the weight of those weaker than him on his shoulders, making him an incredibly complex and compelling character.