6 Attack on Titan Characters Who Deserved Better Endings

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Attack on Titan is famous for its stunning but harsh world, where characters often feel trapped by destiny. As the series reaches its end, some of its most memorable storylines didn’t get the satisfying conclusions fans hoped for. Instead of elegant resolutions, we saw important characters sidelined or abruptly removed from the story, leaving many wanting more.

Despite a thrilling finale, the ending didn’t fully satisfy fans and had some weaknesses. Several characters, after significant development throughout the series, were either given little to do, felt underdeveloped, or were reduced to minor roles.

6. Floch Forster

Regardless of your feelings about him, Floch was the only one who clearly explained what would have happened if Eren hadn’t completed his plan. He dedicated his life to saving his people, and while many saw him as a villain, he genuinely believed his actions were the only way to protect their home. Aside from Eren, Floch experienced the most significant character growth throughout the series.

To those who shared his beliefs, Floch was a true hero. He transformed from a frightened new soldier who questioned authority into a resolute leader, staying true to his principles until the end. While others were unsure or afraid to choose a side, Floch remained steadfast. His tragic death, alone at Mikasa’s hands, felt especially unfair because he had accurately predicted the endless cycle of hatred.

5. Ymir (Scout)

Ymir’s death is one of the most tragic ‘what ifs’ in the series. She was abruptly removed from the story through a flashback, and while saving Reiner and Bertholdt, she was taken to Marley and ultimately used to inherit the Jaw Titan. It felt like a significant loss, as she was a young person with a lot of life ahead of her, and she had no desire to sacrifice herself for a nation that had always mistreated her.

Marley could have forced her to become a soldier, but she chose to stay on Paradis and protect Historia. Instead, she sacrificed herself for a nation she had no connection to. Her death felt less like a natural ending for someone so strong-willed and devoted to Historia, and more like a plot device to move the story forward.

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4. Erwin Smith

It’s tragically ironic that Erwin Smith died so close to the truth he’d spent his life seeking. After sacrificing so much – the lives of his soldiers and his own humanity – he perished just moments before the world’s mysteries were finally revealed. The most heartbreaking part is that he died within sight of the answers he desperately craved.

Everyone remembers his final, incredible achievement, but his followers often wonder what more he could have accomplished if he’d known what life was like beyond his isolated world. It’s sad he never got to experience things like the ocean or even a simple basement firsthand – instead, he became a figure whose decisions others, like the Scouts, had to carry out.

3. Hange Zoe

After Erwin’s death, Hange became the driving force behind the Survey Corps, but her death in the final arc felt unnecessarily dramatic. While her battle against the Colossal Titans was visually impressive, many viewers felt it was contrived, primarily to create an opening for Armin to become the new commander. The situation didn’t seem desperate enough to require her sacrifice at that moment.

Considering everything Hange had overcome, and their dedication to science and understanding, a straightforward death in battle felt disappointingly anticlimactic. They deserved to see a world beyond the war, especially since they were one of the few who saw the Titans as something to study and marvel at, rather than just destroy.

2. Ymir Fritz (The Founder)

A major point of contention in the finale was the explanation of Ymir’s fate: she remained a slave in the Paths because of her love for King Fritz, despite him never showing her basic human respect. After thousands of years of suffering, including her children consuming her body, reducing her motivation to a forced, unhealthy attachment – essentially Stockholm Syndrome – felt like an oversimplified and unsatisfying explanation for such a huge and tragic story.

The story needed to show her actively taking control of her life and rediscovering her own worth, instead of simply waiting for Mikasa to show her how to move on. As it stands, her character felt like a victim until the very end, and many viewers feel they never saw her true potential, especially considering her immense power.

Though I might be seen as a threat to humanity, I care about you, Eren. I refuse to conform to expectations, and I don’t desire godlike power. Seeing someone in pain, feeling unwanted, breaks my heart – I desperately want to reassure them that they do matter.

1. Historia Reiss

The anime’s finale was great overall, but the handling of Historia Reiss was disappointing. She essentially disappeared from the story, with no mention of her role as queen, her pregnancy, or her family. It felt pointless to build up her storyline only to completely ignore it, reducing her to a silent background character and leaving her pregnancy unresolved.

Historia began as a character defined by her fierce independence and desire to live life on her own terms. However, by the end of the series, she was reduced to a symbolic figure with no real influence on the final battle. This was a disappointing end for someone who once bravely defied both her father and the established authority, essentially turning her into an insignificant afterthought in the story’s most crucial moment.

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2026-02-15 00:05