Attack On Titan Characters Who Suffered The Most

Attack on Titan is widely considered one of the best action anime ever made. Even though fans have mixed feelings about how the story ended, it’s undeniable that the creator, Hajime Isayama, built a truly captivating narrative with clever foreshadowing and surprising twists.

It’s no surprise fans are excited to revisit this fantastic series. What truly sets *Attack on Titan* apart are its characters – people in a dark and difficult world who face incredible hardships while striving to achieve their dreams.

Eren Jaeger

The Burden On His Shoulders After He Became The Attack Titan Was Immense

Biggest Tragedy: Losing his mother, only to realize later on that he may have guided Dina’s Titan to his house

Being the Attack Titan was a difficult responsibility for those who held it, but it weighed particularly heavily on Eren. When he touched Historia’s hand, he experienced a disturbing vision of the future and past, revealing he was destined to commit a terrible act.

Honestly, Eren’s whole drive comes from losing his mom, so the idea that *he* might have caused her death just destroys him. It’s a huge part of what breaks him down. And it doesn’t stop there – his path is just filled with loss. Seeing friends die, and then the sheer scale of destruction with the Rumbling… it’s a constant, devastating weight on him.

Reiner Braun

Developed PTSD After Uncovering All The Lies He Was Fed As A Child

Biggest Tragedy: Realizing his actions on Paradis Island were wrong, leading to him developing severe mental issues

Reiner Braun is a remarkably well-developed character, and many fans see him as a hero despite his actions. He grew up believing Eldians were monsters, which led him to join a mission to steal the Titans. However, he eventually discovered that Eldians were simply people, just like him.

Trying to persuade Eren to join them shattered him mentally, and his despair over his time on Paradis Island led to thoughts of suicide. He suffered greatly throughout the story, making it heartwarming to see him reconnect with his friends and find redemption in their fights against Eren.

Levi Ackerman

Saw Numerous Friends And Comrades Die Time And Time Again

Biggest Tragedy: Losing his two closest friends on his very first mission in the Survey Corps

Like most Ackermans, Levi was a naturally gifted and ruthless fighter, discovered living on the streets by Erwin. He joined forces with his companions hoping to rise above the difficult lives they’d been forced to endure in the slums, but they quickly learned that not everyone had what it takes to be a member of the Survey Corps, as Levi did.

It still hits me hard thinking about Farlan and Isabel – they were gone so quickly, right at the start. Seeing that, and then so many others fall after that first mission… it changed me. It made me tough, sure, but I vowed to *never* forget the people who gave everything, even when things looked completely lost. Their sacrifices mean everything to me.

Erwin Smith

The Leader Of The Survey Corps Has Seen Untold Tragedy

Biggest Tragedy: Witnessing numerous young soldiers being chomped up by Titans in Survey Corps missions time and time again

Erwin Smith leads the Survey Corps and is a truly motivating figure. He’s known for his strength and courage, and never gives up even when things look hopeless. However, Levi knew Erwin was secretly struggling with immense pain before he died.

He almost passed on the power of the Colossal Titan to his commander, but something in the man’s expression stopped him. He believed Erwin had already endured enough and deserved to rest. It was now the responsibility of those who came after him to carry the burden and sacrifice for the sake of Paradis Island.

Ymir Fritz

The Cruelty She Experienced Both Before And After Acquiring The Powers Of A Titan Was Unfathomable

Biggest Tragedy: Becoming a slave to King Fritz’s will and staying in the Paths for centuries even after her demise

Isayama depicted Ymir as a child within the Paths for a specific reason: she endured immense suffering from birth. The horrific experiences she faced explain why she was drawn to someone as cruel as King Fritz – he was the first to recognize her Titan abilities and treat her as if she had worth.

Ymir seemed driven by a desire for approval, and even a small kindness from the King was enough to make her devoted to him, even after death. She remained trapped and suffering within the Paths for an incredibly long time until Eren finally released her from the King’s control, allowing her to regain her own will.

Grisha Jaeger

Another Person Burdened By The Attack Titan And What Its Powers Represented

Biggest Tragedy: Being forced by Eren to devour and kill most of the Reiss family

Grisha didn’t appear to be a good father, especially considering he allowed Eren to become the Attack Titan and led him towards a difficult life. But as Zeke realized, Grisha wasn’t intentionally causing these terrible events; something else was at play.

Eren’s Titan abilities let him reach back in time and persuade his father, Grisha, to murder the royal family and steal the Founding Titan’s power. This was a deeply disturbing scene, especially watching Grisha’s emotional collapse. He’d already suffered immense trauma – the loss of his sister and betrayal by his own son, who turned him over to Marley. But being forced to abandon his rediscovered hope and commit such a terrible act, including killing children, left him utterly broken.

Gabi Braun

Yet Another Soul Trapped In The Cycle of War And Hate

Biggest Tragedy: Losing his friends to Eren’s assault on Liberio

Gabi, like many in Marley, grew up believing Eldians were dangerous monsters. This idea was reinforced when Eren attacked Liberio, tragically killing two of her dearest friends.

Honestly, taking out Sasha felt like a win for my character at the time, but seeing the fallout… wow, it really hit me what a terrible thing I’d done. It slowly dawned on me how much everyone loved her, and I desperately started trying to make things right – not just with the Eldians in the story, but with the fans who initially really disliked me. I wanted to earn their forgiveness, you know?

Ymir

Manipulated By People Into Becoming Their Idol, And Was Sold Out Later On

Biggest Tragedy: Being sold out by the people who put her on a pedestal, turning her into a Pure Titan for decades

It really hit me hard learning about Ymir’s story. She escaped a terrible life, became this powerful figure, and honestly, things just got *worse* for her. It’s a stark reminder of how awful the Eldians were treated in Marley. They put her on a pedestal as this idol, but the second Marley’s leaders suspected anything about her followers, they just tossed her aside. It’s heartbreaking, and it really shows how little value they placed on Eldian lives.

Despite being exposed and publicly attacked for her beliefs, she continued to defend her followers, ultimately being transformed into one of the Titans destined to wander Paradis Island. Fortunately, she survived by consuming Marcel, gaining the abilities of the Jaw Titan and extending her life. She then formed a friendship with Christa and dedicated herself to the Survey Corps.

2025-09-26 17:36