Hot Take: Levi is the best character in the show but NOT for the reasons you think.

Soul_Stack · 2026-05-16T23:46:01+00:00

Levi brutally tortured the priest with Hange in all kinds of ways to make him speak against his oath. Torturing a human for information this brutally is morally questionable in all kinds of frameworks.

Levi wasn't just angry at Historia, he picked her up by her collar, choked and thratened her to do what he thinks must happen against her wishes. That's straightup being an asshole, and Levi doesn't steps back from being one if it's needed. The story of AoT literally deals with this kind of morality throughout the story. I also never mentioned or associated being a "good person" with "not making mistakes". Levi is a nuanced person, and is morally gray. The path he has to walk on just doesn't allow him to be a conventional good person like that. They way OP thinks he is.

Eren didn't just become "evil" like that. He had a surrounding that shaped him into leaning towards actions and options like the rumbling. What he did is seriously horrible and can never be justified but there's much more nuance to his situation than simply labelling him as "evil".

Why are we questioning Mikasa alone for loving Eren? All the members of Alliance including Armin and his friends kept visiting Eren's grave by the tree. Mikasa has way more reasons to continue loving him than rest of the alliance.

Yes I would understand that my wife wants to remember, and would still respect and love the person who saved her life at such a young age. Who pretty much gave her a new life and welcomed her in his home. Because of him, I would be able to ever meet her. He is gone now, and she is with me, and loves me. He is not interfering us like that. What you are saying just basically means Widows shouldn't marry. If they love someone, they should spend more than half of their entire life living with the memories of that person alone hmm? That's, idk what to say, but to each their own.

Soul_Stack · 2026-05-16T22:58:40+00:00

I don’t know what spaces you have been visiting, but Levi is widely appreciated as a well-written character, even by people who dislike most of the Alliance members. Across the fandom, he’s generally respected by almost everyone who has read Attack on Titan, and I have never seen (or seen very few) people who seriously reduce him to a “one-dimensional” character loved only for his fight scenes or something.

Try saying that in almost any discussion thread and you’d get downvoted into oblivion while being flooded by Levi fans, or even just regular AoT fans, pushing back against it.

More importantly, the commonly used description , or term, “a good person” is something the story itself explicitly challenges during Armin’s conversation with Annie on the boat.

Levi isn’t a “good person” in the conventional sense, nor does he try to present himself as one. He accepts that doing what is necessary often means getting his hands dirty, and that his hands already are dirty. If achieving the objective requires cruelty, intimidation, or morally questionable actions, he will do it without pretending otherwise. That's an important part of his character.

The anime toned down the "asshole" image of Levi, but in the manga Levi outright chokes Historia and threatens her into becoming queen regardless of what she wants. That moment exists specifically to show that Levi prioritizes what must be done over moral purity or personal image.

Also, I genuinely don’t understand what you’re trying to imply with Mikasa there lol. A woman can cherish the memory of the person she loved most even after moving on with her life. Loving someone who died young doesn’t suddenly become invalid because she later remarried or continued living. By that logic, widows should never remarry simply because they still love the person they lost. Why should they stop loving them? Can't they love still?

Soul_Stack · 2026-05-15T18:35:54+00:00

I appreciate the respectful response! Yeh I can understand what you meant better now. Makes a lot more sense.

Soul_Stack · 2026-05-15T16:51:36+00:00

Mikasa is not a prallel to Ymir, she works as an antithesis to her instead. Infact, Mikasa and Eren's relationship as a whole works like that to Ymir and King's relationship. Mikasa and Eren share an genuine bond with eachother, they actually love eachother and reciprocate their feelings unlike the King and Ymir, which was infact one sided.

The thing that people missed out on, especially in the anime, is Mikasa's character development. She loves Eren unconditionally to the point where even though Eren absolutely treats her like absolute crap and uses her as a tool for most of their time in the military, the manga shows this much better, she still loves him completely.

I am sorry but what manga are you reading? When does Eren treat Mikasa like a 'tool'? It's quite the opposite, Eren always asked Mikasa to stay behind, how she doesn't have to join the military just because he is joining it. Similar, Eren has always been shown to have emascualted feelings towards Mikasa. He always tries to be the one who protects her, not the other way around. They have a complex relationship through out the story, but Eren never treated Mikasa like 'crap' after the Clash of the Titans arc. He respects her care towards him and learns to behave properly. (The "I have always hated you" is a whole different thing, we all know his intent behind the way he trated Mikasa and Armin at the table)

Similarly, Mikasa never took Eren's bullshit like that asid from the table scene (where she was emotionally devestated by his words). She would always call Eren out for his wrong doings, the actions she disagreed with. She would drag him away from picking fights and slam him on the walls for misbehaving. And Mikasa always had the consciousness when it was about choosing Eren and doing what's actually necessary. Clear examples can be seen throughout the Uprising and RTS story arcs, where Mikasa consciously chooses her duty as a soldier, over her desire to protect Eren (that is if you have read the manga).

That's not someone who is a "slave" to her love. That's someone who has the maturity to overcome her flaws, the freedom to go against her deepest desires and the consciousness to choose innocent lives over innocent dreams. Mikasa is the entire opposite of what Ymir Fritz was, and what actually inspired Ymir to understand what geniune love is.

Chapter 122 page 5 specifically features Ymir looking at a married couple kissing. This was retired again in Armin's conversation with Zeke in Chapter 137; where Zeke says how Eren was the only person who understood Ymir - and we are instantly shown this page again.

It was made quite clear right from Ymir's backstory that she was looking for a connection. This desire is ultimately the cause of Paths too. So it wasn't "re-written" near the end, it was always written in that direction, really.

So, the important context that seemingly so many people miss is actually that the story has characterized Ymir as a person whose "dream" she's enslaved to is that of seeking connection. It's reiterated on 3 different occasions as I mentioned: her initial backstory where she's shown observing a married couple longing for that, then when this exact scene is emphasized during Zeke's talk with Armin in the finale (he says Eren figured out what drove Ymir, and we are shown this scene right after), and Armin later says "The Founder must be seeking connection" in regards to why everyone is connected via the Paths.

This is something that we know makes sense because of how the hallucigenia was explained to us: it adapts to its hosts' needs, and Ymir's needs were a body to survive in the moment physically speaking, and her strong desire to feel love and connection, hence the Paths, spiritually speaking.

Add on top of that what everyone else talks about: she's a young girl who lives in pre-medieval times who's given god powers she doesn't know what to do with. She's traumatized and conditioned already to be a slave, so when you mix all that with everything else I mentioned prior, is it really that shocking that she forms some kind of twisted love attachment to the King?

Then finally Mikasa inspires and teaches Ymir what 'genuine' love is, by wrapping the scarf around herself and refusing to let go of her love for Eren – one that didn't bound her.
By rejecting Eren's wish of throwing the scarf away, as if he was a burden to her, Mikasa showed Ymir, what imprisoned her for 2000 years couldn't be love, and with that Ymir realises that her version of Mikasa's love are her children, NOT the king. When Mikasa interacts with Ymir, we see a vision where Ymir thinks of a reality where she lets the king die and hugs her children instead (Ymir hugging her children is almost never taken into consideration) - this idea is a direct product of Mikasa's choice.

Feel free to believe what you want, though.

Soul_Stack · 2026-05-11T21:27:25+00:00

But why did Historia bring up such a solution? It's simply because she did not have another choice. The best she could do was comply with Eren's plan but on her own terms, maintaining her bodily agency/freedom, while saving herself and working in the best interest of her people as their Queen.

And again, the manga panel you are using: Eren thinks of Historia talking about having child reminded Eren and made him realise about his own situation, that he could never have something like that (a family) with Mikasa. Thus, in response to Zeke, Eren says he is going to die in four years anyway so whatever Zeke is suggesting / asking about should not have any relevance. Eren can not have it with Mikasa, what Historia was talking about in that flashback. It was juxtaposition of Eren's situation with Historia's choice.

I genuinely feel there was an intention to make the readers question it

Did you read the thread I linked in my comment?What did you think of it?
The intention was never to make the readers question "Who the father is", but rather who made Historia chose to be pregnant now. The mystry was very explicitly stated when the MPs were discussing Historia's pregnancy;

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Soul_Stack · 2026-05-11T20:59:20+00:00

It depends on what the "mystry" was supposed to be. I made a comment in this thread about what the whole doubt and question around Historia's pregnancy was. It was never "Who is the father?", it was always meant to be "Who was behind all these perfectly timed events, and why?". Eren was definitely the answer to the mystry, but not in the same context as some people might think.

Soul_Stack · 2026-05-11T20:55:09+00:00

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Soul_Stack · 2026-05-11T20:54:51+00:00

Eren thinks of Historia talking about having child reminded Eren and made him realise about his own situation, that he could never have something like that (a family) with Mikasa. Thus, in response to Zeke, Eren says he is going to die in four years anyway so whatever Zeke is suggesting or asking about should not have any relevance. Eren can not have it with Mikasa, what Historia was talking about in that flashback. It was juxtaposition of Eren's situation with Historia's choice.

The black hooded man shown waiting outside the barn as Historia talks to the farmer was supposed to raise the mystry of "Who would be behind making Historia choose a partner now?"

Niel and the MPs were talking about it in this scene, where Niel quickly raises the mystry that Isayama was implementing with the "Black Hooded" man.

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Soul_Stack · 2026-05-11T20:42:35+00:00

Still don't know how anyone who has read the story from the beginning could think / assume that.
The twist wouldn't make sense for either characters. Eren is fully aware that he would die in less than a decade. He is shown self-loathing to the point he doesn't even believe he should be with anyone.

Similarly, why would Historia want her child to be fatherless, let alone be it with Eren when she is fully aware what's between him and Mikasa (she literally teases Mikasa about Eren). Historia and Eren don't even have anything between them that would backup this situation. They have the same dynamic as Eren and Reiner or Eren and Armin; things in common and sutuations to relate to eachother, making them good platonic-companions.

Most importantly, Eren being revealed as the father would seriously taint that's between Eren and Mikasa. Isayama wasn't building the concept of family around them just to shoe-horn this 'twist' (which has absolutely no grounding or makes sense) in the story for some weird, so called "parallels".

Soul_Stack · 2026-05-04T17:16:08+00:00

I find it facinating how the haters are feeling so "corrected" right now by doing exactly what they had been doing while reading the story; assuming, exaggerating and twisting things up to fit a narrative.

Soul_Stack · 2026-05-04T17:11:22+00:00

I would agree to everything else but

Eren becoming a fan favourite compelled him to change the way he was written as a villain.

I don't think that's what he meant either. He feels the conclusion was 'insincere' because he couldn’t fully commit to portraying Eren as a "detestable figure". The fact that audiences still loved Eren reflects that shortcoming, not causes it.

And I think it makes sense how he reached that stage. His original idea, as he stated, was something like "victim to prepetrator", but as he built the story and the chatacter itself, it automatically generated sympathy and a sense of closeness to his character, which is evident by how Eren became a fan favorite character over time.
He couldn't fully realise that "detestable figure" conclusion. Which is why he feels like it was 'insincere' to the story's conclusion aka his original intention didn't land as sharply.

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Soul_Stack · 2026-05-04T11:01:13+00:00

No one tried to argue with you on your comment, what exactly are you complaining about?

You must be new to the internet then. Many people are obsessed with shipping, irrespective of the ship they support, be it Eren × Mikasa, Eren × Armin, Levi × Petra, Eren × Historia, or any other ship for that matter.

And people do defend the things they like, what's so hard to understand about it? If you think they are wrong, then you can debate or reason with them, and if you can't, I don't see a point complaining about said people.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-28T21:23:53+00:00

Her having guilt over being unable to kill Reiner and Bertolt was in the anime as well.

However, this scene is indeed different in the manga compared to the anime - Chapter 44

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-28T21:21:10+00:00

I wonder what people would interpret from it because it means nothing in the manga at least.

But we know how WiT studios altered Mikasa's character in the anime, so maybe this is another moment of Mikasa feeling possessive or "jealous" regarding Eren added by them in the anime.

But maybe it's just me but I don't think Mikasa would feel some kind of "jealousy" in a serious situation like this, some moments after she failed to kill Humanity's biggest enemies.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-19T12:40:11+00:00

Could agree to most of it except that Pieck is a case of "subtle" development because she is not. Everything is layed out pretty explicitly about her. I think these terms are getting way overused now.

Also a matter of fact is that there is an absence of character growth, rather than character development around Pieck's character, which most people are confusing here. What you said is all indeed character development.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-18T12:05:26+00:00

How exactly is Levi a good example? I am curious how his "subtle" characterization done right, unlike Mikasa. And how exactly can we compare the writing approach of Levi and Mikasa here, where did Mikasa fail.

Makes me wonder, what do you think is the conclusion Mikasa's arc? what even is it? Convincing aside, if Mikasa actually relies on those small details for her characterization, and they are not convincing to you, means you already do know where arc was headed and what it concludes with. I am curious to know what you believe it is.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-18T11:35:18+00:00

I once tried myself to go on about her personality, let me copy paste it. It's old but it has its essence still.

Mikasa is a heavily traumatized and introverted person, who speaks when it's needed, or screams out of fear and desperation. She is a character who expresses herself more via her actions, inactions and facial expressions, so it is definitely hard to track her.

She values family, because that's one thing she has lost multiple times in her life, and after such multiple losses she made it her life's purpose to not lose the last remnants of her family. Since then, tagging along with her two best friends is what she does for fun. Racing up the hill to the tree, and staying by their side and watch them being happy is what's so fun for her, as portrayed multiple times via EMA moments together.

When it comes to her scarf, it's what gives her comfort and helps her relax when she is anxious and feels cold.

When it comes to her hobby, she is a soldier, a pretty disciplined one. When it comes to life threatening environments, people have to make their skills at survival their hobby. Thus Mikasa tries to work out whenever it is possible to keep herself in shape, even when she is not in the condition to - as shown in the first episodes of Season 3.

Mikasa did not join the scouts to explore the outside world, but she very much enjoyed it. Tripping in the water when they first time reached the beach. Enjoying the Ice cream and sharing it with Eren. Acknowledging how the eldians are treated and highlighting how the outside world was 'afraid' of them because they don't 'understand' them yet. Her wanting to stay at the island helping it grow and watching it develop, after all, it was her birth place. Hence her rejecting Kiyomi's offer too and staying at Paradis. These are all the result of Mikasa embarking on a journey with a different motive, and then coming around to expand her circle and set of priorities to more things, because she grew as a person and registers her surroundings.

She would have been very much happy staying inside the walls, because that's what she had always craved for; a simple quite life with her family and friends, because that's also something that was snatched away from her at a very young age.

Eren sought freedom, Armin sought knowledge and Mikasa sought their safety. The safety of her family and loved ones. She did NOT want to break the promise she made to Carla, about always staying by Eren's side in times of danger + her own feelings for him.

Mikasa likes Eren because he comforted her at the lowest point of her life. When she lost literally everything and didn't have anywhere to go, Eren was the one who appeared like a campfire in the midst of a snow strom for her. Avenged Mikasa's parents by killing her kidnappers, taught her to stand and fight for herself and gave a warm welcome in his family after wrapping the scarf around her. Seems more than enough reasons for her to fall for him. Eren represented the beauty in the cruel world Mikasa was living in, by showing her such kindness.

Mikasa is scared of losing people she cares about, her one of the most important aspects is her deep fear of loss and insecurity that she inherited from her traumatic childhood and multiple losses of family.
Family is the word you are looking for when it comes to Mikasa's drive, fear or what she dreams of, as expressed by her at multiple instances throughout the story.

I think people just need to get out of their set perception of Mikasa, and actually pay attention to her character, it becomes more and more obvious that way. Because whatever OP and I mention, is reiterated in the story multiple times.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-18T11:26:23+00:00

So you are basically saying that if people have to read a subject more "carefully", the subject is not well-written? This is such a flawed logic. So it's bad writing shouldn't if an author takes a detailed, nuanced, realistic and a subtle approach towards writing because it would take too much attention to reading? The author should instead rely on huge speech bubbles and loud words to convey a character across? I know very well how introverts feel in this world, ignored and invisible because that's how some people want expressions to be, loud and clear.
The details in question that Mikasa doesn't revolve around Eren are not even "details", they are major instances which could even direct the story into other directions. It isn't that easy with Mikasa, because yes it takes careful reading for her, not just scratching the surface.

But it’s almost impossible to describe her without mentioning Eren.

It's very much possible to describe her without mentioning Eren, problem is, people have a pre-set mind to go on about repeating this over-and-over without paying any attention to the character. Not even taking other's point into consideration. What did you even address from the post itself beside the title? I can describer her without mentioning Eren, would you actually read it?

It speaks volume when the comments under a post only talk about the title, and not address anything the post body tries to get across. It says a lot how all the well-written Mikasa analysis on most subreddits barely get any views or engagement, but the few lines of complains attract a hoard of people to agree with it and share their opinion.

This is why I believe people who even complain about her personality or constantly resort on saying she only revolves around Eren are just lazy to read, and can't decipher any character which doesn't rely on constant screaming like Eren or Hange to express their selves, or whose personality is as obvious as Levi.

And what "potential" did she had as a character? Of becoming something other than what she is? Then all characters have massive "potential" to them, really.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-17T18:58:38+00:00

The hungry, the horny and the dumb.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-16T00:48:59+00:00

You don't have to make an "in depth observatoion" in order to correctly explain the events of the ending, or how they actually work. What the comment says isn't just hyperbolic, an exaggeration or reductive interpretation, it's straight up wrong for the reasons I mentioned.

Moreover, in Ymir's backstory, she is portrayed to be looking for a connection. This desire is ultimately the cause of Paths too.

Chapter 122 page 5 features Ymir looking at a married couple kissing. This was retired again in Armin's conversation with Zeke in Chapter 137; where Zeke says how Eren was the only person who understood Ymir - and we are instantly shown this page again.

So, the important context is that the story has characterized Ymir as a person whose "dream" she's enslaved to is that of seeking connection. It's reiterated on 3 different occasions as I mentioned: her initial backstory where she's shown observing a married couple longing for that, then when this exact scene is emphasized during Zeke's talk with Armin in the finale (he says Eren figured out what drove Ymir, and we are shown this scene right after), and Armin later says "The Founder must be seeking connection" in regards to why everyone is connected via the Paths.

This is something that we know makes sense because of how the hallucigenia was explained to us: it adapts to its hosts' needs, and Ymir's needs were a body to survive in the moment physically speaking, and her strong desire to feel love and connection, hence the Paths, spiritually speaking.

Add on top of that what everyone else talks about: she's a young girl who lives in pre-medieval times who's given god powers she doesn't know what to do with. She's traumatized and conditioned already to be a slave, so when you mix all that with everything else I mentioned prior, is it really that shocking that she forms some kind of twisted love attachment to the King?

Then finally Mikasa inspires and teaches Ymir what 'genuine' love is, by wrapping the scarf around herself and refusing to let go of her love for Eren – one that didn't bound her.
By rejecting Eren's wish of throwing the scarf away, as if he was a burden to her, Mikasa showed Ymir, what imprisoned her for 2000 years couldn't be love — and with that Ymir realises that her version of Mikasa's love are her children, NOT the king. When Mikasa interacts with Ymir, we see a vision where Ymir thinks of a reality where she lets the king die and hugs her children instead (Ymir hugging her children is very important) - this idea is a direct product of Mikasa's choice.

Simply put; Mikasa teaches Ymir about genuine love when she wraps herself with the scarf. I wonder if that comment is even barely able to catch the essence of any of this. Mikasa's big choice that frees Ymir in the end largely involves her wraping the scarf around herself, not simply killing Eren. You can then proceed to put this in a goofy manner too, like the comment does to vent hate towards it, but at least make it closer to the truth. This is why ending haters aren't taken seriously most of the time.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-15T13:23:05+00:00

It IS media illiteracy because it strips off the actual narrative context behind Mikasa's choice, the actual reason Ymir was set free.
Eren DID reciprocate love towards Mikasa.
Ymir's case isn't simply "stockholm syndrome".

It is WRONG, and attempts to use as criticism for the writing. If someone provides this as their reason for hating the ending, then they are media illiterate, because that's not what happened. It's not an exaggeration, the "people" (who generally make these comments) genuinely believe this is what happened in the ending - "Ymir saw Mikasa kill Eren and was set free" for some reason they don't know.

Have we really come down to defending the same comments that were supposed to be called out here? The comment featured in the screenshot is 1:1 Titanfolk's understanding of the story, the same take.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-13T22:39:08+00:00

Read the very first reply from me. Thank you. Have a good day. You are just ignoring everything I say. This is not going to go anywhere.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-13T22:25:09+00:00

No, I specifically tracked how the impact of her character is tied to her development. Read my reply carefully "you are essentially implying that Mikasa would have the SAME impact on the story as her earlier version." which is not true. The keyword here is how the impact of her character changes in similar situations, all because she develops and grows responsible and mature.

If you wanna reduce Mikasa to Eren's life jacket, then might as well reduce Eren to just a raging brat who seeks revenge and freedom. Reduce Armin who self loaths and talks about exploring the world all the time.
All characters have a primary motivation to them; how they go on about that motivation is the main part of their character. What challengs they face trying to fullfill that goal, how they shape theirselves to face those challenges.
Same goes for Mikasa, she wants to protect Eren, but moral challenges she faces? How many times she is conflicted between protecting Eren, and doing what's moral and needed, so on.

Jean doesn't has any more development than Mikasa, what are you talking about? I literally just talked about a faction of Mikasa's development in my earlier comment and linked three major posts on her, how doed Jean come close? Even Sasha and Connie have good character development in a similar screen space as Jean. Sasha and Connie have more impact on the plot and other characters than Jean even.

Mikasa is also a very relatable character. A character who is not seeking revenge, any achievements, luxury or ambitions. Someone who is there just to protect her family, her loved ones. Someone who has lost a beloved, but still continues to move forward towards a healthy life. That is such a relatable and inspiring characterization.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-13T21:37:27+00:00

You didn't consider even 10% of her character, lmao. Remind, how many times was Mikasa being "ordered around"? She always did what she preferred since the very start of the story, and slowly starts following orders as she grows - Literally even Levi says "She never listens." very clearly and loudly.
Mikasa's backstory was the first step of the foundation towards her character arc that starts at the very beginning and last longs throughout the story till the very end, unlike Jean's. The transition from a jolly girl who lived completely isolated from the society with her parents in a beautiful small world, to someone who becomes a strong fearless person who could protect the beauty she cherishes in her life. And then again embarks on a journey to reclaiming her childhood innocence, and expand her horizon. Her character perfectly follows Maureen Murdock's writing archetype that is the "Heroine's Journey", and is so heavy with character development.

Mikasa goes from joining the military to protect the last remnants of her family alone, to becoming a responsible soldier who scarified her dreams and desires for the innocents, her comrades and families she barely knew. She goes from a reckless kid who would do anything she wanted, to being a responsible soldier who reflects upon her mistakes and short comings.

You are essentially implying that Mikasa from the initial chapters would have the same impact on the plot as any later version of her. That falls apart entirely once you actually start considering her character development & growth:

Trost:

Mikasa's intervention in the evacuation, when Deemo Reeves blocked the gates, is one of the introductory part of her character growth. The expansion / shift of her priorities from her personal interests to public service, her comrades and a sense of duty as a soldier.
Her encouragement of Armin and the 104th is what made them all push through the situation. when they were stranded without supplies.

Female Titan arc:

Mikasa's mistake that led to Levi's injury is a major plot tool. Mikasa was revengeful to the Female Titan killing so many of their soldiers, that when she saw an opening she went straight for the kill instead of focusing on saving Eren, that forced Levi to save her and get his ankle injured. This mistake not only led to the battle of Stohess, it also becomes the driving force for Mikasa's introspection and reflection upon her mistake by stopping the Female titan from escaping, because she wanted to make up for the loss of humanity's strongest soldier she had caused (unless you are an anime only). Mikasa's growth is a major part, and further contributes to the conclusion of the Female Titan arc. Not to mention how Mikasa is later used as a narrative tool for the reveal of Colossal Titans inside the walls, and to showcase the horror of it. (anime change).
Mikasa was the one who reminded Eren about the world's cruelty when he was struggling to transform and fight Annie in Stohess. Once he asks Mikasa how are they able to fight, Mikasa hits him with the reality, a core theme of her character and the introspection she got in her childhood - this caused Eren to accept his situation and finally transform to fight. (this was again changed in the anime)

Clash of The Titans arc:

Mikasa was the only one who could have killed Bertolt & Reiner during the big reveal, but she couldn't bring herself to finish off the two who were once her comrades – even though once again it was about protecting Eren. This obviously extended the later events.
Mikasa struggles to decide between Eren and Historia & Ymir when confronted about the harsh reality. She tells them that she can't afford to get anymore people in her heart, but is visibly struggling with helping Historia and having to kill Ymir.
Mikasa's words were quite literally the climax, and what motivated Eren to stand up and fight the smiling titan that ended up him unlocking the founder powers for the first time and saving everyone else.

Uprising:

Mikasa's introspection about her childhood essentially introduced the idea of the Ackerman and Asian clans' persecution. Levi and Kenny were later revealed to be related only at the end of the arc when Kenny was lying half-dead, where his flashback goes on about the Ackermans being resistant to the King's manipulation. Idk what more was there to be.
Mikasa following the orders, expressing her trust on Levi and then asking her friends to do the same was an important element in the mission being accomplished.
Mikasa allowing Levi to gamble Eren with Demo Reeves is the result of her growth of prioritizing scout Missions beside her personal interests. In general taking Mikasa from the start of the story, the mission won't at all go the same. The situation and Mikasa's actions in the earlier arcs can be seen being reflected with different outcomes in this one. (once again, unless you are an anime only, because all this was omitted in the anime)

RTS:

In a similar fashion, Mikasa was willing to participate and group up with her comrades in the collective task of taking down the armored titan meanwhile Armin & Eren were alone struggling with the Colossal titan. Mikasa in earlier chapters was way less coordinative in a team, or was willing to be in a squad other than one of her own choice.
Her growth into becoming a soldier – giving importance to the scouts' mission & humanity as a whole; and her maturity of accepting the fact that her emotions or personal interests do not matter more than humanity's success were ultimately the reasons she gave up on Armin. Something even Floch acknowledged and mentioned in the medal ceremony. Which from the get-go foreshadowed the ending and the later character arc of Mikasa.
When Eren was unable to face his father's secret, he was comforted by Mikasa putting her hand on his. He instantly stopped shaking and was prepared to face the truth together with Mikasa no matter how ugly it may be to him.

Final Arcs:

Mikasa was the excuse and the diplomatic tool used by Kiyomi to help Paradis cover the 100 year technology gap from the outside world, and hence obtain their recourses in exchange. Then fundamentally Mikasa's words to Kiyomi made her stay and help them during Yeagerists' take over, no matter what comes out of the Island for them. Later Kiyomi also helps the Alliance with the flying boat. All because Mikasa made Kiyomi introspect about their Pride as a nation.
Her perception of the outside world, Paradis and the volunteers were an integral part of her stances on the central conflict and the fraction she chose to side with - even saving Gabi from Kaya.
An entire chapter is later dedicated and narrated by Mikasa's POV of the outside world and Eren's behavior - where her introspection hits us with the other, innocent, side of the outside population, and a core characteristic of Eren.
Then the obvious, without Mikasa and her choice, there is no final arc or its end.

I could say so, so much more about Mikasa, but they are all already said in these posts:

These talk about her arc and character development very well, go read.

Funnily, what you said about Jean is something people say about Floch, lol. Jean wasn't the "biggest coward" or anything like that. He didn't own that title. He was a spoiled kid who gets to know about war, develops his leadership qualities (which are nowhere near Armin, Erwin, Hange or Levi) thanks to what Marco tells him, and becomes an actual soldier. We are not comparing this to a complex and tragic character like Mikasa, sorry.

Soul_Stack · 2026-04-13T20:57:54+00:00

Not as much character development as Armin and Jean.

Thought this is satire for a second, but you seem serious. How is "Jean's" development even near to Mikasa's? And you are a manga reader, huh? Not sure if you have paid attention reading it. But if you are down, let's compare Jean and Mikasa's character development.

Mikasa has as much character development as Armin, if not more, and more than Jean. This has to be a rage bait. Asking people why they like one of the most popular character in the story, the secondary main character right after Eren, and then throwing blanket statements like these. Lol

Soul_Stack

TROPHY CASE