There are many shonen anime series that have become quite legendary in their own right, but not many of them boast the same level of love and care that has been put into Attack on Titan. The series started off as what seemed like a battle against Titans, only for it to do a complete 180 and reveal humans as the biggest plague around.
Watching Eren, Armin, and Mikasa grow into their own throughout the series is quite amazing to witness, making for a great time indeed as viewers get to see how the world and story of Attack on Titan develop over time. Given how tragic the series is, it’s only a given that a lot of important people have died over the course of the series. Here are some of the most impactful deaths that have ever happened in Attack on Titan.
15 Udo & Zofia
It might be cheating to include two people on this list, but the deaths of both Udo and Zofia accomplished one single purpose. It stoked the flames of rebellion within Gabi, which led to her carrying out many rash and impulsive decisions.
Her hatred for the Island Demons led to her shooting Sasha in cold blood, before being captured and brought back to Paradis Island. This led to a series of events that finally made her open her eyes and understand just how needless this conflict really was.
14 Lara Tybur
The inheritor of the Warhammer Titan was a powerful foe that Eren had to deal with during his assault on Liberio. She was a tough cookie to crack, with the crystal surrounding her being a pain to crack.
However, Eren managed to grab the Jaw Titan and use his powerful bite to break her shell open. This led to Eren ingesting her remains and gaining the power of the Warhammer Titan for himself.
13 Porco Galliard
Porco was the younger Galliard sibling that inherited the powers of the Jaw Titan after Ymir’s years were up. He was a worthy successor of this Titan, but sustained massive injuries during the fight against Eren and Zeke.
Realizing that his wounds were too severe to be healed, Porco decided to sacrifice himself and save Falco. It was a noble moment of redemption for a character who had been oppressed by the people around him time and time again.
12 Ymir Fritz
The original power of the Titans was held by none other than Ymir Fritz herself. Unfortunately, this supposed deity turned out to be nothing more than a person with no free will of her own.
She was used by the King of Eldia time and time again, before sacrificing herself for this despicable figure. Ultimately, her death was what led to the creation of the Nine Titans and immortalized her presence in the Paths.
11 Faye Yeager
The death of Grisha’s younger sister was what led this man to become a rebel and fight against Marley. Both siblings headed out of their internment zone to see a blimp, only to be caught by Marleyan officials.
While Grisha still survived this encounter, Faye was used as entertainment by Marleyan officials, who chased her down with a pack of rabid dogs. It was a harrowing moment that showed just how horribly the Eldians were treated by Marley.
10 Dina Fritz
A member of royalty who wanted to rise up against the injustices of Marley, it’s a shame how Dina was sold out by her own child. Of course, the fact that she raised her child to be a tool instead of actually loving was definitely her fault.
However, her transformation into a Pure Titan sparked a chain of events that led to Eren hating all Titans with a vengeance. Even before her death, making contact with her allowed Eren to channel the power of the Founding Titan and uncover the secret to defeating the forces that plagued humanity once and for all.
9 Carla Yeager
Eren’s mother was one of the sweetest people on the show by a country mile. She didn’t deserve what happened to her, with the first episode ending in her demise.
She’s been a constant source of motivation for Eren throughout the series. Of course, the latest revelations have made it pretty clear that Carla’s death was just a small consequence of the large-scale conspiracy that had been taking place in Paradis Island for quite some time.
8 Grisha Yeager
Grisha is one of the most important characters in the events of Attack on Titan. His history of being from Marley and the manner in which he tried to start an uprising against the nation came from an understandable place, although he lost himself along the way.
After starting a new life in Paradis, he took over the power of the Founding Titan and gave it to Eren. Even in death, his impact is felt throughout the series, and for good reason.
7 Marco Bott
Jean was a rather selfish military recruit who only wanted to secure an easy life in the Military Police. However, a massive event in Attack on Titan changed his mindset for good.
Marco was one of Jean’s closest friends who unfortunately overheard Reiner and Bertholdt’s plans and had to be sacrificed. The brutal manner of his death made it clear to Jean that he needed to fight against the Titans for the sake of humanity instead of settling for an easy life.
6 Hannes
Hannes is one of the most likable characters in the entire show. He might not have given the greatest first impression, but it’s after the attack on Shiganshina that he really redeemed his character.
Unfortunately, he met his end while trying to save Eren and Mikasa from the Titan that ate Carla Yeager. It was a sad moment that triggered a moment of rage in Eren and made him unwittingly use the power of the Founding Titan on Dina Fritz’ Pure Titan form.
5 Rod Reiss
The Royal Family was nothing more than a huge sham that had forced Paradis into ignorance for the longest time. At the head of this was Rod Reiss, the head of the Royal Family who tried to bring the power of the Founding Titan back into their fold once again.
However, he failed and transformed into a massive Titan in a desperate bid to get the Founding Titan’s powers back. He met his end at the hand of his own daughter, who ascended to the throne after being recognized as Historia Reiss.
4 Kenny Ackerman
Kenny Ackerman was a mysterious character who had clearly played a major role in Levi’s history. The Anti-Personnel ODM Gear that he and his crew used ended up making an appearance again during the battle in Marley.
After Rod Reiss turned into a massive titan, Kenny was fatally injured by falling debris. Before his demise, he gave the Pure Titan formula to Levi, which played a critical role in saving Armin’s life.
3 Bertholdt Hoover
Bertholdt was a soft-spoken man who was actually one of the Marleyan Warriors tasked with getting the Founding Titan and its powers back. His betrayal of the Survey Corps was quite hard to fathom, making him a target who had to be captured to understand the motive of the enemy once and for all.
However, after Armin and Erwin edged closer to their demise, it was decided that he would be sacrificed to let one of them survive. Bertholdt might’ve died a painful death, but it was ultimately for the greater good.
2 Erwin Smith
In a bid to help Levi capture the Beast Titan, Erwin decided to lead the Survey Corps on a suicide mission to charge the Beast Titan and become a target of their projectiles. It was a bold move that ultimately paid off.
Unfortunately, Erwin paid for this move with his life, when a rock struck him in the abdomen. While Levi could’ve brought Erwin back to life, he rescinded from doing so after realizing just how much of a hellish life he had lived and how he finally escaped it with his death.
1 Sasha Braus
Sasha’s death is easily one of the most frustrating and saddening moments in the entire show. The fact that it led to the entire fanbase uniting against Gabi is a testament to how beloved this character really was.
However, Sasha’s death did uncover just how stupid the entire hate between the Eldians and Marleyans really was. It also uncovered just how detached Eren had become, with the protagonist letting out a soulless laugh after learning of her demise.
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