Summary
- The deaths of key characters in Attack on Titan play a critical role in the story and are not used for shock value.
- Characters like Grisha, Sasha, and Kenny all meet impactful fates that move the narrative forward in significant ways.
- From Zeke's demise to Ymir's sacrifice, deaths serve as turning points in the series, shaping the world and characters.
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 as what seemed like a battle against Titans, only for it to do a complete 180 and reveal humans as the biggest plague around.
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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 throughout the series. Here are some of the most impactful deaths that have ever happened in Attack on Titan.
Updated on October 25, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Attack on Titan is one of the most popular anime around, wowing fans with its impressive writing, bleak world, and characters that will remain fresh in the minds of fans long after they're finished experiencing this masterpiece. No one is safe in this series, and death can welcome anyone who gets stuck in a bad spot, regardless of whether it's their fault or not. These deaths play a critical role in the story for many reasons, and it's impressive that Attack on Titan manages to add some meaning to every demise instead of using them for shock value.
Warning: Spoilers ahead, proceed with caution.
1 *Mike Zacharias
Died In: Beast Titan (Season 2, Episode 1)
- The revelation that the Beast Titan can speak shocks him before his brutal death
The Beast Titan's reveal is one of the most unnerving moments in the series, building a ton of intrigue and making fans wonder what this behemoth brings to the table. His ability to throw stones is shocking enough as is, but what makes the introduction of this Titan extremely chilling happens when Mike Zacharias stumbles into a bad situation.
Despite being rather calm and collected for most of the series, hearing the Beast Titan speak to him is what breaks his hope once and for all. Zeke is unamused at the terror of this human and tells the other Pure Titans to devour him in one of the most brutal deaths in the series. The intrigue in Attack on Titan is built up slowly, and nowhere is this more apparent than when Zeke shows his intelligence in such a state.
2 Frieda Reiss
Died In: Sin (Season 3, Episode 6)
- Grisha eats her to gain the power of the Founding Titan
Despite being a character that fans only witness in flashbacks and posthumous mentions, it's impressive to see the power Frieda holds over the story. A member of the royal family who was supposed to be the next inheritor of the Founding Titan, everything changes for the future of Eldians when Frieda is ambushed by Grisha so that her powers can be stolen.
For the longest time, it's assumed that Grisha was just acting of his own accord at this moment, but it isn't until way later in the story that the truth is revealed. Eren spoke to his father from the future and goaded him into acquiring the powers of the Founding Titan to keep his plan in motion. It's a shocking moment that makes this death one of the biggest turning points in Attack on Titan.
3 Ymir
Death Mentioned In: Midnight Train (Season 4, Episode 2)
- Wilfully allows herself to be eaten to transfer the power of the Jaw Titan to Porco
Before the name Ymir was associated with the one who discovered the power of the Titans, it was used to refer to Christa's closest friend, who had hidden a dark truth within her for the longest time. After being turned into a Titan, Ymir's mindless form ran into the inexperienced owner of the Jaw Titan form, Marcel Galliard. This allowed her to regain her human form and blend in with the residents of Paradis Island.
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After revealing the power of the Jaw to Reiner and Bertholdt, their priority became to retrieve this Titan power and bring it back to Marley. Eventually, after living on borrowed time, Ymir lets herself be eaten by Marcel's brother so that the power can return to the hands of the people who oppressed Paradis Island for the longest time.
4 Zeke Jaeger
Died In: THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2
- His death marks the beginning of the end, with Eren finally being placed on the back foot in the battle for Heaven and Earth
Zeke is one of the most intriguing figures in Attack on Titan. After fighting against the Survey Corps for the longest time, he teams up with Eren for his nefarious purposes. His heinous actions lead to a rivalry with Levi that culminates in one of the best moments in the series.
After accepting his demise and admitting the fault of his actions, a dedicated Levi wastes no time in beheading the villain. It was a moment a long time in the making, with the veteran member of the Survey Corps finally getting his revenge on Zeke.
5 Eren Jaeger
Died In: THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2
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- His death marks the end of the Rumbling, with humanity finally able to restart with the power of the Titans gone for good
Eren is one of the greatest characters in any shonen series to date. He seemed like a run-of-the-mill shonen protagonist for the longest time, only to perform one of the greatest swerves in anime history in the fourth and final season.
After initiating the Rumbling and killing numerous innocents, it's hard to justify Eren's actions. However, his ability to see into the future meant that he made all the calculations before going down this extreme route. Unfortunately, nothing can explain away the act of genocide, but fans were still left with many mixed feelings when Mikasa finally beheaded Eren and ended his reign of tyranny once and for all.
6 Udo & Zofia
Died In: The War Hammer Titan (Season 4, Episode 6)
- The deaths of Gabi's friends push her over the edge, causing her to kill Sasha and be captured by the Eldians of Paradis Island, along with Falco
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.
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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 was.
7 Lara Tybur
Died In: Assault (Season 4, Episode 7)
- The War Hammer Titan is ingested by Eren after he breaks her crystal casing using the Jaw Titan's mouth
The inheritor of the War Hammer 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 War Hammer Titan for himself.
8 Porco Galliard
Died In: Two Brothers (Season 4, Episode 19)
- Porco sacrifices himself to save Falco after he's turned into a Titan by Zeke, giving him the Jaw Titan in the process
Porco was the younger Galliard sibling who 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.
9 Ymir Fritz
Died In: From You, 2,000 Years Ago (Season 4, Episode 21)
- Her death led to the creation of the Nine Titans and her eternal servitude to the will of King 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.
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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.
10 Faye Yeager
Died In: That Day (Season 3, Episode 20)
- The brutal torture and murder of Faye at the hands of the Marleyans sparked the fire of revenge in Grisha's soul
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.