The Attack On Titan universe is defined by its many powerful and morally nuanced titan shifters. From the voracious Ymir to the impregnable Reiner Braun, their supernatural gifts have allowed them to single-handedly shape the future of the world.

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However, their powers are not always used for the betterment of humanity or even the country of the user's origin. By identifying the shifters' worst atrocities, we gain a better understanding of why Paradis was feared by the rest of the world and how the titans managed to conquer it in the first place.

9 Lara Tybur Supported Marley's Genocidal Campaign Against Paradis

The Warm Hammer Titan in Attack on Titan

Although Lara Tybur was not as active in the destruction of Paradis as the Warriors, she was still an agent of Marley. During Willy's declaration of war, the War Hammer was stationed nearby in order to counter Eren when he inevitably arrived.

Lara may have only been attempting to protect her brother and people, yet doing so enabled and bolstered their plans to eradicate the entire island of Paradis. Despite Lara's noble intentions, her actions directly condoned the genocide of the Eldian people.

8 Annie Murdered Marco To Cover For Reiner & Bertholdt

annie murdered marco

During the attack on Trost, Bertholdt and Reiner were sloppy in concealing their identities. After overhearing them, Marco attempted to get away though was quickly subdued by the Marleyan infiltrators.

Annie arrived shortly after and was instructed by Reiner to confiscate Marco's ODM gear. Despite the young Scout's pleas, she obeyed and took his equipment for herself. Without a way to navigate rooftops, Marco was powerless to avoid the pure titans' onslaught. Poetically, Annie's decision exposed her as the Female Titan sometime later, as Armin identified her using Marco's gear through its various dents and poor conditioning.

7 Pieck Tried To Destroy Paradis During The Marleyan Invasion

Cart Titan _ Attack on Titan _ Manga _ Titan Artillery Canon

After securing the royal blood of Zeke, Eren began preparations to initiate the Rumbling. Despite the devastating losses Marley suffered through the attack on Liberio, they marshaled what forces they had left to obliterate the Eldians of Paradis once and for all.

Though admitting that Marley would massacre the Eldians of the internment camp once titans became obsolete, Pieck fought against the Scouts in the second battle for Paradis and even took down Zeke Yeager. Even if General Magath's forces scored a decisive victory, the Warriors' future would have been uncertain.

6 Ymir Betrayed Paradis Despite Admitting They Stood A Chance Against Marley

Attack on Titan Ymir, as the Jaw Titan, Clings to a Tree, Staring Into Camera, while Connie Hangs from a Nearby Branch

At first, Ymir was only reluctant to take a stand against the Warriors since she believed Paradis to be doomed. However, the Scouts' heroic rescue of Eren indicated that they stood a chance against the entire world.

Nonetheless, she agreed to follow Reiner and Zeke back to Marley under the condition that Historia remain safe during Paradis' destruction. Not only did Ymir's actions put the Scouts' lives in danger, but they also delivered the Jaw Titan back into Marley's hands for the coming battles. Considering how profoundly Ymir had suffered under Marley, her decision to return was illogical and treacherous.

5 Reiner Nearly Abducted Eren For Marley

Reiner and bertholdt kidnap eren

Shortly after the conclusion of the battle for Utgard, Reiner and Bertholdt revealed their identities. Exhausted and off-guard, the Scouts were unable to protect Eren from the Warriors' abduction.

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Fortunately, Commander Erwin arrived in order to prepare a counterattack. Should it have failed, Reiner would have managed to deliver Eren into Marley's hands. Doing so would have effectively removed the last safeguard Paradis had against the outside world and guaranteed its destruction in the name of revenge against the denizens of the island and claiming its precious resources.

4 Zeke Transformed The Eldian Generals Into Monsters

Zeke Laments His Existence In Attack On Titan

Zeke Yeager is easily the series' most treacherous character. He has betrayed both Marley and Paradis for the sake of fulfilling his own agenda - specifically, the erasure of all Eldian people.

His greatest crime was when he used Yelena's agents to poison Paradis' military officials with the spinal fluid of the Beast Titan. This effectively allowed Zeke to take all of Paradis hostage since he could transform its generals into mindlessly destructive pure titans at a moment's notice.

3 Bertholdt Destroyed Shiganshina & Ruined Eren's Life

Bertholdt Destroyed Shiganshina

The Warriors' attack on Shiganshina interrupted over a century of peace and had unfathomable consequences for the people of Paradis. In addition to the massive casualties suffered in the pure titan invasion, the sudden surplus of refugees caused a severe food shortage.

Although Reiner and Annie were partially responsible, the walls never could have been breached without the destructive power of Bertholdt's Colossal Titan. He answered for his crimes during the second battle for Shiganshina, where Armin claimed his shifting ability after his defeat.

2 Karl Fritz Reprogrammed & Relocated His Own People

Karl Fritz

Although Karl Fritz put an end to the Eldians' oppression of the world, he did it in a way so clumsy and irresponsible that it ultimately caused even more suffering. Not only did he use the Founding Titan's power to forcibly quarantine his people to an island, but he also erased their memories so that they couldn't understand the danger they were in.

Karl admitted that though the Wall Titans served as a deterrent from vengeful nations, he never actually planned to let his successors use them. Considering that a majority of the shifters belonged to Marley at the time of his death, his actions put the Eldians at grave risk.

1 Eren Obliterated Eighty Percent Of The Global Population Through The Rumbling

Eren Rumbling in Marley — Attack On Titan manga

Blinded by hatred and paranoia, Eren used the Founding Titans' power to awaken the Wall Titans. Much to the Scouts' horror, Marley wasn't his sole target; instead, he wanted to flatten virtually the entire world.

Despite the combined efforts of the Scouts and Warriors, Eren successfully massacred eighty percent of humanity before his rampage came to an abrupt end. His actions cemented the Eldians' perception as devils to the rest of the world and provoked a devastating war many years in the future.

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