Attack on Titan may star Eren Yeager as its protagonist, but Eren might not be the best character of all. Sure enough, Eren is thrilling as a hero, what with his reckless streak and his Attack Titan form. But before long, Captain Levi Ackerman entered the picture, and he won over viewers' hearts right away.
Levi Ackerman led a squad of the Survey Corps, the Scouts, and he certainly knows what he's doing. In fact, Levi was trusted to watch over the loose cannon that is Eren Yeager, and in Season 4, Levi had to face the dual threat of not just an extremist Eren, but also the Beast Titan, Zeke Yeager. Overall, how did Levi prove himself the best character in the entire Attack on Titan series?
10 Levi Has A Cool Backstory
Levi Ackerman may not be a shonen protagonist, but he easily could have been one, given his backstory. Levi grew up in the Underground region, which was just as dismal as one might expect, and his prostitute mother died in Levi's youth. He was left all alone until Kenny Ackerman, his uncle, came along.
Kenny taught Levi how to fight with knives and how to fight, and Levi followed these lessons closely. Levi quickly became self-sufficient and tough, and he learned to bear his mental scars without letting them break him. That's quite the origin story.
9 Levi Was Trusted With A Dangerous, Unpredictable Weapon
During Trost's battle, not even talented soldiers such as Mikasa Ackerman or Jean could turn the tide of battle, but then something strange appeared: a friendly Titan with prominent teeth and shaggy brown hair. It was Eren, who had somehow become a Titan himself. What should be done about this?
A paranoid commander wanted Eren dead, but Levi offered to take responsibility for Eren's strange and terrifying powers during a trial, and the military top brass allowed it. Not just anyone could handle something like the Attack Titan and its user, but that's just what Levi did.
8 Levi Has Remarkable Connections
Some individuals within Paradis Island's walled city have friends in high places, and Levi is among them. He is a personal friend of Erwin Smith himself, the overall commander of the Survey Corps, which is quite impressive. Levi isn't so alone after all; he has some serious connections.
And it doesn't end there. Levi is also a longtime associate of Hange Zoe, an influential and smart commander who is something of a mad scientist at times. Levi is also connected to Kenny Ackerman, another power player in the story of Attack on Titan.
7 Levi Knows How To Take Risks & Cut Losses
In the story of Attack on Titan, many characters lose their lives or are forced to make difficult decisions or sacrifice others' lives. That's the reality that all commanders who face the Titans must deal with, and Levi handles that reality better than anyone.
Levi has a sharp mind and good instincts, and time and again, he knows when to push the Titans and when to retreat, and he smartly knows when to cut his losses to prevent total disaster. Skills like these are vital when fighting the Titans.
6 Levi Has Incredible Combat Skills
It's a given that anyone who fights in Levi's personal squad is a well-trained and seasoned Titan killer, which goes double for Levi himself. Eren was astonished when he watched Levi and his fellows take on the Titans since they were the cannon fodder's total opposite.
Instead, the cannon fodder is sacrificed for the sake of Levi and soldiers like him, and Levi's rapid, precise movements and good instincts allow him to outmaneuver pure Titans and take them down easily. He can even slay a trio of them in just a few seconds, whereas most soldiers struggle to take down even one Titan.
5 Levi Defeated Titan Shifters Several Times All Alone
Late in Season 1, a brand-new challenge arrived: Annie Leonhart, using her Female Titan to raid the Scouts. Annie's Titan easily overpowered even the most elite scouts, so it soon came down to Levi to save the day in the middle of a forest.
Levi did just that, outmaneuvering Annie's Titan with his trademark speed and ferocity. Levi used unique (and impressive) moves to disable the Female Titan's arms and ankles, and Levi blinded it with his blades as well. Later, Levi faced and defeated Zeke's Beast Titan and defeated it again in Season 4 with some thunder spears. Who else could pull all that off?
4 Levi Is A Classic Rival To Eren
Many shonen series involve a fierce rivalry, with Vegeta being Goku's bitter rival and Katsuki Bakugo being the same for Izuku Midoriya, among many other examples. Levi is sort of like that for Eren Yeager, setting a rather high example of what a Titan slayer can do.
At first, Levi's incredible feats set a lofty standard for Eren to pursue as a Titan killer. Later, when Eren became an Eldian extremist, Levi became a different sort of rival. Levi favored patience and the Paradis Island's chain of command while Eren didn't, putting them at ideological odds. It's good to see that not everyone just blindly follows Eren around.
3 Levi Has A Funny Side
Despite it all, Levi still has his amusing side, though he takes it rather seriously. Overall, that is probably the best way to handle Levi's comic relief: making him funny in the viewer's eyes, but not in the other characters' eyes.
In particular, Levi is fixated on cleanliness and removing dirt and grime, and he will push his fellows to the limit to scrub down every surface and eliminate dirt. He will even don a face mask and bandana while doing it, showing off his intense but silly domestic side.
2 Levi Has Nerves Of Steel & A Strong Stomach
Not only does Levi have advanced skills and a strong grasp of tactics, but he also has the mentality for bloody combat against Titans (and later, the Marley Empire's forces). Levi is not squeamish at all; he maintains the same cold, stern expression even in the face of total horror or carnage.
This is impressive to watch, and it must also be inspirational to Levi's followers. He will bravely face any foe without any sign of fear or hesitation, and he can move on from one gory scene to another with no clear ill effects. Most other characters are prone to panic or disgust, but not Levi.
1 Levi Doesn't Rely Too Much On Plot Armor To Survive
Nearly all action stories make use of plot armor, where a character is immune to death because they haven't yet fulfilled their vital role in the story. By contrast, minor characters, or those who don't impact the plot that much, are far more vulnerable to getting written out.
Levi's plot armor seems to be at a medium level since he is popular and helps keep the fans engaged, but he's not quite so vital for the plot. He could be killed off, but so far, he has survived mainly by his own merit, proving he doesn't need indestructible plot armor to survive this long. He can make it on his own.