Family has always been an important aspect of Attack On Titan. There are many characters that come from the same bloodline. Eren, Grisha, and Zeke are all part of the Yeager family, who have inherited five of the Nine Titans and changed the world. Zeke is also part of the Fritz family, along with Historia, Rod, Frieda, Uri, Karl, and many others. The Ackermans are of no exception, being the connection between three of the manga's strongest characters: Kenny, Levi, and Mikasa.

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The Ackermans are very important to the story and have gained many fans, with Levi and Mikasa being two of the most popular characters. Though readers love them, they may overlook some of the family's history.

10 Knowledge Of The Truth Beyond The Walls

attack-on-titan explanation of the walls

When Karl Fritz used the Colossal Titans to create Wall Maria, Wall Rose, and Wall Sina, he tried to make it so only Eldians would be inside his new land. However, there were a few people in Paradis that were of different races. Karl Fritz was only able to control the memories of the Eldians, which resulted in them forgetting the history of the world and to believe that titans had killed everyone outside the walls. The Ackermans were one of the few that knew what was really outside of their home.

9 Spared Their Children's Lives By Acting Oblivious

Levi with his sword at Kenny's throat.

After the Ackerman clan disagreed with Fritz on his decision to bring the Eldians to Paradis and take away their memories in an attempt to end the war with Marley, he feared that they would reveal the truth and decided to kill them. In an attempt to save their children, the Ackermans pretended to not know anything and never spoke a word about anything the Eldians didn't know. As a result, Kenny, Levi, and Mikasa were unaware of their ancestor's knowledge.

8 The Strongest Humans In Paradis

Mikasa standing on top of a titan's body which was heading towards citizens.

The Ackermans are the strongest humans in Paradis, with Kenny being one of the country's most notorious killers, Levi being known as "humanity's strongest soldier," and Mikasa having almost as much power as him. Their power comes from an experiment to make humans just as strong as titans without actually turning them into humanity's predators. They guarded the royal family until they were persecuted.

7 Uri's Friendship With Kenny

Kenny Ackerman sneering

Thinking that Uri was going to kill him, Kenny was shocked to see the king bow down to him and apologize for killing his ancestors. The two became best friends and Kenny began to work for the kingdom, using his abilities to protect Uri just as his ancestors would have done. He later became the leader of the Anti-Personnel Control Squad and planned on betraying the royal family after Uri died so that he could become the Founding Titan and have all the power he wanted.

6 Kenny Raised & Trained Levi

Levi Isn't As Strong Of A Leader As He Is A Warrior

Kenny wasn't very close to his sister and visited her very few times. The last time he visited her, she had recently died. There, he met Levi, his nephew, and took him under his wing. He taught Levi how to fight and survive in the Underground, which was where Levi lived at the time, just as many other members of the Ackerman clan did. Knowing that he didn't have what it took to be Levi's father, Kenny abandoned him after teaching him everything that he could. Little did he know that he ended up creating one of his own enemies as Levi became a captain of the Survey Corps, the enemies of the Anti-Personnel Control Squad.

5 Levi Earned The Title Of Humanity's Strongest Soldier

Levi stands tall after saving his fellow soldiers in Trost

Like uncle like nephew, Levi became a criminal in the Underground. Erwin, found Levi and, believing that he would make a great soldier, had him join the Survey Corps rather than be punished. Though Levi planned on killing the commander at first, he changed his mind when the titans became his enemies. The two became close friends and Erwin was proven to be correct when Levi became the greatest soldier the military had ever known.

4 Mikasa's Parents Were Killed When She Was Young

Mikasa and her mom

Throughout the generations, the Ackerman clan gained and lost many of their members. Mikasa was the child of an Ackerman man and an Asian woman. The Asian clan, like the Ackermans, were persecuted for not agreeing with Karl. Being the last Asian in Paradis, Mikasa's mother was the target of three traffickers. They planned on selling her but killed her after she fought back. Mikasa's father was also murdered.

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They decided to kidnap and sell Mikasa instead. However, Grisha, a friend of Mikasa's parents, found them, and his son, Eren, went to save Mikasa. Eren killed two of them and Mikasa's Ackerman powers activated, killing the third and avenging her parents. She was adopted by Grisha and found a new family.

3 Kenny Killed Many & Became The Ripper

Kenny Ackerman holding his gun in Attack On Titan.

After the Ackermans stopped serving the king, one of the military's branches, the Military Police Brigade, took their place. Kenny killed many of them and earned the title "Kenny the Ripper." After his grandfather told him about their family secret, he learned the truth about the royal family.

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The king at that time and Karl Fritz were not related. Karl's descendants went into hiding, ruling Paradis in the shadows. Kenny found Uri, the true king, and Rod, his brother. Trying to kill them, Uri used the power of the Founding Titan to grab onto Kenny, trapping him.

2 Initial Tension Between Mikasa & Levi

Levi and Mikasa sit stoically at a table

After Eren and Mikasa joined the military, they met Levi. At first, Levi and Mikasa did not get along. When they learned about Eren's ability to become a titan, the Survey Corps wanted him to join them. Eren joined Levi's squad after the captain proved to the military why he would be the best suited to work with Eren. He did so by beating him, which Mikasa was not happy about. She was also upset that Eren, the last family member she had, was taken away from her. This caused a lot of tension between them and they were shocked to find out that they were related.

1 Levi & Mikasa Grew Closer While Saving Eren

Levi and Mikasa on their ODM Gear

If there was one thing that made the Ackermans closer, it was their goal in protecting Eren. While Mikasa wanted to protect the person she loves most, Levi needed to make sure that Eren was safe so that the Survey Corps could rely on his powers. The two protected Eren many times, with the first being after he was kidnapped by the Female Titan. They worked together in order to rescue him and are still on the same side to this day, being two of the best comrades in the series.

NEXT: Attack On Titan: 10 Things You Need To Remember Before The Series Ends