Defining the word hero in Attack on Titan is no simple task, as evaluating a character's fighting ability is far from enough when it comes to resolving the overall morality of their actions. However, now that the manga storyline is concluded and most loose narrative threads are neatly tied up, it becomes clear who the real heroes are.
The question now becomes one of ranking each hero in terms of their greatest accomplishments, whether physical, emotional, political, or even tactical. In fact, it can be argued that such a task is heavily subjective —then again, there are a few valiant deeds that are firmly entrenched in fans' minds, if only for the sheer quantity of guts involved. Manga spoilers ahead.
10 Erwin Charges Headfirst At The Beast Titan
Erwin Smith, the 13th Commander of the Scout Regiment, may not be an excellent fighter, but his leadership skills are incomparable, so much so that Levi actually contemplates "healing" him with a Titan Injection.
Erwin is responsible for several major tactical and political victories for both the Scouts and Paradis as a whole —the most important decision being when he displays the audacity of actually charging towards the Beast Titan. The attack ends with him and most of his squad dying, but it gives Levi enough time to show Zeke Yaeger who's boss.
9 Hannes Protects Mikasa & Eren (Twice)
Hannes runs to the Yaeger house after Armin informs him that Mikasa and Eren might be there, and the first thing he finds is Carla Yaeger trapped under the destroyed roof. He attempts to rescue her, disregarding her appeals to save her kids, but his determination is shattered when the Smiling Titan looms into view.
He grabs the two children and runs away, an act that he doesn't forgive himself for a long time. However, when Mikasa and Eren once again encounter the Smiling Titan, Hannes leaps in to kill the creature, saving the youngsters but losing his life in the process.
8 Levi Ackerman Chooses Armin Over Erwin
Erwin's impending death is a black cloud over the entire Scout Regiment, but more so on Levi, who relies on his superior's guidance and skills more than he lets on. Erwin and Armin are both unfortunately at death's door simultaneously —the latter because he's horribly burned by the Colossal Titan.
Eren and Mikasa offer sufficient emotional evidence as to why Armin should be saved over their Commander, but Levi makes his decision after considerable mental anguish. Choosing Armin ensures Paradis' inevitable, but gruesome victory.
7 Hange Zoë Gives Her Team A Few Extra Lifesaving Seconds
As the Rumbling proceeds to spread outward from the island, the heroes are faced with a major problem: their plane isn't ready for take-off. Before the Colossal Titans make their way into the port, Hange pleasantly grants Armin their official title, making him the next Scout Regiment Commander.
They proceed to kill a pair of Colossals with the help of Thunder Spears and then start attacking using their swords despite literally being on fire at the time. Hange's sacrifice is both noble and crucial, to her friends as well as to the world.
6 Ymir Saves Historia's Life On Utgard Tower
Ymir's love for Historia Reiss, then known as Krista Lenz, manifests itself on Utgard tower, where the two of them, along with Bertholdt, Reiner, and Connie take shelter from the nocturnal Titans.
When the situation becomes extremely dire, Ymir turns into the Jaw Titan and begins killing the invaders left and right. Luckily, Ymir survives when Hange and her soldiers appear right on time. Interestingly, it's likely that the Colossal and Armored Titans would have transformed to save themselves had this unexpected Titan holder not been around.
5 Reiner Blocks The Shining Centipede In Fort Salta
Reiner Braun has committed so many atrocities as the Armored Titan that he is simply unable to ask for forgiveness even from himself, let alone those he has killed.
However, his final act as a Marleyan Warrior at least partially redeems him, when he is forced to fight the Source of All Living Matter, the Shining Centipede that is separated from Eren. Reiner, with help from the Cart and Female Titans, successfully prevents the mysterious entity from restoring the power of the Founding Titan.
4 Theo Magath's & Keith Shadis' Final Act Of Redemption
Theo Magath follows Hange's sacrificial route and remains on Paradis, where he plans to prevent the group from being chased by the cruisers. Right before he is attacked by the Yaegerists, however, Keith Shadis appears out of nowhere, and both men lock themselves in the explosives room.
They have a brief conversation with each other, stating their personal failures but ending it with a vague stab at redemption for all the terrible things they have done in the past. Theo Magath and Keith Shadis tell the other their names and perish in the resulting explosion.
3 Armin Stops Eren From Returning To The Founding Titan
The Founding Titan's power —the Source of All Living Matter— is severed from Eren's consciousness, but not entirely. He returns to the scene of battle in Colossus Titan form, forcing Armin to face off against his oldest friend.
The two of them start fighting as Mikasa and Levi plan a way to get to Eren's actual body, finally succeeding with a combination of Levi's technique and Mikasa's willpower.
2 Eren Yaeger Sacrifices Everything For His Friends
For the longest time, it looks like Eren wants to destroy the world for pure vengeance, and even his closest allies turn against him for triggering the Rumbling.
However, he explains to his friends (through some kind of memory-transplant), that he only hopes that everyone would finally treat the Eldian people as those who brought the Rumbling to an end. The plan, as overwrought and self-conflicting as it is, is ultimately brought to fruition.
1 Mikasa Ackerman Sets Ymir The Founder Free
Levi's Thunder Spear creates an opening for Mikasa, allowing her to access Eren directly. She finds him gruesomely attached to the Colossus Titan's palate by means of a curved spine, and she doesn't even think before decapitating him. Mikasa then kisses Eren's severed head, while the apparition of Ymir Fritz proudly looks on in the background.
Through a set of internal conversations, it is revealed that Ymir the Founder is freed by Mikasa's act of murder, of killing the man she loves more than anything else in the world. This eventually results in the removal of Titan power from the world, and every human being who had been converted regains their original form.