Attack on Titan's conclusion is one of the most contentious topics in the fandom — some fans hated it so much that they created an alternative ending titled AoT no Requiem, while many were happy to see their favorite characters get the closure they deserve. Regardless, Hajime Isayama never wavered from his decision to complete his story on his own terms.
However, there are several characters, both major and minor, whose arcs weren't exactly satisfactory. A few petered out towards the end, but some never really got the chance to spread their narrative wings and fly. This doesn't mean that these characters failed to meet thematic expectations, only that their journeys could have been shaped better to suit their choices.
Spoiler Alert! This article contains spoilers from the Attack on Titan manga.
10 Bertolt Receives A Far Worse Sentence Than He Deserves
Bertolt Hoover seems like an ordinary young man before he reveals his true identity and flips the story upside down. As the Colossal Titan, he plays a seminal role in the Marleyan attack on Paradis island, even if he claims not to take pleasure in the havoc he generates.
Reiner and Bertolt remain as thick as thieves until the latter's death during the Battle of Shiganshina District. Armin may have eaten Bertolt and acquired the Colossal Titan, but there isn't a single day when he doesn't regret it. Bertolt receives a far worse sentence than he deserves.
9 Armin Truly Knows What's Best For Humanity, But Eren Won't Make It Easy
Armin is arguably the real protagonist of Attack on Titan. In the manga's final chapter, he calls himself "the man who killed Eren Yeager, the Attack Titan," although this could have also been a distraction for Mikasa to escape.
Armin is forced into an unnecessarily difficult position, despite begging Eren to reconsider his Rumbling decision and find an alternative to global genocide. Armin is one of the few people who truly wants what's best for humanity. As such, survival is not enough of a victory for him, especially considering how much he goes through.
8 Sasha Feels Like A Stepping Stone On Gabi's Future Career
Sasha Braus, Attack on Titan's favorite potato girl, endears herself to everyone, including her friends, superior officers, as well as the audience. Her quirky demeanor and naive nature starkly contrast with her razor-sharp instincts and extreme bravery, but her character is mainly defined by her voracious appetite.
Unfortunately, Sasha doesn't survive very long. Gabi makes her first mark in the story by killing her. At this point, it almost feels as if Sasha is nothing more than an expendable pawn designed to be a stepping stone for Gabi's character arc.
7 Rod Reiss' Fails To Offer Satisfactory Context For His Motivations
Based on vague hints dropped by the story, it appears that Rod Reiss has never wanted to be the King of the Walls because he's terrified of dealing with the inevitable repercussions. His daughter Frieda doesn't inherit his cowardice and willingly agrees to continue the line of succession through her.
Rod's heart is most definitely not in the right place, but forcing his daughter to eat Eren Yeager may have ended up saving the world. Instead, Rod transforms into an Abnormal Titan and makes himself a city block-sized target. In the end, Attack on Titan fails to offer satisfactory context for his motivations.
6 Connie Gets His Mother Back, Almost As If By Magic
Originally a wide-eyed optimist, Connie Springer gradually grows darker over the course of the series. Every experience he has with a Titan takes a piece of his soul, eventually becoming a morbid pessimist. Connie's storyline takes him from a naive innocent boy to someone willing to sacrifice a child in cold blood.
His feelings are certainly understandable, even if unjustified. However, Eren's Founding Titan reverses the effects on Mrs. Springer, restoring her to normal. It's like Connie just hoped for it to happen and his wish came true. There's no real character growth happening here.
5 Onyankopon's Storyline In Perfunctory At Best
As a member of the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers, Onyankopon answers to Zeke Yeager. His presence on Paradis helps shape the political structure of its future government, only because he's one of the first foreign nationals to set foot on the island without meaning anyone harm.
Onyankopon almost gets executed under Floch's totalitarian command, but the Cart Titan pops out of nowhere and rescues him at the last second. He returns the favor by ferrying the heroes to Eren on a flying boat, crash-landing in the process. Onyakopon's storyline is adequate, but there is a lot more that can be done with his character.
4 Mikasa Has Spent The First Half Of Her Youth Around Eren
Mikasa is deeply affected after Eren's death, partly because she feels guilty for killing him. In their pre-recorded dream conversation, Eren tells her to forget him, but Mikasa is unable to let go. And yet, she has no choice but to launch herself inside Eren's Colossal Titan's mouth and decapitate the love of her life.
Eren impetuously reveals his emotions during his conversation with Armin, declaring that he wants Mikasa all to himself, even in death. This is neither fair nor acceptable behavior from Eren — Mikasa has spent the first half of her life bound to him; there's no reason why she should continue the status quo.
3 Kiyomi Azumabito Is Taken Out Of The Attack On Titan Equation
Kiyomi Azumabito is the ambassador from Hizuru, a nation allied with Paradis' cause. As it turns out, her assistance isn't free; it comes with a cost, no matter how small. Azumabito wants to improve her country's standing in global politics, a process that requires a treasure trove of iceburst stones.
Azumanito had potential, especially in terms of her alleged blood relationship with Mikasa. The narrative is streamlined for the concluding chapters, which inadvertently removes Kiyomi and several other character arcs from the equation.
2 Eren's Melodramatic Behavior In Chapter 139 Conflicts With His Otherwise Stoic Demeanor
The Attack Titan possesses an ability not found in every other variety of Titan: timeline perception. Eren already knows the outcome of the entire story before it even happens, explaining why he sinks deeper into his mind labyrinth. He crosses the point of no return, which consequently forces his friends to pick up the slack.
Eren ultimately declares war on the world as revenge for Eldian bigotry. Rather than send a few warships to scare them, Eren flat-out decides to launch the Rumbling. Fans are still furious about his melodramatic behavior in Chapter 139.
1 Ymir's Incredible Character Is Reduced To A Lovelorn Princess
Ymir the human died over two thousand years ago, killed by King Fritz when he enslaved, married, and subjugated her. Ymir's undying spirit haunts the Paths, where she basically establishes her Titan-making headquarters. Until Eren, it seems as though nobody had ever expressed a single form of affection for Ymir.
As a result of his comforting words, she manages to rise above her destiny and free herself from a 2000-year-old prison. Eren's analysis of Ymir's character largely focuses on her relationship with King Fritz, concluding with the "realization" that she's still in love with her so-called husband. Reducing her to a lovelorn princess defeats the point.