Within the Attack on Titan fandom, Hange Zoë is certainly a fan-favorite character. However, despite that, they are an undervalued member of the Survey Corps. Throughout the series, Hange has played a critical role, helping people better understand Titans and even assisting Eren in figuring out his power.
Hange has always demonstrated complete dedication to their position, wanting nothing more than to protect their people. They have shown that they are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure freedom for their home. Eventually, Hange's commitment is recognized when they are made Commander of the Survey Corps following Erwin's untimely demise.
Warning: Major spoilers for both the Attack on Titan anime and manga follow.
10 Hange Is Fascinated By Titans
Most of the characters in Attack on Titan are completely terrified of the Titans. Whenever these monstrosities appear, the audience is shown just how horrifying they are through various internal monologues describing the fear the characters are feeling.
However, Hange is absolutely fascinated by Titans. They conduct many experiments on the creatures during the first season. They also act playful toward Titans when they fight. There is even an episode in which Hange and Eren stay up all night while they describe their experiments to the young scout.
9 They Believed In Eren From The Beginning
While many were uncertain and fearful of Eren being in the Survey Corps, Hange was delighted to have him on the team. They saw the value of not only using Eren as a weapon against the Titans but also in studying him to figure out the power he held.
In fact, when Eren accidentally transforms his arm into a Titan arm while simply reaching for a spoon, Hange's first reaction is to run in and touch the steaming hot Titan flesh, burning their hands. The rest of the squad are horrified at what Eren has done, but Hange is just delighted to have the opportunity to be up close and personal with a Titan.
8 Study First, Safety Later
There are many instances throughout the series in which Hange displays a complete disregard for their own safety. When conducting their experiments on Titans, they get close enough for one of the monsters to bite them, with Hange narrowly avoiding the attack.
On top of that, Hange is shown to not take battles against Titans too seriously. They toy with the Titans and taunt them, though the creatures cannot understand what they are saying. Additionally, when Hange sees a Marleyan gun for the first time, their first instinct is to point it at themself and peer down the barrel.
7 Hange's Unwavering Desire To Protect Their People
Hange is a character who, during times of conflict, is not afraid to get their hands a little dirty to ensure the people they care about stay safe. This is demonstrated many times throughout their appearances on the show, but one of the most famous scenes is when they take Pastor Nick to the top of the wall.
After discovering that Pastor Nick may know more than he has been letting on, Hange wants information from him. They hold the man over the edge of the wall, threatening to drop him if he does not comply. He continues refusing to give in to their demands, and, in the end, Hange tosses him back to safety, playing it all off as a joke.
6 They're A Skilled Tactician
Throughout the series, Hange has demonstrated their skill in making plans to capture Titans alive, including Annie, as well as developing strategies against the Armored and Colossal Titans in real-time.
After Bertholdt and Reiner reveal themselves as Titans, the resulting battle injures Hange and knocks them unconscious. However, upon waking and realizing that Eren has been taken, their first thoughts are about coming up with a rescue plan. Their brilliant mind is responsible for many of the Survey Corps' victories.
5 Hange Is The Reason Reiner Was Defeated In Shiganshina
After the coup d'état, Hange discovers secret technology, hidden by the Interior Police. Through this discovery, and with help from the Garrison, Hange is able to invent a new type of anti-Titan weapon, the Thunder Spear.
It was thanks to these Thunder Spears that the Survey Corps won during the battle of Shiganshina. The Spears were designed to pierce the armor of Reiner's Titan. With these new weapons at their disposal, the team was able to overcome the Armored Titan and take back the town.
4 Hange Works Through The Pain
During the battle of Shiganshina, Hange suffers their first major injury. As the Colossal Titan transforms, the resulting explosion takes out Hange's eye. Despite that, Hange leaps back into action to assist in taking down Reiner and ending the battle.
Not only that but, as mentioned earlier, the Colossal Titan's explosion briefly put Hange out of commission. However, as soon as they were awake, they requested a map and immediately began planning the operation to rescue Eren after he had been kidnapped by Reiner and Bertholdt.
3 Their Immense Capacity For Empathy
Despite Hange's dedication to their country and their ability to so easily threaten Pastor Nick's life, they have also shown that they're an incredibly empathetic person. This is shown during their experiments on the Titans Bean and Sawney. Hange clearly hates that they're hurting the Titans and is later devastated when they are killed.
However, the most obvious example of Hange's empathy is during the aftermath of the Battle of Shiganshina, when Levi must decide between saving Armin and Erwin. Hange understands the difficulty of the situation and attempts to comfort Mikasa. They hold Mikasa close and remind her that everyone dies someday.
2 They Stay True To Their Values
While Hange can be incredibly understanding, they are also unwavering when it comes to doing what they believe to be the right thing. Even though they've fought alongside Reiner and Bertholdt for months, they are not hesitant about killing these new enemies.
Upon bringing the Armored Titan down, Hange is prepared to execute Reiner but keeps him alive only because of the possibility of passing his abilities to Eren or another scout. They are resolute and decisive, which makes them the perfect candidate to replace Erwin as the Commander of the Survey Corps.
1 They Are Willing To Put Their Life On The Line
During the manga's final arc, Hange demonstrates a remarkable ability to put themselves in harm's way for the greater good. They rescue Levi despite the risk to their personal safety and then approach Pieck and General Magath in the hope that the four of them can form an alliance to stop the Rumbling.
Of course, Hange's true sacrifice comes later. When the remaining members of Survey Corps need extra time to prepare the plane for takeoff, Hange voluntarily takes on the oncoming rampage of Titans, appointing Armin as the new Commander. It is during this battle that Hange, having survived against all odds, finally falls.