Attack on Titan may have lost one of its most inspirational leaders when Commander Erwin perished back in season 3, but the newly named Commander Hange and Captain Levi have both been doing everything they can to uphold his legacy. The two remained by his side throughout the anime's run, and they've been fighting to keep the Scouts Regiment together during the show's final outing -- even as Eren and his Jaegerists tear the Survey Corps apart from the inside.
Still, there's no denying Hange and Levi have done their duty over the course of Attack on Titan, and despite his more cynical nature, Levi has proved nearly as inspirational as the two commanders fans have seen him serve -- even if he's a tad more terrifying at times. Levi's inspirational moments aren't always as straightforward as other characters', but they can certainly be found throughout the anime, just as often as Levi's scarier moments can.
10 Inspiring: The 'Was I Helpful?' Speech Was Truly Kind
Levi makes quite an entrance during his first appearance on Attack on Titan, taking out two huge monsters in one fell swoop. However, the moment that makes him such a compelling character comes later, when the Levi Squad is forced to bid farewell to one of the Scouts.
The dying Scout asks Levi whether he was "helpful," going on to admit that he doesn't want to die in vain. Despite Levi's usual lack of optimism, he sends his comrade off with assurances. "We've made great strides today," he tells him, even knowing there's still a long way to go before humans are free of Titans. Moments like these underscore how much Levi cares for his men, and they prove him an inspirational leader, even if he's not typically upbeat or positive.
9 Terrifying: When He Beat Up Eren (Even If It Was For A Good Cause)
When Eren is called to testify about being a Titan, Levi is tasked with convincing the higher-ups in the military that the Scouts Regiment can control him if needed. This means putting on a performance, and Levi's violent behavior toward Eren is painful to watch, even once viewers are aware it's all part of putting on a convincing show.
In fact, Levi's behavior is enough to get Mikasa's blood boiling, and it's enough to convince Paradis Island's military -- and the show's viewers -- that he'd be more than capable of handling Eren if he ever decided to go rogue.
8 Inspiring: When He Convinced Eren To Trust The Survey Corps
The Female Titan proved a formidable opponent, and during season 1's reconnaissance mission, Eren is tempted to transform into a Titan and stop her from killing any more of his comrades. This would fly in the face of the Levi Squad's orders, something that aggravates most of them -- though Levi's words to Eren prove he understands the boy's temptation, even if he's against risking Eren's life to save the others.
Rather than berate Eren and his desire to fight on his own, Levi appeals to his faith in the team, offering Eren an option but clearly pushing him to trust the Survey Corps. Levi's more inspirational approach works and prevents Eren from doing something he'll regret, proving yet again that Levi is a skilled leader and communicator when he wants to be.
7 Terrifying: The Intensity With Which He Pursues Cleaning Is Enough To Make Anyone Uncomfortable
As entertaining as Levi's obsession with cleanliness is, most fans would hate to be on the receiving end of his ridicule -- especially when it comes to keeping the Scouts' space mess-free.
Sure, Levi is scary in battle, but he's almost equally as threatening when it comes to evaluating the 104th Cadet Corps' ability to sweep, mop and dust in season 1's "Special Operations Squad: Eve of the Counterattack, Part 2." Given how intimidating he is, it's no wonder Eren and his friends try to keep him happy, even if it does mean a little extra time cleaning.
6 Inspiring: Remembering The Fallen Shows His Compassion
During the Survey Corps' 57th expedition, Levi and Erwin decide they need to dump the bodies of the fallen to outrun the Titans chasing them -- a choice their soldiers balk at despite the necessity of it. Their hesitance gets one of them killed, and while another one survives, he's forced to live with what's happened.
Although Levi isn't the comforting type, he does offer this shell-shocked soldier something: the Scouts emblem removed from his fallen comrade's uniform. "This proves that they were alive," he says. "To me, at least." Rather than scold the soldier for questioning orders, Levi reveals himself as a compassionate leader who understands how hard it is to do what's necessary.
5 Terrifying: When He Fought Kenny The Ripper
Season 3 of Attack on Titan digs deeper into Levi's backstory, introducing Kenny the Ripper, a prominent part of Levi's past who becomes an enemy of the Scouts Regiment in the present-day timeline. Levi's already a terrifying opponent in battle, but the emotional stakes between him and Kenny turn him into something much scarier.
When it comes to Kenny, Levi seems willing to drop all pretense, becoming the same killing machine he is with Titans, only this time with humans. It's a disturbing transformation to witness, even if it is all for his comrades.
4 Inspiring: When He Showed Tough Love While Taking Back Shiganshina District
Captain Levi seems to be a strong proponent of tough love, something that's made abundantly clear during the mission to retake Shiganshina District. When Eren wonders if he's properly sealed the gate, questioning his own abilities, Levi doesn't attempt to comfort him. Instead, he reminds him that the mission to retake Wall Maria won't be complete until they defeat Reiner and Bertolt -- shifting Eren's focus to what's most important.
Moments like these reveal Levi's ability to offer his men what they need at a given moment, helping them survive even if it's not necessarily comforting. This is just one example of his tough love throughout the series, but it helps Eren and his comrades get by -- and that's what counts in the end.
3 Terrifying: When He Took Down The Beast Titan
The running theme across Attack on Titan seems to be this: Don't piss off Levi Ackerman. That's exactly what the Beast Titan does toward the tail end of season 3, however, forcing Levi and Erwin to sacrifice the majority of their soldiers to stand a chance of taking Zeke down.
Levi, of course, is tasked with capturing or killing Zeke while Erwin leads the others to certain death. Guilty and horrified at what they've been forced to sacrifice, Levi shows no mercy to the Beast Titan, resulting in a one-sided fight that proves the Captain is not one to be messed with.
2 Inspiring: When He Chose To Let Erwin Go
Even great leaders are prone to making emotional decisions, something Levi is tempted to do when given the choice between passing the Colossal Titan on to Erwin or passing Bertolt's Titan to Armin instead. Given his relationship with Erwin, Levi initially fights Mikasa and Eren on the matter, insisting that they need to save the Commander's life.
However, when Levi realizes this is a selfish choice -- to bring Erwin back to this cruel world after everything he's been through -- he decides to let his friend rest instead. Making a decision like this may not seem inspirational in the traditional sense, but it's something difficult leaders sometimes must do. For his part, Levi handles it fairly well.
1 Terrifying: The Fact That He Slaughtered His Own Men
During one of the more recent episodes of Attack on Titan, Zeke uses his spinal fluid to turn Levi's soldiers into Titans -- something Zeke believes will at least slow him down, if it doesn't kill him. However, Zeke underestimates Levi, who only experiences a few moments of hesitation before deciding on his next move: to eliminate the Titans, despite his relationship with them as humans, and chase after Zeke.
Levi's expression in the final moments before he decides to take out his comrades-turned-Titans is truly chilling, as are his words to Zeke when he finally catches up to him: "Do you know how many of our own people we've had to kill already?" From that alone, it's obvious Levi is willing to do whatever it takes to save Eldia from the Titans in the long run -- even if it means turning his emotions off and doing the unthinkable.