If you’ve seen what it is that the eccentric giants roaming the world of Attack on Titan do to humans, then you’d likely agree that anyone signing up for the Military — especially the Scout Corps — could probably use a CAT scan. Bravery must be its own reward though; the Scouts who make it home and live to tell about the horrors past the walls are arguably the strongest force on the planet! This list of AoT’s Corps soldiers will highlight battle I.Q and Titan-slaying talent and skill as performed by the soldiers who were just crazy enough about humanity's freedom to resist fear and see things through.

10 Reiner Braun

As a chosen Warrior-Titan for Marley, his home nation, Reiner was one of the top performers during Cadet training. He hardly stood out at all until he kidnaps Eren and Ymir, bringing his true intentions into the light. Being behind the Titan attacks on the walls was a secret he, Bertholdt, and Annie had carried, even as they made friendships within the Corps. Along with Bertholdt Hoover, Reiner was stuck in a conflict with his feelings and convinced himself that the only peace for him was in death. Unfortunately for him, the Armor Titan isn’t a pushover by any means.

9 Annie Leonhart

One of the Warrior-Titans from Marley, Annie entered the Training Corps already significantly ready for the battlefield. As a Cadet, she was top-notch in every category and had a biting-cold attitude to complement, but the accolades meant nothing to her.

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Reluctantly following a team play with Reiner and Bertholdt, Annie joined the Military Police to gain more intel on the royal family. She rarely expressed any empathy whatsoever, but her tears at the remembrance of her father after a Titan fight suggested she had some type of sentiment in her war-stricken life.

8 Ymir

After a royal cover-up gets Ymir stuck as a mindless Pure Titan, she lucks up and gets her hands on one of the nine special Titans for breakfast. Ymir eventually becomes a hostage-turned-teammate of Reiner and Bertholdt, but she wasn’t completely sold on their doomsday dream.

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Ymir had an understandably close connection with Historia Reiss; both had been forced to swap their identity to produce a sense of stability in their community. And both had experienced life as paupers as well as royalty. Ymir made her attraction to Historia clear with what could almost be called a love letter, where she shared some of her innermost feelings and acknowledged Historia as the one person to see her for who she really was and still care for her.

7 Jean Kirstein

Jean holding a knife with malice in his eyes from Attack on Titan

Having joined the Corps with hopes to rank up in the Military Police, Jean constantly found himself in bitter and heated arguments with Eren Jaeger over their differing philosophies. Jean saw the duties of the Scouts as a futile effort, accomplishing nothing but the deaths of countless soldiers. In his eyes, Eren’s rushing to go out Titan-hunting was stupidity rather than bravery.

Ranking in the top 10 of the 104th Cadet Training Corps meant Jean's plans were well within his grasp. After butting heads with Eren and his unrelenting attitude a few times, Jean was however inspired to join, and eventually become the commander of, the Scout Regiment.

6 Zoe Hange

The Corps researcher who is responsible for intel on the Titans. In a fight, she’s at the top of the world knowing that the result of the battle will mean more research for her to sink her intellectual teeth into. Hange being so intensely passionate about her work meant that there would always be some in-depth coverage on the Titans’ sordid anatomy.

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Hange tends to get carried away quite a bit with her studies — though the only thing suffered for her overzealousness is a few insults from Captain Levi and weirding out just about everyone else.

5 Commander Erwin Smith

A hero and an inspiration to the soldiers under his command, Erwin was driven by a strong desire to find the root of the dilemma plaguing the people of the walls. As a child, his father explained to him that there were inconsistencies in the history books he and his schoolmates were taught from and sought to find evidence to support his father’s theories.

Even with a severed arm, Erwin insisted on being on the front lines and being able to see Dr. Grisha Jaeger’s cellar for himself. Right down to his final moments, Erwin was steadfast, not backing down from either friend or foe in his search for the truth about the world.

4 Armin Arlert

Although he hardly thinks so himself, as a genius-level thinker, Armin had his place in the Corps — and in the military’s chain of command — solidified fairly early in his career. Armin made the call to trust Eren’s Titan form, which led to their escape after the attack on Wall Rose. While Eren’s Titan handled the bulk of the fighting, Armin proposed a plan to get the cornered group of soldiers out of trouble and earning his comrades’ trust. And when Mikasa, Armin, and Eren were facing the firing squad of fellow corps soldiers, Eren was completely willing to bet on Armin’s wit to win against Commander Shadis’ scrutiny.

To the bewilderment of many army and political representatives, as well as Armin himself, Captain Levi made a fork in the road decision to choose the next Colossal Titan, passing over Commander Erwin in favor of Armin. Controversial as it may have been, Armin’s value as a soldier had to speak as well for his life as his friendship with Eren and Mikasa for Levi to trust him with a whole 60 meter Titan.

3 Mikasa Ackerman

Mikasa holding a sword

Mikasa Ackerman was a force in the Corps from the very start of her career, and as a descendant of the Ackerman clan, she had a firm grip on life as a fighter long before she ever knew it. Her strength struck fear into her peers ever since being inspired by Eren to tap into it. That power saved her, Eren, and many others from danger countless times throughout her life.

Mikasa’s skills earned her a promotion to the Elite class of the army as soon as she graduated from the Cadet Corps, but she never abandoned her primary objective: the care and watching over of Eren. Her superior officers often didn’t have much of a choice but to allow her to do as she promised to Mrs. Jaeger before the Titan attack on Shiganshina.

2 Captain Levi Ackerman

captain levi attack on titan

An example of the battle strength capable from a member of the Ackerman family who is said to be a product of Titan science, Captain Levi’s skill, technique, and strategy is a beauty to watch. His mastery of the ODM gear is evident, often using crazy spinning attacks — which means that even hanging in mid-air, something is bound to get cut into pieces.

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Levi fearlessly dove into battle no matter how big the enemy was, and without flinching. He single-handedly took down scores of Titans; he had the Beast Titan — probably the most intelligent Intelligent Titan — on the run after dropping an army of Pure Titans that besieged Wall Maria and what was left of the Scouts Regiment.

1 Eren Jaeger

Eren Jaeger’s abilities as a soldier weren’t all that special. What set Eren apart were his courage and ambition which inspired his fellow Scout-mates — especially his childhood friends Armin and Mikasa — to keep fighting in the face of the Titans’ killer appetites. Eren also is the hope given to the Corps with the discovery of his Titan transformation.

With front page feats like steadying himself even using a broken piece of ODM gear, Eren’s determination was many times recognized by his fellow cadets and his superiors. Needing only to be willing to put his passion to work, the Corps devoted their lives and all their resources to supporting Eren. The Corps had faith that he was the answer to their prayers and that he would bring the end of their suffering at the hands of the Titans.

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