Who is the Main Character in ‘Attack on Titan’

Who is the main character in Attack on Titan? The worldwide smash anime has a large ensemble cast of characters, but one stands out as the primary — that’s Eren Jaeger.

Here’s what you need to know.

Who is the Main Character in Attack on Titan?

Fans meet Eren Jaeger in the very first episode of Shingeki no Kyojin (the Japanese name) of the dark animated series.

To You, in 2000 Years: The Fall of Shiganshina is the episode where you first see Eren, and the title is important because it bookends to From You, 2,000 Years Ago, in Season 4.

Eren’s a young man as the series begins. And it is 100 years (supposedly) after Titans first appeared. You later learn he lives on the island called Paradis. An orphaned young woman, Mikasa Ackerman, lives with his family.

She’s the second most prominent character in Attack on Titan. The duo wants to join the Scout Regiment, an elite corps that fights Titans — giant humanoid monsters that eat people and are a plague on humanity.

We also meet Eren Jaeger’s parents, Dr. Grisha Jaeger and his mother, Carla Jaeger. His mom’s unhappy that her son wants to join the Scouts. And his dad’s leaving but promises to show him “the basement” when he returns.

What’s not revealed for years is that Eren’s father is himself a Titan. And before he leaves for good, he injects his son with Titan serum. His youngest son turns into a monster and eats his dad.

Is Eren Jaeger a Hero or a Villain on Shingeki no Kyojin?

At first, it appears that Eren’s a really good guy. He builds a clique of loyal friends during Scout training. These include:

• Mikasa Ackerman (who’s been in love with him for years)
• Armin Arlert (a friend since childhood who later inherits the Colossal Titan)
• Connie Springer (whose mom turned Titan)
• Sasha Braus (a fierce warrior, always hungry)
• Jean Kirstein (rivals first, then friends)
• Historia Reiss (descendent of the Eldian royal family)
• Hannes (close friend to Eren’s parents)

Early in Attack on Titan, Eren seems to be a nice kid from a loving home that took in an orphan. Later, we find out he’s got a thirst for violence and violently finished the men who killed Mikasa’s parents.

Eren Jaeger’s character arc has him on a hero track, resulting in fierce loyalty from his friends. In fact, he harbors a dark secret and agenda that few know. And none of them are his close friends.

In season 4, Eren goes from dark hero to full-on villain in a twist so stunning that his friends turn against him. In truth, he wants to slaughter the rest of the world to protect the Eldians on Paradis Island.

Attack on Titan’s Big Twist about Main Character Eren

Over the years, anime fans learned that Titans weren’t just mindless monsters (although some were). Titans controlled by Marley were strategically plotting to finish the race of Eldia forever.

Marley kept them slaves and brainwashed them to believe all their fellow Eldians on Paradis were demons. Of course, Eldians are the only ones in the world that can inherit Titan powers. So, it’s a threat to all humanity.

We learn that Eren Jeager has an older brother, Zeke Jaeger. His mother is Grisha’s first wife, Dina Jaeger, who’s of royal blood. Grisha trained his son Zeke to work undercover on Marley for a greater cause.

In Attack on Titan Season 4 (available on Funimation), Zeke thinks his brother Eren will help him enact a final solution — to ask Ymir Fritz, the original Titan and Titan architect, to sterilize their entire race.

But as Eren and Zeke spend time in Ymir’s realm, the awful truth unfolds. Eren’s Founding Titan power has the ability to affect other people through time. Eren’s the one who forced his father to gain his Titan powers.

He then tricked Zeke to believe he was going along with his plan, while amassing much power and loyalty. He’d built a base of followers, outside of his friend circle, called The Jaegerists.

Eren convinced Ymir to side with him and set off the “rumbling”. The Founding Titan power breaks all of the walls of Paradis down. The released Titans march to the sea, crushing innocents along the way. Eren Jaeger’s plan is to kill everyone else to protect the Eldians.

So, he is committed to protecting his friends and his race at all costs — via genocide of the rest of humanity. Who is the main character in Attack on Titan? Eren Yeager. A villain so shocking, fans won’t see the twist coming.

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