Levi Character Analysis - Chapter 52
This is really funny, cause I was actually planning to make a Levi/Hange character analysis soon, so maybe this will give me a good head start. And I've been actually wanting to make a post about Levi and his emotions because I'm sick and tired of people saying he doesn't care about anyone or doesn't have a heart.
Okay, well, let's just do another analysis of this chapter then, for those who don't quite understand what happened, and then I'll talk about Levi's character in general.
So, the chapter starts off with Levi telling his new squad what their tasks are for the time being, which is to close up the hole in Wall Maria. Levi then asks Armin what his strategy was for doing that, to which he responds Eren having to use his hardened titan skin to close up the wall. Eren then agrees, and Levi turns to Hange to tell her it is her job to find a place to experiment.
Hange then answers unenthusiastically, contrary to how she would usually react when talking about experimenting with Eren and Titans in general; simply saying it's her duty.
Levi is confused, so Hange goes onto explain that she understands how dire the situation is, and wants to experiment on Eren as soon as possible, but she would like Eren to stay hidden for just a little bit longer.
Okay, so there are a few things I want to note here:
- Hange is obviously hurt and torn apart about something and is not being her usual gutsy, motivated, determined self.
- Levi is the one to bring up the fact that Hange has to find a place to experiment - from what we've seen in previous chapters, usually Hange is the one excited about this, and Levi is hesitant
Moving on.
So, after everyone is confused as to why Hange wants to stay low, she says the situation is more complicated than they expected.
Levi then says that he noticed something has been bothering Hange since the time they first came in, and tells her to explain why she looks so sad.
A few things I want to note here:
- Levi noticed Hange was sad from the beginning
- Levi wonders why Hange has been keeping everything in
Doesn't sound like someone who is inconsiderate or ignorant of someone's feelings, does it?
Okay, so Hange then goes onto say Paster Nick has died, and explains what happened when she encountered his body/corpse.
Hange is obviously devastated after seeing what the two military police had done to Paster Nick.
She goes onto to say that it was her fault Paster Nick died.
And this is Levi's reaction:
I'll come back to this moment specifically later.
Levi asks Hange if she really wants to hold off on experimenting with Eren, and Hange replies yes. He then goes on to say that they're just going to be staying inside and doing nothing but drinking tea all day, to which she replies just for a little while.
A few things I want to note here:
- Hange is heartbroken and thinks it's her fault Paster Nick is dead.
- Because of this, Hange has become fearful of anything else bad happening to them, so she wants to stay inside where she thinks it's safe.
- This is a dire situation for everybody, and they really have no time to sit around and let time go by, despite how Hange may feel.
So, Levi knowing this, is obviously going to tell it like it is. He goes onto explain that even if they do stay inside, that won't stop the others from going after them. Eventually, they will catch up to them, no matter how long they wait. He tells Hange that because she feels guilty of Paster Nick dying, she has lost her confidence and determination to fight back/move on, and basically lead her team.
Levi asks Hange her decision again, and she suddenly gets a new found determination to fight back:
Levi notes that Erwin would have done the same thing and so on.
So...
Is Levi really an uncaring, unfeeling, and cold-hearted man who doesn't care at all about his comrades? Does he not have a heart? Let's reference the manga, shall we.
Well, before we get to that, let's talk about Levi.
Some snk fans perception of this man is probably a short, cranky, violent, and uncaring man who doesn't have feelings and is very brutal when it comes to interacting with others.
But, can we just take a moment to remember that this is the same guy who used to be a thug and grew up in the toughest/lowest parts of the capital?
So, what, can he be aggressive? Yes. Harsh? Yes. Rude? Yes. But, this is Levi. This is how he always was, and this is how he was introduced to us in the manga, and that'll never change. It may not be acceptable behaviour for some, but this also shouldn't be unexpected behaviour for Levi, considering what we've seen in the manga and especially what we know about his past. Yes, Levi has some type of social problem and tends to upset others with his brash mannerism. He constantly wears a scowl on his face, and can be unapproachable, but eh, that's what we love about him. We wouldn't love him for anything less than himself. Plus, the fact that he's a clean freak...is just hilarious.
So, Levi doesn't have the most friendly demeanor around. Got it? Good.
Does this mean he's an uncaring person who doesn't care about anyone, especially his friends? NO. There's a different b/w personality and character. Levi may not have the friendliest personality, but his character is one to be admired. For one, Levi is kind and has a heart of gold, even if he doesn't always show it in the gentlest way. But, here is one exception, where we really see his true character shining through.
One of Levi's men has been critically injured, and is on the verge of death. Knowing the clean freak he is, with this soldiers hand all bloody and dirty, Levi still holds his hand and gives him encouraging words, saying he's done more than enough for humanity, and that he promises he will to continue to fight the titans. He even asks Petra if he heard everything he had to say, showing that he did care about his well being and wanted him to hear his last few encouraging words before he died. After that, even when Erwin, the one who he so called respects, asks him to fall back, he was still loyal to his men and asked if they died for nothing. Does this sound like a man who doesn't care about his comrades? And oh wait, look, is that be a sign of emotion?
Pupils dilated and eyes softening.
Yea, Levi may scowl a lot, but he has shown several signs of emotions throughout the manga. Something I've realized specifically about his character, is that although he may not be vocal about it, Levi always expresses his emotion through his eyes. Even with his scowl, you can always interpret what Levi may be feeling or thinking through his facial expression. (Sometimes I view Levi as a little child, apart from his clean freak tendencies, but, he really is a softie who cares a lot about his comrades and the people who he has come close enough to call his friends. I truly believe he cares about the sake of humanity a lot as well)
An even better example, is this:
I mean, no words were needed to let us know just how devastated and hurt he felt about Petra and the rest of his squad dying. I don't think any words I can use to describe this moment could do it justice. And this moment just broke my heart. Levi seems to me, what I like to call a reserved or bottled up person when it comes to expressing any emotion. It's not that he doesn't feel it or express it in his own way, he just doesn't act on it as openly or expressively as say, Hange would. But, to me, Levi is a very emotional person, though he probably won't vocalize it much.
Which brings me back to this moment here:
There were probably so many interpretations of this scene already, but this was the reaction after Hange says it was her fault Paster Nick had died. Some may think Levi was being rude, ignorant, or inconsiderate, but this has got to be one of the most telling moments of how Levi feels about the situation. Sometimes, silence is the best form of comfort, while other times, words are clearly needed. This was obviously a very tense moment for Hange; I doubt there were any right words to say after a moment like this...saying things such as "It isn't your fault" or "Don't worry" wouldn't be enough, because Hange was feeling a great deal of emotion during this time. However, his facial expression alone tells us enough that he is heartbroken about what happened; although he hasn't spoken a word, you can tell that he feels for Hange's situation. Whether he empathizes, or knows what she's going through, or feels terrible that she's feeling that way...it's obvious this is making hims emotional.
Just for the hec of it, let's not forget his other heroic moments, such as the moment where he encouraged Eren to believe in his own choices, rather than forcing him to listen to his rules:
Or even after losing all hope that Eren could be alive, because of his comrades death, he still helps Mikasa save him:
A few things I want to note here:
- Levi used to be a thug, so his way of speaking and socializing isn't what most expect, but you'll know if he means well
- Levi is a person who values his friends
- Levi has and can express feelings and emotion *gasp* Shocker.
- Levi is troubled when his comrades/friends die
- Levi is loyal to his friends and fighting for the sake of humanity's freedom
So, Levi can show emotion, yes? He has a heart and feelings and is not an uncaring or cold-hearted person who doesn't consider or hold dear his friends/comrades.
Now, going back to Levi's personality and the way he speaks to Hange.
So let's just recap again:
- Hange is heartbroken and thinks it's her fault Paster Nick is dead.
- Because of this, Hange has become fearful of anything else bad happening to them, so she wants to stay inside where she thinks it's safe.
- This is a dire situation for everybody, and they really have no time to sit around and let time go by, despite how Hange may feel.
- Levi knows this and tries to give her confidence again and help her make a reasonable decision, like she always does
I don't understand what people mean when they say he was making Hange feel worse about the situation, I mean, okay? Hange and Levi have known each other for years in the Scouting Legion, so this type of reaction should not be surprising to Hange. Second of all, I wonder what would happen if Levi had said nothing at all and just let his friend feel sorry for herself. They'd probably just stay inside...drink tea all day...may be the others wold hunt them down, and of course, they'd get no progress done at all.
A friend shouldn't be the one to sugar coat things in order to help you feel sorry for yourself. No, a true friend is one who gets right to your heart strings, and let's you know where you've gone wrong, because they care about you and are not afraid they'll hurt your feelings if they're telling you something that's for your own good. A true friend will tell you the ugly truth, whether it hurts or not, because it's what you need to hear. A true friend will support and help you make the right decision, because they know by pampering you and letting you feel sorry for yourself isn't going to help you or the situation. So of course, Levi has every right to say what he said, as a friend, because this is obviously an important time and he hated seeing his friend so down on herself. What did he do but tell her the truth?
As a Hange fan, this situation tears me apart just as much as anyone else, but I also know that this is a serious situation, and the decision Hange was going to make was completely not okay. Levi wasn't arguing with Hange, he was making a point, and it was obviously something Hange needed to hear. I don't think Hange could feel worse about the situation if she tried, and she knows what Levi was saying is true, which would explain her new resolve here:
Hange was trying to run away from her problems, instead of facing them head on, because of her fear of what happened with Paster Nick. Levi gave her a heartfelt and completely understandable and reasonable speech on why that is a no-no. At a time like this, their team needs a leader who can make clear and head strong decisions that will be safe and smart for them all. Hange can't afford to let her feelings get in the way of fighting for the sake humanity, or then they'd all be doomed. This is why Levi said the things he did. How is telling your friend the truth and giving good advice making them feel any worse? Sure, she might feel sad because she knows it's true, but the truth will set you free. Just look at her reaction. That is the determined and head strong Hange we know.
To add onto that...notice, Levi didn't yell or get into her face or anything...he just told her everything that she needed to hear. Wow, if this is what they call arguing, then Hange must be hating him right now, I'm sure.
Like really, guys, Hange and Levi are friends. They probably argue all the time. This can hardly be called an argument.
So, when you say things like "Levi was arguing with Hange" or "Levi was making Hange feel worse about the situation" just remember what the outcome of the chapter was again, and try to understand where each character was coming from.
I'm sure if these were any other two characters - such as Eren and Mikasa - everyone would be having a different reaction.
Levi may have a foul mouth due to the way he was raised, but I can assure you he cares deeply about his friends. And the man clearly knows what he's talking about, or Hange wouldn't have gotten her determination back.