The Survey Corps in Attack on Titan dedicated their hearts to the battle for humankind, and admirably so. Whether it was the fearless and ruthless fighters like Levi and Mikasa, or those who fought with shaking legs and endless fear like Jean, every member of the Survey Corps put their lives on the line. Erwin served as the perfect leader as he could effortlessly communicate his vision to all the soldiers irrespective of their strength or standing.
After Erwin, Hange was promoted to become the commander when Levi was believed to be the second-in-command. This made some fans wonder why Hange was chosen over Levi, and Hajime Isayama explained the reason during an interview. The mangaka’s idea for Levi was very specific and different from simply being the Captain.
Here’s why Hange was chosen over Levi as the Captain
For the most part in Attack on Titan, Hange was occupied with her research on the Titans. She was fascinated with them and spent most of her time understanding their anatomy. It wasn’t until Erwin’s passing that she was perceived as someone who could lead. It was mostly due to how she underestimated her own potential.
However, there was no one other than her who could follow in Erwin’s footsteps. In an interview from the Shingeki no Kyojin Character Directory 2017 (translations via Tumblr), Hajime Isayama shared his perception of the leader of the Survey Corps.
The reason I made Hanji the commander of the Survey Corps is because the top personnel in an organization is the one who bear the responsibilities and the face (of the organization).
Hange was more capable than Levi to fulfill the responsibilities of a leader. She was intelligent and perceptive; she was someone the young cadets could easily open up to. All these qualities made Erwin great along with the confidence that Hange lacked. While Levi was undoubtedly the strongest, he didn’t have these qualities.
He was socially inept and didn’t care about making others feel comfortable. This made him difficult to approach. All these reasons made Hange a better choice for the Commander over Levi. Even Isayama had a different role in mind for Levi, that made better use of his abilities.
As for Levi, whose role is aimed to be the Libero (the sweeper) in soccer, he can’t be made the top personnel of the organization.
A libero in Soccer spots and fills the gaps in his team’s defense. He’s quick to make up for the parts where his teammates are lacking and provides indispensable support in both offense and defense. This description sounds more fitting for someone like Levi.
Levi’s role in the Survey Corps according to Hajime Isayama
Levi was the only character who could take on the top-tier Titans all by himself due to his physical abilities. He was always on the frontlines, storming off on his own. However, he could think quickly on his feet and support those thoughts with his agility. He kept the Titans at arm’s distance from the rest.
It’s safe to assume that without Levi, the young cadets wouldn’t have survived until the end. Moreover, if he had been chosen as the Commander, he would have to strategize instead of going all out on the battlefield, which would be a huge waste of his potential. So, it’s better that we got Libero Levi instead of Commander Levi.
Attack on Titan is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
