Why is Reiner the best character in Attack of the Titans?

Attack of the Titans was a unique animated series, with Reiner repeatedly proving to be the best character in the series.

There are many complex and complicated characters in Attack of the Titans , but Reiner Braun stands out among the pack. Reiner is a difficult character to tackle, with the mental trauma he suffered as a result of his actions overwhelming him and leading him to develop two distinct personalities: his warrior persona, loyal to Marley, and his soldier persona, loyal to his friends on Paradise.

These two personalities often overlap, so discerning the intent of his actions from their results can be confusing. However, as he grew and matured, Reiner went from hero to villain on several occasions, while remaining adored by fans for the depth of his character.

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He saved Jean

During their first encounter with the Female Titan, Armin encouraged them to leave their hoods on, as he correctly assumed that Annie was looking for Eren and wouldn't risk killing someone she couldn't identify. As Jean went on the attack, he was almost killed, but was saved by Reiner.

As Armin tried to make her believe that she had already killed Eren by accident, Reiner tore off his hood and attacked, allowing Jean to escape. Although caught by Annie and apparently crushed, he managed to "escape" with Armin. This is the first example of the duality of Reiner's actions. Yes, he saved Jean, but in doing so, he led Annie to Eren. Understanding the balance between his personalities is key to unraveling these events, and whatever the case, it was a stunning demonstration of his talent.

In one of the crucial moments of Connie's character development, Reiner's two personalities collided. Although Reiner had undoubtedly heard the titan speak, both personalities decided to lie to him. One aimed to help him by lying, keeping him focused on the current situation, while the other knew that lying to him would prevent the people of Paradise from learning more about the titans' true nature.

It would seem that the soldier's personality had won the day. Later, at Utgard Castle, he thanked Ymir for joking with Connie about the talking titan, wanting to stop her worrying. It's always hard to tell what Reiner's thinking and where his heart really lies, but here it seems he was genuinely trying to help Connie, for better or worse.

He mentored Eren

Right from the start, Reiner proved to be a valuable friend to Eren. Commander Shadis described him as "a loyal one", someone the cadets looked up to and could rely on, and from one of his earliest appearances, he talked openly with Eren about the horror of the titans and tried to help him learn to use the ODM. equipment, Shadis clearly hit the nail on the head.

Reiner was shown to be something of a big brother to Eren. He helped teach him and took him seriously while others scoffed at his determination. As he knew nothing of the fact that Eren was a titan shifter, this is a clear example of Reiner helping someone purely out of the goodness of his heart. As someone who knew what it was like to live alone, Reiner showed that he could be better.

He tried to save Gabi

In another morally gray moment, Reiner reveals himself not to be the devoted Marleyan warrior he often pretends to be. When he catches Falco bitterly ridiculing the "honor" of becoming a warrior as nothing more than a deferred death sentence, he initially seems to discipline and threaten Falco.

Things turn, however, when he tells a terrified Falco that, if he really feels this way, then it must be he, not Gabi, who inherits the Armored Titan. Reiner reveals that he sympathizes with Falco and that they both care about Gabi. Although he also cares about Falco, they both understand the nature of their situation and what it would cost to protect Gabi.

He tried to save Annie

Right from the start, it was clear that Annie, Bertholdt and Reiner were linked in one way or another. Although not the most important trio, especially in the early seasons, they were usually grouped together for fights or series openings. When they all turned out to be titans, the reason became obvious.

After the Scouts captured Annie and Reiner, Bertholdt and Zeke were reunited, they couldn't agree on what to do next. They decided to settle the matter with a fight, where Reiner's Armored Titan was defeated by Zeke's Beast. After Marcel's loss, it was clear that Reiner was not prepared to abandon the other members of his team, a level of dedication present in both his personalities.

He took on the burden of others

This has always been Reiner's hallmark, even from the very beginning, so choosing just one example may seem difficult, however, there is one that stands out from the rest. As the warriors and scouts contemplate stealing the flying boat to stop Eren, they realize that it was guarded by Yeagerists, including the scouts' friends and comrades.

Understanding that the Scouts didn't want to kill their friends, Reiner volunteered for the Warriors to fight on their own. He knew it would probably be a death sentence, but having had to kill friends before, he didn't want them to feel the same level of pain and guilt. It's a perfect example of his strength of will, so often forgotten in the wake of his betrayal of the Scouts.

Rumbling was probably more personal to Reiner than to anyone else among the Warriors or Scouts. It was his home, attacked by his former friend who had become his greatest rival because he hadn't been able to stop him in the first place.

But there was so much more, for it gave Reiner the chance to become an unequivocal "good guy" again and atone for his destruction of the Wall by saving countless lives. He was determined and burning with fury as he transformed atop the massive Founding Titan, and was ready to sacrifice himself to Odiha. Reiner was determined to stop Rumbling, whether he survived or not.

He knew he was wrong

In one of the most heartbreaking moments of an already dark and poignant series, Reiner begged Eren to kill him, as he couldn't do it himself or live with his guilt. In the years following his departure for Paradise, Reiner had to come to terms with the fact that the propaganda he had believed in all his life was a lie, and that the inhabitants of Paradise were not demons, but simply human beings.

Trying to reconcile this with his mission led to a crushing weight of guilt falling on him, and after his return to Marley, he continually tried to commit suicide. Villains who justify their own actions with charisma and logic are fun, but a villain brought down by realizing how far he's strayed is rare, and Attack of the Titans pulls it off brilliantly.

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