#levi:meta

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I hate, LOATHE that Levi gets grouped in with characters that don't 'get' emotions. It's so wrong, so counter to what is easily observed about him as a character. He gets emotions, he has a mountain of empathy and is great at reading and understanding people. What he actually suffers from is not a lack of emotion, but trauma. Trauma that forced him to become rough around the edges to survive. Trauma that stunted his social skills and ability to fully express himself. Trauma that led him to build a near-impenetrable fortress around his heart and keeping his own emotions under tight lock and key. I could go on. But GOD is Levi criminally misinterpreted. He is a deeply emotional character, but the constant wave of harsh experiences in his life make outwardly showing it difficult, if not impossible at times.

Levi is a hardened character, not an emotionally lacking one.

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This look, this haunting look of resignation sticks with me always. We see Levi hesitate, really internally grapple with what he knows he ultimately has to do. The whole scene wrenches my heart, because it's so obvious how painful this decision was for him.

Ultimately, Levi still had a job to do. There was no saving his comrades, those he cared so deeply for.

If he were to let himself be eaten here, if he had hesitated any longer, Zeke could never be brought to justice. Levi had to at least do that for them. For all of them.

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Everyone sleeps on how quick on his feet Levi was here. People loooove to argue that his only notable skills are his strength and ability to fight. But this just throws a wrench in that stance. Levi is excellent at assessing situations and drawing accurate conclusions on things, especially in battle. He is far from unintelligent.

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levi isn't mean. he just tells it like it is and is blunt. he has really high empathy and cares so much about others. he isn't mean like you think

who's gonna tell anon that being mean and being caring can be things a person possesses simultaneously. I'm not pulling up examples of him being mean bc i shouldnt have to, but he is mean. he says it himself. he's bristly and off-putting. he's lowkey nasty at times and is hard to talk to. this isn't and shouldn't be a deal breaker for enjoying his character and liking him. it doesn't matter if he's intentionally mean. he still is whether it's purposeful or not. and that's fine. let a character loaded with positive qualities have flaws. it adds significantly to his depth.

also I'm taking empathy arguments away from yall bc it's such a nothing burger. it actually pisses me off we're still using the empathy equated to goodness bs in the year of our lord 2024. anyone can possess empathy. not saying Levi doesn't use it for good but lacking empathy doesn't measure the quality of your character ffs

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Regarding Levi's haggling skulls, it's kind of funny when you get to Kenny explaining how he raised Levi. He says he taught him how to "swing a knife and how to swing a deal". In the manga, it checks out because we saw Levi "swinging a deal". But the anime adaption kept this line, and because Levi negotiating with Reeves was completely cut, it feels really out of place and confusing lol.

I think about this so much! They cut so much of what I deem as important to Levi's character in season 3 that it kind of makes me bitter ngl. We get a lot more insight on Levi as a whole and omitting it from the adaption really hurt his character in the anime, at least in my opinion.