Why does Oluo imitate Levi and when did it start? a Rivetra theory.
Basically, I will base my analysis on the 1st OVA, if you haven’t watch it yet, the link is available on YT :) !
I already posted this on my Twitter account, but I wanted to talk about it there, and I would really like to see your thoughts, reactions and so on, don’t hesitate to comment :)
First, we know that Oluo didn’t imitate Levi before, at several times Petra said to Oluo “You didn’t talk like that before...”, in fact, he started imitating his Captain’s manners, clothes etc.. since the OVA. Actually, this is Hanji that suggested him the idea. But before Hanji did this, we even hear Petra scolding Oluo because he talks like a landman and he that he should change this because he’s now part of the Survey Corps.
So, it begins when Hanji tries to convince Erwin to launch a capture operation because they think that it could help them finding titan’s weakness. Erwin turns the proposition down because there would be even more deaths. Then, Hanji leaves the tent still not satisfied by that decision.
That’s when Hanji sees Oluo just beside the tent and grabs his collar and asks him a question “Do you know how could you win over an enemy way more powerful than you?” Here Hanji tries to show how they could win over titans obviously, still in line with the previous conversation of Hanji and Erwin.
Hanji adds “Do you want me to tell you how you could win?”
PS: the caption is in French, but I translated it into English, you can check by yourselves on YT if you want to watch it with English subs :)
Hanji: “By observing him. By observing everything, from his habits to his favorite food, his taste for women and even how often he does his business... you have to discover any mere detail about him. ”
Then, Hanji continues: “So you’ll be able to find his weakness and take advantage of it. Unless you fight this way, you might be... killed.”
Sooo, this conversation is a true goldmine for Rivetra shippers. Why that? Basically, we could think at first that Hanji was talking about titans, it could be because she tried to convince Oluo how he could defeat someone more powerful than him... and yet, Hanji talks about taste for women, dishes etc. so she generalises the term ‘enemy’. It’s not about titans anymore but about any people more powerful than him.
And we ALL know how Oluo praised and admired Levi, actually Oluo even started admiring him more when Levi saved his life from a titan.
Oluo “ I will follow you everywhere”, he was thankful to Levi for saving his life, so he decided to devote his life for him.
This is the moment when he realised how strong Levi was, even if he might have heard of Levi’s combat strengh andd skills.
SO, this is the moment he realised Levi STRONGER than him, and that’s the point of Hanji’s conversation with him. How could you defeat or overtake someone stronger than you? By observing every detail of him, his favorite food, taste for women...
As he understood that, he surely realised that Petra was Levi’s type of women, he emulates him in every way (the cravat, the way to hold his cup etc.), so he took into account Hanji’s advices !
That’s why I ship them partly, for me that’s the moment when he started emulating his Captain to seduce Petra because, he also loves her.
So HOW COULD HE DEFEAT A CONCURRENT IN LOVE? That’s how Oluo applied Hanji’s advices. Knowing also that Petra admired Levi so much, that helped him taking the decision to become like Levi.
