About the first meeting between Hanji and Levi (levihan thoughts)
Let’s talk about the first meeting between Levi and Hanji. It’s set in the ACWNR manga (and too bad it wasn’t animated), during a mission outside the walls. The SC soldiers are preparing to rest in an old castle for the night.
Levi, Furlan and Isabel are sitting apart from the rest of the others. Till then, we haven’t seen any of those survey corps soldiers trying to start a friendly conversation or showing a kind attitude toward them. After all, Levi and his friends were thugs, criminals, born and raised in the underground, and therefore, they’re essentially different from people who led their life above the ground. Coming from a different environment, they’re regarded with suspicion and probably a little fear. Consequently, the trio doesn’t expect anyone to disturb them during their secret talks. But suddenly…
Someone addresses them. It’s Hanji.
She starts enthusiastically praising Levi for the ability with which he has defeated the titan, presents herself, and casually takes a seat between Furlan and Isabel. She attempts to establish a conversation with the trio. Also, she tries to get some advice from Levi (without success, though). She tells them that seeing them fighting in that way has given to the other soldiers a new hope. She even gives Isabel cookies, and she proposes to treat them to a meal next time, if they all come back alive.
Differently from everyone else, she tries to approach them. In spite of all the distrust and hostility that surrounds the trio, Hanji doesn’t have any prejudice, instead, she displays towards them a disinterested kindness. And she tries to show them her friendly intentions with those simple and warm gestures. Initially they don’t even know how to react, in that she takes them by surprise. But mainly, I think, they’re not used to experiencing such an approach from other people. We can see on Levi’s face the surprise and confusion provoked by Hanji’s appearance and by her freaky enthusiasm.
Anyway, despite Furlan suggesting him to “be nice” (that part was so hilarious btw), he doesn’t quit his detached and grumpy manners. Even so, Hanji doesn’t seem downcast by that, and takes her leave of them with a smile. And Levi himself, after Hanji’s gone, seems more thoughtful than bothered, and he simply stares at her without further responding to Furlan.
I also found interesting Levi’s reply to Furlan’s question: he doesn’t want to be responsible for the lives of anyone else other than theirs. However, Hanji was simply asking him for some advice, but it seems that Levi, despite having just entered the SC, immediately had the thought of being responsible for the lives of other people.
I truly loved this scene and I think that it sets a good start to what would become their relationship. From their very first encounter, differently from everyone else, Hanji doesn’t seem discouraged or afraid by Levi’s difficult attitude, and actively tries to get close to him as a person. As regards Levi pov, Hanji must have appeared as a bewildering and unpredictable person. Because of all the grief endured and the experience that he’s had, Levi has learned to always expect the worst from and distrust others, and to have a wary and pessimistic attitude toward the world. And then arrives Hanji, someone with a puzzling positive temper, willing to see things from a different point of view, and capable of finding hope, even in moments of the deepest despair.
I like to think that even if initially it could have appeared as something strange and odd to him, Levi eventually couldn’t help but being captivated by someone capable of seeing the world in that way, someone capable of showing him a new, hopeful future.
