Note: This is my personal opinion and it doesn’t mean that what I say here is completely accurate. if you disagree with my opinion, that’s okay! and if you agree and want to add your own opinions, go ahead!
Long post + spoiler warning 💥
I love Levi Ackerman so much. He is such an amazing character who doesn't hesitate to help others or provide them with moral support, even if he is in his worst condition, he continues to bear the burden of being the strongest, because he sees himself responsible for preserving the lives of those he loves.
I love him so much and I will never stop loving him for some stupid reasons that some fans are coming up with, and it made me question myself "are we reading the same manga?". his haters never understood him at the first place to begin with.
Its disappointing how many people have a strong hate boner for Levi because he is "overpowered" and "wins" against Zeke! Some even joked about him saying: "only two fingers are enough". He actually waited 4 years, 4 years and his will for revenge was not extinguished. Will he allow himself to retreat after all these years because of his injury? Not at all, he is stubborn too, especially that he is still responsible for the rest, the proof in ch. 135, he made sure that Mikasa won't be reckless, and he saved Jean and Connie and fought as much as he can.
We have seen this in chapter 33. He hated being left behind because of his injury. He hated the fact that he was incapable of joining with them and offering everything he could. Most likely, Levi has put the blame on himself, because if he had been around at the time, things would have taken a different direction. Eren wouldn't been kidnapped for hours, and probably Erwin wouldn't have lost his arm. He simply didn't want to let them go without him for this time, and I see it that way because Isayama has been connecting the final arc with the first ones.
So, Levi did all his best at his worst state. Sure that he "wins" against Zeke, and saved the main cast many times, but he never gets to keep his loved ones in the end. He always loses someone or something in the end.
One of the things I admire about Levi is that he is one of the most selfless and compassionate characters in the entire series, not having any selfish goals of his own and that he keeps carrying the burden of so many deaths, yet he continues to struggle on because he wants to bring meaning to his loved ones deaths.
Levi was defined from the beginning as humanity strongest soldier due to his high fighting skills, and people simply want him to lose? Zeke didn't even have sufficient fighting skills as Levi or Eren did, which made Grisha and Dina disappointed when he was a trainee, but he is smart and manipulative. Xaver-San said they are both alike, smart but not good at war.
Being humanity strongest is a huge burden itself, and because he is strong enough to deserve this title, he is still resilient despite all his wounds and suffering.
I wrote THIS about Eren before, and I will say something similar about Levi now.
His vow is important to him, just like Erwin seeing his dream important to him or like Eren's need for revenge is important to him.
Zeke has done way more damage to Levi than anyone else has, plus, he injured him and forced him to kill all his new recruits just 4 Days before the present time? Imagine how painful the the recent events must have been for him. Levi is a person with feelings and emotions too, he isn't heartless or coldblooded character, and his wounds are still fresh LMAO. So he is being realistic at this point.
He experienced all this in the matter of a few days not months like us.
The thing is, his hatred toward Zeke it's totally justified for me as much as I understand Zeke's motivation, but what I keep wondering about is that Annie have as much reason to be hated by Levi as Zeke, cuz she literally annihilated his squad. Not saying that Annie and Zeke are on the same scale bcz bruh, Zeke murdered Mike, Nanaba's entire squad, the citizens of Ragako, Erwin and the Survey Corps, Levi's new recruits and forcing him to kill them (which is the worst thing he could do to someone like Levi in my opinion), also all the military in the Survey Corps, Colt...! But still, I expected him to react at least a bit like Jean toward Reiner.
After taking a deeper look, first of all he was so fucking injured and needed only to rest for some time. Second of all, I will say probably because he understands that Annie and co was brainwashed and forced. He even saw her crying after he saved Eren from her, while Zeke in the other hand never felt guilty. I think it's mostly Zeke's behaviour that makes Levi mad since he doesn't like unnecessary deaths.
In return to Shiganshina, Levi was ready to fight the Beast Titan all by himself even if it meant his certain death. Levi cares a great deal for humanity as a whole. He has expressed disgust at disregard for human life, and dislikes unnecessary death. Levi actively does his best to ensure the longevity of his comrades, often taking on Titans by himself to minimize how many soldiers are endangered, and his fellow soldiers are among the few things he openly displays care for.
Also, He always has awareness of the situation they are going through, so he always focuses on the core objective.
If Levi was thinking blindly and only think about killing Zeke (like some fools are saying), he would have already done so and finished it all, but on the contrary, he did not allow his hatred toward Zeke to blind him from the core objective.
They need Zeke and his secret plan that he doesn't even know about or trust him at the first place, but yet he understood the situation, he understood that they need Zeke at some point for Historia and that Eren need him too. That's why in this moment Levi only tried to stop him even tho he had all the reasons to why he should kill him right then, but he didn't and Levi himself said he doesn't mind to wait a bit longer if his secret plan was real.
So Levi isn't blindly chasing Zeke. He is sitting with the person he hates the most, reminding him of why he doesn't trust him and why he should kill him later. and to think of it more, this maybe the reason why he agreed to ally with Annie and the rest silently, because he understood they need Zeke alive and agreed. we don't know Levi full pov to all the situation, but they need to join their forces if they want to stop Eren or at least to try doing something about it.
The thing is that Zeke never allowed Levi to understand him and never showed a sign of guilt for everything he did. He make anything worse than he already has everytime he start talking with Levi.
it’s Ragako not "that village"! The least Zeke can do is to remember the name of town he titianized, considering the fact that all what he said to him about spreading the gas and Marley was a lie, yet he tried to justified his actions, which was sentence innocent people to fate worse than death, to an endless nightmare according to what Ymir has said, and then he complained why Levi keep reminding him of his guilt, and here what Levi has answered:
Well Levi was right tho, and I do feel like Zeke is like "I did what I did because it has to be done" nothing more or less, and I want to add that what happened in Librerio was a part of the plan that he agreed upon, meaning that even with his vast knowledge of the inner workings of Marley’s military all of Zeke’s plans involve innocent people being Titanized. Levi put into words what has already been confirmed, and Zeke was still trying to play him. Too bad for him Levi is not easily deceived, and that's why he kept changing the topic from his guilt to ladies to Eren.
I always keep Zeke's childhood trauma in mind, and the part about "being the savior of the world". perhaps if he had lived among Eldians within the walls, will his feelings change about the matter like Reiner and co? But he had lived in Marley and served them for years and then turned his back on them because of his only salvation that he talked about with Xaver-San, which is the Eldians Euthanization.
Zeke thought that no one can understand his true intentions, only Eren can, I don't have a problem with that cause everyone has their own view to this matter, the problem is some of the Fandom wants Levi to understand/sympathize Zeke's actions while Zeke didn't even gave him the chance to do so, kept on changing the topic and showed him no sign of guilt at all.
But Eren said nope to that, Imma just rumble the world.
If Zeke wanted to, he could defend himself, but he doesn’t have any defense other then exposing his true intentions to him. Levi was right, cause things seemed like the only thing that matters to Zeke is his plan after all, and that aims justify means.
Levi is a man who is capable to resort to violence as an option, in fact violence is a big part of SnK universe and his character as I wrote HERE, and that many characters resurted to violence, but why the Fandom make it seem like Levi is being punished for his violence and that he should give up on his promise and violence? Levi is loyal and a man of his words, and that violence is a big part of Levi character from the beginning, so why is he the only one being punished for it?
One last point to speak about for today is him suggesting killing Zeke in order to stop the rumbling in chapter 134.
Lmao, I can't believe people are still hating on levi over this? Out of everyone in chapter 134, Levi came out the smartest. Everyone kept getting surprised being in Paths and sad because there's no other way to stop Eren by words (not blaming them tho), while Levi was making a keen observation there. besides, they don't know what happened to Zeke in the paths.
Unlike us, Levi didn't read chapter 114–121. Unlike us he didn't see Zeke's backstory to sympathize with him. Unlike us he didn't see the betrayal Zeke went through in paths. Unlike us he doesn't sympathize with Zeke in any way because all Levi knows is this man killed Erwin and his new recruits, turned his comrades into titans and made him kill them. Therefore he's got every right for being obsessed with wanting to kill Zeke.
Keep in mind ones again that Levi experienced all this events in the matter of a few days not months like us.
His suggestion wasn't just because he's hellbent on seeking revenge. He knew that to activate the Founding Titan you must have royal blood, so he came up with "Eren is controlling the Founding Titan through Zeke, right?"
Levi didn't lose sight of the core objective by suggesting killing Zeke, and he also said that he isn't sure but it is something Hanji assumed, so they should keep this point in mind, and I'm your guy so lend me your strength. At that moment, all I felt was his desire to put all of his remaining strength in one last battle, but things changed in a way that no one expected, and he didn't lose his sight of the core objective when he found out that titan wasn't in fact Zeke.
In the end, Levi is one of the most tragic characters in the series who can't catch a break at all. He has done so many things that the haters couldn't give him credits for. He has done his part for humanity, he's already a legend among legends. He already has the best records and results in the whole universe of SNK, and that's why he deserves to be loved and appreciated.
Seems like people tend to focus and hold on to one part of the story (mainly their favourite character) and don't understand the bigger picture by giving the other characters that left a deeper look.
I do feel kinda disappointed about Levi state in this Arc, but as for the things I said, his got every right for being obsessed with wanting to kill Zeke and he is realistic. You need to put yourself into his place, and I respect him for not giving up so easily. Even if he didn't end up killing Zeke, at least he tried his best till the very end.
Just as I understood Eren's will for revenge throughout the previous seasons, I will understand Levi's will for revenge in some of the chapters he appeared in.
I personally believe every character deserves the love they get, popular or not, and that people should just stop being salty and acting like a real life Yeagarists. I have my own reasons why is Zeke in my top 5 favorite characters list, and why I love Eren that much even tho he is rumbling the world and its innocent people. They are just well written characters.
In order to fight against this shit world, with this hand I’ll grab hold of the freedom of going beyond the walls for the first time.
I have chosen for myself.
Even if I am led into hell, I have no regrets.
Just reconsider and thank you for reading 🖤
