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Since his introduction in Attack on Titan, Zeke Yeager has been both irritating and intriguing. His identity was revealed only after fans had already seen him in action and had formed an opinion on him. His past, while tragic like nearly everyone else’s in the series, failed to sway that opinion.
However, like most Attack on Titan characters, Zeke is not simply good or bad but is rather a gray character. There are several instances where he is so incredibly human that the audience is compelled to sympathize with him.
[Note: The article reflects the writer’s views and contains spoilers for Attack on Titan up to episode 80. The list is in chronological order.]
3 incidents in Attack on Titan that humanize Zeke Yeager to the fans
1) Zeke’s tragic past
The audience gets to know about Zeke’s backstory through Attack on Titan Episode 56 (“That day”) and Episode 74 (“Sole Salvation”).
In their pursuit of Eldian Restoration, Grisha Yeager and Dina Fritz saw their son as the future of all Eldians and not simply as their child. They tried to condition him into their way of thinking, while Grisha’s parents tried to make Zeke conform to the Marleyan narrative.
Conflicted, overworked, and neglected, Zeke found a friend in Tom Ksaver, then holder of the Beast Titan. Ksaver played the role of a parent that Zeke never had.
Ksaver subtly influenced Zeke into thinking about himself over others, something no one ever prioritized. When the young boy came to him in distress and fear, Ksaver advised Zeke to turn in his parents in order to save his grandparents and himself.
Zeke had a suppressed childhood, where he was always forced into beliefs that were not his own. It is doubtful whether he truly believed in Ksaver’s philosophy or if he internalized it because it belonged to the only person who showed him kindness.
Either way, Zeke had been rooted in his impression of Grisha and became obsessed with countering his father his whole life.
2) His misconception regarding Eren
Zeke had always judged Eren based on what he knew about Grisha and how their father had treated him. He believed Eren to be neglected, brainwashed, or both. When he inducted his younger brother into his euthanasia plan, he did not trust him completely. However, he still believed that Eren would come to see his point of view.
During Attack on Titan Episode 79 (“Memories of the Future”), Zeke finally understood that Eren was not a confused boy whom he could rescue. He was cruelly made aware of Eren’s true nature and how powerless he was in front of his younger brother.
Grisha’s words also hinted that whatever Eren had planned was much worse than Zeke’s own design. Attack on Titan Episode 80 revealed Eren’s desire to destroy the world to secure the safety of the people of Paradis. It is debatable which brother had the more ethically wrong plan, but they were complete opposites of each other.
It was obvious to the audience that Eren was using Zeke to get to his own goal. While fans are still skeptical about what this goal is, Eren’s calculations regarding Zeke invokes a sense of pity for the naïve older brother.
In a way, Zeke projected himself onto Eren and wanted to be the savior to his younger brother that he never had for himself.
3) Zeke’s reunion with Grisha
In Attack on Titan Episode 79 (“Memories of the Future”), Zeke takes Eren through Grisha’s memories. He expected to see their father treat his younger son the same way he treated his eldest.
However, Grisha was far more affectionate with Eren and was often too lenient. Zeke felt betrayed and flabbergasted that Eren received the care and attention that he never did.
However, what truly broke him was when he slowly became aware of Grisha’s regret towards Zeke himself. His father kept a photograph of his first family close to him and mumbled apologies to his son in his sleep. Zeke came to understand that Grisha had learned from his mistakes.
It all came to a head after Grisha slaughtered the Reiss family under Eren’s guidance. While he broke down, Grisha was able to see Zeke.
Embracing his son, Grisha apologized to Zeke for not giving him the care and attention that children need from their parents. With his father clinging to him, Zeke finally allowed himself to cry, addressing Grisha as “Father.”
This scene was made even more pitiful with the knowledge that it was too late for both father and son. Zeke’s life from this point would be ruled by Eren’s decisions as he tries to stop his little brother.
While his meeting with his father was cathartic, it happened when Zeke was already set on a destructive path and Grisha had died. This reunion almost made Zeke into a tragic character.
