Hear me out, Eren is a really terrible scout in Attack on Titan

Eren is one of the most divisive characters in Attack on Titan, while simultaneously being among the most well-written Shonen characters of all time.

With Eren, Isayama crafted a character who was downright evil by the end of Attack on Titan, but it still made fans root for him. Many fans justified Eren’s actions, from him plunging Paradis Island into war to the genocidal actions he later went on.

One trait of Eren that many fans loved was his resilience and stubbornness. To him, only his decisions were correct, and anything that resembled the opposite was not. This was why he was in conflict with most characters in the series. Since childhood, Eren was already committed to his ideals as he brutally murdered those who kidnapped Mikasa. This was also one reason why he was a terrible scout.

Many within the Attack on Titan fanbase won’t admit to this truth, but it is undeniable. Eren never fared well as a scout, and this was very obvious in his first battle. If not for Titan's abilities, Eren would have died, but that was not the only time it happened. Keep reading to find out why.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers from Attack on Titan.

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Why Eren from Attack on Titan is a terrible scout

Eren's superpower is his willpower (Image via MAPPA)

Eren had always been heralded as a gallant soldier, and understandably so, as nobody in Paradis Island achieved half the feats he did. His emergence as a Titan set the wheels of the story moving and his actions did not stop there.

Eren battled the female Titan to submission, and that instilled a belief in the people of Paradis that their invincible foe could be brought to its knees. He was also the reason that a generation of Paradis Island ceased to live like cattle, as he gave them freedom to go beyond the walls.

Fans look at all the feats Eren accomplished then, and call him an excellent soldier and scout, but they are wrong. Eren was neither an excellent soldier nor an excellent scout. The truth of things is that Eren was terrible at anything military-related.

Eren only kills one Titan with ODM gear (Image via Kodansha)

The first proof of this was during his first encounter with the Colossal Titan. The smart move would have been to call for some sort of backup or to hide and then track the Colossal Titan, but he didn’t do that. Eren’s immediate urge was to attack, and as the series progresses, viewers saw that Eren was inclined to action like that.

Eren would abandon well-thought-out plans constantly, and he would do this without any regrets. It was simply his nature. This was why when his superiors talk about his wrongs, he was not touched in the slightest. The only time Eren looked really concerned was when the lives of his close ones were touched; this is a trait that those in the military should have: care for others.

There was also Eren’s martial prowess. Despite his fiery bravado, Eren had never been that guy. When he was younger, he would fight against his peers, and from how things looked, he never won. His minimal martial abilities was also apparent when he faced opponents who knew what they were doing. He was tossed around like a child by Annie; he also killed one Titan with ODM gear throughout the entire series.

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Final thoughts

Many would argue that since Eren was one of the highest graduating cadets in Attack on Titan, his abilities should stand out on a large scale. However, a lot of Eren’s feats were as a result of willpower. Attack on Titan fans saw how Eren used willpower to defy bad equipment; that same willpower was what enabled Eren to be one of the strongest Titans in Attack on Titan. However, when it came to being a scout, Eren was terrible.

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