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Attack on Titan is a Japanese dark fantasy anime television series adapted from the manga of the same name. This series features a man named Zeke Yeager, who is introduced as a villain. However, as the story progresses we see some good qualities in him. His ultimate goal also seems to be really noble. But then again, he has sacrificed countless people to attain his goal. He is a murderer who’s intention is to ultimately save the world. With all this contradiction, it is hard to tell if he is really good, or evil. So, let’s deep dive into Zeke’s life and find out his true nature!
Attack On Titan Overview
Hajime Isayama is the creator and illustrator of this epic series. This series is also known by its Japanese name, “Shingeki no Kyojin.” With its first season, this series gained huge popularity not only in Asia, but also around the world. Whenever a new season is released, it exceeds all expectations and raises the bar for the anime genre.
The plot of this series is not only about killing the titans and saving the world. This is about war, their survival, sacrifice, and so much more. This series features a wide variety of characters and excellent character development. The best thing about its characters is that there is no one completely good or evil. Everyone has their own dreams, goals, and wants to protect their loved ones.
This series also contains a lot of untold mystery and creates numerous questions in the viewer’s mind. Most people want to know about Zeke Yeager, his history, and whether he is good or evil.
So, without further delay, let’s find out all the information about Zeke Yeager. Here you will also get to know whether Zeke is a good person or an evil person.
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Who is Zeke Yeager?
Zeke Yeager is one of the main antagonists of the Attack on Titan series. He is Eren Yeager’s half-brother and the son of Grisha Yeager and Dina Fritz. He had a tall, well-built body with grey eyes and blonde hair. His personality is very sarcastic and sadistic.
Zeke is also a member of the royal family from his mother’s side. He lived in Marley and worked in their warrior unit as a captain. He is a strict and intelligent warrior who always puts the mission’s goal ahead of any other concern. Zeke is the inheritor of one of the most powerful Titans ever, called Beast Titan.
Zeke is also a very curious person, as shown in the Clash of the Titans arc. In this arc, he tries to learn the mechanism of vertical maneuvering equipment from a soldier of the Survey Corps. As a result of his dedication towards his work, he became a great leader of Marley’s warrior unit. He also has excellent control over his army, and even the Titans follow his every order.
Zeke is considered the strongest warrior by his fellow Titans’ holders and Marley’s army. He is also skilled at manipulation and understands how to achieve his own goals and objectives.
About the childhood of Zeke Yeager
Zeke Yeager was born as a very sweet and bright child. His father, Grisha Yeager, is an Eldian living in the internment zone of Marley. His mother, Dina Fritz, is the last descendant of the royal family living in Liberio, a territory of Marley. Zeke’s parents were planning to overthrow the Marley government and put the Eldians back in power. They want to send Zeke to Marley’s Warrior Programme to play the role of a spy for them.
When Zeke was five years old, he joined the warrior programme and wanted the title of “Honorary Marleyan” for his family. This title provides their family freedom and peace in Marley. Zeke mostly spent his time with his grandfather by hearing stories of Eldian crimes against the world. Due to this, his heart is slowly but surely filled with hatred towards Eldians.
Zeke isn’t as good as the Warrior Candidate, and he’s rejected by both his peers and his instructor. He rejoined the Warrior programme after meeting with Ksaver, a former Beast Titan holder. Ksaver also complimented him on his pitching abilities.
Due to his intense training and willpower, Zeke eventually became Marley’s most loyal warrior. He also succeeded in inheriting one of the most powerful Titans, Beast Titan.
About the Titan form of Zeke
Zeke is the most loyal warrior candidate who receives Titan powers at the age of 17. He is the inheritor of the Beast Titan from his instructor, Ksaver. Zeke has a unique ability due to his distinct spinal fluid, which comes from his royal blood. This ability allows him to transform any subject of Ymir into a Titan and control them by screaming.
Zeke’s Titan form has an ape-like appearance that is completely different from all other Titans. He stands 17 metres tall and has the typical Titans body posture. His whole body is covered with dark brown fur, except his palms and feet. His Titan form is the only one who is capable of speaking human language.
Zeke used his Beast Titan form to bombard an enemy nation’s army with rocks. He became very cold and ruthless by becoming the Beast Titan. He brutally killed numerous human soldiers of Paradise Island in the Return to Shiganshina Arc. He also doesn’t hesitate to let a group of Titans eat Mike, an upper-ranking soldier in Erwin’s squad.
Zeke’s Beast Titan form succeeds in killing Erwin Smith and his entire survey corps with ease. He demonstrates his excellent pitching skills by throwing pieces of rock at them. He also fights with humanity’s strongest soldier, Levi Ackerman, but unfortunately, he can’t defeat him. His fight with Levi is the most popular action sequence in the Attack on Titan series.
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Is Zeke Yeager a good person?
Yes, we can say that Zeke Yeager is a good person. It is true that his ideology might be dark and twisted. He has killed countless people, but he only did that with best intentions in his mind. He also did some good and decent things throughout the entire series. He may be the enemy of Paradise Island, but he was a hero to Marley before betraying them. Zeke gave his all to become the warrior and inheritor of the Beast Titan for Marley. He only used his titan power to help Marley fight against their enemy’s nation.
Zeke also shows his warmer and kind nature outside of the battlefield. He has charisma and acts very humble towards his superiors. He shares a friendly relationship with his fellow warriors and even cracks jokes for them. He genuinely cares about his younger brother, Eren, Yeager. He also believes that they are both the victims of their father.
Zeke also sought a bloodless solution to the Eldians’ persecution because he didn’t want to hurt or kill them. He helped the Eren squads fight against Marley’s invasion. He only wants to complete his goal with Eren Yeager’s help, which is why he supports him. In the final season of the series, after Eren betrayed him, he gathered the unconscious titan shifters against him. He wants to stop Eren from destroying the entire world.
Is Zeke Yeager an evil person?
Yes, we definitely say that Zeke Yeager is an evil person. He was first introduced as the main villain to the people of Paradise Island. His views on the Eldians’ prospects in society were extremely negative and destructive. He wants to remove all the Eldians from the world by any means before meeting with Eren.
Zeke is a very cold-hearted and effective warrior of Marley’s army. He acted highly aggressive towards the Warriors underneath him. He also has no hesitation about punishing or abandoning them if they fail. Zeke is always eager to complete his mission, and he is willing to go to any length to do so.
Zeke depicts his evil nature by escaping from Levi to save his own life and leaving his subordinate, Bertolt, to die. In his childhood, he first shows his evil demeanor by turning his parents over to Marley’s army. He did this evil work to secure his status in Marley’s eyes as a loyal warrior.
In the Clash of Titans arc, Zeke turned an entire village on Paradise Island into Titans. He doesn’t have any sense of pity or regret for the lives of those innocent people. In the Return to Shiganshina Arc, he brutally massacred the whole survey squad and Erwin Smith. He also turned Levi’s squad into titans to kill Levi during the final season of the series.
What is the Ultimate Goal of Zeke Yeager?
The ultimate goal of Zeke Yeager is to eradicate whole Eldians from the world in a merciful way. His ultimate goal is also called “The Euthanization Plan.” His plan is to free the world from the fear of Titans and to relieve the Eldians of their suffering. As a result, he wants to use the power of the Founding Titan to sterilise all Eldians. So that they cannot reproduce and will become extinct within 100 years.
Zeke heard many stories of Eldian crimes against the world from his grandfather in his childhood. He believes that Eldians are the greatest threat to humanity and that they are the reason for war in the world. Otherwise, the world would be good enough without the Eldians. So, he thinks it would make a world free from the Eldians and carry out this euthanization plan.
Zeke Yeager is also one of the Eldians, yet he wants the extinction of his own people. He viewed this extinction as their salvation for the crimes that their ancestors committed.
Is Zeke Yeager successful in his goal?
No, Zeke Yeager did not succeed in his ultimate goal. He is almost close to achieving his goal, but unfortunately, he can’t get it because of Eren Yeager. Zeke is very close to his half-brother, Eren Yeager, and has greatly loved and cared for him. He wants his brother to agree and stand by him on this euthanization plan. That’s why he is willing to postpone the sterilisation of the Eldians until Eren agrees with him.
However, Zeke’s love for his brother is gone after learning the truth about Eren’s future memory ability. Zeke also knows the truth that their father is innocent and should be manipulated by Eren.
Zeke is also capable of achieving his goal after being betrayed by Eren. When he is on the edge of using the power of the Founding Titan and is ready to sterilise all Eldians. Then, Eren starts to convince and manipulate Ymir to not grant Zeke’s wish. Finally, Eren succeeds in convincing her and gets all the power of the founding titan, failing Zeke’s goal.
Conclusion
We can say that Zeke Yeager is a good person as well as an evil person. He is the character who is not completely good or evil; he is gray. In the Attack on Titan series, there are many grey characters, and they do both good and evil things. Zeke, gave his all out as a warrior in Marley’s army. On the other hand, he also betrayed them and helped or supported Eren in attacking Marley.
Zeke’s evil personality comes from a lack of parental guidance during his childhood. His grandfather and his instructor, Ksaver, both play a significant role in shaping him into a nasty and merciless individual. However, he also showed his kind side and did many good things in the series.
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