WARNING: The following contains general spoilers for Attack on Titan, now streaming on Funimation, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.
Bertholdt Hoover is one of Attack the titans most recognizable and beloved characters. He has gone through a variety of transitions within the series, from being considered a trusted member of the Survey Corp to a treacherous villain, and then as a compassionate and tragic soul.
While many people now know how Bertholdt was chosen to become part of Marley’s unit of Eldian warriors, it still seems strange that he, of all people, would have acquired the Colossal Titan. Although Bertholdt has been shown to be intelligent and highly skilled in combat, his friends and colleagues have often described him as weak-willed. These don’t seem like the kind of traits a military group would value in a person, especially one that has been chosen to house one of the most powerful titans in existence. However, it could be precisely these traits that made Bertholdt the ideal candidate to take on the responsibility.
From the beginning of the show, viewers are made aware of Bertholdt’s passive nature. In episode 4, “The Night of the Graduation Ceremony: Humanity Rises Again”, Commander Shadis notes that “he has great potential, but he lacks initiative”. Bertholdt is usually very quiet and rarely speaks his mind, and instead of taking the lead, he follows popular opinion.
While Bertholdt’s withdrawn demeanor might have initially convinced fans of the series that he was one of the most trusted members of the 104th Corps of Cadets, his resolve has been called into question on several occasions. Shortly after he and Reiner are discovered by Eren and the Scout Regiment as the Colossal Titan, Bertholdt reveals that he has been much more conflicted about his undercover mission than he had originally told his comrades or himself.
In episode 36, “Charge”, after being comforted and insulted by his former teammates, Bertholdt bows to the pressure and admits that he didn’t want to hurt anyone, whether it be lying to his friends or breaking Wall Maria and leading his team. Thousands. of its citizens to perish. In this moment of fragility, it becomes clear that Bertholdt, although outwardly composed, was in fact in a mental battle with himself due to the terrible acts he committed.
Later in the series, fans come to acknowledge that Bertholdt relied heavily on Reiner during his trip to Paradis Island and used his partner as a crutch for his emotional insecurity. In Episode 52, “Descent”, Reiner directly references this by stating that Bertholdt should “try to think on his own for once”. […] You don’t always have to wait for my signal. You’re supposed to be the one with the greatest ability of all, but you leave it to others when it matters.”
While Reiner later comments that his partner’s strength has improved, these comments initially seem to be quite dismissive of Bertholdt’s character. However, Bertholdt simply agrees with Reiner and acknowledges that he has been and still is weak. This is immediately reinforced the next time we see him, as he hides and waits for Reiner to take the lead, leaving him open to a surprise attack.
Considering all of these incidents and the obvious warning signs that Commander Magath and the Marleyan army were aware of, it seems strange that Bertholdt of all the potential candidates within the Eldian Unit was selected as the heir to the Colossal Titan. However, Bertholdt’s restrained traits and his desire to receive confirmation of his actions are exactly why he is the perfect fit for this Titan.
The Colossal Titan’s abilities are arguably the most powerful of them all. It stands at an incredible height of over 60 meters, it is capable of emitting enormous amounts of steam (which can burn and repel its enemies) and most impressive of all, it is capable of generating an enormous amount of heat and energy that it can create an explosion big enough to destroy large constructions.
Giving this kind of power to any kind of person would certainly be an unwise decision on the part of the Marleyan government. If the heir to the Colossal Titan turned rogue and went against the army he was supposed to serve, much of his army or the cities where the citizens and officials reside could be at great risk.
The combination of Bertholdt’s meek nature, intellect, and battle capabilities allowed him to be the right person for the job. Ultimately, he was proficient enough in the field that he could hold his own, but timid to the point that his high-ranking officers could easily control him. In Marley’s eyes, these factors reduced the likelihood that he would consider using the Colossal Titan and gave them the confidence to allow Bertholdt to be sent to Paradis with the knowledge that he would be too afraid to go against Marley’s cause. he.
Bertholdt is a fascinating character with interesting abilities and stories. In retrospect, with the release of season 4, his story has become even more tragic. Bertholdt, like the other warrior candidates, was forced into a terrible position from a young age, coerced, and met a rather unpleasant end. What AOTAs the end draws near, fans of the show can find out even more about its past and untimely end.
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