Attack on Titan

While all of the Nine Titans could receive memories of past inheritors, the Attack Titan could also receive memories of inheritors yet to come.[8] Zeke Yeager described it as "the power to transcend time."[9] These memories led those with the Attack Titan to move forward, fighting for freedom.[8][10] Eren Kruger received memories of Grisha Yeager telling his son to protect Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, although he did not know whose memories they were.[11][12] Grisha Yeager knew of the Founding Titan's bloodline restriction from the future memories of his son, Eren.[13] Grisha also saw the Rumbling, and, horrified, begged Zeke to stop Eren.[14]

Eren saw that he was able to reach the Coordinate in the unknown land after seeing the future from Grisha's memories.[15] However, just like how memories from the past were often incomplete, memories from the future were incomplete as well: Eren did not know that Ymir Fritz only obeys those with royal blood.[16]

History The Attack Titan, like all the Nine Titans, was brought into the world after the death of Ymir Fritz.[17] Though this Titan was presumably caught up in the conflict of houses between the eight Titans of the Eldian Empire subservient to the Founding Titan, it is said that the Attack Titan always fought for the freedom of Eldia no matter the day and age.[10] During the Great Titan War as Marley gradually gained control over seven of the Nine Titans, the Attack Titan evidently never fell into Marley's hands and remained on the mainland while the Founding Titan remained overseas on Paradis Island where King Karl Fritz relocated the capital.[18][19] In the year 819, an Eldian spy in the Marley Public Security Authorities named Eren Kruger inherited the Attack Titan from an unknown predecessor.[20] During the thirteen years he held the Attack Titan, it is unknown how often he used it, if at all, until the year 832 when he brought Grisha Yeager to Paradis Island. At the borderline, after the Eldian Restorationists were turned into Pure Titans and sent to wander the island, Kruger made use of the Attack Titan to destroy the Public Security Authorities and their ship before disposing of all evidence of the event. Afterward, Kruger entrusted Grisha with the mission to obtain the Founding Titan from the King of the Walls and passed on his Attack Titan.[21][22][23]

Upon inheriting the Attack Titan from Kruger, Grisha used his Titan to head northwards towards the Walls, where he was found by a soldier named Keith Shadis of the Survey Corps.[24]

Story Prologue arc Frieda is eaten After holding the Attack Titan for approximately thirteen years, Wall Maria came under attack by the Warriors of Marley; Grisha Yeager decided the time had come to negotiate with the Founding Titan or take it by force if necessary. Arriving at the Reiss Chapel, Grisha pleaded with Frieda Reiss for the sake of Eldia and the Walls, but his cries were neglected.[25] Although insistent about taking the Founding Titan by force, Grisha is unable to until he is pressured to by the future holder of the Attack Titan: his son Eren Yeager. Goaded on by the memories of his family, his comrades who died before him and the mission he was entrusted to fulfill by his predecessor, Grisha used the Attack Titan and overpowered Frieda, stealing the Founding Titan and killing her along with the rest of her family, except for her father, who escaped.[26]

Upon returning to Wall Rose where the refugees from Wall Maria were arriving, Grisha found Eren and took him into a forest where he injected him with a Titan serum.[27] As a Pure Titan, Eren ate his father and inherited both the Attack Titan and the Founding Titan, though he could not use the latter due to his non-royal lineage.[28]

Battle of Trost District arc Eren bursts out of the Bearded Titan's body Eren awakens the power of the Attack Titan For five years, Eren Yeager lived his life unaware of his possession of the Attack Titan and the unusable Founding Titan until the year 850, during the battle of Trost District. Upon being caught and eaten by a Titan, Eren's injuries and burning desire to slaughter the Titans trigger his first transformation into the Attack Titan.[29] In a nearly mindless state, Eren wanders Trost as the Attack Titan, slaughtering twenty Titans[30] throughout the day all while avoiding bringing harm to the human trainees around him. His first Attack Titan eventually exhausts itself, and Eren emerges with healed wounds.[31]

Completely clueless as to the nature of Eren's Titan power, the Trost Garrison takes Eren into their custody and question him about his Titan nature.[32] When it becomes clear that the Garrison soldiers present cannot be reasoned with, cannon fire is used against Eren, but he successfully accomplishes a partial transformation of the Attack Titan and protects himself and his friends from the blast.[33] Upon Commander Dot Pixis' arrival in Trost, the military decides to make use of the Attack Titan to seal the breached gate of Trost.[34]