Erwin Smith

Appearance: Erwin is tall(6'2) with a muscled build. He has short blond hair, worn with a parting that sweeps to the right. His eyebrows are distinctive in that they're thick and bushy. He often wears his uniform, which consists of dark green pants, black military boots and a beige trench coat over a white button up and black tie. As an honorary Marleyan, Erwin must wear a red armband with a white star on it. The armband identifies him as an honorary Marleyan and he must wear it at all times.

Age: 38

Personality: Erwin is a man driven by a cause greater than him; to end the Eldian threat and bring about humanity's victory over the titans. However, his drive to understand the world and the truth about the Island Devils and the curse in his blood is his true aim and he acts almost selfishly at times in the prioritisation of his goal. He is a genius, skilled at manipulation and influencing his subordinates to take great risks in the name of duty, often gambling with their lives. His ability to be impartial on the battlefield and lead soldiers to their deaths has earnt him the nickname 'humanity's devil', something he accepts with the same stoicism he receives both mockery and praise. He is an eloquent man, able to sway people to his ideals and he is willing to sacrifice anything for humanity's cause. He is a master strategist and ruthless in the execution of plans he believes will best serve humanity. He presents himself as self-assured and confident and is unshakably determined. Despite this ruthlessness, he is not heartless, showing great remorse for the lives he has sacrificed and the Eldians he has sent to Eldia as pure titans, internally questioning if he's doing the right thing. He can come across as charming, stern or intense, depending on his motives in any given interaction.

Background: Born in Marley, in the Liberio Internment Zone, Erwin is an Eldian that is classified as an honorary Marleyan due to his status as a Warrior. His father was a teacher and a member of the Eldian resistance. When his father's role in the resistance was discovered, he was executed and Erwin became a ward of the Marleyan state. Enrolled into the Warrior program and trained as a soldier, Erwin presents himself as a model citizen, expressing pride in being one of the 'good ones' when it comes to his Eldian heritage. However, he feels that Marley is unjustly oppressing the Eldian people. That said, he maintains his cover as a Captain in the Marleyan military and the leader of the Warriors so he can use his status to attempt to uncover the truth behind Marley and Eldia's history. Along the way he has been forced to commit atrocities to avoid accusations of sedition.

Titan shifters: Titan Shifters: Individuals with Eldian blood, known as the Subjects of Ymir, have the unique potential to inherit one of the Nine Titans. Those who hold a titan are called "titan shifters" and can transform into titans. Each titan shifter can only wield their titan for 13 years before they inevitably die. Erwin currently holds the Beast Titan, allowing him to transform into a 17-meter-tall, ape-like titan. Due to his royal blood, Erwin’s Beast Titan has a unique ability: it can turn Eldians who ingest his spinal fluid into mindless “pure titans,” whom he can control with his scream. The Beast Titan also has regenerative abilities, emitting steam as it heals from injuries. During transformation, Erwin’s human body is located within the nape of the Beast Titan's neck, allowing him to emerge from this spot when he chooses to revert to human form.

Pure titans: Eldians who are injected with titan spinal fluid will turn into pure titans. Unlike titan shifters, pure titans are not able to turn back without eating a titan shifter. Titans range from 4 to 15 meters tall and are large, lumbering beast like creatures. They emit steam when injured and can regenerate damage sustained. The only way to kill a titan is to slice through the nape of it's neck deep enough to sever the spinal cord, or otherwise destroy the spinal cord.

Marley: Marley is a proud and industrious country with a staunch military hierarchy. Eldians in Marley are forced to live in internment zones and wear yellow armbands to identify themselves as Eldian. As only Eldians can become titan shifters, their children are often selected to take part in the Warrior program, becoming soldiers from a young age. Those who are selected to become Warriors and take on one of Marley's titans as titan shifters are promoted to the status of 'honorary Marleyan' and wear red armbands instead. There is a murmur among Eldians that Marley has rewritten history in their favour, particularly in calling Eldians bloodthirsty people who needed to be stopped before their founder, Ymir, destroyed the world with her titans. However, questioning Marleyan doctrine is considered treason and punishable by execution, or being shipped to Eldia to be turned into a pure titan and set on the Eldian people. The current aim of the Warriors is to capture more titan shifters from Eldia and thus increasing Marley's military might, as well as capturing the founding titan, which is capable of unleashing an army of 60 meter tall titans upon the world in a devastating attack known as 'The Rumbling'. Marley believes that Eldians must be eradicated for the cycle of war to finally end.

Other: Erwin finds himself conflicted about whether Marley is correct and what he had assumed was 'fearmongering' may hold some. He knows Marley will demand swift retribution for the attack on Liberio, and he knows he'll be sent on a full assault of Eldia before long. He needs to determine where he stands before that.