What do you think levi would be like if his mom was still alive? Like if she got to raise him, and maybe she somehow escaped prostitution with him? Sorry if someone has already asked this or you dont like answering this question lol.
Hi anon, thank you so much for this question—and for your patience! I'm sorry it's taken me an eternity to answer; I’ve had this message in my inbox for many months and truly didn't mean to leave you hanging. I hope you're still around to read my response! And, please don't worry, I actually love this question, lol.
This is a challenging question because Levi is so profoundly shaped by his grief and trauma. That’s not to say he is his trauma (he isn’t defined solely by what happened to him), but it’s clear that our life experiences, especially severe hardships, play an enormous role in forming who we become. Memories and experiences shape our worldview, our coping skills, and our sense of self. Yet, Attack on Titan also shows how innate character traits matter, and Levi stands out as a prime example—particularly as a foil to Eren, who repeatedly insists he was “born” the way he was. In contrast, Levi’s innately good nature shines through, even when he’s compelled by circumstance to act violently. Or even when his violence as one of his flaws is highlighted.
So, when asking how Levi might have turned out if Kuchel had lived and raised him, the core of the question becomes this: how much of Levi’s personality is innate, and how much is shaped by the instability and loss that marked his early life? Put differently, if his basic needs had been met by a loving, stable caregiver, would his protective instincts and kindness have emerged in less violent, less self-destructive ways? What was always within Levi, and what did the world force upon him?
Levi's Self-Esteem
Throughout the series, Levi often displays signs of low self-esteem. When kids gush over “Humanity’s Strongest,” Levi’s flat affect and “somebody please shut up these goddamned brats” quote read as a rejection of hero worship and a reflex to deflect admiration. It demonstrates a discomfort with praise.
Special Chapter: "Captain Levi"
In the "Uprising" arc, Levi calls himself “not normal… an aberrant person,” useful because he can “respond faster than anyone” in abnormal circumstances—framing his value in terms of utility rather than inherent worth (Ch. 56).
Chapter 56: "Role"
In the "Female Titan" arc, he redirects credit to the backup squad who bought them time with their lives, an instinctive self-effacement that centers others’ sacrifice over his own contribution. This implies an inclination to minimize his own achievements.
Chapter 26: "The Expedient Path"
In the lead-up to the final battle, Levi stated, “If I sleep longer than this, you’ll just forget about me.” That lands like a fear that he only matters if he keeps performing.
Chapter 132: "The Wings of Freedom"
These beats reflect a broader pattern in canon: Levi often talks as if “all I can do is fight,” treats a better life as unattainable for someone like him (in "ACWNR"), and rarely takes pride in heroics. He acts like a man doing grim necessities, not a hero basking in them.
This subdued sense of value is a hallmark of someone who never received stable affirmation growing up and had to rely solely on survival skills. It also connects to how Isayama himself described Levi and his role:
In order to reach the standard of being a “Humanity’s Strongest”, one has to pay unusual efforts. One will not flinch even to the extent of destructing oneself in order to achieve the goal. So the dark circles under Levi’s eyes are the proofs of his sacrificial performance. (source)
Nature vs. Nurture
Levi is both extraordinarily kind and ruthlessly violent. On one hand, he commits extreme acts of brutality: his takedown of Kenny’s squad during the "Uprising" arc (Ch. 58) shows that he can—and will—kill quickly if the situation demands it. He’s also relentless in battle, as we see in his scuffle with the Female Titan (Ch. 30) and his battles against the Beast Titan (Ch. 81, 112). These moments highlight his capacity for lethal force.
Yet Levi is not inherently violent by nature. His childhood circumstances forced him into that role: growing up in the Underground meant that survival required fighting, and Kenny modeled aggression as the appropriate way to solve problems.
Chapter 69: “Friend”
As an adult, this learned violence sometimes spills over into flaws—such as when he manhandles Historia, or when he threatens Annie and Zeke. These are moments where his instinctive reliance on coercion or intimidation becomes a shortcoming.
Chapter 56: “Role”
At the same time, Levi’s innately good nature is undeniable. Compassion was never modeled for him—Kuchel died when he was very young, Levi barely remembering her, and Kenny offered no warmth—yet Levi demonstrates compassion again and again throughout the series.
He honors fallen comrades, quietly tends to his squad, and shoulders pain to protect others.
His kindness, Erwin noted, is part of what inspires loyalty:
Erwin: He just has a rude attitude…but he cherishes his comrades’ life more than anyone else. His reputation cannot be established based on strength alone, Humans can subconsciously detect how much concern others have for them… and when they notice this kindness, it inspires power (AU Smartpass - Erwin & Levi Close-Up Interview Part 2)
From a psychological perspective, attachment theory helps explain Levi’s guarded demeanor. As a child growing up in the Underground, he met all of the risk factors for reactive attachment disorder (RAD).
DSM-5-TR, American Psychiatric Association
Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) in brief
RAD is a childhood disorder that arises after extremes of insufficient care early in life. Core features (DSM-5-TR) include:
Inhibited, emotionally withdrawn behavior toward caregivers (rarely seeks or responds to comfort when distressed).
Persistent social/emotional disturbance (limited positive affect; minimal responsiveness; episodes of unexplained irritability/sadness/fearfulness even in nonthreatening interactions).
History of neglect/deprivation, repeated caregiver changes, or rearing in atypical settings that severely limit opportunities to form selective attachments.
Onset is before age 5, with developmental age of at least 9 months.
Importantly, RAD is a childhood diagnosis. In adults, we don’t diagnose RAD; instead, we discuss long-term attachment patterns (e.g., secure vs. insecure) that can follow from early deprivation.
Levi’s childhood risk factors (why he was “high-risk” for RAD)
Canon gives Levi a cluster of adversities that map closely onto RAD risk conditions:
Loss of primary caregiver very early: Kuchel dies when Levi is still a small child—based on "Bad Boy" age estimates, he was likely age 4 when Kuchel died.
Extreme poverty & unsafe environment: the Underground entails chronic scarcity (food, shelter, medical care) and constant threat—classic conditions that derail secure attachment and emotional regulation.
Replacement caregiver with low sensitivity/instability: Kenny provides sporadic, instrumental care, models aggression as problem-solving, and offers little warmth.
Minimal opportunities for selective, consistent attachment: instability, hunger, and violence leave little space for comfort-seeking to be reliably met with comfort.
Chronic stress/trauma exposure: malnutrition, violence, and grief during sensitive windows of neural and social development.
Taken together, these are textbook insufficient-care conditions. While the manga doesn’t depict toddler-age attachment behaviors in detail (so we can’t say he had RAD), it’s fair to argue Levi was high-risk for it.
How childhood RAD risk often shows up later: insecure attachment in adulthood
Even though RAD isn’t diagnosed in adults, children with severe early deprivation often develop insecure attachment styles later. There are three insecure attachment styles:
(Yes, how many different names they go by is confusing, lol)
The most common adult insecure attachment styles following a diagnosis of RAD in childhood are avoidant-dismissive and fearful-avoidant (anxious-preoccupied is most common following a diagnosis of disinhibited social engagement disorder, a different childhood attachment disorder).
Levi's Attachment Style
In Levi, you can read a fearful-avoidant attachment style.
This pattern combines high attachment anxiety—craving closeness, fearing loss—with high avoidance—distrusting dependence. It often develops after inconsistent or frightening caregiving and plays out in approach–withdraw cycles: the person longs for connection but expects harm or rejection, so they manage vulnerability through distance, control, or hyper-competence.
As the Attachment Project notes, people with this style “deeply want connection but are also terrified of it.” Levi embodies this paradox. He forms strong loyalties—most notably to Erwin, Hange, and his squad—yet keeps emotional distance, rarely allowing others to see his vulnerability. Isayama himself noted:
Interviewer: So…so that’s the situation…(Shock) Levi keeping his distance from most people, and avoiding in-depth relationships - that’s also because he takes his power into account?
Isayama: It’s likely because he is afraid of forming close relationships. Because he exists in a world where one can be eaten by a Titan at any time, he consistently avoids building “family”-like connections with others. (2016 Answers Fanbook)
And crucially, it’s implied in canon that Levi didn’t make his first friends until his young adulthood. The AoT ACWNR visual novel (not to be mistaken for the ACWNR manga)—which I generally don’t like, but is the most direct information we have—states outright:
“From the time he was born until now, Levi had not really been able to make any friends on his own—however, Furlan and Isabel were perhaps the first people who he could truly call ‘friends.’”
This detail reinforces a fearful-avoidant reading of Levi’s attachment style. It suggests that his long isolation wasn’t only circumstantial, but also psychological: a deep fear of loss or abandonment, likely compounded by Kenny’s own abandonment of him. That mix of yearning for closeness yet holding back out of fear is exactly what defines fearful-avoidant attachment.
Another hallmark of fearful-avoidant attachment is oscillating between seeking intimacy and withdrawing. Levi can act warmly or protectively, but then step back, deflect praise, or erect barriers. His pattern of connecting deeply but cautiously reflects that tension. It's notable that one of the primary ways he demonstrates closeness is by engaging in playful insults, like with Erwin or Hange.
Additionally, people with fearful-avoidant attachment may dissociate from uncomfortable emotions or swing between over-disclosure and retreat. Levi fits this pattern: most of the time, he has a flat affect, suppressing or isolating his suffering. Yet he also shows extremes—explosive anger, like when he manhandles Historia during the "Uprising" arc. And while he kept his childhood private for most of canon, he suddenly trauma-dumped his past to Gabi and Falco in “Bad Boy”. That mix of suppression and abrupt disclosure mirrors the push-pull dynamic of fearful-avoidant attachment.
In the Kuchel-lives scenario, a steadier, nurturing base would likely nudge him toward greater security, letting the same protective instincts express with less distance and self-erasure.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs also sheds light on Levi’s circumstances. Early in his life, he had to struggle for even the most basic physiological needs like food and safety. If you’re constantly fighting for your next meal, psychological needs like esteem or self-actualization are hard to prioritize. This might explain Levi’s low self-worth—he never had the chance to develop healthy self-esteem when all energy was directed toward mere survival. Had Kuchel survived and removed him from this environment, Levi likely would have had more of his foundational needs met. A stable home, plus a mother’s love, would foster secure attachment, healthier coping mechanisms, and more self-assurance, potentially letting his innate kindness flourish without such reliance on violence.
If Kuchel Had Lived
So, how would Levi differ if Kuchel had escaped prostitution and raised him in a safer environment? Levi’s nature—loyalty, protectiveness, empathy—would still be there. With nurture providing:
Secure Attachment: Providing a consistent source of emotional support, reducing his guardedness.
Basic Needs Met: Access to consistent food, shelter, and safety, freeing him from the desperate scramble for survival. Would have allowed him greater opportunity to develop friendships during his adolescence and build a healthier self-esteem.
Positive Role Model: Instead of learning violence from Kenny, he might have learned affirmation and conflict resolution from a maternal figure.
Levi would still likely be reserved—some elements of personality are innate—but he wouldn’t equate his only “worth” with combat ability. More importantly, without violence being modeled as the primary way to solve problems, his protective instincts could have manifested in gentler forms. His innate compassion, which already shines through despite everything, would have been allowed to flourish without being held back by the violent habits his childhood instilled.
Other aspects of Levi would probably remain unchanged. His love of tea, for example, seems to trace back to Kuchel, and would likely still have become one of his defining comforts. Likewise, Levi would almost certainly remain short—he’s short even in canon alternate universes like the School Castes AU, and Isayama has mentioned that Levi’s father was also short. Since Levi’s canonical height (5’3”) is listed as slightly shorter than Kuchel’s, he might still have ended up small in stature, though with better nutrition and more sunlight he could plausibly have grown an inch or two taller (perhaps 5’4” or 5’5”).
His sleep, however, might have looked very different. In canon, Levi’s sleep is notoriously poor—he often appears exhausted, with the “dark circles” under his eyes explicitly linked to his sacrificial efforts. But growing up in the Underground, cut off from natural light, likely disrupted his circadian rhythm. A lack of exposure to sunlight often results in sleep disorders, such as non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, which may explain why Levi struggles so much with rest in canon. In a world where Kuchel raised him above ground, with natural light and less trauma, Levi might have had a healthier sleep cycle, one more in line with human rhythms rather than the severe insomnia we see in the manga.
In that alternate life, Levi’s kindness would not have had to coexist in constant tension with brutality. Instead, it could have been expressed openly, without fear, and without the lifelong scars of deprivation and violence.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
i do absolutely think Levi having some sort of sexual trauma has been built upon over the years. There’s just so many small things that point to that kind of trauma, and Bad Boy just compounds on those things.
his aversion to sleep has always been very strange to me, he doesn’t even lay down to do so and only ever gets a few hours. it could just be a general unease/feeling a lack of safety but Levi isn’t exactly an outwardly anxious person. im sure his ability to sustain himself on only a few hours of sleep has something to do with his Ackerman power, but he almost seems to have a tendency to avoid laying in beds as a whole. i’m not sure we ever see him in one (perhaps the barracks in No Regrets?) outside of his major injury towards the end.
honestly even though his obsession with cleanliness can be associated with growing up in a dirty environment like the underground (very common IRL w people who grow up in poverty or hoarding etc) something about it always raised an eyebrow to me. feeling somehow “filthy” in a way that is difficult to shake is a very common trauma response for SA victims. He’s also particular with human gore in a way he isn’t with Titan gore. to be fair Titan blood literally steams off, but idk the elaborate get up in the torture scene stick with me, why is a guy who constantly cuts down giant meat monsters full of blood and sinew suiting up with an apron and rubber gloves to punch a human?
When Kenny finds him with Kuchel’s body he’s only wearing of one of her old shirts (if i remember right) which could also be just associated with the neglect he faced as Kuchel’s health declined and she wasn’t able to keep working, but it could absolutely have much worse implications. he’s surely under-clothed for a child that age.
and speaking of Hange i think this is also a huge indicator of how important their friendship w Levi was. i think the “Levi has to knock Hange out to bathe them” lore was mostly a joke, but i absolutely believe that Hange would have a knack for working themselves into exhaustion and neglecting their personal hygiene and the fact that Levi, who is adverse to dirtiness and probably physical touch, would still be willing to help Hange take care of themselves on that level is very important to me.
idk, again there’s just so many small things that compound. i think ppl who refuse to even consider that possibility are ignoring a huge subtext in his writing.
the writing in Bad Boy reminds me a lot of an RPG character from Dragon Age called Zevran, who has a very similar backstory (prostitute mother, grew up in a brothel after she died giving birth) and SA/sex trafficking is a huge part of his writing, it’s never explicitly said but he gets incredibly close to saying it multiple times.
Absolutely, anon, I'm really glad you brought this up. I agree with you. Your observations are thoughtful and deeply grounded in the subtle, but persistent, cues throughout Levi’s characterization. There’s a strong case to be made that Levi’s childhood experiences, especially as hinted in Bad Boy, suggest sexual trauma as part of his backstory, and I agree that this thread has been quietly but consistently built over time across multiple Attack on Titan texts, including the main canon itself, Bad Boy, and the A Choice with No Regrets manga and OVA.
I’ll be honest, though; I sat on this ask for a little while. Not because I disagreed, but because I’ve grown cautious about diving back into this particular conversation, lol. I hope you're still around to read my response! There’s been pushback in the past, and it’s easy to get worn down by the defensiveness and bad-faith interpretations that inevitably come with it. But ultimately, I don’t want fear of fandom backlash to silence a valid reading of the text.
Just to be clear, I’m not saying there’s any explicit confirmation that Levi was sexually abused. What I am saying is that there is a consistent body of subtext—textual, visual, and behavioral—that makes this interpretation both plausible and worth discussing. It’s one lens among many, and it’s one that aligns with real-world trauma responses in a way that deserves thoughtful attention.
For anyone curious and looking to read more on this topic, including some of my older posts and others’ contributions, here are a few links:
That is a fantastic point you bring up about Kenny, how the fact that Levi even felt the need to become strong for him and make him proud de
Thank you for making this post!
The commentary I’ve seen lately about “Bad Boy” has been extremely insulting. Levi is not lesser simply bec
What made you decide Levi was sexually assaulted? Can we keep what was actually shown in the manga in discussion because there's no proof Le
Hey thanks to you and your friends for defending the topic of Levi's exposure to sex trauma. I don't have the confidence to defend that myse
To actually address your message and your points, anon:
When Kenny first discovers Levi, Levi appears severely malnourished and neglected. He’s wearing only a shirt, which not only suggests poverty but also emphasizes how profoundly vulnerable he is. While it’s never confirmed whether the shirt belonged to Kuchel, the idea that it might have is a valid and plausible headcanon. What is confirmed is that Levi is shown curled up on the floor in the same room as her decomposing body, completely alone. In the context of a brothel—where Kuchel worked as a sex worker and where strangers would have regularly entered and exited the space—Levi’s state of undress takes on more disturbing implications. We never learn who had access to that room after Kuchel’s death, nor how long Levi was left to fend for himself there. And as you pointed out, for a child that age to be so underclothed in such a setting is more than just a sign of deprivation—it casts a shadow over the kind of dangers he may have been exposed to during that time.
Now, I’m aware there’s some debate in the fandom about whether Levi and Kuchel actually lived in the brothel where she worked. Personally, I do believe they did. But even if they didn’t, Kuchel’s notoriety as "Olympia"—a well-known prostitute—means that clients familiar with her could very well have come looking. Regardless of the precise location, the threat would have remained the same.
It’s also important to consider how the Attack on Titan universe establishes the Underground as a site of rampant exploitation, especially sexual violence and trafficking. In "Chapter 6: The World that the Girl Saw", we learn that Mikasa, who lived on the surface, was nearly trafficked into sexual slavery. The traffickers planned to sell her specifically to the Underground, where such exploitation was evidently common and profitable. If that was the fate planned for a surface child, it paints a grim picture of what life must have been like for children born in the Underground. Levi wasn’t just born there—he was the son of a sex worker, raised alone in a brothel after her death. In Bad Boy, we see that even as a child, Levi was almost sold into the same system by thugs looking to profit off him. On top of that, he was well-known locally as a “whore’s son,” a stigma that would have marked him as vulnerable. Given this context, and considering how openly the narrative depicts trafficking as a real danger even for children with more protection than Levi had, it’s tragically plausible that Levi endured violations that the text never directly names. Whether or not his trauma is ever confirmed in explicit terms, the setting, circumstances, and behavioral cues all suggest that he was not spared from the kind of exploitation that was normalized in the world he grew up in.
A Choice with No Regrets further deepens this portrait of Levi. As an adult in the Underground, he’s strikingly hyper-independent and emotionally guarded. His stoicism goes far beyond what would be considered adaptive for someone in a harsh environment; it reads instead as the psychological armor of someone who learned, particularly early on, that vulnerability is dangerous. What’s telling is how this contrasts with Furlan and Isabel, who also grew up in the Underground but retain a more open emotional register. Levi, by contrast, keeps himself closed off, even from those he clearly cares about. Another subtle but telling detail is his relationship to sleep. As you noted, Levi rarely lays down to rest. Even after Return to Shiganshina, when he’s critically injured, we only see him in bed when he’s completely incapacitated. His irregular sleep habits suggest that rest (and the vulnerability it entails) is something he instinctively avoids. It’s also worth noting that Isayama has confirmed in interviews that Levi typically sleeps in a chair. That choice feels significant: what is it about beds, specifically, that feel unsafe to him? It’s a small detail, but one that subtly reinforces the idea that Levi's avoidance of rest is tied not just to environmental danger, but to deeper psychological trauma.
One moment from A Choice with No Regrets that I think is often overlooked—or, worse, completely misread—is the scene in the manga where Levi kills Isabel’s attacker. There’s a strong implication that the man had either raped or was planning to rape her. Isabel returns visibly shaken, and the fact that her hair was forcibly cut—while some try to minimize this—is itself a physical violation. That kind of act doesn’t happen without bodily restraint, humiliation, and intent to dehumanize. Levi’s reaction isn’t casual vengeance or impulsive rage. It’s swift, cold, and deliberate. And it stands out all the more because Levi is consistently portrayed as someone who does not enjoy killing, especially when it comes to other humans. He doesn’t take satisfaction in it, and he’s shown to feel the weight of taking lives. But in this moment, he kills with no hesitation. That’s not just about protecting Isabel; it’s also about what that kind of violation represents to him. This scene adds another layer to the subtext that Levi may have experienced sexual trauma himself. His actions suggest not just outrage on her behalf, but a deep, visceral recognition of what was done to her. When you consider his background—being raised in a brothel, growing up in a community where sexual violence was commonplace, and being personally threatened with it—his response in this scene becomes far more layered. It's not about bloodlust; it's about protection.
As for his obsession with cleanliness, I completely agree that it likely stems from both his impoverished upbringing and something deeper. Like you stated, the trauma of feeling “unclean” in a psychological sense is a known marker in many survivors of sexual abuse. Levi doesn’t just value hygiene—he’s almost compulsive about it. In chapter 15, when he enters Trost HQ, his first instinct is to clean, even in the midst of military chaos. It’s a trait that speaks to more than just surface disgust; it feels ritualistic, like he’s trying to scrub away something intangible. We also know from the Smartpass AU Levi Close-up Report that part of the reason Levi cares so much about cleanliness is because he associates filth with disease. That alone demonstrates that the cleaning is a coping mechanism for something greater.
The A Choice with No Regrets OVA also contributes to this subtext in a subtle but unsettling way. In one sequence, a group of thugs corner Isabel, and after she bites one of them, he implies he wants to assault her—saying, “She’ll pay for bitin’ me. Lemme have some fun with her before we do anything else, ’kay?” Levi isn’t present for that threat, but it establishes that these men are sexual predators and underscores how normalized sexual violence is in the Underground. Shortly afterward, when Levi confronts the same group, one of the thugs touches the collar of Levi’s shirt. Levi immediately recoils and snaps, “Keep your filthy hands off me. I don’t want you smudging my shirt.” His tone is cold and sharp—disproportionately intense for such a minor touch, unless read through the lens of trauma. What’s especially notable is how Furlan quickly intervenes, almost too casually, saying, “Sorry, 'bout that. We're clean freaks here. You prob'ly shouldn't come back, but if ya do, be sure to wash your hands first.” It’s a strangely timed comment, bringing up hygiene in the middle of a tense confrontation, and it reads more like a deflection than comic relief, at least to me. Furlan’s response seems like a practiced redirection, as if he’s accustomed to covering for Levi in moments like this, aware that Levi’s aversion to touch and obsession with cleanliness may stem from something deeper. The way Levi reacts to even an incidental touch, especially from a man he clearly perceives as threatening (and was established as a sexual predator earlier), raises red flags. Within the broader context of the Underground, where exploitation is rampant and children are especially vulnerable, this interaction adds another layer to the growing subtext that Levi’s boundaries around touch aren’t just about personal preference, but about learned survival.
A common counter-argument I’ve seen is that Levi couldn’t have experienced sexual abuse because, in Bad Boy, when the thugs threaten to sell him into sexual slavery, he awakens his Ackerman powers and kills them. But, I think this interpretation misreads both the mechanics of his awakening and the emotional weight of that scene. Levi doesn’t react violently when the men first threaten to traffic him. In fact, he stays relatively passive through much of the assault, even as they kick him and beat him down. What ultimately triggers his Ackerman powers isn’t the threat of trafficking alone—it’s a combination of two far more visceral elements: first, the insult to his mother (“whore’s son”), which cuts directly at the only attachment and source of comfort he’s ever known; and second, the imminent threat to his life. When the men begin slamming his head into the ground, it’s not just brutal—it would have been fatal. That moment of near-death, combined with emotional provocation, is what pushes him to awaken. This is consistent with how Ackerman power is described elsewhere in canon: it’s often activated in a life-or-death situation.
Importantly, most sexual trauma, especially in childhood, is not marked by that same level of immediate physical lethality. It’s often coercive or normalized within the environment, particularly when it occurs repeatedly over time. If Levi had experienced prior instances of sexual trauma, there’s no reason to assume his powers would have activated. The context simply wouldn’t have matched the threshold required. What Bad Boy shows us, in fact, is how long Levi endures violence without fighting back. His gentle, quiet demeanor in that scene says a lot; he’s not someone who reacts with aggression instinctively. He internalizes pain. He withdraws. And that, in itself, is a trauma response. The idea that Levi could only have been victimized if he had physically fought back or "activated" sooner misunderstands both trauma and how the Ackerman lineage functions in canon.
And yes, the way Levi interacts with Hange is one of the clearest examples of how touch and boundaries operate differently for him with people he trusts. The oft-joked “Levi knocking Hange out to bathe them” anecdote, while humorous in fandom circles, does imply a certain level of trust and care on his part that cuts directly against his usual physical avoidance and aversion to filth. If you believe Levi is touch-averse because of trauma, then the fact that he’ll tend to someone else’s body—grime, sweat, and all—speaks volumes. It reflects a profound emotional bond.
Btw, I've never played Dragon Age, but I agree that the situation with Zevran sounds similar to the situation with Levi. Isayama never explicitly states that Levi was sexually abused—but neither does he shy away from leaving the space open.
The resistance from some parts of the fandom to even consider this reading is telling. It reveals discomfort not just with the possibility of Levi being a victim, but with the idea that masculinity and vulnerability can coexist. For some, Levi must remain a stoic archetype of masculinity, not someone whose past might include being violated or exploited. But the reality is that Attack on Titan is saturated with trauma, and Levi’s trauma is one of the most underexplored and underacknowledged parts of the narrative, precisely because it’s so coded in subtext.
In short, the subtext is there. The behavioral patterns are consistent. And your instinct to read between the lines is absolutely justified. Bad Boy doesn’t explicitly confirm that Levi was sexually abused, but it significantly strengthens the already persistent implication. Acknowledging that possibility isn’t reaching; it’s a valid interpretation of the character and the narrative choices surrounding him.
Thanks for the ask, anon! I hope my answer was interesting to read.
Why do you think Levi is subjected to more ableism in the fandom than other characters in the series?
You know, Anon, I’ve wondered the same thing. I’ve often thought about why Levi in particular faces so much ableism from fans, especially compared to other disabled characters in Attack on Titan, like Erwin (who was an amputee) and Hange (who lost an eye). I think one important difference driving the ableism against Levi is how his role in the narrative was tied so strongly to his physical prowess; he was literally hailed as “Humanity’s Strongest.” For many fans, this moniker became his entire identity. When they see Levi at the end of the manga with severe injuries—half-blind, facially scarred, and using a wheelchair—there can be an almost visceral reaction: they feel he’s “lost” what made him exceptional and, consequently, his worth.
Of course, this attitude misses the deeper point of his character. Levi’s true “strength” was never about having perfectly functioning limbs or unmatched reflexes; instead, it lay in his resilience, moral compass, and capacity to protect and care about others despite intense personal trauma. Unlike Erwin or Hange—whose strengths were regarded as intellectual, strategic, or based on charisma—Levi was mythologized for his physical abilities. And our society, unfortunately, tends to place a premium on physical performance; people often conflate physical prowess with overall capability and even personal value. Notice how many superhero stories focus on those heroes being heroic because of their superpowers. When that physical prowess is removed, the ableist assumption is that someone becomes “useless” or “broken”. Erwin and Hange aren’t subjected as much to this particular form of prejudice because their disabilities aren’t perceived as negating their worth.
Furthermore, mobility disabilities in particular are frequently treated with greater bias and discrimination—there is a long history of society perceiving a wheelchair user’s life as diminished or over. Because Levi’s injuries affect him in very visible ways (eye injury, wheelchair use, and facial scarring), the ableist rhetoric becomes more overt: some fans leap to the conclusion that he’s a shadow of his former self, rather than recognizing he’s still the same exact individual who overcame a violent childhood, survived countless battles, and bore tremendous responsibility and loss on his shoulders, all with immense compassion.
What’s especially ironic is that Levi’s endurance and courage remain perfectly intact; if anything, his hardships only reinforce how indomitable his spirit is. Being in a wheelchair doesn’t negate what he’s achieved; it highlights how much he’s lost yet continues to survive, pushing forward with the same mental and emotional fortitude. By dismissing him because of his physical injuries, people undermine the story’s nuanced message: that genuine strength is measured by character, not physical strength.
All in all, I believe Levi faces more blatant ableism because people struggle to separate his core character from his once-renowned physicality. The fact that he ended the story visibly disabled, rather than “bouncing back” with minimal repercussions, forces certain fans to confront their own biases regarding disability. Instead of reading it as an empowering statement rooted in realism—that Levi is still himself, still strong in ways that truly matter—some choose to read it through an ableist lens, judging his worth by his physical condition alone.
I can’t get over the fact that seeking out physical mementos of his dead loved ones is something Levi has been doing since he was a young child. He sought out his mom’s tea set because it was the last tangible symbol of the life she lived and the impression he had of her—never wanting to forget her. Levi keeps inside of him the memories of every person he has ever lost.
Levi does the same thing again when he loses his squad in the “Female Titan” arc, and he cuts out Petra’s Scout badge from her uniform. He wanted a physical reminder that they had lived. These physical reminders are signs of who they were when they were still alive. To Levi, everyone deserves to be remembered as such. There’s such tragic selflessness in Levi, though, that he willingly gives up that last memento of Petra to help alleviate the grief of Dieter, who had just finished accusing Levi of being “devoid of humanity” and then endangered all of them in an attempt to retrieve the body of his dead comrade. Levi consistently forgoes his own needs to help others.
That same tragic selflessness is present in Levi in “Bad Boy” because Levi was ready to die in order to preserve that last impression he had of his mom, the one good thing he ever had. Let that sink in. Levi didn’t even fully remember his mom, but the mere impression of her was the one good thing he had. That says volumes about the suffering Levi must have experienced in his short life up until that moment. He truly does not see any worth in himself or in his own life. He actively endangered himself in “Bad Boy” because of this. He was suicidal.
And yet, Levi values the lives of others beyond anyone else. He seeks to give their deaths meaning. All this, despite seeing no greater value in himself beyond his ability to help people. Levi sees others’ lives as inherently valuable, but not his own.
It is significant to note that Levi’s powers awakened from a desire to protect. It wasn’t until the men attacking him in “Bad Boy” spoke horrific things about his mother that Levi fought back with the intention to protect his mom’s image. It was that moment in which he awakened.
The trauma of going into a situation fully expecting to die and then coming out of it having murdered multiple men is immeasurable. Levi never wanted this life of violence, as evidenced by the fact Levi peacefully asked multiple times for these men to give him an item that was rightfully his in the first place. Then, this bastard with the glasses later attempts to carve into Levi the idea that Levi’s own mother would be disappointed in him and hate him for having defended himself—when the only reason Levi even fought back was to protect her image. The tea cup breaking at the end acted as a metaphor that Levi had sullied his own image in the eyes of his mother, reinforced by the likely fact that it was his newly awakened strength that broke the handle—Levi views himself as the problem. The title “Bad Boy” is in reference to Levi’s perception of himself as a bad boy.
It is clear to me that the only thing that motivated Levi to live after all this was the idea that he could possibly do something good with his newfound strength—even though he viewed it as a monstrosity within him, being the cause of him destroying the last memory of his mother and resulting in him killing multiple men (likely for the first time). His newfound strength was also associated with leading directly to Kenny abandoning him. As such, there is no other reason Levi would have wanted to keep living otherwise. All of this speaks to an innate goodness in Levi. His selflessness is both his greatest flaw and his greatest strength.
Hello, loved that levi ask and what you said is what i believed since bad boy came out, however there's this piece of information from isayama from his autograph session in 2018 he says :
Q: Kenny said he will never go to a brothel. Does Levi think the same way?” Isayama: “Because it’s an environment that Levi had been part of since childhood, it seems like he considers prostitution as just another ordinary job.”
I have a hard time seeing how this fit or maybe isayama changed his mind? What do you think?
This ask is in reference to this post.
Hi, anon, thank you for your ask! And thank you for your kind words. I’m glad I was able to verbalize some of your own thoughts.
You know, I’ve seen this quote referenced several times, and I also find it interesting. Now, I don’t speak Japanese, so I can’t entirely speak to (1) the accuracy of the translation and (2) the nuances of Isayama’s intended meaning and phrasing. But, based on how I interpret his words, I don’t think they contradict the idea that Levi may have experienced trauma related to the environment he grew up in.
When I read that quote, I interpret it as Levi not judging people who engage in sex work, not that he views the industry as entirely harmless. Growing up in the Underground, prostitution was likely one of the few options available for survival—especially for women like Kuchel. Levi knows that. He saw it firsthand. I think Isayama is saying Levi doesn’t look down on sex workers or moralize their choices because, to him, sex work was part of the economic reality of poverty. It was common. It was normalized. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t also exploitative, violent, or traumatizing; it just means Levi is able to recognize the systemic forces that put people, including his mother, in those positions. And crucially, it means he directs any judgment or anger toward those systems, not toward the people trapped within them.
We know, for example, Levi deeply respects his mother. He holds Kuchel in the highest regard; he honors her memory, seeks to remember her, and he never speaks about her with bitterness or shame (he even sees her as elegant). But that respect doesn’t mean he was blind to the toll her occupation took on her, or on him. Levi understands what poverty and desperation can do to people. So it’s entirely consistent that he would view sex work as “ordinary” in the sense of “commonplace” or “survival-driven,” while still recognizing the harm and coercion often embedded in it.
Those ideas aren’t mutually exclusive. You can have compassion for the individuals involved, even as you criticize the system that exploits them. And Levi, more than most characters, is capable of holding those two truths at once.
Also, it’s important to recognize that Isayama’s comments outside the manga often reflect a broad, neutral stance. He tends to give room for multiple interpretations and has admitted before that his thoughts on characters evolve over time.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Levi's intelligence is often overlooked, probably because he's compared directly to Erwin and Hange. Erwin and Hange are both extraordinarily intelligent, but Levi is immensely intelligent himself. He is able to read people (better than any other character), and he knows how to make the best use of what he has available. Many other users have done a wonderful job expanding on Levi's emotional intelligence, so I wanted to expand on some of his feats of general intelligence:
I. Ability to Both Think Long-Term and Make Quick Decisions While in the Midst of Battle
After Historia and Eren are captured by Kenny and the MPs, Levi avoids immediately chasing after them—similarly to how he approached the situation with the Female Titan. The overall strategic goal still remained keeping Historia and Eren safe, but Levi was able to recognize in the moment that chasing after them would not have successfully led to achieving that objective. Levi adapted his tactics, and the Scouts were overall more successful in their mission because of it.
Without Erwin, Levi is able to lead his remaining team to safety and take down an MP compound without casualties. They are all able to regroup and come up with a plan to rescue Eren and Historia because of Levi's quick thinking and long-term planning during this battle.
II. The Reeves Negotiation
Much has been said about Levi's kindness and compassion in this arc, about how he's interested in saving the city of Trost at no tangible benefit to himself (and after being directly mistreated by its citizens earlier in the same arc), but what I want to bring attention to is (1) that he was able to recognize the opportunity for a negotiation and (2) his skills at bargaining.
Directly after taking down the MP compound (Chapter 54: "Location of the Counterattack"), Levi and his team encounter Dimo Reeves, the boss for the Reeves Company as well as the merchant responsible for blocking the Trost gate earlier in the series. Levi is able to intuit that there is more to Dimo Reeves' "deal" with the MPs than meets the eye, so he brings Dimo Reeves outside to look over Trost together and converse. This demonstrates Levi's skill at reading people. No other character had indicated an interest in holding a conversation about Dimo's motives.
Dimo reveals how the Reeves Company has been at the mercy of the Interior MPs and how he has been following the MPs' orders to avoid getting immediately killed and losing everything—to protect his employees and their families. This conversation directly leads to a negotiation and then a deal being formed between the Scouts and the Reeves Company.
When Levi is laying out the conditions for the deal, it is evident that Dimo does not seem initially receptive. Levi uses the word "trust," which Dimo balks at.
However, Levi's third condition, which is actually the most unimportant and superfluous one, results in Dimo accepting the deal. Why?
"Seems you're even greedier than a merchant." Dimo says this, as he is familiar at interacting with and respects other merchants. Levi added the third condition in, not simply because he wants tea and other luxurious goods, but because it brings himself down to Dimo's level. Without this condition, the deal may not have gone through. It is exactly this condition that results in Dimo "trusting" Levi as an equal.
This negotiation is also more evidence toward Levi's ability to think long-term. This deal between the Scouts and the Reeves Company benefits the Scouts for the remainder of the series.
III. Luring Kenny Into a Bar
Expanding on Levi's ability to make quick decisions while in the midst of battle, one of the best examples of this is Levi's first encounter with Kenny during the Uprising arc, where Levi lures Kenny into a bar and is able to defeat him as a result.
This goes beyond Ackerman prowess, as that is more related to superhuman strength and heightened combat reflexes. This is specifically a feat of intelligence; it's a sign of Levi's ingenuity—using aspects of the environment to his advantage. By luring Kenny into a bar, Levi is able to procure a weapon to even the playing field. Kenny himself is impressed and adds in that Levi was not taught these tactics by him. Some of the specific tactics of note:
III.a Use of Reflection
Levi is able to procure a shotgun while simultaneously taking cover from Kenny. He converses with Kenny to keep Kenny focused on him and not the bar's patrons, and even though Levi is facing away from Kenny, he uses the reflection off the alcohol's glass to properly aim the shotgun.
III.b Chair and Figuring Out the Firearms' Weakness
Levi knew he was going to be ambushed from up top as soon as he left the bar, so he threw a chair out the window to both distract and waste his opponents' shots. I'm fairly certain Levi was the first one to notice the main weakness of the anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment.
The main weakness, as Armin explains above in a later chapter, is that they need to reload after shooting twice. Levi first threw a chair, forcing one of his opponents to shoot twice, kills that opponent, and then uses that opponent's body as a shield against the other two guys' shots.
IV. Final Battle - Infers Immediately Armin is Alive
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but Levi is the first to infer that Armin has to be alive, given the way Titan powers work. As such, Levi is able to keep the others focused on the battle in front of them, knowing that Armin is alive and unharmed. This again speaks to Levi's quick thinking while in the midst of battle; it is often more difficult to make these sorts of judgments while in a fight-or-flight situation. Keep in mind as well that Levi is also grievously injured here, so it is even more impressive, how quickly he's able to make this inference.
V. Final Battle - Leadership and Planning
Full stop, the Alliance would not have succeeded without Levi, and part of that is because of Levi's ability to take charge and come up with a plan. This is the plan that they followed throughout the entire duration of the Battle of Heaven and Earth, and it is a plan Levi came up with, directly in response to an unexpected change in circumstances.
This again shows off Levi's skill in adjusting tactics to achieve a strategic objective. Even though the commanders are the ones often in charge of this, Levi is clearly very capable and adept at this himself. Right before this panel, everyone was arguing on how to proceed. Levi came up with the best overall plan, and in addition to that, formulated the two teams required to carry out that plan.
Levi’s Childhood: “Bad Boy”, The Underground, Kuchel, and Kenny—What Are the Implications?
Content Warning: Discussion of rape, sexual abuse, and sex trafficking
“Bad Boy” makes it even more explicitly clear that the Underground was no place for a child. From the “Bad Boy” panels alone, it is evident that Levi likely had constant people preying on him at all times—especially before he awakened his Ackerman powers. All these men Levi encounters here had no issue beating a child to (near) death or selling him into sexual slavery. Similar to the way it is portrayed in the “A Choice with No Regrets” storyline, the Underground is also described by Levi as “hopelessly dirty” with “rotten air”.
It is significant to note here that Levi was well-known for being a prostitute’s son; all of those men were aware of Levi’s relation to Kuchel, even before Levi himself made it clear. They wanted to traffic him for that reason. In terms of speculation, it is very believable and even highly probable that Levi experienced sexual assault and rape before he awakened. Having grown up in a brothel with his mom, and now further seeing how common sex trafficking in the Underground was and also Levi’s infamy for being a prostitute’s son—there is no doubt that Levi was exposed to extreme levels of sexual violence regularly, whether it be him being witness to it, him experiencing the direct threat of it such as in “Bad Boy,” or him experiencing the actual act. The trauma of this is impossible to overstate. It seems the most likely, however, that Levi has had direct personal experience with the act itself, as men would have likely continued visiting “Olympia” after she died (and before Kenny appeared), and upon discovering she was no longer a viable option to have sex with, some of those men would have set their sights on Levi, who was a helpless child in the process of starving to death.
The men in “Bad Boy” spoke about Levi as if he was born strictly to live a life of sexual slavery, referring to him as a “whore’s child” and discussing how they’d be able to profit from making him do the same job as his mother, saying he may have “inherited her talents”. Levi had probably heard this sort of language used in his presence before. As such, it would not be surprising if Levi had learned to expect this sort of treatment, as if he was placed in the world solely to suffer. Levi would have sought out a reason for this—why must he constantly be subjected to suffering? Is it because there is something wrong with him? If that’s the case, what specifically is wrong with him? It is important to consider as well that Levi’s entire sense of identity at this point was wrapped up in being the son of a prostitute and being raised by a serial killer, who may or may not have been his father.
The violence Levi was subjected to in “Bad Boy,” such as having his head repeatedly smashed against the ground with a fist, would have most certainly resulted in his death, or at the very least, permanent brain damage, had Levi’s powers not awakened in that moment. However, what’s notable to me during all of this is the absence of Kenny’s presence. This indicates that Kenny would leave Levi alone in the Underground for significant enough periods of time that Levi still had the opportunity to find himself in situations of extreme danger, situations such that would have resulted in his death. Given what we know about Levi’s childhood from Kenny’s recollection of it in the main series, Kenny would subject Levi to fights against fully grown men in order to develop Levi’s combat skills and likely prompt his awakening. It is also clear in these “Bad Boy” panels that Levi already knew how to fight, given the way he initially tried to protect himself from being beaten by all those men. He was, however, helpless in protecting himself, given the deep disadvantage he had from being a child, as well as being faced against multiple opponents. Levi’s combat skills after his awakening also demonstrated he already had significant training. The responsible thing for an adult in Kenny’s position would have been to, not teach Levi how to fight, but remove him from the environment that necessitated that knowledge in the first place.
Needless to say, this practice was cruel and immensely abusive. The amount of psychological damage and self-worth issues this would undoubtedly cause Levi are immeasurable. It was Kenny’s responsibility to protect Levi’s childhood innocence, but it is because of Kenny’s actions (and inactions) that Levi was placed in a position of having to kill multiple men as a young child. Kenny may have saved Levi from the imminent death of starvation, but his abuse and abandonment ultimately caused Levi more harm than good in the long-run; he taught and exposed Levi to a life of violence. Indeed, Kenny wanted Levi to be a force for violence. That is all he ever modeled for Levi and desired from him, even though he had the capability of sparing Levi from such experiences. However, it speaks to Levi’s innate goodness that he still loved Kenny after all he was made to suffer by him and even forgave Kenny by the end.
The awakening of Levi’s powers demonstrated to Levi the idea that he was an agent of destruction and a monster. Recall back to the moment during the “Uprising” arc when a man accuses Levi of being such and Levi simply responds, “Maybe I am”. Levi’s awakening was described by Levi as a form of dissociation, as if he was not fully aware of what he was doing. Consider his words here: “I didn’t think it was strange that something had happened to me at the time. The pain in my head disappeared and I felt calm, as if my head was submerged in water. And the idea of what to do came to mind. But I just followed the instinct and acted accordingly.” And yet, Levi likely blames himself for the brutality of which he killed his attackers, despite acting in self-defense and having no other recourse. It was an answer to his question: what is wrong with him? He must be a monster. Being forced into such a situation as a child would instill this view in Levi that he was born into his life only to bring suffering to others. That is why he suffers in turn.
This perception of an inner monstrosity in Levi is furthered by what the man in the glasses tells him directly after this: “Stop doing things that will make your mother in heaven sad!” Levi’s impression of Kuchel, his mother, was the one thing that brought him comfort in his life. He remembered her “elegant” posture. With these man’s words, even that one comfort was lost to Levi. Now the thought of his mother would instead be associated with the idea that she would view him as bad—that she would have seen his “murderous” actions and would cast judgment on him. This is completely incorrect, of course. The only reason Levi even awakened his strength was because he was protecting his mom’s image from the cruel words the men were speaking against her. Levi was severely beaten to near death, all because he loved his mom essentially. Think of the tragedy of that; Levi was directly punished for loving someone. This further demonstrates that innate goodness in Levi—how he continues to love and care about others, despite the immense suffering it’s brought him over and over. To further the tragedy of all this, it is evident that Levi still views his mother with fondness, in spite of the belief that she would hate him. Levi purposely seeks out the brothel in which he grew up with her, undoubtedly filled with countless awful and traumatic memories, in order to feel closer to her presence.
After Levi’s awakening, Levi soon after finds himself in yet another fight, and it is this moment that Levi watches as Kenny walks away and abandons him forever. Levi thought Kenny wanted him to become strong. He thought his strength would earn him Kenny’s acceptance, but instead, he was met with his rejection. If Kenny still didn’t love him even after becoming strong, that once again proved to Levi that there was something deeply wrong with him. Similar to the way Levi would come to associate his strength as the thing responsible for making him a “killer” and ruining his mother’s perception of him, Levi would likely form the association that his physical strength led directly to Kenny abandoning him. Moreover, what was the purpose of his strength? Levi did not want to use it to bring suffering to others.
Levi discovered on his own that his strength could be used to help others—to protect. This is incredibly significant because Levi was literally taught the opposite his whole life: that it made him a monster, that its only purpose was for saving himself and bringing death and destruction—he was taught even that that’s something he should desire. Somehow, despite all that, Levi still found a way to use his strength for the benefit of others. Although, this highlights a further tragedy in Levi. As demonstrated earlier, Levi was taught that it was the normal state of the world, the status quo, for him to be abused; he learned that this treatment of him was, not only happening because it was something he was somehow meant for, but also happening because he was some abnormal monster. Levi desiring to use his strength for others does not negate Levi’s own negative perception of himself. All of the events in Levi’s childhood taught Levi that he had no worth, and that is indeed the way we see Levi treat himself throughout the entire series.
Levi never once defends himself against people’s cruel words against him. Think back to the way Mikasa said it was Levi’s fault that they had lost Eren in the “Female Titan” arc directly after Levi had lost his entire squad; think of the way Levi accepts Dieter’s words against him and Erwin about being “devoid of humanity” in the aftermath of the Female Titan’s attack; think of how Levi accepts the negative way the people of Trost and the merchants were speaking against him; and as mentioned earlier, think of the way Levi accepts being called a monster during “Uprising”. Levi directly refers to himself as “abnormal” as well during that same arc. There are countless more examples of this. Levi fights during the Battle of Heaven and Earth, despite being grievously injured already. It is because of this that he ultimately ends up in a wheelchair. Levi fights for other people to the complete detriment of himself. That is pure selflessness. Levi treats himself as completely devoid of worth, despite seeing so much worth in others. As such, Levi dedicates everything he has, even if it would result in severe damage to himself; he views himself as expendable. It is clear too that Levi views himself as unclean from all the blood he has on his hands and all the filth he was surrounded by growing up. It was his “dirty” hands after all that killed all those men and led to his mom’s teacup breaking at the end of "Bad Boy"; a sign of his inner badness.
Levi, Emotional Expression, and Social Interaction
I've seen different posts on Levi lately across different platforms that claim he is a cruel or mean person, which are fundamental misunderstandings of his character. I sort of see the problem as people mistaking Levi's emotional expressions (or lack thereof) as indicative of malicious intent or rude behavior. As such, I wanted to discuss how Levi's history and trauma have shaped how he expresses himself and relates to others. Once one has an understanding of that, it becomes evident that Levi's expressions should not be used to judge his intentions or feelings.
I wrote another post on how Levi fully meets the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on my main blog, and that diagnosis is important for understanding Levi as a character, as he's someone who's been largely affected by his trauma. To further expand on that post, we're going to discuss both Levi's affect and his ways of socially interacting with others, using concepts such as social modeling and self-monitoring.
What is Emotional Affect?
Affect, in psychology, refers to a patient's expression of emotion. Expression of emotion encompasses facial expressions, gestures, body language, tone of voice, etc. Mood, on the other hand, refers to the internal state of a patient's emotions sustained over a period of time. Affect helps us interpret a person's mood; however, there are such situations where affect can be considered inappropriate—that is, the person's affect is not entirely congruent (i.e., consistent) with the person's present mood and/or situation. A classic example of inappropriate affect would be laughing at a funeral, as that is incongruent with the context of the situation. Another example—a patient who is smiling and laughing after being involuntarily committed is considered to have an inappropriately euphoric affect.
Affect can be described across multiple dimensions, but the two most typically used are the quality of affect and the range of affect. Quality of affect is typically categorized as either euthymic (normal), dysthymic (depression, anxiety, guilt), or euphoric (an abnormally elevated sense of well-being, such as in mania). The range of affect can be labeled as labile, broad, restricted, blunted, or flat. Broad is considered the normal range of affect.
For the purposes of conciseness, we're going to focus on blunted and flat affects, as those are the range of affects that are best suited to describing Levi. Flat affect is when there is no variation in the patient's emotional expressions, regardless of their mood and situation. Blunted affect is similar, but it is a bit less severe—it means minimal variation. Practically, what do these mean?
Levi's Affect
When Kenny first finds Levi as a child, Levi is in a severe state of neglect; he is dying of starvation, he is wearing rags, his hair is unkempt, and he is sitting in the same room as his mother's decaying corpse. A typical child in this developmental range would be in extreme distress: crying, expressing fear, pleading for help, etc. However, Levi shows no such displays of emotions; he does not cry, he does not move, and he barely speaks. In fact, there is absolutely zero emotional expression, and there is no indicator he is upset about his situation (even as it is clear he must be). This is flat affect. Even in the short montage we see after Kenny has taken Levi under his "care", Levi never once shows variation in his emotional expression—no anger, no laugher, nothing.
Once Levi is an adult during the present timeline in the series, Levi exceedingly rarely displays his emotions. He often speaks in monotone, minimally varying the tone or volume of his voice—never yelling as well, even when angry. His smiles are so rare that it's a notable moment when he does smile (such as when Historia punched him at end of the "Royal Government" arc), and he never cries even after significant personal losses (except his one tear at the end of the series). His affect as an adult ranges from flat to blunted. This is significant too because we do know that his mood does vary, as it's clear from his verbal and body language the toll that different events take on him, and he does also display a sense of humor across the series. Again, though, his emotional expression does little to reflect how he's feeling.
What Causes Flat Affect?
To give a quick list of the most common causes:
Schizophrenia and other psychotic-spectrum disorders
Brain damage, such as from organic brain pathology or a traumatic brain injury
Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Severe psychological trauma, typically resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
I will say outright that there is no evidence Levi suffers from schizophrenia, and thus, that is unlikely to be the cause of his flat/blunted affect, especially given the onset of Levi's flat affect and the exceeding rarity of childhood-onset schizophrenia. Similar reasoning applies to brain damage, so both of those can be excluded from the differential.
I do believe Levi meets the criteria for MDD in adulthood; however, that would be more so a comorbidity of his existing PTSD. Levi looked to be around 4-6 years of age at the start of Kenny's flashbacks, and MDD in that age group is quite uncommon, even when accounting for childhood-onset and adolescent-onset depression.
This leaves us with both severe psychological trauma and ASD as the two most likely causes of Levi's flat affect as a child and through adulthood. ASD can be a valid interpretation of Levi's significantly reduced affect display during childhood, as well as his consistent social difficulties throughout all of canon. Based on criteria laid out by the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), Levi can be seen as having ASD (which I'll likely make a future post on). However, the presence of severe psychological trauma confounds this diagnosis. Despite this confounding diagnosis, it is still possible he has both PTSD and ASD.
Regardless, the most likely explanation for Levi's range of affect remains severe psychological trauma. In a child that young, something had to have gone extremely wrong in his early upbringing for his significantly reduced affect display. An entire separate post can be written on this topic, but Levi demonstrates clear signs of an insecure attachment style by the time he's discovered by Kenny; this indicates that Kuchel, despite having loved Levi, was simply unable to properly care for him, and this resulted in deep and ingrained psychological trauma that affected Levi's ability to socially relate and interact with others for the rest of his life. I intend on going into more detail in a separate post, but Levi's attachment style is likely insecure-avoidant or insecure-disorganized.
Observational Learning and Social Modeling
Albert Bandura's social learning theory posits that children learn through a combination of traditional behaviorist processes (classical and operant conditioning), cognitive processes, in addition to observation and modeling. In reference to Levi, observational learning is the most salient aspect of this theory.
In simple terms, observational learning refers to the way children observe the people around them. Individuals observed are referred to as models. Models can include, but are not limited to, parents/caregivers, TV characters, school teachers, and friends within a peer group. Basically, children pay attention to these models and encode their behavior into their memory. At a later time, this behavior is then imitated. This is referred to as "social modeling".
Who were Levi's models? Kuchel, Kuchel's patrons at the brothel she worked at, Kenny, and others who lived in or frequented the Underground City.
Given Kuchel's circumstances and the danger of human trafficking in the Underground, it is likely she taught Levi to avoid interacting with anyone in order to ensure his safety. Kuchel's patrons, in all likelihood, abused her and Levi was most assuredly witness to this abuse or the effects of it in some way. Then, Kenny—Levi's most significant parental figure—was a prominent serial killer who displayed and actively taught Levi violence.
All of this points to Levi never having had the opportunity to learn proper social interaction. In fact, he was actively taught inappropriate and unhealthy ways to socially interact. Not only was Levi's emotional development stunted and severely impacted as shown through his lack of affect, but his ability to socially interact and relate to others was inhibited due to both his insecure attachment and the absence of appropriate social models. How does this manifest in Levi?
Self-Monitoring
Self-monitoring is the degree to which people monitor and adjust their self-presentations when interacting with others and across different social contexts. Whether someone is a high or low self monitor can be affected by their natural personality, their experiences growing up, and/or their neuropsychobiology.
High self monitors tend to be actively aware of the social image they are projecting, and they will be adept at responding to social cues. They will also vary the image they project dependent upon who they are interacting with and what the social circumstances are. They have greater concern over situational appropriateness, and they are often perceived as more friendly and pleasant by others.
In contrast, low self monitors tend to exhibit emotional expressiveness and social responses more congruent with their internal states regardless of social context. That is, they do not adjust their beliefs, attitudes, and dispositions to be more socially acceptable. As such, they are often perceived as rude, socially awkward, and/or unaware of others' social needs.
Levi is a low self monitor. Regardless of who he is interacting with or what the situation is, he consistently maintains the same attitudes and beliefs; he is always honest and says what he's feeling. He never adjusts his social tone, even when it would make him more appeasing to others. Throughout the series, he's often referred to as rude, socially awkward, a lunatic, etc. for his inability to self-monitor. This is a likely a result of the aforementioned psychological trauma, his lack of appropriate social models, his innate introverted nature, and his potential ASD.
Summary
My goal with this post was to explain how Levi's trauma and experiences growing up have formed the way he expresses himself and interacts with others. Levi never sets out to be seen as rude, unkind, or cruel. In fact, I'd say he is by far the kindest and most compassionate character in all of Attack on Titan. However, because of his social disposition, he is consistently misperceived by both characters in the series, as well as readers/viewers. Levi, through a combination of his innate nature and the environment in which he grew up, simply lacks the social skills and affinity for social interaction to properly explain himself and come across as more palatable to others.
Note: I am a doctor of psychology student, so much of this information has been informed by my schooling.
