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Why I love Reiner ----- Thread
I agree with the many people who find Reiner a great character. I think so too, that Reiner is absolutely incredible and deep. Without taking anything away from all the other characters in AoT (Levi, Erwin, Eren, Armin, Jean, Sasha, Mikasa... all in my favorite list btw),
I think Reiner's characters has that depth and multi-dimensionality that made him so riveting (at least for me) and somewhat relatable. I say this because it makes me think of Campbell's quote "you are the hero of your own story" which I find it to be one of the focal point of -
3 warriors of marley. I think this particular idea is what give these characters depth and beauty. Reiner's in particular. Once I discovered the whole back-story I couldn't help but have more sympathy for him. Once I saw his frailty it made me question "What if it was me? -
What if I was raised in such world lead by fear and ignorance, raised to become a soldier, to follow a propaganda based on hatred and ignorance just because the "competent adults" all around me told me so?
I think Reiner brings me to the point to deeply think about my own bias and prejudice over things especially when I tend to become too extreme in my own judgements and feelings. This doesn't mean I find his action justifiable or forgivable by any means, it just invited me once -
again to see what leads to some people’s actions and how immense growth can happen from mistakes, regrets and guilt. I also think that exposing the mental disorder experienced by Reiner throughout the whole story is very sensitive and important. --
If anything, it taught me even more compassion for people that experience this disorder in real life. I also have to admit that I am biased by liking Reiner due to my field of study and future profession in the mental health field, but I can only feel deep empathy for this -
character and his whole mental illness/disorders, and the wounds, and scars of war that are exacerbated by his own sense of guilt and remorse; probably the worst form of punishment, at this point, for his own action.
I also find really interesting the choice made about him becoming the armored titan; for a character that was so mentally frail to the begin with, to become so physically strong. Yes, he had the dedication and strong will to become -
the Armored Titan, he trained hard and pushed himself even harder, but if I look at the real motive behind this choice, it wasn’t just for ego, it was for a need of acceptance. -
An acceptance that he eventually found on Paradis, where he wasn’t anymore segregated, hated or outcasted just because of who he was. here I see a huge discrepancy in reiner's core value, wihich ultimately led to his DID and PTSD.
He was just another mind that got twisted into thinking certain things only because he was kept into ignorance. Fear led his action most of his life (fear of rejection, fear of dying, etc etc) but now I see him leading with more awareness; I dare to say that he is leading with -
with love because his action are now bound by the desire to protect the people he loves not to hurt the “island’s devils”. -----
I think Reiner will finally become a hero as he always wished, but he won’t make it out alive from it. I think there are many things in the manga that hints at his redemption arch that will ultimately lead him to his death, and although I love Reiner -
with every fiber of my being and I don’t wish to have him killed off, I think his death will make his redemption arch even more profound. Although I am torn about this idea because it kinda emphasize a narrative that the only way to find redemption is through death -
which is kind of a dangerous concept, but this might just be me overthinking it…however… he whole protecting Gabi promise with Falco, the whole “you and I are the same” dialogue with Eren, his suicide attempt, the lack of will to actually fight and plea to let him die in peace
I don’t know, it feels like those are all foreshadowing elements hinting at his death/sacrifice/redemption. Plus, another reason why I like Reiner…lets' say it, he is hella hot! Bonus points over them buns 
Please someone find me a real human looking like Reiner
Please someone find me a real human looking like Reiner
