Jean Kirschtein (aot)

Jean's character starts off with a realistic, almost self-centered ambition: he wants to join the Military Police and win a safe position inside the inner walls. Many of his peers in this series are motivated by a sense of revenge, honor, or principles, but Jean seems almost un-heroic to the rest due to his initial ambitions, which are to assure his safety. Yet, it is his realistic and practical outlook on things that is one of the things that separates him from everybody else, because who wouldn't want to live a safe life if we were actually living in the world of Attack on Titan. He treats the army not as a vocation but as a way to get away from terrors and dangers that surround the settlement from the outside. By this time, Jean has absolutely no interest in heroics or fighting Titans at the front lines. All he wants to do is survive, and he does this best by being as far away from the danger as possible. While somewhat cynical, this focus on his own well-being is a mindset to which many can easily relate and serves as a starting point against which his growth as a character is measured.

Occupation: Soldier Rank: Commanding Officer Affiliation: Survey Corps Former affiliation: Special Operations squad Trainees Squad: 104th Training Corps Grad rank: 6th Grade: A

Jean is a young man with spiky, gray hair shaved into an undercut style, with the shaved portion being black. He has small, intense brown eyes, and is said to have the same vicious look in them as Eren does. Jean is of average height and muscular build, and has a scowl similar to Eren's but is said to have a long face (a "horse face"). He is often seen wearing the typical uniform of the Survey Corps worn with an olive-gray button-up shirt. After overthrowing the government, his hair appears slightly longer than before.

His casual attire mostly consists of a white button-up shirt, dark pants, and a dark-brown vest. When concealing his identity, he also fashions a cloak and fedora.

Four years later, he has grown a goatee and his hair is now longer. He has also grown to be rather tall as an adult, standing 190 centimeters. While infiltrating Marley, Jean wears a black Survey Corps uniform with anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment.

Human Gender: Male Height: 190 cm Weight: 89kg Birthday: April 7th Birthplace: Trost District

Jean has a blunt personality. He holds no restraint when it comes to speaking his mind, even when he knows it would not be wise to do so or when it could spark conflict. Jean is also pragmatic: he has a strong aversion to exposing himself to dangerous situations, and has openly admitted his desire to join the Military Police is due to wanting an easy and safe life. During his time as a trainee, Jean was extremely hot-headed, easily becoming frustrated and quick to resort to violence when pushed. Jean was also very cynical about defeating the Titans, believing that humanity has no chance against them. He openly mocked more idealistic individuals like Eren, and saw resisting the Titans as a hopeless cause. Despite his shortcomings, Marco describes Jean as a natural leader, being able to understand others and assess situations well because of his flaws. Indeed, during the Battle of Trost, Jean proves capable of leading his fellow soldiers when they are left confused and leaderless, and rallies Armin and Reiner in an attack on the Female Titan, knowing that not fighting her would endanger the rest of the Survey Corps. Although he presents himself as self-centered, Jean places high value on the lives of others, and is ashamed and horrified when he must leave helpless allies behind to save himself and the remaining soldiers with him. He is also willing to risk his life to slow down the Female Titan, as refusing to do so would have resulted in additional deaths.

In addition, Jean is greatly averse to taking human lives. Jean's moral principles initially prevented him from killing enemy soldiers, but he reluctantly set aside his conscience for the sake of his friends and allies. He refuses to kill child combatants though, refusing Floch Forster's suggestion that they throw Gabi Braun and Falco Grice out the airship. Jean's first instinct is to always see life through cautious and doubtful eyes. He was hesitant to accept Armin and Reiner's plan of having the Attack Titan fight for them, and immediately admitted to never having trusted Ymir when she seemingly kidnapped Krista. Despite this, following the second appearance of the Armored Titan, Jean was also the one to motivate Eren to continue fighting for humanity's victory, showing that he is slowly adopting the same idealistic outlooks he once criticized. The development of Jean is well influenced by his fellow cadets. Among them, Marco Bodt inspires him to a greater degree. Marco is the first person who thinks that Jean can lead people and gives him confidence to think beyond his immediate goals for a greater aim he can have. Optimism and belief in Jean's capability provide a turning point as Marco subtly encourages Jean to confront his self-doubt and eventually take responsibility towards others.

The most dire situation proves to be an unexpected turn in Jean's leadership as, during a chaotic Titan attack, he inadvertently assumes responsibility over a group of soldiers. His rise as their leader had not exactly been deliberate but was demanded from him by life itself as an innate quality stored within his inner self. During that time of chaos, instinctive reaction makes Jean calm, composed, and highly trusted by the people working around him, and they follow him as he leads the charge.

It is here that his experience acts as an initial test of Jean's potential. He does rise and places at risk his safety for the survival of his comrades; he does emerge to make a difference. It is also praiseworthy that the other soldiers were willing to follow his lead, which speaks volumes about the influence Jean possesses, even though he might not consider himself a leader as yet. His actions here became vital, not only in regard to the group he is heading and survival, but also in showing Jean the character of a person he may be when pushed through pressure. While growing ever more competent on the battlefield, Jean struggles to surmount his fears and self-doubts while learning the true meaning of responsibility that leadership requires. This season would cement his loyalty to his team and his growing commitment to the cause, making his leadership seem less and less accidental. now the Scouts will have to face an entirely new type of enemy: Humans. This development really upsets Jean's conscience and his sense of morality. He is very hesitant at first in attacking the human enemy and struggles to find harmony between his being a soldier and his personal values. Despite his growth in strength and the ability to fight, Jean retains his humanity, which strangely places him in a special interior struggle when he realizes that the fights they go through are no longer mindless Titans but against other people who have motives and fears of their own.

As the scope of the conflict widens and the weight of their mission becomes global, Jean is no longer just a soldier. He stands as a reflective and balanced leader whose decisions affect nothing less than his squad and the fate of humankind. His leadership treads a tightrope between empathy and pragmatism to lead the Scout Regiment through fantastically prickly moral and ethical dilemmas. One of those defining moments during their battle against Marleyans would be when he was leading the charge against newly transformed Eldian Titans. Tragically, among the titans was their very own respected mentor and strategic guide for so many years: Commander Dot Pixis. Jean had to take the hard decision and come to terms with the horrible nature of reality that they went through, especially by taking charge in such a massive moment. Though visibly affected by the sight of his former commander in such a state of disarray, Jean knew exactly what needed to be done to end their suffering and to keep his team safe and alive. With Jean at the helm, the team responded to the attack in a cool, calculated manner, despite the emotional weight. These are some of the toughest decisions Jean has to face in his life, which test his values and morals. He becomes an indispensable entity in the coalition as his leadership style brings the most balanced approach many a time to keep the group focused and oiled. This role cements his place in the story as one of the leading characters because he commands respect-not with authority but through understanding and consideration for those around him. He means more to the overall story than winning individual fights; Jean represents the ability to change that everyone possesses. His eventual rising above his own fears and prejudices serves as a statement of how adaptability, compassion, and resilience are necessary in a world filled with strife. As the leader within the Scout Regiment, Jean keeps up the cohesion and morale of his comrades.