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We live in a very small world.... Death would be preferable to the days that await us if we surrender. — Traute Caven to her subordinates[3]

Traute Caven (トラウテ・カーフェン Toraute Kāfen?)[4] was the second in command of the Anti-Personnel Control Squad within the Military Police Brigade and was very loyal to her superior, Captain Kenny Ackerman.

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Appearance

She appeared to be a young woman with a fit, thin build. She often held a calm, almost sad expression. Her blonde hair was just a little bit past shoulder length which she usually kept tied back with bangs that are parted down the middle. Upon meeting Kenny, she wore a basic Military Police uniform with a white button-up shirt underneath, however, once having entered the Anti-Personnel Control Squad she was seen, like the others in the squad, wearing a pair of tight black pants, a white button-up shirt, and a pair of black shoes along with her anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment.

Personality

Traute was a rather faithless woman, with little life in her eyes and words. She spoke of the world she lived in and the life she lived as meaningless[5] and was usually rather emotionless, even after Levi Ackerman killed three of her comrades before her eyes.[6] Though Traute was usually dull and sad, she gave her subordinates a motivational speech right before her encounter with the Survey Corps, saying that if they were able to buy time, it would pay off and that they must believe in Kenny's dream that would turn the world upside down.[5] Before meeting Kenny, she lacked any motivation to live her life, however, after meeting him she found hope in carrying out his orders and tried to make his dreams a reality.

History

Two years after the fall of Wall Maria, in the year 847, during Kenny Ackerman's briefing of the new Anti-Personnel Control Squad, Traute Caven gained Kenny's attention when she admitted she was fine with having a homicidal maniac who had never been in the military running their squad. She spoke about the falling of the Walls and their giving up on fighting the Titans, and asked Kenny if that was why they were there; being the end result of following the rules of the Walls and creating the military corps. She believed that these actions were pointless and it drew Kenny's attention. He explained to her and the squad that opposing the Survey Corps was only a justification to get approval from the higher-ups, and that the real reason for his actions was for a grand dream to have power.[7]

Story

Caven is one of the soldiers Kenny brings to pick up Eren and Historia from Dimo Reeves. As Captain Ackerman goes for a walk with Reeves, she and her subordinates search Eren and Historia for blades and weapons. After Kenny disposes of Reeves and her subordinates dispose of his men, she approaches Captain Ackerman and reports that both Eren and Historia were carrying a number of blades as he suspected.[8]

Caven partakes in the ambush of Levi Ackerman and his squad, landing a sneak attack on Keiji and shooting him in the side of the head with her anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment.[9] Levi manages to escape, incapacitating Kenny in the process. Caven goes to check on him and Kenny complains that Levi is going to be an obstacle for them.[10]

Below the Reiss Chapel, Caven preps her subordinates for the oncoming ambush of the Special Operations Squad. She begins to speak to her comrades about their plan of attack but then transitions to speaking about a more grim topic. She states that they faced an unstoppable threat from the Titans and then questions why they all joined the Military Police Brigade and gathered around Kenny. She then claims that everyone wanted to find meaning in such a meaningless world and meaningless lives. She then states that they must buy time here and believe in Kenny's dream that the world will be flipped upside down.[11]

Her words are then interrupted as the entrance door bursts open. Using a stick with a reflective piece of the chapel Walls tied to it, she examines the situation and is surprised to see gas canisters tied to barrels coming down the stairs. Confused, she fails to react in time and allows Sasha Blouse to ignite one of the barrels with a flaming arrow. The room then becomes clouded with smoke, causing the Anti-Personnel Control Squad to lose sight of their enemies. The fight then becomes chaotic as signal flares blast through any open air. When Levi announces the MPs numbers, Caven orders her subordinates to scatter and surround individual enemies in groups.[12]

As the battle goes on, many of the Anti-Personnel Control Squad members are killed off by Squad Levi and Hange. Caven manages to survive an attack from Levi and targets Hange. Knowing that Hange probably knows that users of anti-personnel equipment are vulnerable after firing, she draws Hange in by purposefully missing both of her shots. When Hange is in range Caven fires her mobility hook into Hange's shoulder and flings them into a pillar. As Hange's comrades rally to them, Caven uses the opportunity to retreat with her forces and reorganize their defenses.[13]

Upon Rod Reiss's transformation into a Titan, Caven and her subordinates try to reach Kenny[14] but are crushed by falling debris.[15]

Relationships

Kenny Ackerman - When Kenny explained his motives to his second in command and her comrades, she spoke to him about how she felt that all the actions they were taking were pointless and that they had given up on fighting the Titans.[7] However, as she came to appreciate Kenny's dream for power, she began to put faith in it and dedicated herself to the realization of said dream.[11] She admired Kenny and followed his will unconditionally until her death in the Reiss Chapel.[16]

People killed

Failed attempts

Trivia

Her name was first revealed in the Q and A section of the March 2016 issue of Bessatsu Shōnen before her appearance in the Attack on Titan Character Encyclopedia.

References