People are saying Levi realized Erwin had nothing but his dream and without that drive he would have been useless. He wouldn't have fought. Could it be possible? Why do you think Isayama put the flashback with Erwin saying he didn't know what to do after his dream? I love your metas!

Hey, thanks!

I really can’t get behind that line of thinking. Enough of me wants to reject it out of hand that it’s very tempting to leave it at that, but I’ll make an attempt at backing it with logic.

How Erwin relates to his dream does seem to be a factor in Levi’s decision. In the flashback you mention, it goes side by side with Levi’s recollection of Armin’s dream. When Armin speaks of his, his eyes light up, and everything in his words speaks of how deeply it inspires him.

When Erwin talks about wanting to go to the basement, it might as well be another duty. His face is drawn and he stares at the ground. In Kenny terms, he’s visibly a slave to what’s driving him.

That difference between Erwin and Armin does matter, but I disagree with the thought that Levi links that to Erwin’s field competence.

Erwin would fight. He sacrifices his life and dream because Levi orders him to. He’s been the leader of the Survey Corps since long before the realization of his dream became tangible.

Erwin Smith, for all his human folly, is an excellent commander. His least responsible decision (depending on your take on the coup) for his troops is the one that places him in a position to lead a suicide charge for the sake of the ideals they ascribe to. He should have been safe inside the walls.



Even without his dream, beaten down and bereft (in the worst possible read of post-dream Erwin), Erwin would fight for them. All Levi has to do is ask.

That’s why Levi refuses to do so.

Erwin’s value as an asset is never in question, but the value that Levi places on his humanity and freedom is, and his answer to that is the end result of this chapter.

Thanks for the ask!

