Eren Yeager's Most Debated Deaths Ranked!

You’re about to hear a ranking that’s guaranteed to set the Attack on Titan fandom on fire. Today on “Rank the Most Controversial,” it’s the top five most hotly debated character deaths in Attack on Titan. If you’ve ever thrown your phone across the room, yelled at your screen, or written a five-paragraph essay about why your favorite deserved better, this episode’s for you. These choices aren’t random—they’re the five moments that split the fandom, flooded forums, and left people arguing for years.

Let’s start at number five: Marco Bodt’s death. On the surface, Marco looks like a minor character, a member of the 104th Training Corps, but his death drops a bomb on the whole story. Early in the series, Marco is found dead—half his body missing, another victim of the chaos. But it’s not until the third season, in episode fifteen, that we finally see the truth. Marco overhears Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie talking about their true identities as undercover warriors. Instead of letting him go, the trio restrains Marco and leaves him to be eaten by a Titan. This revelation rocks the fandom, not just for its brutality, but for what it says about the so-called villains. Some fans defend Reiner and Annie, arguing they were desperate, cornered, and just following orders. Others say it makes them irredeemable. The debate gets even messier when you realize this wasn’t just a one-off—Marco’s death haunts Reiner for years, and when the truth comes out, it colors every interaction those characters have. Was Marco’s fate necessary for the plot, or just shock value? The fandom still can’t agree.

Number four: Hannes. If you want a death that feels like a cosmic punchline, this is it. Hannes is the Garrison soldier who acts as a father figure to Eren and Mikasa. He’s the one who fails to save Eren’s mother, Carla, in the very first episode. Fast forward to season two, episode twelve: history repeats itself. Hannes rushes in to save Eren and Mikasa from the exact same Titan that killed Carla. He’s killed right in front of them. On one level, it’s poetic—Hannes dies trying to redeem himself, closing a loop of guilt and helplessness. But fans are divided. Some say this is the perfect embodiment of Attack on Titan’s themes: you can’t always get a second chance, and fate is cruel. Others are furious that the show would re-traumatize Eren and Mikasa, calling it cheap emotional manipulation. For many, Hannes’ death isn’t just about him—it’s about the cycle of loss in this world, and whether characters ever really escape the past.

Number three: Sasha Blouse. If you know anything about Attack on Titan, you know about “Potato Girl.” Sasha is the series’ comic relief—a ray of sunshine in a world of darkness. In season four, episode eight, during the Survey Corps’ raid on Marley, Sasha is shot and killed by Gabi Braun, a young warrior candidate. The gunshot echoes through the fandom. For some, Sasha’s death is a bold narrative move, a wake-up call that nobody is safe, and a way to show the high cost of revenge. Others argue it’s pointless cruelty, an unnecessary blow that serves more to shock than to develop the story. Sasha’s death also splits fans over Gabi: is she a tragic child soldier, or an unforgivable villain? When a character goes from “comic relief” to “tragic casualty,” the debate gets as heated as it gets. For many fans, her death marks the moment Attack on Titan stops pulling any punches.

Coming in at number two: Erwin Smith. The stoic, brilliant commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin is the man with the plan—the one willing to make any sacrifice for humanity’s future. During the battle of Shiganshina in season three, episode seventeen, Erwin leads a suicide charge against the Beast Titan, gets mortally wounded, and is left with one last chance: Levi has a single dose of Titan serum that could save either Erwin or Armin. Levi chooses Armin, fulfilling Erwin’s quiet wish to finally rest, but at enormous cost. Fans have been arguing ever since. Should Levi have saved the seasoned commander or the young strategist with a hopeful vision? Some insist Erwin was irreplaceable, humanity’s best hope, and that letting him die doomed the cause. Others believe Armin’s idealism was the fresh thinking the world needed. What really pours fuel on the fire are Erwin’s last thoughts: not about victory or honor, but the truth beyond the walls—a quest left unfinished. To this day, the Levi-Erwin-Armin triangle lights up every Attack on Titan debate thread.

Now, the number one most controversial character death in Attack on Titan: Eren Yeager. You knew this was coming. The protagonist, the force that drives the entire story, and the ultimate wild card. Eren’s death happens in the manga’s final chapters—he’s killed by Mikasa Ackerman in a bid to end the cycle of violence he’s unleashed upon the world. If there’s ever been a split in the fandom, this is it. Some fans see Eren’s end as the only possible conclusion—the logical result of his choices, and the only way to break the endless loop of revenge. Others are deeply frustrated, arguing that the story betrays Eren’s arc or that Mikasa’s final act goes against everything the series built up. The controversy only grew when series creator Hajime Isayama spoke out about his own regrets. He admitted that his portrayal of Eren was shaped by his own “immaturity and foolishness,” and that his desire for a major twist may have overcomplicated the narrative. These comments only stoked the fires, with fans debating whether the ending was a bold subversion or simply a misstep. Eren’s death doesn’t just end the series—it’s the final Rorschach test for what Attack on Titan means to its fans.

So, there they are: Marco’s betrayal, Hannes’ redemption, Sasha’s shock, Erwin’s sacrifice, and Eren’s finale. Do you agree with this ranking? Would you put Erwin at number one? Does Marco’s betrayal haunt you more than Eren’s last moments? Hit reply, post your own top five, or keep the argument going—because in the world of Attack on Titan, the debate is never over.