Jaegerists (Anime)

The Jaegerists (イェーガー派) are a former rebel faction supported by civilians and former soldiers from the military of Eldia on Paradis Island. Their goal is to reunite Eren Jaeger with his half-brother Zeke, and to create the "New Eldian Empire" (新生エルディア帝国)and ultimately assist the former in the activation of the Rumbling. In the month following the Raid on Liberio, the Jaegerists conducted a military coup and took power within the Walls.

Ideology
The Jaegerists believe Eldia is on the verge of destruction and only they can save the island by dedicating themselves to Eren Jaeger. Before the Rumbling, they claimed that those who subordinate themselves to the outdated ideals of the Royal Government would only watch as they are devastated by the outside world.

Multiple Jaegerists, as most of the Eldian population on the island, have adopted a very xenophobic mindset towards the outside world, resulting from the universal anti-Eldian hatred shared by all nations beyond Paradis Island, Marley's numerous acts of agression on the island's population since the fall of Wall Maria, as well as the world's desire to eradicate all Eldians, especially those from Paradis, who they consider to be "island devils".

The Jaegerists and their supporters on the island have been inspired by the Liberio's Eldian Restorationists, a group in which the man who produced the books that made the island's population finally know the truth about their identity and history was a part of when he still lived in Marley : the desire to bring back the Eldian Empire in order to get revenge on the world and subjugate the different nations and peoples beyond the island. This imperialistic desire resulted in the most extreme Jaegerists adopting the same racial supremacist mindset exhibited during the golden age of the Eldian Empire, believing that Subjects of Ymir are a superior race destined to rule over others. Their hatred for the outside world is specifically more intense towards those who hail from the continental mainland of Marley.

Following Eren's death at the expense of 80% of the world's population beyond Paradis Island, the Jaegerists focus on strenghtening Eldia's military power in fear of retaliation from the remnants of humanity that survived the onslaught.

Structure
The group is known to consist of over a hundred members, many of them from the Scout Regiment. However, the true extent of their influence is unknown with many soldiers and civilians vowing to devote their hearts to Eren Jaeger. Around 500 soldiers connected with the Jaegerists are present in Shiganshina District at the time of Marley's invasion. It is said the Jaegerists effectively control everything inside the Walls.

Eldian Army
Three years after the Rumbling and Eren's death, the Jaegerists hold uncheked political and military control over Eldian society, with the island's population overwhelmingly supporting the regime. The Military Police, the Garrison, and the Scout Regiment are all incorporated into one new Eldian army, as well as their members. The queen Historia Reiss also wears a new coat with the Jaegerist's insignia engraved on it, which consists of a pair of wings with two guns crossing over each other. The members of the Eldian army wear a light green helmet with a new type of armored chest plate over their black uniforms. The new insignia is worn on the helmet and left side of the chest. The Eldian soldiers are equipped with the same standardized bolt-action rifles used by the Marleyan military.

The formal uniform consists of the same green trenchcoat used under the previous military regime, with the only difference being the presence of the Jaegerist insignia instead. The army's highest-ranking officer is seen wearing a white sash running diagonally from the right shoulder to the left waist on top of the trenchcoat.

Marley arc
The initial formation of the Jaegerists was around the time Eren informed Floch Forster about his intentions to use Zeke Jaeger to grasp the power of the Founding Titan. Afterwards, Floch began gathering comrades in secret to help Eren with his plan. Later on, Eren began to act on his own while defying the military that intended to feed Zeke Jaeger to Historia Reiss upon his arrival to Paradis.

War for Paradis arc
After Eren's infiltration of Marley and the resulting Raid on Liberio, he was arrested for his actions which resulted in the deaths of several Scout Regiment soldiers. Word starts to spread about his imprisonment and the ones who leaked the story are arrested as well. Meanwhile, protesters start to gather and demanding that Eren be released from his confinement.

At some point, more people began to reveal that they see Eren Jaeger as their savior who could save the Eldian Empire.

Meanwhile, Jaegerists within the Scout Regiment would begin covertly working with Zeke's trusted follower Yelena and procure wine for the soldiers detaining Zeke within the Forest of Giant Trees. This wine was taken off the captured Marleyan ships and is tainted with Zeke's spinal fluid; it was also instructed to be given out to many senior heads of the Military to neutralize them as possible threats. Eventually, several members plant a bomb in a chair belonging to Commander Dhalis Zachary and place it in his office. They later trigger the bomb, killing Zachary and several members of the Military Police. At roughly the same time, Eren uses his newly granted powers of the War Hammer Titan to escape his cell. While this happens, the other members free Eren's allies and escape the prison as well. Regrouping out in the mountains, Eren meets with his followers and orders them to locate Zeke.

After Eren's escape, the top military officials meet with Dot Pyxis who believes the Jaegerists will target anyone who knows where Zeke is being held and then capture Queen Historia, who could act as a replacement for Zeke. Pyxis then declares they will negotiate with Eren using Zeke's location and grudgingly decides to disregard their assassination of Dhalis Zachary in order to avoid more deaths, stating it is a cheap price to pay. However, this is just a ruse of the commander to abduct their leader and steal the Founding Titan from him. The Jaegerists would somehow receive word of the proposal, but it is rejected by Eren who refuses to entrust Commander Pyxis with the fate of the island. The Jaegerists later storm into a restaurant to attain the location of Zeke Jaeger from Hange after receiving word from a Marleyan. The Jaegerists then capture those present at the restaurant including several officers of the Scout Regiment and the Braus family before departing to the Shiganshina District.

While in Shiganshina District, the Jaegerists interrupt a 109th Cadet Corps exercise in an attempt to seize control of the division. Floch is able to quickly drum up support from the sympathetic trainees, and rebuffs Keith Sadies, who he has the cadets beat to prove their loyalty to the Jaegerist cause. After praising the Jaegerist affiliated division, Floch once again demands that Hange take them to Zeke's location. En route to where Zeke was being held, Floch and the Jaegerists accompanying Hange hear a loud rumble and wonder what it could be; following the sound, they discover a demolished wagon with a small Titan nearby. After Hange discovers the body of Levi Ackermann, the Jaegerists become startled when the Titan begins emitting steam and a fully healed Zeke Jaeger emerges from the Titan's stomach; Hange then escapes with Levi's body, causing several Jaegerists to chase after them.

At the same time in Shiganshina, Eren goes to the prison cell where a captive Gabi is kept, only to be ambushed by Pieck, a Warrior from Marley who infiltrated the Jaegerists. Many armed soldiers join Yelena and Eren on the roof of the jail when Pieck supposedly prepares to divulge the location of Marleyan spies. Galliard, who had also been posing as a Jaegerist, transforms inside the compound and begins a battle with Eren. Concurrently, several airships fly over the district, parachuting in Marleyan soldiers who take the upper hand in a firefight with the Jaegerist forces.

As the Jaegerists scramble to fight the forces from Marley, the Beast Titan arrives and begins destroying the airships from atop Wall Maria. Eventually, the imprisoned Scouts are released and head towards the other imprisoned Eldians; after a brief scuffle, the others are freed as well and the two groups reluctantly join forces to fight Marley.

As the conflict continues, a squad of Jaegerists ambush the Cart Titan. After the Titan is seemingly defeated, Floch remains skeptical but is caught off guard and forced to retreat with the other Jaegerists when Marleyan soldiers open fire from the Cart Titan's carcass. Aside from Floch, all of the Jaegerists in the group are killed in the attack. In the aftermath of Eren beginning the Rumbling, the Jaegerists join their former prisoners in killing the Titans that Zeke had created in the battle. After all the Titans are eradicated, Floch joins the survivors at the military headquarters, and orders the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers be gathered and restrained. Once they are present, Floch issues the volunteers an ultimatum. He offers to accept them as Eldians if they agree to cooperate with the Eldian Empire, though disagreeing would have them face execution.

In the following days, the Jaegerists gather to proclaim the end of Eldia's persecution from the outside world, and begin celebrations. Later at Shiganshina's military HQ, a group of Jaegerists gather to witness the execution of Onyankopon and Yelena, who refuse to side with the Empire. Floch takes the time to officialize first the Jaegerist takeover of the entire island of Paradis. Before the executions can be carried out, the Cart Titan suddenly attacks, eating Jean and the two Volunteers. The Jaegerists attempt to follow them, but are unsuccessful.

Anticipating that Jean and his allies will try to use Kiyomi Azumabito's flying boat to reach Eren, Floch mobilizes a group of heavily armed Jaegerists to occupy Paradis's harbor. They are able to get there quickly by the use of steam engine and take Kiyomi hostage. Following an attempt by Armin and Connie to get to the flying boat, Floch decides to execute the Azumabito mechanics to keep them from posing a threat in the future. However, he is caught off guard and disarmed by Kiyomi. Before Floch's comrades can help him, Mikasa bursts into the building and incapacitates them as well. With no one to help, Floch flees the building and alerts the rest of the Jaegerists that they are under attack. The Jaegerists fire Thunder Spears into the building, before being caught off guard by the appearance of the Armored and Female Titans.

The Jaegerists desperately attempt to kill the two Titans along with the fleeing Azumabito service crew but many are swiftly slain by their former allies from the Scout Regiment. As the situation becomes dire, Floch deduces that their adversaries will escape using the Azumabito's ship and rallies the Jaegerists to stop them. The Jaegerists are soon unable to accomplish their objectives due to the arrival of the Cart and Jaw Titans along with the sudden loss of their reinforcements. However, Floch is still able to target the ship but falls into the ocean after being shot by Gabi. As the Azumbaito's ship departs, the remaining Jaegerists pursue a Marleyan and another Paradis soldier into a cruiser which self-destructs shortly after.

Determined to stop his opponents, Floch latches on to the fleeing ship and pursues them all the way to Odiha where he sneaks into a hangar and opens fire upon the flying boat. Despite his efforts, Floch is fatally wounded and with his dying breath he begs his former comrades not to stop Eren. Three years after the Battle of Heaven and Earth, the Jaegerists officialize the formation of the new Eldian army with a ceremony organized in the capital city of Mitras. Thousands of citizens gather to celebrate the new army, with numerous soldiers parading in the streets.