Floch Forster

"You'd better tell the truth to the Survey Corps recruits coming to fill the ranks! Otherwise you're going to have cowards like me joining you by accident!"

- Floch criticizes his fellow 104th graduates.

Floch Forster (フロック・フォルスター) is a recruit (新兵) of the Survey Corps. He joined the regiment after the crowning of Historia Reiss at some point during the two months between the attack at Orvud District and the return to Shiganshina District, where he was assigned to Squad Klaus. Other than Hange Zoë and Squad Levi, he is the only survivor of the battle of Shiganshina.

Appearance
Floch appears to be of medium height with short, tousled blond hair. During the return to Shiganshina, he wears the standard Survey Corps uniform and cloak.

Four years later he has grown a medium top wavy look for his hair while shorter at the bottom. He has not grown much in height but still stands in a similar structure to his peers. He wears the new black Survey Corps uniform with anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment.

Personality
Floch is, by his own admission, a coward. Part of Floch's cowardice seems to stem from a belief that his death should not be "meaningless," as he expressed during the Battle of Shiganshina District. Despite this, Floch has proved himself to be capable of acting courageously. He was willing, despite his fear, to participate in Erwin Smith's suicide charge against the Beast Titan, and was willing to stand up to his fellow soldiers when they suggested allowing Erwin to die in favor of saving the life of Armin Arlert, even going so far as to risk being attacked by Mikasa Ackerman to keep her from taking the Titan injection from Levi.

One of Floch's most evident personality traits is his respect for Erwin Smith. He argued passionately for Erwin to receive the life-saving Titan serum, believing that only Erwin was capable of making the choices necessary to guarantee victory for humanity. He openly criticizes the choice to save Armin over Erwin, and claims that the choice was a result of those involved allowing their emotions to cloud their judgment.

Floch is also very honest with others, to the point of being insensitive. He admits to Hitch that Marlowe regretted entering the Survey Corps in his final moments, and informs Armin that most Military personnel who have read the Corps' report from the Shiganshina battle agree that Armin's survival was a mistake. It is possible that Floch's value of the truth stems from his experiences in Shiganshina, as he insists that any future recruits be informed of what they will be signing up for, so that "cowards" like him will know not to join.

He believes that those who cannot give up something important to them for the greater good and refuse to listen to reason are childish. By that virtue, he thinks of those who know when to back off and restrain themselves from acting on their emotions as "adults." This is evident when he criticizes Eren and Levi on their decision to save Armin instead of Erwin, while praising Mikasa, who though acted on impulse at the start, reigned herself in eventually and made the logical choice.

Four years after reclaiming Wall Maria, he and some of his fellow Survey Corps members have adopted a more vindictive attitude towards humans outside the wall. When confronted by Jean over collateral damage, he merely states that the outsiders' extreme eagerness to kill the Eldians within the wall and the number of Eldian Islanders already killed by Marley is a justifiable reason for them to engage in total war. Consequentially, he is not above conducting scorched earth tactics by burning down entire blocks of buildings in Liberio to the ground to deny resources to the enemy when confronted by Jean. He also points to Eren's willingness to act as a demon by killing civilians and children as an example of their comrades’ willingness to take on the enemy ruthlessly.

The Uprising arc
During the feast before the expedition to Shiganshina District, Floch rhetorically asks Jean Kirstein if 104th recruits and former Garrison members such as himself and his friends are that unreliable. When Jean asks why he and his friends joined the Survey Corps, Floch says the increased propaganda for the Survey Corps after the uprising is what drew them in. He notes how much the 104th soldiers have changed since they had graduated.

Return to Shiganshina arc
Floch, along with others soldiers from the Survey Corps, take part in the operation to retake Shiganshina District. He walks on foot among two other soldiers and their horses while the rest of the soldiers use their vertical maneuvering equipment to make their way on top of the Wall. They are ambushed by Beast Titan, who appears with an army of Titans and throws a boulder into the side of Wall Maria, causing a collapse that blocks the Survey Corps' entrance to Shiganshina, leaving Floch and the other soldiers unable to enter with their horses. Floch and his squad mates are left in charge of the corps's horses, and are ordered to defend them from any approaching Titans.

The Beast Titan begins targeting his throws at the soldiers themselves, and Levi orders the recruits to take the horses closer to the Wall, where they can use buildings for cover. Floch begins panicking, and Levi has to force him along to the base of the Wall. Marlowe scolds him for letting some of their horses run away in the attack, but Floch in a frantic state says that it would be pointless to watch them if no one is going to survive for the return home. Thinking back on the ceremony where he joined the Garrison, he remarks that he thought he could be a soldier willing to give up his life for humanity, only to realize now that he is not and that his death will be pointless.

When Erwin Smith gives his plan of a suicide charge against the Beast Titan to the recruits, Floch asks if they are going to die and if it is even worth fighting if they are all destined to die anyway. Erwin agrees that they are all likely to die, but he urges the recruits to fight for the good of humanity nonetheless so that the living can give meaning to their deaths. Floch participates in the suicidal charge against the Beast Titan. After Levi attacks and defeats the Beast Titan, Floch stands to his feet as the only known survivor of Erwin's charge. He begins to wander the battlefield searching for anyone else who may have survived.

After finding Erwin wounded and bleeding on the battlefield, Floch treats the Commander's wounds as best he can before pursuing Captain Levi. As Levi prepares to give Eren Yeager the Titan injection needed to heal Armin Arlert, he arrives with Erwin hanging unconscious on his back. While the others begin to argue over who should receive the serum, Floch looks on in confusion. As hostility grows in the group, he gives his opinion that Erwin should be the one to receive the serum, saying that only a "demon" like Erwin can overcome the Titans. He states that ensuring Erwin's survival has become his purpose, but before he can interfere with the situation, Hange Zoë arrives to calm Mikasa's tension. When Eren tries to dissuade Levi from giving Erwin the serum by telling him about Armin's dream to see the ocean, Floch forcibly restrains him to stop him from interfering. Levi orders that he be left alone to inject Erwin and Floch forcibly moves Eren to another house rooftop. After Armin is given the serum instead of Erwin, Floch is left dismayed and asks Levi why he chose Armin over Erwin.

On top of Shiganshina District's Wall, Floch keeps watch and observes the surrounding area as Eren informs Armin about the events which ensued from the battle.

As the remaining members of the Survey Corps prepare for a ceremony in their honor, they are approached by Hitch, who has come to watch the ceremony. Jean assures her that Marlowe acted bravely on their mission, and asks Floch to recount the events to her. Floch praises Marlowe for staying calm and encouraging his fellow recruits, even after they had given up hope. However, he then admits that Marlowe likely regretted his actions his final moments. As Hitch leaves, an appalled Jean demands to know why Floch said such a thing to Hitch, and Floch tells him that someone should be honest about what happened. Armin admits that he knows Floch wanted Erwin to live, and Floch claims that everyone who has read the Corps' report believes Erwin should have lived.

Eren tries to defend Armin, but Floch accuses him, along with Levi and Mikasa, of allowing his personal feelings to keep him from making a rational choice. Floch accuses Eren of behaving childishly and praises Mikasa for having the maturity to give up on saving Armin. Before things can escalate further, Jean intervenes. Floch, growing agitated, asks that they inform any future recruits of what they are truly signing up for, so that no more cowards like him join. Armin agrees that Erwin should have lived, but Eren insists that there is no way of them knowing for sure what the future has in store.

Marley arc
Floch is assigned to guard Yelena ten months before the Survey Corps arrive in Liberio. At the time there was a ceremony in Trost District, which was held in proximity to where Eren Yeager was staying.

Floch joins the Survey Corps at the Battle of Liberio where he sets explosives to destroy buildings around the internment zone. Jean yells at him to minimize civilian casualties, but Floch is unrepentant, reminding Jean of all of the people inside the Walls who were killed by the people outside of it. When Jean argues with him, Floch points to Eren, reminding Jean that Eren told them to fight rather than wait within the Walls for death to find them, declaring that Eren is the devil they need.

Later, Floch participates in the battle between the Survey Corps and Marley's Warriors, taking cover from several projectiles thrown by the Beast Titan.

As the Survey Corps makes its retreat from Liberio, Floch leads the surviving soldiers in a celebration of their overwhelming victory against Marley. As they are celebrating, two children board the Corps' airship, and open fire, killing Sasha Blouse. In response, Floch and his fellow soldiers attack the children, savagely apprehending and disarming them. Floch asks Jean if he should throw them out of the airship, but is denied.

Unhappy with Eren's arrest following their return to Paradis, Floch and several other Survey Corps recruits leak news of Eren's confinement to the public, which puts pressure on Hange to release him. They are quickly found out, and are called before Hange to explain themselves. Floch argues that Eren was justified in his actions, and that his actions have saved the lives of the citizens of Paradis. Hange points out that Eren's actions have only demonized them to the rest of the world, but Floch insists that they have nothing to worry about as long as Eren has the power of the Founding Titan. Rather than freeing Eren, Hange concludes the hearing by arresting Floch and his compatriots.

Relationships

 * Eren Yeager - Floch used to consider Eren as an immature and stubborn person due to the latter's behavior at the battle of Shiganshina. Floch now regards him as a savior and the one who should rule Eldia.

People killed

 * Several Marleyan soldiers

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