Floch Forster (Anime)

"Look there. He's telling us something, that we have to fight. We can't just cower behind our walls, waiting for death to come. We need to fight like he does, like devils."

- Floch to Jean during the Raid on Liberio

Floch Forster (フロック・フォルスター) is a former recruit (新兵) of the Scout Regiment. He joined the regiment before the return to Shiganshina District, where he was assigned to Klaus Squad. Other than Hange Zoë and Squad Levi, he was the only survivor of the battle. He is one of the Jaegerists and believes that Eren is the only one who can save the "New Eldian Empire" (新生エルディア帝国).

Appearance
Floch appears to be of average height with short, tousled auburn hair and brown eyes. During the battle of Shiganshina District he wore the standard Scout Regiment uniform.

Four years after the recovery mission, Floch wears his hair with thick bangs which are swept to the right side, while keeping it shorter at the bottom. He has not grown much in height but still stands in a similar structure to his peers. During the night raid in Marley, he wears a new black Scout uniform with anti-personnel ODM gear.

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 Arlelt, even going so far as to risk being attacked by Mikasa Ackermann 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 injection, 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 Marlo must have regretted entering the Scout Regiment in his final moments, and informs Armin that most military personnel who have read the Scouts' 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 should 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, Floch adopted a more vindictive attitude towards humans outside the Wall; once joining the Jaegerists, Floch became even more open to using violence against anyone who is not an Eldian or resisted the efforts made by Eren, whether they were Marleyans or even his allies in the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers. Floch was open to conducting scorched earth tactics and was not concerned with collateral damage; he did not hesitate in burning entire city blocks in Liberio to the ground, simply to deny resources to the enemy with no thought of the casualties that would result from it. He also pointed out 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

Royal Government arc
During the feast before the expedition to Shiganshina District, Floch overhears Jean Kirschtein badmouthing the new recruits who have transferred to the Scout Regiment and jokingly confronts him, noting that they all trained together in the 104th. Floch is left uneased by Jean's nonchalant attitude toward him, noting that the cadets who joined the scouts after graduation have changed greatly since the last time he saw them. He begins to ask what happened to them, before thinking better of it and leaving.

Return to Shiganshina arc
During the operation to retake Shiganshina District Floch and the rest of the recruits enter Shiganshina on foot while the rest of the soldiers use their ODM gear 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 which blocks the scouts' entrance to Shiganshina, leaving Floch and the other recruits unable to enter with their horses. Floch and his squad mates are left in charge of the scouts' horses, and are ordered to defend them from any approaching Titans.

The Beast Titan suddenly begins targeting its throws at the Scouts themselves, and Levi orders the recruits to take the horses closer to the Wall, where they can use buildings for cover. Floch begins to panic, and Levi has to force him along to the base of the Wall. Marlo scolds him for letting some of their horses run away in the attack, but Floch hysterically retorts that there is no point to watching the horses since they will all soon die. Recalling the ceremony where he decided to join the Scout Regiment, Floch laments that he is going to die a meaningless death rather than bravely sacrifice himself for humanity.

When Erwin Smith gives his plan of a suicide charge against the Beast Titan to the recruits, Floch protests that they have no reason to participate in the charge since they will die either way. Despite his protests, Floch and his comrades are won over by Erwin's urging that they fight for the good of humanity so that the living can give meaning to their deaths. During the charge Floch is knocked off of his horse, but miraculously manages to survive. Shocked by his survival, Floch begins to wander the battlefield searching for anyone else who may have survived.

After finding Erwin wounded and bleeding on the battlefield, Floch considers executing him, before treating the Commander's wounds as best he can in order to pursue Captain Levi. As Levi prepares to give Eren Jaeger the Titan injection needed to heal Armin Arlelt, he arrives with Erwin hanging unconscious on his back. While the others begin to argue over who should receive the serum, Floch gives his opinion that Erwin should be the one to receive the serum as only a "devil" like Erwin can overcome the Titans. Eren tries to dissuade Levi from giving Erwin the serum by telling him about Armin's dream to see the ocean, but Floch forcibly restrains Eren 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.

Floch helps search for more survivors in Shiganshina while Armin recovers atop Wall Maria. After receiving a smoke signal from Levi to return, Floch keeps watch of the district while Armin is filled in on the events of the battle.

After returning home victorious, Floch attends a meeting with the rest of the survivors of the expedition where they are debriefed on the information they recovered from Eren's basement.

As the remaining Scouts prepare for a ceremony in their honor, they are approached by Hitch, who has come to watch the ceremony. Jean assures her that Marlo acted bravely on their mission, and asks Floch to recount the events to her. Although Floch praises Marlo for staying calm and encouraging his fellow recruits, he admits that Marlo likely regretted his actions in 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 Scouts' report believes Erwin should have lived. Eren tries to defend Armin, but Floch accuses him of acting childishly and allowing his personal feelings to keep him from making a rational choice. Jean and Conny intervene before things can escalate further, but Floch reprimands them as well, pointing out that they made no effort to stop Eren and Mikasa. Floch demands that they inform any future recruits of what they are truly signing up for, so that no more cowards like him join.

Roughly a year after the Struggle for Trost, after the Executioner from Hell has dispatched all of the Titans in Wall Maria and Shiganshina has been repopulated, the Scouts embark on their first scouting mission beyond the Walls in six years. They encounter a deformed Titan which has been dragging itself towards the Walls and leave it alive to follow the trail it has left, despite Floch's protests that they should kill it.

Marley arc
Floch joins the Scout Regiment's attack on Liberio, where he sets explosives to destroy buildings around the internment zone. Jean yells at him to minimize civilian casualties, but Floch is unrepentant; he tells 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 and reminds Jean that Eren told them to fight rather than wait within the Walls for death to find them, declaring that Eren is the devil that they need. Some time after, Floch is forced to take cover from the Beast Titan's bombardment.

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

War for Paradis arc
Unhappy with Eren's arrest following their return to Paradis, Floch and several other Scout Regiment recruits leak news of Eren's confinement to the public, which puts pressure on Hange to release him. They are quickly discovered, 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.

Floch and his companions are quickly freed by other members of the military who have sided with Eren, and the group makes a plan to meet up with Eren outside of the city. After Eren escapes his cell and arrives, Floch informs him of their numbers along with their involvement in Dhalis Zachary's assassination. Floch claims only Eren can save the Eldian Empire and Eren orders the group to locate Zeke.

After being informed of Hange's location by a sympathetic employee, Floch joins the other Jaegerists in raiding a restaurant. The faction threatens Hange and their subordinates with firearms, and Floch demands that they take them to Zeke's location.

On Hange's query, he reveals to them that Eren is refusing to negotiate with the military. Hange tries to reason with Floch, arguing that they do not have time to be infighting while Zeke is making his own moves, but their words fall on deaf ears and Floch orders that they be restrained. Hange deduces that Floch was aware of the spinal fluid scheme and Floch simply laughs off the allegations. When the captives are directed out, Floch taps on a door to inform Eren that they are leaving.

Arriving in Shiganshina, Floch immediately leads the Jaegerists to the division of the Cadet Corps operating out of the District. He and the Jaegerists inform instructor Keith Sadies and the recruits that the Jaegerists will now be operating out of the Cadet Corps's base, shooting off a warning shot when Keith attempts to resist. Floch invites all of the assembled recruits to join the Jaegerists and abandon their old customs from before they learned of the outside world.

As recruits begin to join him, Floch informs them that they will have to prove their loyalty by beating Keith, and that anyone who does not will be thrown in jail. After the recruits have finished beating Keith, Floch orders Hange to take him to Zeke.

Floch and the Jaegerists with him learn that Zeke is in the custody of Levi and thirty Scouts still loyal to the military. En route to their location, Floch hears a sound resembling thunder near the edge of the forest. They go to investigate and find a destroyed wagon and a severely maimed Levi.

Floch is pleased to see Levi's injuries, having feared that he would pose a threat to the Jaegerists, and attempts to check if the man is still alive. However, before he can he and the other soldiers are distracted by the sight of Zeke emerging from inside a decomposing Titan. This gives Hange the opportunity to flee with Levi's body, prompting Floch to send soldiers in pursuit. Floch then tries to get Zeke to explain what happened, but Zeke brushes him off and claims that they need to move on.

Floch and his soldiers arrive with Zeke at Shiganshina to find it under attack by Marley's forces. While Zeke pummels Marley's Titans with rocks from atop the Wall, Floch takes his group to kill the Cart Titan and keep it from using its artillery to hurt Zeke. They seemingly manage to take the Titan down but are caught off guard when Marleyan soldiers appear from the Cart Titan's corpse and begin firing on them, forcing them to retreat. Floch and his soldiers continue to attack the Cart Titan, but are quickly repelled, with him being the only survivor.

The conflict is ended when Eren makes contact with Zeke and begins the Rumbling. As the Colossal Titans within the walls emerge, Floch is caught in an avalanche of falling debris. Despite sustaining a head injury, Floch survives the collapse of the Walls. After all of Zeke's Pure Titans are killed, he meets with the survivors at the headquarters. He talks with Jean, expressing that he could not die during the moment of the Eldian Empire's return. Floch then points his gun at Yelena and demands her to gather the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers so they can be detained. One of the Volunteers tries resisting and Floch wounds the man by shooting him in the hand. Floch informs the Volunteers that he has known about Eren's plan to unlock the Founding Titan for 10 months. He acknowledges that the Volunteers' respective homelands will indeed be destroyed by Eren's plan and offers to grant them status as honorary Eldians in the new empire Eren will create if they agree to cooperate. The injured Volunteer continues to belittle Floch, who responds by nonchalantly executing him.

As the Volunteers are led away, Floch claims to Jean and Mikasa that, as Eren's representative, he is trying to wipe out any resentment in Paradis. In an attempt to gain Jean's support, Floch makes an appeal to Jean's old desire to live a comfortable life as an MP. Mikasa demands to know what happened to Levi and Hange and Floch claims that Zeke killed them.

Relationships

 * Eren Jaeger - Floch used to consider Eren as an immature and stubborn person due to the latter's behavior at the Battle of Shiganshina. However, after seeing his willingness to do what needed to be done to secure Eldia's freedom, Floch began to change his views on Eren and regarded him as a savior and the one who should rule Eldia.
 * Jean Kirschtein - Floch viewed Jean as a capable soldier as he joined the Scout Regiment, though he was concerned as to the events that hardened Jean and other members of the 104th. Through their interactions in 850, it could be seen that the two were on friendly terms. During the Raid on Liberio, the two had a disagreement after Floch disobeyed Jean's orders, showcasing somewhat of a lack of respect.
 * Erwin Smith - Floch held the former commander of the Scout Regiment in high regards, and believed Erwin's ruthlessness made him capable of leading humanity towards salvation. He staunchly advocated that Erwin be saved during the final stages of the Battle of Shiganshina District instead of Armin.
 * Armin Arlelt - Floch developed a sense of dislike towards Armin when the latter was chosen to be given the Titan serum instead of Erwin, whom he believed to be the one who could save humanity.

People killed

 * One Anti-Marleyan Volunteer

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