Marlowe Freudenberg

"Then let me help you!! I will do anything it takes to right the wrongs of this world!!"

- Marlowe to Captain Levi

Marlowe Freudenberg (マルロ・フロイデンベルク) was a recruit (新兵) of Squad Klaus within the Survey Corps and former private (二等兵) of the Military Police Brigade stationed in Stohess District until his branch change. He was a graduate of the 104th Training Corps, though he was not from the same division as Eren Yeager.

Appearance
Marlowe was a young man whose black hair was in the style of a bowl cut and usually wore his Military Police Brigade uniform before joining the Survey Corps. He was rarely seen without a stoic and serious expression on his face. He was also quite tall, especially when compared to his comrades.

Personality
Marlowe was a very righteous person. While most who join the Military Police Brigade do so because they want a safe position far from the danger of the Titans, Marlowe did so because he wanted "clean up" the system. His goal was to rise to the top of the organization so he could stop the pilfering of taxes and misappropriation of land. Though steadfast in his idealism, he could make moral compromises to achieve his goal, confessing a willingness to act like 'scum' in order to move up in rank. Due to his passion towards his ideals, he has often been compared to Eren Yeager.

He initially held a belief that human beings are naturally benevolent and righteous, accompanied by something of a black-and-white view of morality. He was aware of the Military Police's corruption and had the intention of making its members feel shame for their transgressions when he rose to the top, comparing them to animals that defecated wherever they felt like. He soon came to realize that the system itself was the one that encouraged the corruption and inherent selfishness of human beings.

He later admitted that he chose the wrong regiment and unofficially entered the Survey Corps, later making his branch change official. Prior to leaving, he was seen showing excitement about the upcoming mission to reclaim Wall Maria.

The Female Titan arc
Marlowe first appears as a member of the same Military Police Brigade unit as Annie Leonhart, and is assigned to guard the Survey Corps convoy transporting Eren Yeager as it passes through Stohess District. When he questions why they need to accompany the Survey Corps through town, seeing an opportunity, his superior leaves Marlowe in charge of the mission. Frustrated by the higher ranking officers' lack of morals and duties, he explains his motivation for joining the Military Police Brigade to the other recruits. He goes on a tirade about how the Military Police are no better than animals, and when he is in charge he will make them into what humans are supposed to be. This prompts Annie to speak her mind about what type of person he and the others are, implying that people like Marlowe are rare and are not considered the majority. She only wants the weak people who are trapped in the flow to be considered human too, and suggests to him that it is not the people composing the system that are corrupt but rather the system itself.

Marlowe is later seen questioning his superiors about the battle between two Titans in the city, unaware that Annie was one of the two Titans he had seen.

The Uprising arc
Marlowe is later seen with Hitch Dreyse, patrolling a nearby forest in search of the fugitives, one of which includes Levi Ackerman. The two at first exchange satirical responses about being placed with one another, but the talk travels onto the Survey Corps who they are surprised to believe have murdered civilians. Hitch comments on the destruction the Corps caused to Stohess District, blaming the bodies they had to pick up as their fault. Marlowe says that the Survey Corps captured one of the Titans, something no other Military branch could have done. The conversation is cut short when they encounter Armin Arlert, who is apparently gathering water into bowls.

They order him to raise his hands but are jumped by Levi and Mikasa, who take their guns and strip them of their weapons and uniforms. Marlowe is held with Hitch as they are both questioned of the positions they hold within the Military. Hitch blames the deaths of those in Stohess on Levi and the Survey Corps, while Marlowe is shocked at her courage. Upon blaming them of Annie's death at the hands of the Survey Corps, Hitch and Marlowe both learn that she was indeed the Female Titan that caused significant damage to the city and was captured and is alive. Marlowe bursts out that he wants to help Levi and the others, but Levi refuses and orders Sasha to take them somewhere, but Jean offers instead. He threatens Marlowe and Hitch with a knife while taking them deeper into the forest.

Upon arrival to a rocky enclose, Jean reveals that he intends to kill them both as they are a threat and can not be trusted; also stating it was his personal decision and Levi and the others do not know about it. Marlowe and Hitch beg for their lives but Jean raises his knife and prepares to stab them to death, but trips and drops the knife. Marlowe grabs the knife and tells Hitch to run, but Jean is on his feet now and he and Marlowe are struggling for the knife. Jean warns Marlowe that he has a gun and it would shoot faster than a knife could stab. Marlowe says he is really on their side and confesses his discontent with the Military Police Brigade, and says he trusts the Survey Corps to lead humanity to victory. They both stop struggling but Hitch is behind them and hits Jean with a stick, knocking him to the ground. She attempts to hit him again but Marlowe stops her, saying that Jean was only testing him, and that he never really intended to kill them. Marlowe asks Jean why he trusted him, and Jean says because he reminds him of a kid he hates; referring to Eren. Marlowe lends Jean a hand and he confirms that Hitch and Marlowe can be trusted, and that he could use their strength.

Marlowe and Hitch lead Squad Levi to the Interior Brigade Compound, so that the squad can attack it.

Marlowe and Hitch accompany Hange to bring Squad Levi the news that the military has successfully overthrown the government, and that commander-in-chief Darius Zackly is now in charge. The two groups then travel to the Reiss family chapel. Marlowe and Hitch keep watch outside of the chapel while Hange and Levi's squad infiltrate it to rescue Eren Yeager and Historia Reiss.

After Eren and Historia are successfully rescued, Marlowe and Hitch travel with the group in pursuit of Rod Reiss, who has transformed himself into a Pure Titan.

Following the coup, Marlowe transfers to the Survey Corps. As the day of the mission to reclaim Wall Maria nears, Marlowe speaks of his enthusiasm for the new Thunder Spears and the upcoming mission. Sasha questions Marlowe about Hitch, asking if she tried to stop him from joining the corps, giggling with Connie as she implies that the two are romantically linked. Not understanding her laughter, he responds by telling her that Hitch berated him, saying it was not for him and to stop trying to act cool. She went on to say that they could live the easy life in the Military Police since they were recognized for their service during the coup. Marlowe then claims that his opinion of her, which was just starting to improve, lowered when he heard this and that he misjudged her as a person. Jean, Armin, and Sasha insult him for this thought, however Eren and Connie do not see that fault in his words.

Return to Shiganshina arc
On the night before they leave for Wall Maria, Marlowe gets into a debate with Jean over his place in the Corps formation. He does not understand why the recruits are not placed in the vanguard where they would have the most opportunity to learn. Jean informs him that if they treated their recruits like cannon fodder they would die before they have a chance to learn. That is why Marlowe is assigned to the rear.

Marlowe, along with other 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 the 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 Marlowe and the other soldiers unable to enter with their horses. Marlowe and his squad mates are left in charge of the corps's horses, and are ordered to defend them from any approaching Titans.

In the ensuing chaos, Marlowe quickly becomes the de facto leader of his fellow recruits, with his comrades looking to him for advice on where to tie up their horses. He is momentarily mesmerized at the sight of Titans up close, but is quickly jolted back into action, ordering his fellow recruits to move the horses while Levi defends them.

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. Erwin joins them at the base of the wall, and informs them that, as far as he can tell, they are the only soldiers that have survived the Beast Titan's onslaught. As his fellow recruits panic, Marlowe tries to keep them in line. Floch Forster lets one of the horses get away, and Marlowe tries to chastise him, but Floch argues that there is no point in protecting the horses, as no one will survive the battle to ride them home.

As Marlowe begins to lose hope himself, Erwin addresses the recruits, informing them of his plan to defeat the Beast Titan. He and all of the recruits will mount a head on charge against the Beast Titan, drawing his attention by making themselves targets and firing signal flares. This distraction will allow Levi enough time to sneak up on the Beast Titan and slay it. Although the recruits are terrified, they are steeled by Erwin's words and take part in a suicide charge against the Beast Titan led by Erwin. Though Marlowe survives the first barrage of rocks thrown by the Beast Titan, he prepares for death when he sees the second wave coming for him. At this moment, he thinks about the enthusiasm he had for this mission, and wonders what Hitch is doing right then. He theorizes that she is probably still sleeping at that time but then stops himself and wonders why this is coming to mind at such a moment. Before he can finish his thought, a rock obliterates the right side of his head and kills him.

During the debate between Levi, Mikasa, and Eren over who should receive the Titan injection, either Erwin Smith or Armin Arlert, one of Marlowe's comrades named Floch mentions Marlowe as one of the soldiers killed by the Beast Titan's barrage of rocks. Floch retells the events to the soldiers, and states that according to the plan, they all ended up in pieces. He goes on to say that none of the soldiers probably had time to think that they were dying a proud death, and claims that the last thing they probably felt was just fear.

At the ceremony commemorating the Survey Corps success, Floch speaks to Hitch about Marlowe's character. Floch praises Marlowe for his encouragement in the battle, but adds that he must have regretted ever going in the end.

Unnamed final arc
In the forest, as Levi contemplates all the times he risked his life to save Eren, he recalls Marlowe's death along with his other fallen comrades.

Abilities
His exact abilities were not shown, but presumably, he was skilled enough to gain entry into the Military Police Brigade. Also, he was sent with only Hitch to hunt down the rogue Survey Corps, indicating some level of trust in his abilities.

Relationships

 * Hitch Dreyse - Marlowe did not expect much of a serious attitude from Hitch, since she was usually someone who was carefree and lighthearted towards Marlowe. She was extremely protective of Marlowe, however, and showed that she did care about him deeply. That is shown when Jean attacked Marlowe, and Hitch came up from behind to strike Jean with a nearby branch squarely on the head. In Marlowe's final moments, he thought of Hitch and questioned his thoughts.
 * Jean Kirstein - Although not much of an in-depth relationship between the two was shown, Jean acknowledged that Marlowe acted very alike to him and they got along quite well.

Trivia

 * When Chapter 59 was first released in Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine, his name was given as "Marlowe Sand" (マルロ・サンド). This was later changed to "Marlowe Freudenberg" (マルロ・フロイデンベルク) in the volume 15 release, though this name change was not incorporated into Kodansha's English translation of the manga until the release of the Colossal Edition 3.
 * Marlowe shares a birthday with Erwin's father and Peaure.

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