Bandits (Anime)

The bandits (賊) were a trio of men who killed Mikasa's father and mother before kidnapping their daughter Mikasa Ackermann in the year 844.

Appearance
The appearances of each bandit varied. The leader was a stout man with a short beard and a wool cap. The axe-wielding bandit appeared to be older, and was taller and thinner with short-cut blond hair and a thin mustache. The bandit who arrived late on the scene appeared to be the youngest, well-dressed and clean-shaven with short brown hair.

History
In the year 844, when Mikasa Ackermann was nine years old and living with her parents, the bandits arrived at the Ackermann family residence. Hearing a knock at the door, Mikasa's father opened it thinking the visitors were Dr. Jaeger and his son Eren. When he did this, the leader among them stabbed him, calmly walking into the house with his men. Mikasa's mother attempted to fight back against her would-be kidnappers, but one of them wielding an axe struck her in the shoulder, killing her. He then approached Mikasa, punched her in the face and knocked her unconscious.

In some other location, the leader and the axe-man were passing time in a cabin while Mikasa slowly regained consciousness. The axe-man looked down at Mikasa, asking out loud why they went to such trouble to kidnap her. The leader sitting nearby explained that Mikasa is of Oriental descent, and is the last of her race within the Walls. He explained that because of their race and the rarity of their people in the Walls, they would be able to fetch a high price if they sold them to buyers in the capital's underground market. The axe-man remarked that her father did not look Oriental, therefore the girl cannot be pure-blooded. The leader angrily replied that the real value would have been to sell her mother, the pure-blooded Oriental.

Before their argument can continue, Eren, who had with his father discovered the bodies of the Ackermann family, arrived at the cabin pretending to be lost. The axe-man tried to console him in order to get rid of him, but he is stabbed by Eren while he is off his guard. Before the leader can react, Eren took another knife tied to a broomstick and impaled the leader through the shoulder. Eren jumped onto the leader's belly, stabbing him in the chest many times until he died.

As Eren untied Mikasa, the third bandit arrived late to the cabin, shocked at the sight of his dead accomplices. Kicking Eren across the room, he began to strangle Eren in a fit of rage. Through the man's choking grasp, Eren told Mikasa to fight. She took up Eren's knife, unsure of what to do until a surge of power passes through her, giving her the focus and strength to stab the man in the back, piercing his heart. The bodies of the three bandits were later discovered by Military Policemen that Eren's father had alerted.

The Struggle for Trost arc
Six years later, as Eren in his Titan form is about to seal the breach in Trost District, he remembers the time he killed the leader of the bandits. He thinks to himself that people who reject the freedom of others, no matter how strong they are, do not matter.

Lost in the cruel world
In the year 844, the bandits have been camping in the woods and at some point ended up being attacked and killed by a group of wild dogs. Their ravaged bodies are later found by two children while they are exploring the woods.

People killed

 * Mikasa's father
 * Mikasa's mother

Failed attempts

 * Eren Jaeger