Historia Reiss (Anime)

"I told you already, Ymir. No matter what happens...I will always be your ally!"

- Historia to Ymir

Historia Reiss (ヒストリア・レイス) is a graduate of the 104th Cadet Corps and a member of the Scout Regiment. During her cadet days, she went by the name of Christa Lenz (クリスタ・レンズ). After a successful Coup d'Etat, Historia becomes the new queen of the Walls, replacing the old puppet monarch.

Appearance
Historia is petite and the smallest soldier from the 104th Cadet Corps from which the central cast originates. She has long blonde hair, large blue eyes, and a heart-shaped face; she usually wears the standard Scout Regiment uniform. Historia is noted for being very pretty; this, coupled with her kindness, sometimes causes her classmates to wonder if she is a goddess or an angel. It is hinted that many of the boys in her class adore her. While on expeditions, she wears her hair in a low ponytail and dons the traditional green Scout Regiment cloak.

Personality
Historia displays kindness to all those who cross her path, and takes any available opportunity to help people. She is shown to be rather weak, but friendly to those she is close to in the Scout Regiment. Historia is not above making sacrifices for others, as she willingly tears her clothing so that she may give Reiner Braun a sling for his broken arm, which she treated for him. Historia also goes out of her way to see that others are well, making sure that Sasha Braus has food and water after her punishment in the 104th Cadet Corps and sticking up for her when Ymir picks on her.

While Historia is kind and considerate of others, she is not fearless. Historia showed extreme fear when she made the decision to join the Scout Regiment and when facing Titans outside the Walls. However, Historia consistently charges into the face of danger, even if she is unarmed. Ymir accuses this tendency of Historia's to be attributed to her desire to die a hero, which she vaguely denies but later admits to.

History
Historia was born as the illegitimate and unrecognized daughter of Rod Reiss, head of the Reiss family and the true monarchs of the Walls. She was raised on the estate owned and administered by the Reiss family. Her mother was deliberately distant from her, spending much of her time reading or leaving the estate at night via carriages. She never participated in work around the estate and appeared to have some other source of income.

During this time her older half-sister Frieda would regularly visit her. Frieda acted as the motherly figure Historia lacked, teaching her how to read and playing with her regularly. However, in order to keep Historia safe, she would end each visit by erasing Historia's memories of her.

On one such visit, she brought with her a story book which she read to Historia. After she finished reading the book, she took the opportunity to instruct Historia to live an upright life and help others, like the heroine of the story Christa. Historia asked Frieda if she could grow up to be as kind as Frieda was, and Frieda insisted that she could. She ended the visit by erasing Historia's memories and leaving, saying she would return again.

Growing up, she began to read every book she could get her hands on, including ones that depicted the typical relationship between a mother and her child, causing Historia to question her own relationship with her mother, and desiring to understand what it was like to have meaningful physical contact with her. This led to an attempt to hug her mother resulting in her being violently thrown away and causing her mother to openly lament that she did not have the courage to kill Historia when she had been born. Though bruised and bloody, Historia was happy because it was the first time she had ever been spoken to by her mother. After this incident, she would not see nor interact with her mother again for several years. During this interlude, she came to understand her position in the Reiss household, particularly that she was regarded by those around her as a curse and grave burden to her family; though she did not understand the reason for her treatment and rejection.

The Fall of Shiganshina arc
Days after the fall of Wall Maria, Rod Reiss comes to the estate with her mother to see Historia and to take her into the Reiss household properly; it is assumed that Historia would thus be recognized as a child and heir to the Reiss family. As they attempt to evacuate they are surrounded by unmarked soldiers of the First Interior Squad of the Military Police Regiment, who are looking to remove the blots on the Reiss family name. They confront Rod over the identity of Historia and her mother. Rod in turn, denies any relation to them. One of the soldiers, Kenny Ackermann, restrains Alma and kills her as she desperately attempts to deny being Historia's mother and her existence thereof. Her last testament before having her throat cut are to look at her daughter and coldly state that she wishes she had never given birth to her. The soldiers then prepare to kill Historia as well, but Rod intercepts their efforts by offering an alternative arrangement: that if, she were to disappear from the Reiss household, assume a new name and identity before enlisting as a soldier, that would mean they would not need to kill her. The soldiers agree with this, and Rod gives her the new name of "Christa Lenz."

Living under the new name Christa Lenz, Historia eventually decides to join the Cadet Corps.

Humanity's Comeback arc
After the cataclysm of the Colossal Titan breaching Wall Maria, Historia lives in a refugee camp before reaching the minimum age requirement to enable her to enlist as a cadet.

On the first day of training, Sasha Braus gets in trouble for eating a stolen potato during the initiation ceremony, and is ordered to run laps for the entire day without food or water. At the end of the day, Historia brings the girl water and loaf of bread, which the girl immediately eats before passing out. Ymir, another cadet, approaches and helps Historia carry Sasha to her bunk. Ymir claims that they can use the kind gesture to blackmail Sasha, despite Historia's claims that she just wants to help.

At a later time during their training, Ymir confronts Sasha about speaking in an overly polite tone, rather than her home's dialect. Ymir begins to criticize her for it, and Historia scolds her and claims that Sasha should speak however she wants to.

At some point during training, the cadets of the 104th Cadet Corps completed a snowstorm training exercise, arriving at a base at the foot of a mountain. After her fellow cadet Daz loses consciousness during the exercise, Historia elects to try to pull his body along on a cot, despite Ymir's protests. Ymir argues that they will only survive if they abandon Daz and head for base together, but Historia insists that they could all survive if Ymir goes ahead of her. Noticing that Historia has not asked for help during their entire course, Ymir deduces Historia has no intention of saving Daz nor herself, and that she is using their situation as an excuse to search for her own heroic end.

Ymir reveals that she is aware of Historia's true past, having heard officials from the Order of the Walls discussing her existence. Historia asks if Ymir joined the Cadet Corps in order to find her, and Ymir proposes that it may be due to her own past being similar. Historia asks if Ymir originally wanted to befriend her, but Ymir said that they are nothing alike, as Ymir kept her old name after starting a new life, because abandoning her name would be to admit defeat. By living for herself, she robbed her enemies of their power. Ymir scolds Historia for looking for death rather than directing her feelings towards her enemies, and Historia says that there is no longer any way for all three of them to survive their mission.

Ymir leads Historia to a cliff overlooking the base at the foot of the mountain and proposes tossing Daz over the edge so that she and Historia can make it to the base alive while Daz could be searched for later. When Historia objects, Ymir takes matters into her own hands and throws her aside into a snowbank. When Historia escapes from the snow and returns to the cliff, Ymir and Daz are nowhere to be found.

When Historia arrives at base, she spots Ymir outside the base. She asks about Daz, and Ymir shows her that Daz was safe indoors. Upon looking at the cliff from the ground, Historia sees that such a descent would be impossible without a rope. Ymir decides to reveal to Historia how she saved Daz, but only if she promises to live by her true name when her secret eventually becomes known to everyone.

Upon her subsequent training and graduation, she is ranked as 10th of the 104th, a rank below Sasha Braus (this is later asserted by Historia to have been given the tenth position by Ymir).

Distress
In the year 848, two years before graduation, Historia accompanies the other cadets on a wilderness hunt to sustain themselves in times of peace. Along with the other cadets, Historia is pulled into an equipment heist by thieves in the forest and is kidnapped, held as a hostage so the cadets do not retaliate. The ones left behind create a plan to try and rescue her, and after some trouble and the eventual capture of the thieves, Historia is safely returned and the thieves arrested.

The Struggle for Trost arc
During the struggle for Trost, Historia's squad discovers Armin in a catatonic state, following the deaths of his squad mates. When Conny and Ymir get into a fight over whether or not to leave him, Historia breaks them up, saying that the deaths of their comrades has upset them. When Armin suddenly leaves, Historia's squad continues to move forward through Trost.

Later, while awaiting further orders with her fellow cadets, Historia listens as Conny gives an account of how he and the other cadets managed to resupply in the military headquarters.

Eve of the Counterattack arc
As ordered, in the aftermath of the battle of Trost District, she reports her omni-directional mobility gear to the Military Police Regiment for inspection as a part of the investigation over the deaths of the two captured Titans, presumed to be have been killed by a soldier using vertical maneuvering equipment. Despite her fears in facing the Titans in combat again she volunteers to become a member of the Scout Regiment, something she later says is a decision made by her innermost self and that she herself does not understand the reasons behind it.

The 57th Exterior Scouting Mission arc
During her first expedition out of the Walls she saves Reiner, Armin, and Jean after they become partially stranded in combat against the Female Titan by supplying them with a horse allowing all of them to proceed on horseback.

She is then seen to be holding her position on the tree line (as per orders) baiting the Titans and preventing them from entering the forest while the Scout Regiment attempts to capture the Female Titan.

Clash of the Titans arc
Historia is among the Scout Regiment recruits that are investigated by Miche Zacharius under suspicion of being one of Annie's accomplices.

The investigation is halted when Nanaba reports that Wall Rose has been breached, and the Scouts are ordered to go on horseback and evacuate local citizens nearby. Historia and Ymir are placed under Nanaba's command for the mission. Both the recruits are devoid of their omni-directional mobility gear and Ymir initially voices her aversion to the idea of entering Titan territory unarmed, though Historia is willing to help out.

Their team eventually meets up with Gelgar's team, and are shocked to learn that neither team has been able to find a breach. Unable to double back and search again due to nightfall, the two teams take refuge inside of a nearby castle to rest for the night.

In the middle of the night, the castle comes under attack from Titans. As the four soldiers that are equipped for battle engage the Titans outside, the recruits try to barricade the entrance to the castle so that none of the smaller Titans can get in, but find that the castle has already been infiltrated. Reiner is attacked, and Historia, Ymir and Conny roll a nearby cannon into it, knocking it away from Reiner.

Another Titan enters the tower, which Reiner manages to push out of a window, getting himself hurt in the process. The recruits flee farther up into the castle's tower, and Historia uses a strip of her skirt to bandage Reiner's wound.

The recruits retreat to the top of the tower, where they watch as the four Scout soldiers are systematically killed by the attacking Titans. Historia tries throwing rocks at the Titans to stop them, declaring that she is willing to fight to the death against them, but Ymir calls her out for trying to use her superiors' deaths as a reason to die. Taking a knife from Conny, Ymir reminds her of the promise they made on the night they got stranded on the snowy mountains with Daz and advises her to live her life with pride. Before Historia can stop her, Ymir jumps off of the tower and uses the knife to transform herself into a Titan.

After Historia and the rest of the recruits watch Ymir fighting against the group of Titans nearly falling off the tower when Ymir transformed, Reiner questions her if she knew about Ymir's Titan form. She tells him that she did not know herself despite being so close to her and refused to believe it at first. When the recruits question whose side Ymir is on, Historia recalls watching Ymir's attempt to fight the other Titans with the others and comes to the conclusion that she is fighting to protect everyone. She begins to cheer for Ymir telling her not to die and to break down the tower and celebrates when Ymir does so. She, along with the others, ride on her back and land on the ground safely, except for Ymir who is eaten by the Titans. As Historia tries to make her way to Ymir to fulfill her promise she is nearly grabbed by a Titan but is saved by Mikasa. As everyone watches in disbelief at Ymir's wounds and the truth, Historia reveals her true name.

The Scouts regroup atop Wall Rose and Ymir is brought up via a lift. Historia looks after her and speaks to Hange Zoë on Ymir's behalf, claiming that she is undoubtedly an ally to humanity. While Hange is skeptical, she notes that it would obviously be for the best if they could all get along and work together, noting that Ymir's information could be a treasure to humanity.

Shortly after, Reiner and Bertholdt reveal themselves as the Armored and Colossal Titans. The two transform successfully kidnap both Ymir and Eren. Historia joins the combined military force led by Erwin Smith in chasing them down.

When the military gets to the forest where Reiner and Bertholdt are expected to be recovering, Historia is among those that come inside in search of Eren and Ymir. The Scouts find Ymir in her Titan form, looking at each of their faces, and when Historia arrives Ymir captures her inside her mouth.

Ymir flees and joins Reiner and Bertholdt in escaping with their captives. As they run away with the Armored Titan carrying everyone else, Ymir removes Christa from her Titan's mouth and partially emerges from the nape. She apologizes for eating her and explains that she is going along with Reiner and Bertholdt, and that this is for Historia's safety as well. It is not as bad outside the Walls, and no one will say Historia should never have been born.

Historia does not believe Ymir and offers to help her fight off Reiner and Bertholdt. Though Ymir wavers, she says she cannot let Historia go. Ymir expects she will be killed to retrieve the power of the Titans she stole, but if she hands Historia over Reiner and Bertholdt, they will speak on Ymir's behalf. She calls herself pathetic for doing this to save her own life, but Historia reassures her that she will always be her ally, even if there are things she cannot tell her.

Erwin leads a horde of Titans into Reiner to stop their escape and Ymir is forced to defend Historia. In the chaos they are separated from Reiner and Bertholdt, but they manage to kill a Titan together. Even when Conny tries to ride away with Historia, she rejoins Ymir to reassure her that she feels stronger when they are together. Despite all of Ymir's actions, she believes that Ymir is still trying to protect her rather than living for herself.

They join Sasha and Conny in fending off the Titans around them when a newly freed Eren strikes a particular Titan with his bare hand, triggering something that causes all the mindless Titans present to drop what they are doing in favor of devouring the one that had attacked Eren. Historia and the others watch in shock. Eren's scream then sends the Titans after Reiner and Bertholdt.

The Scouts prepare to retreat during the confusion and Ymir pauses to look back. Historia calls out to her and Ymir carefully reaches out to caress Historia's hair before apologizing. She runs back to help Reiner and Bertholdt. Historia turns to follow her, when Conny grabs the reins of her horse and says to leave her. She looks back at Ymir, distressed, as Conny leads her away.

The Uprising arc
Some time later, Historia is brought into the new Squad Levi to be safeguarded with Eren in an isolated forest cabin. While her friends converse and argue, Historia sits alone with a sullen expression.

Historia remains aloof and withdrawn for several days, not talking to any of her fellow squad members. She finally opens up to Eren while performing chores with him, admitting that since wants to respect Ymir's decision to go with Reiner and Bertholdt, that she has lost all of her motivation. She apologizes for dropping her more likable personality, but Eren admits that he likes her new self more than her Christa persona, since she feels more genuine than before.

Levi receives a message from Erwin warning the cabin's inhabitants that the government is freezing all Scout activity outside the Walls and is demanding that Eren and Historia be handed over, and Levi has everyone evacuate the cabin. It is decided that Squad Levi will smuggle Eren and Historia into Trost and seek safe harbor with Commander Pyxis.

Historia and Eren are transported in an enclosed wagon driven by Keiji, while Levi runs a decoy strategy with Jean and Armin posing as the two. The wagon is attacked by members of the Military Police, who manage to tear the roof from the wagon using their mobility gear, exposing Eren and Historia and allowing the soldiers to tranquilize them. Despite an effort from Levi Squad to recover them, the two are ultimately kidnapped successfully.

The Military Police transport the two to a discreet location, where Historia is reunited with her father. Embracing her, Rod apologizes for the methods he employed to obtain her, but explains that he had no other way. Rod offers to take her to where "it all began," explaining that she possesses royal blood and is the only one who can save humanity.

In the underground caverns beneath a chapel built by the Reiss family, Historia tells a chained Eren that everything will be all right, explaining that Rod has always been an ally of humanity and had no choice but to deal with Pastor Nick and the Scout Regiment. At Rod's suggestion, she and Rod place their hands on Eren, triggering Grisha Jaeger's memories in him so that Eren will remember his father's sin.

As a result of touching Eren, Historia recovers her memories of her time with Frieda that have been erased. Appalled at herself for somehow forgetting Frieda, Historia asks to see her so that she can thank Frieda for everything she has done, but Rod explains that Frieda was killed by Eren's father along with the rest of Rod's family because Grisha wanted the Titan power that resided inside her. Historia is horrified that Eren's father would do such a thing.

Rod explains that there is still a way for Historia to see Frieda again, producing a syringe for her. He explains the history of the Founding Titan, and its powers, informing Historia that members of the Reiss family who possess the Titan could potentially rid the world of Titans, a possibility which is not possible as long as Eren holds it.

Kenny interrupts the conversation to express his disappointment in the bloodline requirement by grabbing Rod and shoving his gun into his face. Historia pushes Kenny's weapon out of the way and demands that he release her father. Although Kenny tells her that her father does not care for her, and is only using her because does not want to become a Titan herself, Historia is defiant and claims that there is nothing wrong with becoming a Titan and saving humanity. She will eat Eren, inherit the history of the world, and then exterminate the Titans. Kenny reminds her that she was an unwanted child. Rod only saved her because he needs her blood, not because he cares about her. She watches, visibly upset, as Kenny jams a knife in Rod's mouth while telling her that Rod only cares about himself.

Rod tries to explain and pleads with Historia not to trust anyone else. Disgusted, Kenny finally leaves him alone and walks over to Eren. He cuts Eren's forehead to injure him and tells Historia that they can both fight to the death as Titans. Panicked, Rod gives Historia a syringe so she can change into a Titan before Eren has a chance to escape his restraints.

She takes the syringe, but notices that Eren is not transforming. When she asks why, he expresses regret for all the deaths that happened because of him and his father and asks Historia to eat him and save humanity. He says he did not need to happen, causing Historia to remember her unwanted childhood and the day that Eren called her normal.

As Historia pushes the needle into her arm, she recalls her time with Frieda and with Ymir. She asks her father why her sister did not fight. No one in the Reiss family ever got rid of the Titans or freed humanity, even though they had the power. Rod explains that all of the previous holders of the Titan became subject to the first king's will that humanity be kept in the dark about the outside world, and that the Titans be allowed to roam free, as he had believed that that was the only way for humanity to live peacefully.

Historia considers her father's words, knowing that humanity does not have a future if the king's power remains inside Eren, but she recalls Ymir's words to her about living her life with pride. Historia smashes the syringe on the floor, rejecting her father's wishes. She throws him over her shoulder and takes his satchel before running over to Eren.

She uses the keys to start freeing Eren and tells him that they are going to escape. He protests, asking to be eaten, but Historia cracks him on the head and tells him to shut up. In her opinion, humanity is the problem. The Titans can have them. She pulls away one of the chains around Eren and says she will let him get away before she destroys everything.

Even when Rod transforms into a Titan after licking the contents of the broken syringe, Historia refuses to leave Eren. She tells him that even if she is humanity's enemy, she is Eren's friend, and when she sees someone crying because no one needs them, she wants to tell them that it is not true. She opens another shackle before being blown back from the winds generated by Rod's transformation, but Mikasa catches her. The rest of Squad Levi appears to take over Eren's rescue. However the group is trapped in the collapsing cavern. Eren apologizes for being useless, but Historia asks him if he really wants to wait here until they get burned or crushed to death simply because the two of them are enemies of humanity.

Eren gets up and grabs a bottle labeled "Armor" that had fallen out of Rod's satchel and breaks it between his teeth as he transforms into a Titan. This allows him to harden his Titan body and create pillar-like structures that support the collapsing cavern without disappearing even after he is extracted.

Historia climbs out through the open ceiling along with the rest of the squad, and they follow Rod Reiss' Titan on wagon and horseback. Eren suggests allowing himself to be eaten again since Rod Reiss has the right bloodline, but Historia argues against it. The Reiss family has tried to undo the First King's brainwashing for decades and as soon as Rod gets the power he can erase everyone's memories again. She tells Eren that this may actually be humanity's best hope, because the Founding Titan has been taken away from the people who have such a terrible idea about what makes peace.

Hange agrees with Historia and asks if she is certain of her choice. They cannot restrain a Titan of Rod's size so they will have to kill her father. Historia thinks about reuniting with Rod and apologizes to Eren because she really was going to kill him back in the cavern, not for humanity's sake, but because she did not want her father to hate her. Now she realizes it is time to say goodbye.

The group reunites with Erwin and falls back to Orvud District to prepare for the Titan's arrival. As they are preparing to go to a meeting to discuss how to destroy Rod's Titan, Levi takes the opportunity to inform Historia of Erwin's plan to install her as the new queen of the Walls. Although her squad mates are not happy with the situation that Historia is being forced into, she agrees on the condition that she be allowed to take part in the mission to kill Rod.

As Rod approaches the wall, Historia helps Hange and the other soldiers put together a web of rope around several stacks of gunpowder barrels. Erwin reminds her that she will be queen if they survive this, so it is a problem for her to be on the front lines. Historia asks him if the people are so naive that they would obey a ruler in name only. She has given herself her own mission to carry out, and that is why she is here.

When Rod reaches the Wall, Eren transforms into a Titan and hurls the web of barrels into the open mouth of Rod's Titan. The gunpowder in the barrels ignite, blowing off large chunks of the Titan's head and torso. The scouts use ODM gear to attack the flying pieces in hopes of cutting the nape before the Titan can regenerate. Historia cuts through a piece of the Titan and sees memories of a young Rod jailed while he demands explanations from his father for not killing the Titans, Rod trying to find solace in Alma, and of Uri and Frieda expressing their belief that inheriting their Titan would not change them.

Rod's Titan explodes and Historia lands on a padded cart. As she regains consciousness, she finds herself surrounded by surprised citizens, who ask if she is the one who finished off the Titan. They cannot identify her military posting, since she is not wearing her uniform. She is initially uncertain if this is truly her own decision, but she stands up and tells them that she is Historia Reiss, the true ruler of the Walls.

Omni-directional mobility gear
Historia's abilities with her blades and ODM gear are above that of the average soldier, as she was able to get into the top 10 in the 104th Cadet Corps despite 218 other soldiers in her class. However, it is believed that Historia's placement in the top 10 was largely due to the influence of Ymir, who Historia knows did something to aid her so that she may have the chance to going the Military Police Regiment, though she is not sure what.

Relationships

 * Ymir - Their relationship is complex, but they are very close, and Ymir has been stated to be in love with her. Both girls feel similar to each other, as they dealt with the same issues when they were younger. For Historia, Ymir is a trustful person, and none of them are afraid to point the other their respective flaws.
 * Sasha Braus - Sasha initially regarded Historia as a goddess when she brought her food and water after she had spent several hours running. The two seem to have remained close during their training days.
 * 104th Cadet Corps - Historia is admired by the rest of the cadets, and the most popular girl among them. Many of her male classmates have a crush on her due to her beauty and kindness, as demonstrated when she rescued Reiner Braun, Armin Arlelt, and Jean Kirschtein.

Trivia

 * The official site reveals that the majority of her male classmates had a crush on her, referring to her as the "Goddess" of the 104th.
 * A recurring gag in the series is that people actually refers to her as "goddess" or by terms related to God in several circumstances. First by Sasha, in Episode 3, when Historia gave her bread after having fallen, tired from having been forced to run for 5 hours; the second time by Jean and Armin, in Episode 18, when she came to their rescue after they were attacked by the Female Titan.
 * Her name Historia is Greek in origin and means "History." Also, her pseudonym Christa is of Greek origin (greek: Χριστή), meaning "she who is the anointed one." In Hebrew, "the anointed one" is "messiah."
 * Her alias Christa comes from a character of a book she read as a child. In addition, Historia's kind behaviour is based on this character's personality.
 * Her alias surname "Lenz" means "spring" in old German.
 * At the Animagic 2014 series panel, producer confirmed that Ymir and Historia are "indeed a couple."
 * Historia's situation was the opposite of Ymir's. Ymir is a regular girl who pretended to have royal blood, while Historia actually has royal blood but pretended to be a regular girl. They were both also given new names for their fake roles, namely Ymir and Christa.

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Historia Reiss (Anime)