Grisha Jaeger (Anime)

"Eren! You'll understand the truth someday, if you visit the basement! It will be a harsh, painful journey...but you must reach it! If you want to save Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else...you must learn to control this ability!"

- Grisha shortly before injecting Eren

Grisha Jaeger (グリシャ・イェーガー) was the father of Eren and Zeke Jaeger, husband of Carla Jaeger, and the adoptive father of Mikasa Ackermann. He had the power of a Titan and used it to steal the Founding Titan from the Reiss family.

Human form
Dr. Jaeger had a gentlemanly appearance. He had straight brown hair and brown eyes with circular glasses. He wore a brown suit with a white cravat and a white shirt with ruffled sleeves. He was also seen wearing a small, black hat with a gray stripe at times.

Attack Titan form
Grisha's Titan had a body with a notoriously bulkier torso than his arms and legs. He had long, dark hair, elongated ears, small eyes, and his mouth was covered in flesh and a dark, thick beard along with black chest hair. His Titan form had several similarities with Eren's, including their long dark hair, elongated ears, sunken eyes, and a muscular physique.

Personality
Although he appeared on the surface to be a rather calm, calculated man, Grisha's most notable character traits were his hard-headed personality and his intense passion for whatever cause he dedicated himself to. Grisha's hard-headed tendency was most evident during his childhood, usually to his own detriment. This was best exemplified by his decision to ignore his mother's warnings, and take his younger sister outside Liberio's Internment Zone, leading to her eventual demise. Grisha also demonstrated a tendency toward rashness, failing to recognize the danger his behavior put his family in, and even looking down on his parents for their subservient nature to the Marley government, despite the fact that they were only trying to keep him from suffering the same fate as his sister. It was this same rashness that led him to join the Restorationists, and to his eventual exile to Paradis Island.

Grisha also seemed to possess a rather profound lack of self-awareness, failing to see the consequences of his actions unless they were presented to him directly. It was this same lack of awareness that led him to ultimately drive an emotional wedge between himself and Zeke, causing Zeke to betray Grisha and his comrades to the Marley government. Grisha had also shown himself to be rather weak-willed. When offered to take up Eren Kruger's mission in the wake of the Restorationists' capture and torture, Grisha initially refused, claiming he would never have joined their cause if he had known the price he would have to pay, although he was later persuaded to accept Kruger's mission due to his strong sense of obligation to his fellow Restorationists.

History
As a young boy, Grisha Jaeger lived with his sister Fay and their mother in a town beyond the Walls where they were forced to live in a walled area and wear armbands in public. One day, seeing Fay's awe and excitement at an airship passing over their hometown, Grisha goes against his mother's wishes and takes his sister beyond the walls of their living area to see the airship land.

After finding the where the airship was landing, the two were found by two officers of the Marley Public Security. One of the men punished Grisha while the other one took Fay away. However, when Grisha returned home she was not there. Her corpse was later found dead and mangled in a river. The Marley men visited the family home and explained that Fay and Grisha were at fault for leaving and denied any knowledge of her death. Although his mother broke down at the news, his father smiled and explained that he would re-inform his son of their history.

Grisha's father explained the history of the Eldians and why their ancestors' actions justify their outcast status in Marleyan society. Grisha explained that he believed the Marley men were lying and tried to say they killed his sister but his father silenced him and the two fought over their situation as Eldians. His father tried to convince his son why they needed to be punished but Grisha expressed his belief that they should not have to pay for the actions their ancestors committed.

Grisha continued to live his life being shamed for being an Eldian and eventually became a doctor. One of his patients, a man named Grice, revealed to Grisha the true circumstances of Fay's death, leading him to join the Restorationists. Through his activities and a mole in the Marley legal system named 'The Owl', Grisha got information about Eldian history and met Dina Fritz, a woman of royal descent. A year later they got married and had a child which they named Zeke.

Later in their lives, Marleyan officials recruited children to take on the power of the seven Titans their people had stolen from the Eldians so many years ago, so they could go to Paradis Island and take down King Fritz, who had fled there and built Walls for his people 80 years ago. "The Owl" informed the group that Marley’s real goal was to steal the Founding Titan, so they could enhance their military might. Grisha then decided he would send his own son into the program as a mole for them.

At the age of seven, Zeke exposed his parents and all the Restorationists, and they were sentenced to go to Paradis Island as Pure Titans.

After being turned in to the Marley Public Security, Grisha was subjected to extensive torture as the soldiers attempted to get him to reveal who the Owl was. Once they gave up on obtaining the information, Grisha and the rest of the Restorationists were taken to Paradis Island and sat on their knees before a large Wall by the ocean. After kicking Grice off the Wall alive, the rest of the Restorationists were turned into Titans with Titan injection except for the Jaegers and another member. When it was Dina's turn, Grisha pleaded for her life and tried to point out that she was of royal descent and could be of potential use to them, but was silenced by Kruger before any of the soldiers could overhear him, to Grisha's surprise. He watched her transform into a Titan and run after their friend, Grice.

Sergeant Major Gross decided not to turn Grisha into a Titan, but to throw him to the other Restorationist after he had been transformed. After adjusting the dose to create a 3-4m class and injecting the other man with injection, revealed to actually be Titan spinal fluid, he threw him off the Wall to transform. He began explaining how watching people be devoured made him feel alive in such a dull society. He then began pushing Grisha off asking him to fight and die in an interesting way. However, before he could do so, Kruger pushed Gross off the Wall. As Gross is devoured, Kruger asked Grisha if he enjoyed such a sight. He then revealed that he was The Owl and claimed that he would show Grisha how to truly use the power of the Titans. Kruger then transformed into a Titan and destroyed the steamboat that took all the soldiers to the island.

After destroying the Marleyan men and their equipment, Kruger returned to the top of the Wall and. Kruger explained his terrible acts against thousands of Eldians, saying he did it all to serve Eldia in the end. Kruger then said that he was entrusting Grisha with his final mission, and went on to express regret for playing a role in his sister’s death, but that the hatred he saw in Grisha's eyes the next day was part of the reason he chose him. This reminded Kruger of his own uprising, when he watched his family be burned alive and chose to get revenge for them, however, it turned out that he had to torture fellow Eldians to maintain his identity until that day. Kruger told Grisha that he must enter the Walls and take back the Founding Titan, using the power of the Titans Kruger would give him. Grisha then asked why Kruger was not doing it himself, but Kruger explained that 13 years after inheriting the power of the Titans, the host would die, and it had been 13 years for him. He then explained that all Eldians are connected by paths to the Founding Titan Ymir Fritz once had and that no one can ever be stronger than her, so they die after 13 years like she did. Grisha then questioned this logic and the Eldian history, which Kruger explained is probably not true from the Marleyan or Eldian perspective.

When Grisha asked Kruger why he allowed for Dina to die, he said that he believed it would be better than having her give birth to royal children for Marley until her death. Grisha told him that he did not believe he was fit to take on his mission, and that he would not have paid the price for freedom if he knew what it was. Kruger then commended Grisha's father for trying to keep his family safe when he knew what happened to Faye. Kruger confronted Grisha, and told him that the reason he chose him is that at the expense of others, he sought freedom by going past the Walls. He said that their brothers and sisters paid the price for their freedom, and that those actions will follow them until they are repaid, even after death. As Grisha finally agreed, Kruger informed him of the name of the Titan he would be inheriting: the Attack Titan. After taking his power, Grisha went to the Walls and began his mission.

Around the year 830, Grisha was found wandering outside the Walls near the Shiganshina District by Keith Sadies, a soldier of the Scout Regiment. The soldier was very surprised to see him, not only because he was outside the Walls, but also because he claimed to have suffered amnesia and he had no memories about the civilization inside the Walls and the military. Amazed to learn that the people of the Walls were attempting to fight the Titans, Grisha claimed to have amnesia.

Keith brought Grisha back to Shiganshina, where he was imprisoned for illegally entering Titan territory. While imprisoned, he claimed to remember his name. Upon release, Grisha revealed to Keith that he remembered being a doctor, and asked him for knowledge about the world inside the Walls.

Keith took Grisha to a pub in Shiganshina where Keith taught him about the world. Suitably impressed by the life that the people of the Walls had managed to build for themselves, Grisha was surprised to hear that Keith was unhappy with the state of the Walls, and had joined the Scout Regiment in the hope of seeing the larger world. Praising Keith and the scouts, Grisha caught the attention of a nearby barmaid named Carla, who began to chastise Keith for attempting to recruit more people to the Scout Regiment. However, Grisha assured her that even if he was offered the chance, he would not be joining, as the regiment required special people to join to its ranks.

Grisha eventually found work at a hospital. When an epidemic broke out in Shiganshina, Grisha was able to successfully cure those afflicted - including Carla and her parents. Grisha and Carla later married one another and had a son whom they named Eren.

Years later, Grisha was making a house call, with Eren tagging along, to Mikasa's father and mother for an appointed medical examination in the year 844. When he arrived there, he found them dead for hours. He asked Eren if he had seen the girl named Mikasa anywhere, but he was too shocked to answer. He then told Eren to wait for him at the foot of the mountain while he finds the Military Police.

After the MPs and Grisha arrived at the murderers' hideout, Grisha hugged Eren and scolded him for the murders he committed when saving Mikasa, asking if he even understood what he had done. However, instead of continuing to scold him for killing Mikasa's kidnappers, he told him that this time he was lucky and he could have been killed himself. Mikasa, cold and depressed, asked Grisha in what direction her home was and stated that she was cold and wants to leave. In response, Eren gave her his scarf and Grisha told her to come live with them.

The Fall of Shiganshina arc
Upon learning from Mikasa that Eren wants to join the Scout Regiment, Grisha is more obliging of the idea than Carla, asking his son why he wants to leave the Walls. Upon hearing his son's answer, Grisha announces that he will be departing, telling a bewildered Carla that there is no point in trying to stop an inquisitive mind like Eren's. Before he leaves, he promises to show Eren what he has been hiding in their basement when he returns.

Later, during Wall Maria's fall, Grisha travels to the Reiss family chapel in the night. Bursting in on the royal family, Grisha reveals himself to be an Eldian from beyond the Walls, and begs Frieda Reiss to use her Founding Titan ability to save Shiganshina from the Titans that are breaking in, but she refuses. In desperation, Grisha activates his Titan ability and attacks the family, intending to steal the Founding Titan. He easily bests Frieda in combat and devours her, before going on to slaughter the entire Reiss family with the exception Rod Reiss, who escapes.

Traveling to Trost District, Grisha locates Keith and enlists his help in searching for his family among the refugees. Upon finding Eren, the two men learn that Carla has been devoured, devastated by the news. Telling Eren that he must avenge his mother, Grisha takes his son into the woods. When Keith tries to stop him, arguing that Grisha should not put such a burden on the boy's shoulders as he might not be gifted like Grisha, Grisha simply explains that the fact that Eren is his son makes him qualified, and orders Keith not to get involved.

In the forest, he entrusts Eren with the key to his basement and injects him with Titan serum, explaining to Eren that their memories will teach him how to use the ability. Transforming into a Pure Titan Eren devours Grisha and returns to his human state, having gained the Founding Titan and Attack Titan.

After the fall of Wall Maria, Eren sees visions in his dreams of his last encounter with his father.

Humanity's Comeback arc
After Eren finally succeeds in the use of omni-directional mobility gear, head instructor of the 104th Cadet Corps Keith Sadies expresses to himself that Grisha would be proud of his son, Eren, and that he is finally becoming a soldier.

The Struggle for Trost arc
During his interrogation with Kitz Woermann, Eren Jaeger recalls meeting his father on the night of the fall of Wall Maria.

The Uprising arc
While Eren is chained up in an underground cavern belonging to the Reiss family, Rod Reiss and Historia place their hands on his back, which allows him to experience his father's memories of the night Wall Maria fell.

After Eren recognizes the man Grisha met in Trost to be Keith Sadies, he travels to meet the instructor to find out everything he knows about Grisha. In their meeting, Keith reveals all he knows about Grisha Jaeger and his past, including how he met Carla and his mysterious apparition.

Return to Shiganshina arc
During the Battle of Shiganshina District, Zeke begins to lament the Scout Regiment's plight, doomed to give up their lives because their memories had been stolen from them. He quickly begins chastising himself for being too serious, like Grisha. Afterward, in the aftermath of the battle for Shiganshina, Zeke encounters Eren, noting that the young man looks nothing like his father Grisha. Zeke claims to be a victim of Grisha just like Eren, who he claims was brainwashed by him. As Eren thinks on Zeke's words, he notices an uncanny resemblance between the War Chief and his father.

When the Scout Regiment finally reaches the basement of the Jaeger household, they find that Grisha had set it up to appear as a common doctor's office. However, after further investigation, they discover a locked drawer in his desk, which his key unlocks. Grisha had left the drawer empty, but beneath the false bottom were hidden three books kept intact with various preservatives. Within the first book, the Scouts finds an uncannily realistic image of Grisha standing beside a fair-haired woman and young child. Upon the back of the image, Grisha had left a message stating that it was not a drawing, but the light of the objects shown burned onto special paper called a photograph. Grisha's note reveals that humanity beyond the Walls lives in refinement, far from extinct. The books later go on to tell the story of Grisha's past life outside the Walls, beginning with the day his sister Fay Jaeger was killed.

Lost in the cruel world
In the year 844, Dr. Jaeger visits the Ackermanns for a checkup on the mother, who turns out to be expecting. When Eren and Mikasa come across bodies in the forest, Dr. Jaeger makes plans to inform the Military Police.

Over his routine medical visits, Dr. Jaeger informs Mikasa's father that his wife has an infection, and needs to be moved somewhere closer to his house in Shiganshina District.

Medicine
Grisha was a very skillful doctor, and served many families within the Walls. He was able to cure hundreds of people from a sickness that attacked mankind before the Fall of Wall Maria, earning him respect throughout the Walls.

Power of the Titans
Grisha was able to turn into a very large Titan; it appeared that he had all of the regular abilities of those with the power of the Titans, like extraordinary regeneration, incredible strength, and endurance when he is transformed. Other than these, it is unknown if he had any other unique abilities. He had some experience with Titan abilities; that was the reason why he managed to kill and eat Frieda Reiss, a Titan that almost matched his size. He stabbed his own hand with a knife in order to trigger the transformation.
 * Founding Titan: After eating Frieda, he inherited the Founding Titan and its power. His normally green eyes turned purple in the process.
 * Regeneration: As a holder of the power of the Titans, it is believed that he could regenerate his body faster than regular humans, even from fatal wounds.

Relationships

 * Fay Jaeger - Fay was Grisha's little sister. As a child, Fay was the closest person to Grisha and he loved her dearly, wanting to protect her; even accepting punishment in her place. Fay's murder was what motivated Grisha for the rest of his life.
 * Dina Fritz - Dina was Grisha's first wife. He loved her dearly and when they were captured, he volunteered to be killed in her place. His offer was refused and Grisha was heartbroken after she became a Pure Titan.
 * Mr. Jaeger and Mrs. Jaeger - While Grisha originally cared for both of his parents, the loss of his younger sister caused him to develop a disdain for their acceptance of how Marleyans treated them. In particular, Grisha greatly hated his father for trying to instill the same acceptance in him and not taking action for Fay.


 * Eren Jaeger - Grisha was perhaps closer to Eren than anyone else in his life, surpassing even his relationships with Carla and Mikasa. As a father, Grisha left home for a lot of medical duties; however, he encouraged Eren's dreams to venture outside the Wall and offered to reveal to him the secrets of the basement.


 * Carla Jaeger - When Grisha heard of Wall Maria's downfall, he shed tears in fear that his family had perished. Grisha was visibly affected by her death, and when turning Eren to a Titan, is told that her death had made him crazy as his son screamed.


 * Mikasa Ackermann - Grisha knew Mikasa when she was a small child from visiting her home as the family doctor. When taking Eren along for a visit, he had hoped that the two would be able to get along as friends. After her rescue from the human traffickers, Grisha showed sympathy towards Mikasa and told her to come live with him and his family. Years later, after the fall of Wall Maria, Grisha mentions her name as he sheds tears in fear that she had been killed by the Titans.


 * Mikasa's father and mother - Dr. Jaeger was well known to the Ackermanns as their family physician. They appeared quite friendly when speaking about each other, and Grisha had been known to have been their doctor at least since Mikasa was small, however it appears that as she grew older his visits were less frequent. Grisha seemed quite disturbed at the sight of their deaths.

People killed

 * Eren Kruger (as a Pure Titan)
 * Frieda Reiss
 * Dirk Reiss
 * Abel Reiss
 * Florian Reiss
 * Rod's wife
 * Ulklin Reiss

Failed attempts

 * Rod Reiss

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Grisha Jäger (Anime)