Leonhart (Anime)

"Even if the entire world ends up hating you...just know that your dad is always on your side.... So promise me...that you'll come back...."

- Leonhart to his daughter, Annie

Leonhart (レオンハート) is the father and trainer of Annie Leonhart. He relentlessly trained Annie to fight, using mostly kicks and the attacker's weight against them. Memories of his pleas for forgiveness later create an opening for Annie to crystallize herself before Eren Jaeger has the chance to capture her.

Appearance
Leonhart has a receding hairline with his black hair combed back. He appears to be a relatively short man, as his daughter is also very short, and well built for fighting as he is a trainer. He has only been seen wearing a light jacket over a white shirt with dark pants and shoes.

Personality
He seems to be a relentlessly strict trainer, not allowing his daughter to take breaks and yelling at her during the training sessions. However, sometime before Annie's departure, he has a change of heart and apologizes to her, asking her to promise him that she comes back someday, assuring her that he would always be on her side.

History
At some point before the fall of Wall Maria, Leonhart taught Annie fighting techniques that involved kicks and the use of the opponent's weight against themselves.

At one point during Annie's training, her father pushed her too far during a training session, causing her to snap and attack him, savagely beating him while he was down. The injuries he sustained during the beating left him crippled, in need of a cane in order to walk.

Before Annie left their hometown, Leonhart apologized to her, saying that it was too late to ask for forgiveness. However, Leonhart assured her that even if the whole world hated her and treated her like an enemy, he would always be by her side. He asked her only to promise him that she will return home.

Wall Sina, Goodbye: Part One
During her investigation of the disappearance of Carly Stratmann, Annie is reminded of her relationship with her father after seeing the relationship between Carly and her father Elliot G. Stratmann.

Assault on Stohess arc
While Annie is trying to escape from Stohess District transformed in her Titan form, she remembers the last words her father said to her before she left her hometown.

Marley arc
Leonhart attends Willy Tybur's production at the Liberio festival, being seated in reserved seats meant for honorary Marleyans. He speaks with Karina Braun about Bertholdt Hoover's father having passed away, and Mrs. Braun discusses the pride of both Annie and Bertholdt having devoted their lives for Marley. Leonhart denies this, adamantly stating that Annie is not dead, as she promised to come home.

Leonhart listens apathetically whilst Willy delivers his speech, seemingly caring little for his revelations on the true history of the Great Titan War, or his reasons to wage war on Paradis Island. After Willy officially declares war, the Attack Titan comes forth, killing Willy and sending building wreckage into the crowd.

War for Paradis arc
Along with all other Subjects of Ymir, Leonhart is spoken to by Eren Jaeger through the Founding Titan. Leonhart drops his shopping and falls to his knees, panicking about the declaration that the lives beyond Paradis Island will be exterminated.

Relationships

 * Annie Leonhart - At first he seemed to be a strict and not very approachable father for Annie, though for some reason he later changed his mind and demonstrated his love for his daughter by tearfully hugging her and assuring her that he would always be on her side. This reaction seemed to deeply surprise Annie, indicating that it was not common in him until then.

Trivia

 * The name Leonhart is derived from the Spanish word león and the Dutch word hart. These words combined literally translate to Lionheart. Lionheart is a nickname that is given to someone who is a great warrior, which is something that he strives his daughter Annie to be.
 * While Leonhart was portrayed with dark blond hair in the first season of the Attack on Titan anime, his hair color was darkened considerably for his appearance in the Wall Sina, Goodbye OVA adaptations.
 * Leonhart and Gerald share the same English voice actor.