Maria Carlstead

Maria Carlstead (マリア・カールステッド) is a character in the light novel Attack on Titan: Before the Fall. She is a member of the Garrison, and is close friends with Angel Aaltonen and Sorum Humé, whom she was married to.

Appearance
She is a young woman with dark, shoulder length hair, tied up into a braid in the back. She has bangs that just barely brush past her eyebrows, accompanied by a strip of hair along each side of her face.

Personality
Maria is caring yet slightly mischievous, as shown when she teases Angel about his hair; and cares a lot about Sorum, her fiancé. She occasionally makes sarcastic remarks while talking to Angel.

Story
Maria grew up in an orphanage without any close family and became friends with two other children, Sorum Humé and Angel Aaltonen. Many years later, Maria is with Angel and both are waiting for Sorum to return from an expedition with the Survey Corps. After small talk, the two hear the sound of the Liberty bell, which signals the return of the Survey Corps. She eventually spots Sorum among the other surviving soldiers. She calms Angel who, after hearing the sound of cannons atop Wall Maria, begins to worry about what might have gone wrong. Some time later, Maria is with both Angel and Sorum before the latter two are set to go out on an expedition to try to capture a Titan. She expresses some worry about their safety, but Sorum drunkenly states that he will protect Angel and make it back home. Sorum reveals that Maria is pregnant with their daughter, slightly embarrassing Maria and surprising Angel.

The day of the expedition, Maria wishes Sorum, Angel and the others good luck as they leave. After the survivors return, Maria is devastated to hear that Sorum sacrificed himself to save Angel. One week later, Angel visits Maria, and they reminisce about happier times. Angel tries to say Sorum gave his life to save many others but Maria cuts him off, certain that it was a noble sacrifice. When Angel asks what she will do now, Maria affirms that she will stay in the Garrison to protect their home. She asks Angel the same question, and he responds he will develop a weapon to fight the Titans. Shortly after, she gives birth to her and Sorum's daughter Rosa.

Dissidence Movement arc
Maria keeps in contact with Carlo and Jorge Pikale and is able to help orchestrate the escape of both Kuklo and Cardina Baumeister. After the Military Police's investigation on Kuklo dies down, Maria and Carlo arrange for a testing of Angel's device at night, while Jorge goes to retrieve Kuklo and Cardina from the Industrial City. After hearing that she helped Jorge break them out, the two teens thank her. After revealing that she used to be called "the Guardian of Wall Maria", Kuklo responds that Maria is still young, causing her to slightly blush. After informing them that her squad is the only portion of the Garrison in on their testing, they prepare to start. Maria expresses concern that the low visibility will hamper the test and proposes they reschedule the test; she is surprised to see Kuklo, regardless of her concerns, anchor himself to the Wall and goes over the side. Soon, she faintly hears Kuklo crying out and watches both Carlo and Jorge rescue him and Cardina. Maria tends to some of Kuklo's wounds before going to summon a gondola to lower him back to the ground.

Restoration of the Survey Corps arc
Many months pass and Maria hears that her old friend Angel has returned out of exile, much to her pleasure. Maria is informed that, due to the Garrison captain being sent to the capital, she will be assigned to handle the recruits arriving with Carlo and Jorge. She witnesses Kuklo and Cardina use the vertical maneuvering equipment to reach the top of the Wall, and notices it is different from before. Maria helps the recruits to the top and congratulates her daughter Rosa when she reaches them as well.

Relationships

 * Sorum Humé - Maria grew up with Sorum in the same orphanage and eventually got married and had a child. They presumably loved each other very much and, before his fateful last expedition, Sorum expressed a desire to settle down with Maria and their child
 * Rosa Carlstead - Maria loves her daughter very much, yet is afraid of her desire to follow her father's footsteps and join the Survey Corps. Maria tries her best to deter Rosa from possibly meeting a similar fate and hopes she joins the Garrison instead.
 * Angel Aaltonen - Angel grew up with Maria and Sorum and became friends for life. Maria and Angel would spend time together after Sorum's death and look after the other. Maria was aware of Angel becoming a craftsman and that he was working on a device to fight against Titans; she presumably was saddened to hear when Angel disappeared and went into exile.

Trivia

 * The names of Maria and her daughter Rosa are most likely based off of the names of the two outermost Walls, Maria and Rose.