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).

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 meek, 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
Some years ago, the cadets of the 104th Cadet Corps completed a snowstorm training exercise, arriving at a base at the foot of a mountain. After some brief discussion among the cadets, Reiner announced that Christa was missing. Mikasa said that Christa had chosen to stick with Daz, who was performing poorly, but Reiner said that Daz as well as Ymir had not returned. Marco suggested that she may be with Thomas' squad, but Reiner pointed out that his squad just completed their course with Ymir, Daz, and Christa nowhere in sight. Worrying for their safety, Eren proposed organizing a search for them, and their training instructor said that a search will begin the next morning. Eren insisted that it would be too late if they held off on the search, but the instructor said that more cadet lives could not be risked in the snowstorm.

Elsewhere in the storm, Christa and Ymir made their way through a forest with Daz unconscious in a cot pulled by Christa. Ymir said that they would only survive if they abandoned Daz and head for base together, but Christa insisted that they could all survive if Ymir went ahead alone while Christa took Daz. Ymir noticed that Christa had not asked for help during their entire course, and she realized that Christa had no intention of saving Daz nor herself. She said that it would be very against Christa's character to bring about Daz's death while searching for her own heroic end, but Christa insisted that such was not the case. Ymir brought up the fact that she was aware of Christa's true past, a daughter of a nobleman's mistress whose life was at risk. Recalling her days before training, Ymir revealed that while in the interior she overheard the Order of the Walls discussing Christa's existence. Since an illegitimate child could not properly succeed the head of the family, they had considered ending her life, but in the end it was decided that it would be enough to give her a new name and an inconspicuous life, eventually leading to her joining the Cadet Corps. Christa wondered if Ymir joined the Cadet Corps in order to find her, and Ymir proposed that it may be due to her own past being similar. Christa wondered if Ymir originally wanted to befriend her, but Ymir said that they are nothing alike. Unlike Christa, Ymir kept her old name after starting a new life, and abandoning her name would be to admit defeat. By living for herself, she robbed her enemies of their power. Ymir scolded Christa for looking for death rather than directing her feelings towards her enemies, and Christa said that there was no longer any way for all three of them to survive their mission.

Ymir led Christa to a cliff overlooking the base at the foot of the mountain and proposed tossing Daz over the edge so that she and Christa could make it to base alive while Daz could be searched for later. When Christa objected, Ymir took matters into her own hands and threw her aside into a snowbank. Ymir wandered off while Christa was submerged, and there was a flash of light in the distance. When Christa escaped from the snow and returned to the cliff, Ymir and Daz were nowhere to be found. Back at base, Eren prepared to head outside in search for the others, and Mikasa and Armin decided to help. Reiner and Bertholdt also decided to join, bringing more equipment for the trip. Conny, Marco, and Sasha agreed to come along as well. Suddenly, a loud crash like thunder was heard outside, and the cadets headed outdoors to investigate. In the distance, Sasha spotted Ymir dragging Daz through the snow. Some time later, Christa arrived and spotted Ymir outside the base. She asked about Daz, and Ymir showed her that Daz was safe indoors. Upon looking at the cliff from the ground, Christa saw that such a descent would be impossible without rope. Ymir decided to reveal to Christa how she saved Daz, but only if she promised to live by her true name when her secret eventually became known to everyone.

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.

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
Following her inauguration into the military, Historia is not seen to be partaking in the battle of Trost until attempting to help Armin overcome the distress of him believing himself to have lost his friends to the Titans. She then plays a role in helping Mikasa lead expedition with the other cadets retaking control the supply room, enabling the cadets to affect a resupply which is preventing their withdrawal from Trost until then. This is while the Mysterious Titan engages other Titans in combat, distracting them from the expedition.

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 Brigade 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 later shown to be part of the group that is being suspected for being comrades of Annie Leonhart, when Titans suddenly appear inside Wall Rose and the recruits are ordered to warn nearby homes.

When Pastor Nick reveals to the members of the Scout Regiment that Historia may know about the Walls having Titans inside them because of her family, and that she went under an assumed name after being caught in the middle of her relatives' dispute. It is not long until Eren and the others realize that she was often around Ymir.

After Historia and the rest of the recruits watch Ymir fighting against the group of Titans nearly falling off the tower when Ymir transformed, to which Reiner questioned her if she knew about it but tells she did not know herself despite being so close to her and refuses to believe it at first. When the recruits question whose side Ymir is on, Historia remembers some events of her and along with the other watching Ymir's attempt to fight the other Titans and came 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.

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.

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 Brigade, 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.
 * Conny Springer - Although they have only been shown interacting a handful of times, Historia and Conny clearly appear to be good friends.

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 surname "Lenz" means "spring" in old German.
 * At the Animagic 2014 series panel, producer George Wada confirmed that Ymir and Historia are "indeed a couple".