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) is the father of Eren Jaeger, husband of Carla Jaeger, and the adoptive father of Mikasa Ackermann.

Appearance
Dr. Jaeger has a gentlemanly appearance. He has straight brown hair and brown eyes with circular glasses. He wears a brown suit with a white cravat and a white shirt with ruffled sleeves. He has also been seen wearing a small, black hat with a gray stripe.

History
Years before the fall of Wall Maria, Grisha Jaeger was making a house call, with Eren tagging along, to Mr. Ackermann and Mrs. Ackermann 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
Dr. Jaeger is living in Shiganshina District with his wife, Carla; his son, Eren; and his adoptive daughter, Mikasa Ackermann. He keeps the basement of his house locked and does not allow anyone inside. Before departing on a journey, he promises Eren that he will show him what is in the basement when he gets back. After the fall of Wall Maria, Eren sees visions in his dreams of a tearful Grisha injecting a serum into Eren's left arm, insisting that he must return to their basement at any cost.

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 an interaction with his father on the night of the fall of Wall Maria. During this time, Grisha gives Eren the basement key and forces him take an injection that suppresses his memories. He tells Eren that he must let their memories guide him and get to the basement. He speaks of the hardships he will face and is adamant that he must learn to control his power and save Mikasa's, Armin's, and everyone else's lives.

Medicine
Grisha is a very skillful doctor, and serves 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.

Relationships

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


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


 * 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.


 * Mr. & Mrs. Ackermann - Dr. Yeager 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.