Conny Springer (Anime)

Conny Springer (コニー・スプリンガー) is a member of the 104th Cadet Corps. Upon graduation, he joined the Scout Regiment.

Appearance
Conny is one of the shorter characters in the series, standing two centimeters shorter than Levi. He has a slim build, with bright hazel eyes, and his head is distinctively kept shaved. Conny is typically dressed in standard military garb, and will don the Scout Regiment cape when on missions.

His casual attire consists of a simple long-sleeve white shirt and shin-length brown slacks.

Personality
Conny can be best described as outgoing and impetuous. He has an easy time expressing his opinions, and enjoys flaunting his skills, especially during his days as a trainee. Despite being in the military, Conny starts off as rather unfocused, and enjoys goofing around and messing with his friends, but can also be a bit dense at times.

Humanity's Comeback arc
Conny signs up as a new recruit in the 104th Cadet Corps with hopes of eventually joining the Military Police Brigade. His entry into the military is a clumsy one, and he winds up getting the military's salute wrong on the first day. For the remainder of his training, Conny can be seen practicing using the omni-directional mobility gear, which he was particularly proficient in, as well as messing with his fellow recruits, or goofing around with Sasha Braus, whom he becomes fast friends with.

The Struggle for Trost arc
Conny graduates ranked 8th among the 104th Training, and is present in Trost District when the Colossal Titan breaches the Wall. He is usually looking out for the others, as with the appearance of Eren Jaeger's Titan Form, came to check on Armin and Mikasa in the ensuing battle. When Armin gives his remaining gas to Mikasa, Conny carries Armin using his vertical maneuvering equipment to headquarters. He, Armin, and Mikasa burst through a window immediately after Eren strikes two Titans, explaining to Jean Kirschtein that the Titan attacks other Titans and ignores humans. He later joins Armin's plan to break into the supply room and replenish their supply. He is one of the best fighters in the group, and so is one of the seven assigned to take down a Titan in the supply room with one strike. While he fails to kill his target with his first blow, he is rescued by Annie Leonhart.

The 57th Exterior Scouting Mission arc
He is one of the soldiers perched on top of one of the Giant Trees, waiting for word from Levi's Squad with the others. He is seen returning from the failed 57th Expedition along with the others, and is later seen in the field riding a horse along with Sasha Braus, Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, Christa Lenz and Ymir.

Clash of the Titans arc
Conny is again seen with a group of Survey Corps members being investigated by Mike Zacharius under suspicion of being one of Annie's accomplices. However, when Titans suddenly appear within Wall Rose, Mike sends them on groups to warn the surrounding villages. Since Conny's village, Ragako, is in the path of the Titans, he recieves permission to join the group heading in that direction. They find the village somehow deserted, as there are no bodies around but also no sign that anybody fled. Atop the ruins of his house, he finds an immobile Titan bearing some sort of resemblance to his mother. The Titan welcomes Conny home, to his disbelief. He tries to tell the group but is quickly dismissed by Reiner, who tells him to focus on the mission. As night emerges, Conny and the rest of his group take refuge in Utgard Castle, an abandoned castle, which eventually falls under siege. During the siege, Conny is attacked by a smaller Titan, but Reiner rescues him, injuring his arm in the process. He begins to express frustration at the fact that Reiner has always saved him, and promises to repay him back sometime in the future. Like all the others, he is shocked to see Ymir turn into a Titan, noting that while Eren at first had no idea of his Titan powers, Ymir seems to have been fully conscious of it the whole time. After Hange and her squad rescue them, Conny joins the efforts to investigate the supposed breach in Wall Rose.

When a battle breaks out between the soldiers, the Armored and Colossal Titans, Conny is assigned to attend to the wounded. He fears for Bertholdt and Reiner, who seem to be missing to him, unaware that they are the enemies being fought.

After the battle, Conny is in complete and utter shock after being told that Reiner and Bertholdt are the Armored and Colossal Titans respectively. He joins the rescue mission, and demands that he hears it straight from their mouths. When the team finally makes it to the forest, he is among those who identify Ymir in her Titan form. He is confused and agitated at the fact that Ymir does not answer any questions, but when Historia arrives, she "eats" her, and escapes, with the rest of the group following on foot, however, they cannot catch her, and watch in horror as Reiner transforms and kidnaps Eren and Historia.

He catches up to the traitors and uses his omni-directional mobility gear to climb up to Reiner's shoulder. Together with Jean, Sasha, Mikasa and Armin, he confronts Bertholdt (and also Reiner), asking if they were ever true friends. He begins to reminisce about their time in the 104th Cadet Corps, and this, along with Jean's interrogation, causes Bertholdt to have an emotional breakdown, and he says that he considered them "true comrades". But before the group can react to Bertholdt's confession, Hannes warns them that Erwin Smith is leading a horde of Titans straight at them. Conny is forced to watch in horror as his former friends charge straight into the horde of Titans heading straight for them. When Erwin orders a second charge after his right arm is eaten, he follows the others into battle.

He later appears somewhere on the battlefield, using the chaos to retrieve Historia. When she protests that he should leave her and that Ymir is going to be killed if she does not go with the traitors, Conny demands she rethink things. He asks if Ymir's claims are true, and states that even an idiot could figure out that Ymir only gets serious for Historia's sake. He advises them to follow him and retreat for now, or else they will all be killed. However, before they can regroup with other forces, the Armored Titan begins throwing Titans at them.

With their route cut off and Reiner blocking their way, things look bleak for everyone. However, when Eren punches the Smiling Titan in a fit of rage, all the Titans divert their attention to it. They begin to eat it whole, and Conny, among many others, watch in confusion as the Smiling Titan is ripped apart. Eren and Mikasa begin to make their escape, but Reiner and Bertholdt charge at them, with Reiner saying that he is "the worst person imaginable to possess the Coordinate". Eren notices them and screams at them, telling them to back off or he will kill them both. The Titan horde then charge at the traitors, and Erwin uses this chance to make a full retreat. Conny urges the two to come along, but Ymir decides to stay behind, and Conny and Historia make their escape. Conny makes it back to Wall Rose, shocked yet relieved to be alive. Upon reflection with Armin, Jean and Eren, Conny come to realize that Eren caused the Titans to attack the traitors. Conny and Hange visit Levi, Erwin and Dot Pyxis in Trost District, and theorize that the Titan attack was from Conny's village, and that Titans may very well be humans. Levi questions Hange, asking if this whole time he was running around, using his energy to kill people. Hange replies that there is not enough proof to justify this yet, and Erwin becomes happy, as he is one more step to the truth. Conny looks at his parents' portrait one more time with tears in his eyes before leaving.

Abilities
Conny's abilities put him in the top 10 of the graduated trainees. He is said to be "slow on the uptake but makes very sharp turns". Conny's combat skills are shown to be more or less average, and he has yet to be shown successfully slaying a Titan.

Relationships

 * Sasha Braus - Conny and Sasha are very close friends. Even though they often get into trouble together and provide much of the comic relief of the series, they care for and protect each other when the situation calls for it.
 * Reiner Braun - Conny greatly admires Reiner, and looks up to him as a big brother. The two were often seen together during their trainee days, and Conny notes that Reiner has protected him on multiple occasions. After realizing that he is one of the traitors, he begins to grow resentment at this, but also disbelief.
 * Ymir - Their relationship is often tense, and they are prone to taking verbal shots at one another. Most of their interactions devolve into arguments, Ymir generally looking down on Conny, and Conny having no patience for Ymir's tactlessness.
 * Eren Jaeger - Conny and Eren are on good terms. Conny initially found amusement in Eren's difficulty as a trainee, but their relationship eventually turns friendly, and Conny is later inspired to join the Scout Regiment partially because of Eren.

Trivia

 * Conny's name may have multiple meanings, either from the Celtic name "Connor", meaning "son of the wolf", or "Constantia", meaning "conviction". "Springer" is German for "knight", "leaper", and "dolphin".
 * Conny cuts his own hair.