Hange Zoë

"Do you know what exactly we in the Survey Corps have spilled our blood for? To take back our freedom the Titans stole from us. For that cause...our lives were a small price to pay!"

- Hange lecturing Minister Nick

Hange Zoë (ハンジ・ゾエ) is the 14th and current commander (団長) of the Survey Corps, named so by Erwin Smith before his death. She is also a former squad leader (分隊長) who was in charge of the Fourth Squad, having the duties of innovative inventing and conducting research on Titans, including Eren Yeager who has the ability to transform into a Titan. Since her promotion to commander, Hange also is in charge of expedition planning, management of the regiment, recruiting, and all the other responsibilities previously handled by Erwin.

Appearance
Hange has wide, light brown eyes and shoulder length dark brown hair that she often keeps tied up in an unkempt high ponytail with bangs parted down the middle. When Hange was caught in an explosion caused by Bertolt Hoover transforming, her left eye was badly injured. This has led her to wear a small black eye patch over it. As a constantly busy person, her hair is thrown up very quickly and is usually oily and unclean. Along with her eye patch, Hange wears square, thick-rimmed glasses that have bands strapped around her head to keep them from dislodging during combat. However, when she is out of combat she wears thin oval-shaped glasses, still keeping the bands on her head most of the time. She is occasionally shown pulling her glasses up onto her forehead from time to time, often to indicate seriousness or anger. Hange is often seen wearing the normal Survey Corps uniform with a white button-up shirt underneath. When on missions or business, she wears the traditional green Survey Corps cloak and in addition to this uniform, Hange now wears a bolo-tie at all times as the other military commanders do. When out of uniform, Hange usually wears a white button-up shirt with black pants, and occasionally sporting a black coat. If Hange is in a hurry, she will only wear her Survey Corps jacket; even if it is over her sleepwear.

Personality
To most people, Hange appears to be an energetic, freethinking researcher with a very unique way of conducting herself and her work through her rather observant and objective character. She explained that she first had a very resentful heart and insecure character when she joined the Survey Corps, but when she kicked the head of a 3 meter Titan she was shocked and amazed at how abnormally light it was. This drove her to forget most of her resentment and insecurity, as well as taking an outside the box approach to Titan research and showcased her wild actions. Hange also shows great compassion for her Titan test subjects, even crying when she was forced to put Bean in severe pain for an experiment, and having a complete meltdown when they were killed.

As the threat of the enemy becomes much more severe, Hange less frequently shows her lighthearted nature, often becoming blunt and serious. However, Hange still displays great empathy towards others in general, as well as high sympathy for the dead and the suffering. The last was seen when she attempted to console Mikasa Ackerman by explaining her agony over the constant loss of her comrades, all while hugging her in sorrow. Despite being a brave soldier, Hange confides in Moblit Berner that she feels terror in all of the Titan things that are unknown to her, but her curiosity about them and concern towards her dear ones appear to be greater. As her responsibilities continue to grow with her position as Commander, Hange more frequently shows signs of severe anger, stress, and exhaustion.

Hange is a genius, using her brain to create weapons, tactical plans, and inventions for the benefit of humanity. As a leader, Hange is thoughtful of her comrades, and can easily figure out complex problems in order to create plans for her teammates to carry out. On a less cheerful note, she can use this genius anyway she can, being able to easily manipulating people to do what she wants in order to benefit humanity.

However, Hange's energetic attitude is only half of her personality, alongside a darker attitude normally kept under her usual self. She shows a psychotic side when giving a demented smile to Djel Sannes, telling him of the horrible pain she was going to cause him for what he did to her friend, Minister Nick. Furthermore, Hange even smiled and entirely sarcastically joked with Sannes during his torture under her and Levi Ackerman's hands. Probably the strongest emotion Hange expresses is anger, as she is often seen flipping from calm and collected to rage-filled and threatening. However, this extreme change in personality is usually brief as she quickly calms down herself, and is only seen in highly urgent situations.

Battle of Trost District arc
Hange is present among the Survey Corps as they leave Trost District on another expedition to study the world outside the Walls and lay groundwork for their eventual return to Shiganshina District to retake Wall Maria. As Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert watch them leave, they and many others in the crowd admire Captain Levi. Hange teases Levi, saying that his admirers would be disappointed if they knew what a clean freak he was.

During the 49th expedition outside of Wall Rose, Hange and Levi find the corpse of a fallen Survey Corps member. Upon looking at their armband, Hange states that it is from the 34th expedition, belonging to a woman named Ilse Langnar who had died a year prior. Nearby, Levi finds her notebook where she described her encounter with a Titan and how it spoke to her.

The Female Titan arc
Hange Zoë is introduced as part of the group, along with Mike Zacharias, assigned to take Eren to his court hearing in front of the leaders of the Military. She is present with the rest of the Survey Corps as Levi beats up Eren and checks on his condition after the tribunal is over, noting that Eren's lost tooth grew back.

Later, when Eren and the Special Operations Squad are at the former Survey Corps Headquarters, Hange explains that she is in charge of experimenting with captured Titans Sonny and Bean and begins to prep Eren on previous experiments, but noting his enthusiasm to learn, ends up talking until morning. She was about to talk about the curious precedent involving Ilse Langnar when they were interrupted with news that Bean and Sonny were dead. Rushing to the site, Hange cries at the loss of the Titans.

She later moves forward with the experiments on Eren. When it turns out Eren cannot turn into a Titan at will, Hange is a little disheartened. However, seeing Eren's Titan hand later on earned an overly-excited response from Hange and breaks the tension between Eren and the Special Operations Squad. When she excitedly runs to Eren and touches his Titan arm, she burns her hands on the exposed muscle. When Hange finds a teaspoon being clutched by Eren's Titan arm, she concludes that Eren's Titan powers are only awakened when he has a clear objective in mind, such as defending his friends from a cannon. She also hypothesized that this switch must have a good reason as well as being connected to the Titan's nature.

During the 57th Expedition Outside the Walls, a Female Titan attacks the Survey Corps and decimates their ranks. After the Female Titan is lured into the Survey Corps' trap in a Titan Forest and captured, unbeknownst to the Special Operation Squad, Eld Jinn wonders aloud why they were not told of the plan to capture it. He speculates that Erwin only told those who were in the corps before the Fall of Wall Maria to be sure they were not spies, with Hange being among those mentioned.

Hange is present during the capture of the Female Titan and mockingly tells it that the special target restraining weapon is designed so that the more her wounds heal the more her joints will be immobilized. She then laughs and wonders what is taking Levi and Mike so long to draw out whoever is inside.

Later, Hange stops Keiji from continuing to try and break open the crystal Annie presumably put around herself to avoid capture. She orders the crystal containing Annie be removed to safety and worries for the future of the Survey Corps after this failure of a mission. She then notices Mikasa is still on the Wall, and is surprised to see that she has found a Titan within the hole. This makes Hange speculate if there are Titans all throughout the Walls. She is then approached by Minister Nick who begs the soldiers to stop sunlight from hitting the Titan's face to prevent it from awakening.

After this, Hange tries to question the Minister about what they had just seen, but he roughly states that they do not need to know anything about it, and even threatens to demand compensation for damages done to his church. Furious at his attitude, she grabs Nick and holds him over the side of the Wall as a threat, demanding that Nick explain why there are Titans inside the Wall.

Hange comes to the conclusion that his religion has been so opposed to Wall modifications because of what they know is inside the Wall. She claims that the people of the Survey Corps sacrifice their lives hoping that one day it will mean something, and because of this they have the right to know what they saw inside the Wall and why it is there.

However, Nick refuses to reveal anything and clearly shows that he would rather die than tell his secrets, but Hange decides to let him live and throws him back onto the Wall.

Clash of the Titans arc
Twenty hours after Titans are sighted in Wall Rose, Hange is seen on a carriage with Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Levi, and Nick. When Armin questions the reasoning for Nick being there Hange explains that Nick and the Church of the Walls are keeping secrets about the Titans within the Wall. When Eren lashes out at him Hange explains that Nick is now considering talking, so he is going to see what the effects of the current situation are doing to the people and she explains that he is probably keeping quiet because there is a motive greater than saving humanity. It is revealed that Levi is holding Nick at gunpoint and he states that he will easily keep an eye on Nick.

Levi then asks why Hange is fiddling with a rock in her hands and she explains that it is a piece of hardened flesh that fell off Annie when she was trapped in Stohess and that it has not evaporated. When she says this Armin is shocked and questions it, as Hange states that when compared to the Wall material it is the same. they then theorize that the entire Wall is made up of hardened Titan flesh. Armin suggests that if an operation were to be carried out at night, they may be able to make it to Wall Maria and have Eren plug the hole with his Titan body if he could harden it.

Nick, after seeing the state of the citizens due to the Wall Rose breach, finally tells her and the other members of the Survey Corps about Historia and that she knows more about the Walls having Titans in them. She went under an assumed name after she was caught in the middle of her relative's dispute, and will tell the corps more about it if she chooses to. When Eren, Mikasa, and Armin hear that Krista Lenz is a fake name, they are shocked and run off to find her. Hange states she does not know all the new recruits from the 104th Training Corps and Mikasa describes her as the girl always with Ymir. This greatly shocks Hange and Levi as the Titan that spoke with Ilse Langnar spoke about someone named Ymir.

After Utgard Castle falls, Hange and her squad come to save and evacuate the reaming soldiers. She is shocked when she realizes that Ymir has the power of the Titans and is worried about the wounds she sustained after fighting off the Titans.

The surviving soldiers are brought on top of the Walls and Hange overviews the situation on Ymir's wounds and speaks of her value to humanity to Historia Reiss after learning her name is not Krista Lenz. When Hannes arrives with the Garrison vanguard, Hange gives orders to stand by in Trost as there is no breach. When Reiner Braun reveals to Eren that he and Bertolt Hoover are the Colossus and Armored Titans, Eren has a flashback to Hange briefing them on two suspects of Colossus and Armored Titan identities. Hange explains that Reiner and Bertolt came from the same area as Annie and that they were on the right flank of the expedition where Annie appeared as The Female Titan. When everyone dismisses them being affiliated with her, Armin recalls that Reiner drew out Eren's location from him and probably wrote it on Annie's hand when she captured him. Hange then states that they are not to know that they are suspected.

After the transformation of the Colossus and Armored Titans, Hange directs soldiers fighting the Colossus atop the Wall while Eren, transformed, fights the Armored on the ground. After dodging a swing by it, Hange attempt to launch an attack on the half-transformed Colossus but it emits a huge burst of constant hot steam and Hange then tells her soldiers to stand by until it stops. Hange then takes the first squad with her down the Wall and directs their attack at the Armored Titan.

Hange leads an effort to back up Eren in his battle against the Armored Titan. She strategizes with Eren when she jumps on his shoulder and tells him to break Reiner's legs. Hange then remembers history concerning armor and how knights needed to be able to move. She is able to accurately deduct that the seemingly-invulnerable Armored Titan has unprotected areas at the joints to allow freedom of movement. This allows Eren and Mikasa to bring him down, but after he lets out a loud scream, the Colossus Titan drops from the Wall on top of Eren and the soldiers.

It is revealed that the Colossus Titan disappeared when it fell off the Wall and that Reiner and Bertolt kidnapped Ymir and Eren. Those who were on the lower part of the Wall were hit with a heat wave and wind pressure from his fall. Hange is heavily injured and unable to move at this time and it has been five hours since Eren was taken. Erwin arrives with reinforcements and some of the Military Police Brigade. Hange then crawls over to a soldier and grabs their ankle, weakly telling them to give her a map. Still laying on her stomach, Hange explains that they probably went to a nearby Titan Forest. Though it was small she says, they are probably exhausted from fighting and need to be shielded from other Titans. Hange states that they have until nightfall to reach them.

The Uprising arc
In the following two weeks, Hange makes a full recovery and beings supervising the investigation of Ragako. Aided by Connie Springer, Hange uncovers the horrifying truth that Titans were once humans, transformed by some unknown means into mindless beings. Though shaken by this revelation, she is able to complete the investigation and present her findings to Erwin and Dot Pixis. As previous experiments have never uncovered anything unusual about a Titan's nape, Hange theorizes that the Titan form absorbs the human pilot completely, and that the true means to slay a Titan is the decapitation of what remains of the human.

Hange is present in a meeting with Squad Levi discussing the idea of using Eren's Titan hardening abilities to seal the hole in Wall Maria and expresses her desire to perform some experiments about it. She then sadly informs them that Nick has been murdered, recounting how she heard the news.

Immediately suspicious, Hange went to the crime scene and interrogated the two members of the Military Police guarding the site, Djel Sannes and Ralph, while pretending to simply be an old friend of the victim. Upon observing Nick's corpse, Hange was able to note tell-tale signs of torture on him and wounds on Sannes' hands that suggested he had taken part in the beating. Though pretending to believe the official story that Nick was killed in a robbery, Hange told Sannes that once she finds the culprits, she would avenge Nick.

Hange is later seen performing experiments on Eren's Titan. Hange and Mikasa try to free him from the Titan, but find that his body has begun to fuse to it. Hange asks Moblit Berner to make a sketch of it as Mikasa cuts Eren out, and declares the experiment to be over. After Eren regains consciousness, Hange explains to him the details of the experiment. Initially, Eren had control of his Titan and was able to respond to commands, but soon, no apparent reason, Eren looked seemed to become pained, and wrote on the ground "my father...to me," a message which intrigues Hange. Despite these failures, Hange expresses optimism that they will be able to get useful information about Eren's versatility and limitations.

The Survey Corps begins to conspire to rebel against the monarchy and discover the secrets they are willing to kill for. When Sannes is captured by the Survey Corps, Levi aids her in interrogating him. The two take turns torturing the prisoner, before leaving to fetch his comrade, Ralph. They force him at knife-point to read a script outside Sannes' door, making him believe he has been betrayed and is considered a lunatic by his comrades. This causes the man to break, revealing to Hange the secret of the Reiss family—the true rulers of mankind.

After Sannes' confession, Hange mocks him at length, revealing the truth about Ralph's apparent betrayal. Sannes is deeply shaken, but he warns her that someone else will take his place and wishes her luck. Visibly shaken, Hange leaves the dungeon and enters a room, violently kicking over a table. Eren finds her, and shares with her a recollection of Bertolt and Ymir's conversation, which shocks Hange enough that she rushes off to speak to Erwin.

Out of breath upon arriving at headquarters, Hange collapses on the ground before Erwin and warns him their plans may be ruined. Eren's notes lead her to theorize that Titans can absorb the powers of their victims, which allowed Ymir to go from an ordinary Titan to a human with the power of the Titans after devouring one. She states that Reiner most likely threw Titans at the soldiers in hopes of Eren being devoured, creating a new holder of the Coordinate. In the same fashion, Hange believes that the Reiss family are going to feed Eren to a Titan in order to pass the Coordinate on to someone they can control.

Their meeting is interrupted by the arrival of the first Brigade, who accuse the Survey Corps of murdering Dimo Reeves. Preparing to meet them and face their charges, Erwin names Hange as his successor and entrusts the Survey Corps to her. Afterward, she discovers Flegel hiding in an alleyway and carries him onto a rooftop. There, she learns what really happened to his father and attempts to persuade him to continue fighting in his father's stead. When he states they have already lost, Hange reminds him with a smile that the Survey Corps has always had a losing record.

Hange breaks into the Berg Newspapers office, to enlist the paper's help. She informs the two staff members that she now knows the newspaper is fiction controlled by the government, and claims she is going to break their hands, so they can no longer write, before realizing that they are in a position of fear, trying to protect their families. She asks the men to run a report on them for just one day.

When Flegel is cornered by the MPs, Hange and Moblit come to his aid, easily dispatching the three soldiers, and revealing that the 'abandoned' buildings of Trost are actually full of citizens who have heard the police admit to framing the Survey Corps. Hange then confronts Roy and Peaure, who have been watching the encounter. Peaure is willing to help, but Roy is still apprehensive, fearing for his family.

Hange, alongside Marlowe Freudenberg and Hitch Dreyse, later finds Levi and his squad after they attacked the Military Police headquarters and Levi attempted to beat information out of a captured MP. She tells them that the false charges against the Survey Corps have been dropped and that their actions were seen as legitimate self-defense. She goes on to tell them that the royal capital and the administrative district are now under Commander-in-Chief Darius Zackly's control and that there has been no counter-rebellion so far. As the squad rejoices in their regained freedom, Hange remembers Peaure convincing Roy to make him print the proper article. Levi informs Hange that he does not know where Eren and Historia are, but Hange has an idea of where they are and claims that they will end the battle there.

After getting Berg newspapers to distribute the truth about the Military Police and the Survey Corps, Hange and Moblit went to a stable and met with Marlowe and Hitch. On the way, they were met with a crowd of villagers who gave them information on the Reiss family. After learning this, Hange sent Moblit to deliver the news to Erwin and then met up with Levi and his squad. After explaining that Eren may be eaten in order to have his Titan shifting powers taken, she explains a report commissioned by Erwin of a survey on the Reiss family grounds. She explains that if they are with them, Eren and Historia are likely on their grounds and that some Survey Corps soldiers disguised as farmers were able to gather intel on the family and most of what they got led back to an incident five years ago where Rod Reiss, who already had five children, had an illegitimate child with a servant.

While Marlowe and Hitch ask a local for information, Levi explains that Kenny will be their biggest threat. Hange points out that if the previous day was his first time using the anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment in battle, there may be a significant opening.

Hange, Levi, and his squad arrive at the Reiss chapel, finding the hidden doorway to the caves below while Marlowe and Hitch stand guard outside. While the interior MPs await them inside for an ambush, the Survey Corps charges to open the door to the cave and roll in several gas canisters tied to barrels. They then charge in behind as Sasha Blouse uses flaming arrows to create a smoke cloud, and Armin fires flares to obscure them. During the battle, one of Kenny's subordinates fires a hook into Hange's right shoulder, throwing her into a Wall. Hange then crashes down on the floor, as Levi orders Armin to care for her while the rest of the squad advances.

After squad Levi escapes the Reiss caves and follows after a now Titan Rod, Hange is seen laying in one of the wagons, still wounded. Hange notes that they now know that only people of the Reiss bloodline can use its true power, and that if any Reiss member does get the power that they will be controlled by the ideology of the First King and will not free humanity. As it is decided that they will have to kill Rod Reiss, Hange asks Historia if she is really okay with it.

Later in Orvud District, Garrison soldiers are terrified at Erwin's idea to use the citizens as bait to lure in the Titan. Hange points out that the Titan is an abnormal and that it is drawn to large areas of people, and will only follow the citizens if they are moved.

While the Garrison fire cannons at Rod Reiss, Hange brings gunpowder, ropes, and a net, to Erwin and Levi. Erwin instructs Levi, Jean, Sasha, and Connie to assemble Hange's weapon. As Rod's Titan climbs up onto the Wall and kneels in front of it, Eren transforms and grabs the haul of gunpowder Hange brought, and uses it to blow apart Rod's head, as Hange had planned.

Two months after Historia's coronation, Hange is actively engaged in running tests on Eren's Titan hardening ability in preparation for their journey to Wall Maria. She is seen in Trost District watching as a soldier lures a Titan into Hange's own invention which appears to be a Titan guillotine. As it crushes and kills a Titan, she and Moblit cheer and rejoice in the success of the invention. Hange states that they can run these all day without the need for soldiers fighting Titans or using cannons and other resources. She then tells the reporters assembled, to spread the news to the people. She then turns to Eren and says that they can mass produce these and put them in every Wall city but interrupts herself when she see's Levi handing Eren a handkerchief for a nosebleed he has. Levi points out that Eren's body likely has a limit for what it can do, and Hange apologizes to Eren.

Hange is later present at a Military meeting headed by Darius Zackly. After the meeting ends, Hange meets with the officials in another room, where she is questioned about the contents of the bottle found in the Reiss. She states that she knows it is made from spinal fluid thanks to Eren and Historia, but claims that since it evaporates as soon as it touches air it is hard to research. She says that this stuff is far beyond their capabilities and questions what the Reiss family did if they created it.

At dinner, Eren remembers Hange explaining to him that Ymir was actually a Titan that wandered around outside the Walls, based on her conversation with Reiner and Bertolt. Hange then ponders a theory to herself for a moment and states that she will have to talk to the commander.

Return to Shiganshina arc
Hange accompanies Eren to inquire with Instructor Shadis about his involvement with Dr. Yeager. After listening to Keith's story, Hange becomes irritated. Deducing that he retired to the training camp out of feelings of obligation and inferiority to others, she claims that he ran away for a childish reason and tells him not to bring his feelings of inferiority into this matter.

After her return from the training ground, Hange participates in a meeting of a few Survey Corps members in which she explains to Erwin all the information Instructor Shadis gave to her and Squad Levi. Erwin and Hange speculate that Grisha may have wanted to help humanity but was unable to, and ponder what is in the basement of his Shiganshina. Hange is later seen in the dining hall eating with the same Survey Corps members, appalled at the soldiers' fighting over the food.

The day of the operation, all soldiers are ready at dawn. Hange and other high-ranking soldiers salute to members of the other branches and head to the Wall. However, the soldiers are surprised after seeing that the civilians know about the operation's goals and start to cheer for them. Although they are initially annoyed that word of their departure has spread, they are silenced by the sight or Erwin, ecstatic to have such fanfare for the corps, cheering along with the civilians.

On the way to Shiganshina, the soldiers come across a Titan near dawn. Hange quickly orders that they illuminate the Titan, briefly observes the Titan, and orders them to leave it alone as it is shutting down due to lack of sunlight. Reaching Shiganshina, Erwin orders the corps to switch to vertical maneuvering equipment. As Hange and Levi each fire off a signal flare, the two mention how odd it is that they have not seen a single Titan and that they are probably playing into the enemies hands.

After Eren succeeds in sealing the outer hole in Wall Maria, Hange's squad begins moving to the second gate to finish sealing the hole. Seeing a signal flare from Erwin, she orders her squad to take up positions atop Wall Maria. It is from there that they witness the sudden appearance of Reiner Braun, followed by the Beast Titan and his army.

On Erwin's orders, all the soldiers deploy. Squad Levi, without Levi himself, and squad Hange deploy to take down the Armored Titan. Eren transforms and draws Reiner into a fight, while Hange and the soldiers under her prepare to fight Reiner with their new weapons.

As Eren engages Reiner, Hange's squad begins positioning around the two. Eren maneuvers Reiner into a spot where he can be attacked, and Hange and Mikasa dash in and take out his eyes with their spears, as other soldiers strike his nape. Hange then orders another round of spears to be used on his nape. Hange orders another round of spears to be prepared for a third attack, but they notice movement from Reiner, and moments later he lets out a roar. Hange orders that they hit him again, but Armin warns her that they must flee.

As Bertolt flies up above them, the soldiers flee from the predicted blast radius until they realize he has halted in his attack. As part of the Survey Corps surrounds Bertolt, Hange leads the rest of the soldiers to finish off Reiner. As they come upon the Armored Titan lying supine upon the ground, Hange spots Bertolt flying overhead just before he transforms into the Colossus Titan. Hange, Moblit, and the soldiers under her command are caught in the explosion during his transformation.

When trying to think of a way to defeat the Colossus Titan, Armin recalls Hange stating that the Colossus was susceptible to drawn-out battles. He thinks back to her experiments with Eren, and recalls when Hange lead a squad fighting Bertolt on top of Wall Rose, realizing that he must consume flesh to make steam and eventually will run out and be unable to move as a skeleton.

Hange reappears to help Squad Levi as they attempt to fight the Armored Titan. Hange uses her last Thunder Spear to blow apart Reiner's jaw and open his mouth, allowing Mikasa to shoot her Thunder Spear into Reiner's mouth, blowing him out of his Titan's nape.

Hange interrogates Reiner about a case he had on his person, and Reiner claims it is a letter from Ymir to Historia, which Hange agrees to deliver. When Reiner refuses to give any other information, Hange prepares to kill him but is halted by Jean, who recommends they feed Reiner to someone injected with the Titan serum. Hange insists they must kill him immediately, but Jean continues to press the subject until Hange sends Mikasa to retrieve the serum. She tells Mikasa to shoot a flare if she cannot, so Hange will know to kill Reiner.

Just as Mikasa fires her flare, Zeke and the Cart Titan appear behind Hange and attempt to kill her. Jean is able to tackle her out of the way, but the two manage to retrieve Reiner retreat with him. Jean curses his decision to intervene, but Hange again reminds him that this was her choice.

When Hange arrives with Levi's squad to see Eren's group, she finds Mikasa attempting to steal the Titan injection from Levi so that she can use it to save Armin, despite Levi's choice to save Erwin. Hange apprehends Mikasa, holding her back as Levi prepares the injection for Erwin. Hange tries to convince her that humanity needs Erwin to be saved, explaining that they still require Erwin's leadership.

Hange tells Mikasa that she too has people she wishes she could bring back, and tells Mikasa that everyone has to say goodbye someday, insisting that they must move forward. Levi decides to move forward with saving Erwin and Hange takes Mikasa and clears the roof with everyone else. However, when Levi regroups with them, he returns with Erwin, having chosen to save Armin. He swears to Erwin that he will kill the Beast Titan, but Hange notes that Erwin has already died.

After Armin awakens atop the Wall, Hange and the others regroup around him and go over the situation from the past four hours and the previous battle. Hange notes that she believed Erwin should have lived as well, but concedes that there is nothing more to say about their current situation, and that she and Armin will have to carry on in Erwin’s stead.

Hange accompanies Levi, Mikasa and Eren to the Yeager house. After managing to enter the basement, they notice that at first glance, it looks like an average workplace. Guessing that it was meant to look plain, the four search and uncover a small keyhole on the side of the desk that fits Eren's key. It reveals a small, empty drawer which Levi finds a false bottom in. Underneath are three books, and together Eren and Mikasa open the first book and find a piece of paper inside.

Returning to Trost District, the four recall what they had seen: a photograph, with a message from Grisha stating that he is from beyond the Walls where humanity lives a refined existence. Humanity has not perished.

Hange joins Levi and Armin in visiting Eren and Mikasa in prison, announcing that their sentence has been cut short. The group meets with Historia to speak with her, before meeting with other military commanders and officials to discuss the recent expedition, the journals, and the huge loss of life. Hange informs the officials about what was discovered from the journals, revealing their role as Subjects of Ymir, and how they are being hunted by others for once ruling the world and having the potential to rule it again. Despite concerns of revealing this information to the citizens of the Walls, it is decided that they will announce their findings to the people.

Later, the nine surviving soldiers of the Survey Corps are awarded a medal of honor in the form of a dark bolo tie with the wings of freedom on it.

Months later, the Survey Corps once again ventures outside of Wall Maria on an expedition for the first time in six years. They come into contact with a Titan that lacks the proper limbs to walk, and follow the trail left by it crawling until they reach the edge of Paradis Island. Here, the Survey Corps sees the ocean for the first time. The soldiers dismount their horses, roll up their pant legs and step into the water in awe.

Marley arc
Roughly a year after the retaking of Wall Maria, Hange brings the Survey Corps to the shore of Paradis Island to defend the coast from Marleyan interference. Hange and Levi capture a soldier from the advanced party of the first survey fleet, to use as a hostage. As Eren's Titan overpowers and beaches the fleet's main vessel, Hange welcomes the Marleyan soldiers and offers them tea. The captain refuses and gives his soldiers the order to fire, however another soldier named Yelena shoots the captain dead and agrees to the invitation.

At a camp nearby, Hange inspects Yelena's Marleyan weaponry in amazement and is shocked when Onyankopon admits that Marley is capable of attacking from the sky. Hange asks why they have yet to attack with these capabilities and learns that, along with Titan activity making invasion difficult, Marley is in the middle of a war against multiple countries. Hange correctly guesses that the two are spies working against Marley and is shocked to hear the one backing their efforts is none other than Zeke Yeager. At an assembled meeting between the military, Hange passes on the list of requirements given by Zeke that would ensure his cooperation. The other military heads are initially skeptical about the plan, but Eren is able to back up Zeke's claims, convincing them to work with the volunteers. Hange works closely with Onyankopon, Yelena and several other Marleyan soldiers for the next three years, incorporating modern means of transportation like ports and train tracks on the shores of the island.

Another year passes and Hange takes the Survey Corps and meets with an ambassador from the nation of Hizuru named Kiyomi Azumabito. Hange is present during the meeting where Kiyomi outlines the three procedures Paradis must follow in order to catch up with the other nations of the world, including Historia taking the role of the Beast Titan from Zeke Yeager. Hange wonders if all of this would ended in fifty years as Kiyomi suggests, or all Titan inheritor families would go through the same thing the Reiss family had for generations. She does not think it would be forgivable to leave such a problem for future generations.

During the Survey Corps' attack, Hange takes command of the airship functioning as the Corps means of escape from the battle. After collecting Armin from the nape of his Colossus Titan, Hange has Onyankopon follow a path of lights set up in the internment zone to allow troops to board. Hange discusses the risky nature of the plan with Armin, wondering if he has been possessed by the ghost of Erwin. As the Survey Corps soldiers file back into the airship, Hange orders Onyankopon to stay the course, before asking Zeke if everything went to plan. When Eren says they have bought themselves some time by destroying the leaders of the Marley army and their naval ports, Hange says that his actions have made the entire Paradis Island a target to the rest of the world. Hange reprimands Eren for deciding to use himself as bait again, forcing the Survey Corps to come to save him once more. As a result, Hange declares that the Corps has lost their trust in him.

After returning from Marley, Hange visits Eren in his cell and hears him talking to himself. She tries to get him to open up by reminding him of the first time they met, but Eren is not in the mood. Although Eren had previously insisted that there is a better alternative to the Zeke's plan to maintain the "rumbling" of the Colossus Titans by having Historia father as many royal-blooded children as possible, Hange states that no other option has presented itself. She asks him if he no longer cares about Historia, considering all the trouble he has caused by acting independently of the Survey Corps. Eren does not answer, and instead threatens Hange by grabbing her through the bars, saying that if there is another way she should tell him. Hange pulls free and leaves the prison, calling Eren a rebellious idiot. Outside, Hange laments that being made commander was Erwin's only mistake before he died.

Hange later receives word that several recruits had leaked Eren's confinement to the press and goes to interrogate them, As she approaches the building where they are held, Hange is surrounded by members of the press who bombard her with questions. Hange tells them to take it up with the Military Police, but is confronted by both Roy and Flegel Reeves. Flegel asks Hange to look him in the eye and say he can still trust her judgment; after a pause, Hange merely states it is for the good of the entire Eldian race. She goes in and confronts the leakers, asking Floch why they did it. After hearing it was to free Eren, Hange reminds the four that his actions have given a reason for the other nations of the world to target them and endangering all their lives. She goes on to say that there is no guarantee the "Rumbling" will even work at all. After hearing Floch ask Eren be freed immediately, Hange reiterates that they went through with Zeke's plan but the responsibility is still hers; she has the four arrested and taken away to be punished. Alone in the room, Hange remembers her conversation with Djel Sannes and mentions there is still something she needs to do.

Hange meets with Onyankopon, who asks her why the Walls are doubting the volunteers after all their cooperation. Hange apologizes for this, telling him that this was not what she had envisioned. When he agrees, Hange fearfully look into his eyes for confirmation. She tells him about the secret meeting between Yelena and Eren, and Onyankopon shows himself to have been unaware of this, though does not deny that it was likely. Hange asks him to tell her about Yelena, who he says had shown her loyalty to Zeke by her ruthlessness towards suspect Marleyan comrades. Hange finds it odd that Yelena had acted so ruthlessly towards Marleyans, yet had been very outspoken in convincing the military to respect the captive soldiers' human rights. Believing him to be innocent, Hange releases Onyankopon from his house arrest and has him accompany her. During an emergency military meeting, Hange provides an alibi for the volunteers stating that they are under house arrest while Onyankopon was with her all day. She is shocked to hear Eren has escaped his confinement and blocked his escape route so no one could follow him.

Hange informs the military officials that the Yeagerists's purpose is to put Zeke and Eren in contact with one another before purging the Corps with Eren at their center. Hange then mentions the military's plan to transfer the Founding from Eren to another soldier is what triggered the rebel's response. Rogue then demands Hange take responsibility but is interrupted by Pixis who insists they stop bickering among themselves. Pixis then asks Hange how many people know about Zeke's location before ordering to secure them. Afterwards, he announces they should surrender to Eren and begin negotiations much to everyone's surprise. After the meeting concludes, Hange and the other Survey Corps members leave to investigate the Marleyans in suspicious lines of work since they need to find out Zeke's intentions before he makes bigger fools of them.

The Survey Corps officers later arrive at a restaurant and are told by Niccolo to wait in another room while he attends to his other guests. Hange is later called to the other room to find Niccolo threatening to kill two Marleyan Warrior candidates. After surrendering himself, Niccolo asks Hange to rinse the wine from the mouth of the wounded candidate, revealing that the wine likely contains Zeke's spinal fluid. While Niccolo explains the reasons for his suspicion, Hange washes out the candidate's mouth. Connie exclaims how Eldians who drank the wine should have frozen up, but Hange explains that this could have easily been made up by Zeke to throw off suspicion. After more discourse, Hange orders those present to take measures to prevent ingesting the wine. She sends Onyankopon out of the room to tell Mikasa and Armin the same.

While helping bathe the Warrior candidate in a backroom, Hange hears Onyankopon call her name. Opening the door in curiosity, she is shocked to find Floch and the Yeagerists holding Onyankopon hostage. With guns pointed at the Corps, Floch demands that Hange take them to find Zeke, declaring that Eren has refused the military's ultimatum. While being bound, Hange accosts Floch that they do not have the time to be fighting one another, as Zeke's wine ploy has put everybody into the palms of his hands. By his apathetic reaction, Hange is able to deduce that Floch already knew about the wine, though he smugly instructs her to keep quiet. The group are then taken out to be ridden towards Shiganshina District.

Intelligence
Hange's abilities as a soldier are an extremely valuable asset to humanity. Her different approach to Titans has yielded an impressive amount of information and research. Her capabilities are noticed by her teammates, especially her superior Erwin Smith who named her his successor. Her persistence and drive for knowledge often aides her in acquiring information. She will spend hours studying Titan subjects and Eren Yeager when he is transformed. Thanks to information left behind by Ilse Langnar, she was able to get authorization to resume Titan capture operations in the Survey Corps despite being turned down several times. This information has aided Hange in a great deal of her work with the Titans. However, she is often reckless when working around Titans and because of this she often endangers herself and sometimes others. Hange demonstrates and impressive resolve when put under great pressure, as she able to use her intelligence and wits paired with any means necessary to devise cunning plans and inventions. She also can lead people who oppose humanity to do what she needs them to do, such as Minister Nick, Djel Sannes, Flegel Reeves, Roy and Peaure of Berg Newspapers, and even Erwin and Levi. Despite being a quick thinker, Hange is known to show great anger from time to time and little remorse when faced with people who have the means to help humanity but do not.

Vertical maneuvering equipment
Hange's intelligence and wits are not her only valuable features. She displays superior skills when operating her vertical maneuvering equipment. Due to her passion for Titans, she is constantly very close to them and because of this, has developed an impressive reaction time that helps her to always slip through their fingers. Her many years in the Survey Corps have helped her to master the equipment and she is easily able to take down Titans with her blades.

Relationships

 * Levi Ackerman - They work well together as senior members of the Survey Corps, and Hange appears to enjoy teasing him on occasion. Levi often uses insulting terms to refer to her and seems annoyed by her eccentric behavior. Though the two may clash every now and again, they trust each other's ideas and plans for serious situations, such as missions or the break-in on the Reiss chapel.
 * Erwin Smith - As her commander, Erwin was a respected figure and tactical partner to Hange. She strategized with him often and turned to him at the Survey Corps' most vital moments. Hange and Erwin had a relationship of deep trust and respect, dating back to even before the fall of Wall Maria. Erwin included Hange in top-secret missions such as capturing the Female Titan and later on, in his career, he named Hange as his successor. Erwin worried for Hange's safety during the Survey Corps' clash with the government, warning her to get away from the area she had come to. Even when Erwin was on the brink of death, Hange fought for him to be the choice to live and commended his leadership and symbolism to humanity. When Hange declared Erwin as deceased, she sat with him and Levi on the roof with sorrow.
 * Moblit Berner - Moblit was Hange's assistant, and their relationship has always held a great deal of tension as Moblit constantly fretted over Hange's safety. His main job as her assistant was to be with her on important tasks such as research, interrogation, and missions. However, most of the time he played the role of a bodyguard from others and Hange herself. To Hange, Moblit was her right-hand man and went everywhere with her on almost all of her business, an important friend, and comrade. Even though he was under constant stress, Moblit fulfilled his duty to keep Hange out of trouble to his last breath. Just as she was to be blown away by Bertolt Hoover's transformation, Moblit yelled out to Hange as his commander and pushed her into a well; protecting her from the blast. As Hange turned around before falling, she saw Moblit stare at her as he was obliterated after his sacrifice.
 * Eren Yeager - Hange is one of the first to welcome him into the Survey Corps, and is put in charge of studying him. She takes to this with great enthusiasm and becomes one of his most ardent supporters, despite her enthusiasm startling (and slightly unnerving) Eren when they first met. After four years, however, their relationship sours when Hange is angered that Eren, despite knowing it will cost lives to free him, willingly placed himself in harm's way yet again and forced the Survey Corps to come to rescue him.
 * Ilse Langnar - While a close relationship was not shown, Hange recognized Ilse's armband knowing she had died during the 34th expedition. Hange was also said to have inherited Ilse's will as it was from Ilse's notes that she took up trying to communicate with Titans. It was later shown as well that it was from her notes that Hange recognized the name of Ymir.
 * Keith Shadis - Hange once respected Keith as her commanding officer when he previously led the Survey Corps, however, when she and Squad Levi sought him out for information, she learned of his "foolish" ideas and develops negative feelings for him, saying he is not worth their time. When Hange later exits a meeting with Erwin and other corps members, one of them remarks that Hange once had a crush on Keith, to which she responds with annoyance and embarrassment, telling the soldier to shut their mouth.
 * Onyankopon - Almost immediately, Hange formed a genuine friendship with Onyankopon due to their shared beliefs and inquisitive minds. Over the course of several years, they have built a rapport and would often collaborate together to better improve the technology of Paradis. Eventually, the respect between them convinces Hange to trust Onyankopon enough and share some of the suspicions the Military has of Yelena and Zeke.

People killed

 * At least 1 member of the Military Police Brigade

Failed attempts

 * Traute Caven
 * Reiner Braun

Trivia

 * The manga's author, Hajime Isayama, has left Hange's gender open to interpretation as he told his editor that 'either one is fine' and instructed Kodansha Comics not to confirm any gender in their translation. Since then, Kodansha has removed gendered pronouns for Hange in their translation and clarified that indeed, Hange's gender is up to the reader's interpretation. The anime and the live-action movie, on the other hand, have consistently depicted Hange as female.
 * Hange believes she gets along with Levi best among the Survey Corps soldiers.
 * In Levi, Erwin, and Hange's character interview, it was said that Levi forcefully bathes Hange by knocking her unconscious.

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