Mike Zacharias

"They're coming, I can smell them."

- Mike using his sense of smell to Erwin.

Mike Zakariasu (ミケ・ザカリアス) was a Squad Leader and trusted member of the Survey Corps. He was considered humanity's second strongest soldier after Levi. Mike also had a curiously good sense of smell which allowed him to detect Titans from great distances.

Appearance
Mike was a tall and well-built man. The bangs of his blond hair were parted down the middle, and he had a dark moustache and beard. Similar to his commander, Mike was almost always seen wearing a serious, calm expression. He was typically seen dressed in the standard Survey Corps uniform but also wore the Survey Corps' signature green cape during expeditions.

Personality
Mike was an acknowledged leader with a brave heart and a tactical mind. He was a loyal member of the Survey Corps and an adamant vanguard for mankind's freedom, believing humans can only lose when they stop fighting. He also cared a great deal for his squad, as he sacrificed himself to allow them to escape.

During times of ease, Mike was shown to be a quiet man, rarely speaking unless it concerned a more serious matter. He also had a bizarre habit of "sniffing" people out when he met them.

In the end, despite his courage, Mike proved to have a breaking point. Trapped and helpless, as he had been relieved of his gear, Mike could only scream in agony and horror as he was pulled apart by numerous Titans.

History
In 844, prior to fall of Wall Maria, Mike served as a member of the Survey Corps under Erwin Smith's command when Erwin was still a Squad Leader. As one of Erwin's most trusted comrades, he was present when Erwin captured Levi and recruited him into the Survey Corps.

Years later, in 850, Mike took part in the Survey Corps' 49th Expedition, where the Corps would find Ilse Langnar's notebook. During the expedition, Mike's sense of smell alerted him that Titans were near by, including the Deviant Type Titan that had killed Ilse a year prior.

The Female Titan arc
Mike is a veteran member of the Survey Corps, having served at Erwin's side before the fall of Wall Maria. Having little introduction at first, he is more formerly introduced when he escorts Eren to court for his trial.

Mike later participates in the Survey Corps' first attempt at apprehending Annie Leonhart in her Titan form during their 57th expedition outside the wall. Once Annie is caught in their trap, Mike, alongside Levi, attempts to carve her out but are unsuccessful due to her ability to harden parts of her body. Mike's inclusion in this part of the plan illustrates the amount of faith and respect Erwin has in him. When the Female Titan screamed, Mike was able to smell the approaching Titans at a distance. He stated that many Titans were coming from all directions, with Erwin having faith in this prediction.

Clash of the Titans arc
After they return, Mike is tasked with watching over a number of Survey Corps members who are under suspicion of being Annie's accomplices when Titans unexpectedly appear within Wall Rose. When Nanaba is left distraught by the possibility of Wall Rose being breached, Mike orders her to not give up hope, reminding that humanity can only lose when the will to fight is lost. After ordering the others to escape and warn the surrounding towns, Mike takes on nine Titans by himself in order to buy them time to get away.

Left on his own, Mike manages to kill five of the Titans before he encounters a Deviant Type Titan that worries him due to the mass amount of fur on its body, a trait never before heard of in Titans, making it look bestial. To Mike's horror, the Beast-like Titan grabs his horse and hurls it towards him, which forces Mike to jump off the building. Caught in a nearby Titan's mouth, it attempts to swallow him whole, but the Beast Titan tells the Titan to halt, as it wishes to question Mike. The Titan ignores the command biting into Mike's leg, but the Beast Titan squishes its head with its hands. It then questions Mike about the weapon around his waist, referencing his 3D Maneuver Gear. In shock, Mike does not respond, which causes the Beast-like Titan to become impatient, wondering if they speak the same language. The Beast Titan then proceeds to snatch up Mike's 3D Maneuver Gear, and promptly orders the surrounding Titans to do as they please with him. Mike tries to fight one last time remembering his vow to never give up, but it is a hopeless effort. Immobilized and deprived of maneuverability, Mike screams as he is devoured. The Beast Titan is amused to know that they do indeed speak the same language.

Return to Shiganshina arc
As Erwin Smith contemplates his role as Commander of the Survey Corps and the lies he has told his comrades, he envisions himself standing atop a mountain of corpses of the soldiers he sent to their deaths. In Erwin's mind, Mike lies at the top of the mountain of corpses, alongside Nanaba and Gelgar, staring back at him.

Abilities
His combat prowess was considered to be only second to Levi and the fact that he easily disposed of 5 Titans single handedly, and in an open area, emphasizes that statement.

His olfaction (sense of smell) was extremely acute, to the point that he could detect approaching Titans far before they were in visible range.

Relationships

 * Erwin Smith - Mike and Erwin had a deep mutual trust due to their lengthy time in service together, as well as having respect for one another's skills as soldiers. For much of his service, Mike was by Erwin's side serving as his right-hand man. Even after all their years together, Mike considers Erwin difficult to read, but follows his commands loyally, regardless.


 * Levi Ackerman - In A Choice With No Regrets, Mike and Erwin apprehended Levi together, and Mike aided in Erwin's interrogation by forcing Levi's head into a muddy puddle at Erwin's command. Later in the main series, Mike and Levi are shown to be capable team mates, complementing each other's outstanding fighting skills and creating a formidable team.


 * Hange Zoë - Mike and Hange were shown to have a mutual respect for each other and were typically seen together serving directly under Erwin.

Trivia

 * Mike was noted by Hange to have a strange habit of greeting new people by sniffing them, and then smirking to himself. He demonstrated this the first time he met Eren Yeager.
 * At 196 cm (6'5"), Mike was the tallest human character in the series.
 * Mike was one of the few Erwin trusted with the true objective of the 57th expedition, being a veteran who had served prior to the destruction of Wall Maria.
 * Hajime Isayama revealed that Mike is older than Erwin.

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Mike Zakarius