Hannes

"I liked those days...if Eren were here, he might call them a time of false peace...but being a good-for-nothing, drunk soldier was enough for me."

- Hannes longs for simpler times

Hannes (ハンネス) was a unit captain (部隊長) of the Garrison. He was also a close friend to the Yeager family and was responsible for saving Mikasa and Eren's lives from a Titan.

Appearance
Hannes was a tall, well-built man with short blond hair, a thin dark mustache. He wore the typical uniform of the Garrison Regiment along with a v-neck shirt underneath.

Personality
Hannes was a very kind, good-natured man, but he always drank irresponsibly. Although somewhat cowardly, he was determined to die if it meant freeing Eren from his captors. He was greatly ashamed of his lack of courage five years ago, and waited to encounter the Titan who killed Eren's mother, Carla Yeager, again, in order to slay it and make up for his past mistakes.

Hannes cared deeply for Eren and Mikasa and looked out for them after Carla was eaten. He ultimately gave his life to protect them.

History
When Keith Shadis found a civilian beyond Wall Maria, the man was imprisoned for leaving the Walls without permission, and Hannes was stationed at his jail cell to watch him. Drunk while on duty, Hannes was perplexed that anyone besides the Survey Corps would be "stupid" enough to leave the Walls, suggesting instead that the man may have left the Walls while intoxicated, explaining his memory loss.

The man, Grisha Yeager, soon began working as a doctor in Shiganshina District. When a plague broke out in the district, Hannes' wife was among the afflicted who were saved when Grisha developed a cure; a debt to the Yeagers he became determined to repay. Hannes was also present at Grisha and Carla's wedding later on.

Fall of Shiganshina arc
While on duty, Hannes and his companions keep themselves entertained by drinking and playing card games. Their fun is interrupted by Eren Yeager, who criticizes them for not taking their job seriously and demands to know what they would do if Wall Maria was breached by the Titans while they were drunk. Hannes in unconcerned with Eren's complaints, assuring him that the Walls, having stood strong for over a century, will never be breached. When this does nothing to calm Eren down, Hannes argues that he should be happy that the Garrison has nothing to do, as the day that they have their work cut out for them will be the day that Titans really do break in and threaten the peace of the Walls. Eren finishes the conversation by arguing that living inside the Walls their entire lives makes them no more than caged animals, and as he leaves, Hannes begins to worry that the boy wants to join the Survey Corps.

During the fall of Wall Maria and subsequent Titan invasion, Hannes is informed in the midst of the chaos by Armin Arlert that Eren and Mikasa Ackerman went to their house to see if it has been destroyed, and may be in danger. Going to their house, Hannes arrives to find them desperately trying to free Eren's mother Carla, who has been trapped underneath the rubble of the house. Carla begs him to take the children and run, but Hannes assures her that he will slay the approaching Titan and rescue all three of them. However, as he prepares to attack the Titan, he finds himself frozen in fear at the sight of it. Unable to bring himself to fight the Titan, Hannes grabs Eren and Mikasa and flees, leaving Carla behind.

After they have escaped, Eren begins punching Hannes repeatedly, insisting that he would have been able to save his mother if Hannes had given him more time. Hannes throws him to the ground, telling Eren that he would not have been able to save his mother as he was not strong enough. Enraged, Eren continues punching, but Hannes catches the boy's punch, tearfully explaining that he himself had not been able to save Carla because he lacked the courage to try. He escorts the two away from the chaos, apologizing repeatedly.

104th Training Corps arc
Over the next five years Hannes works diligently, steadily climbing through the ranks of the Garrison until becoming a captain.

On the night of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa's graduation from the 104th Training Corps, Hannes runs into them while going over reports with other Garrison soldiers. They salute him, but Hannes insists that they stop, commenting on how strange it is to see the children as soldiers. Eren jokingly retorts that it is just as strange to see that a drunkard like Hannes has climbed to the rank of captain. Growing serious, Hannes apologizes for not being able to save Eren's mother, explaining that he has felt indebted to the Yeager family ever since Grisha was able to cure the plague that broke out in Shiganshina and nearly killed Hannes's family. He laments that now, with Grisha disappeared, he will never get a chance to repay his debt, and asks Eren if he can remember anything about the final time he saw his father. His questions prompt Eren to suffer from a migraine, and Hannes quickly apologizes, having forgotten how painful it is for Eren to try to remember that night.

Battle of Trost District arc
After Trost District is attacked by the Colossus Titan and breaks down, Hannes' squad takes up positions atop Wall Rose to serve as lookouts, in case the Colossus Titan returns. As Hannes admires the harpoons that were set up to catch any Titans near the wall, his subordinate Phil expresses his fear for their comrades, reminding Hannes that Eren, Armin, and Mikasa are members of the vanguard. Hannes calmly tells Phil that he is sure all three are still alive.

As Hannes works on the cannons mounted on the wall, he sees Eren walking with Commander Pixis. He is relieved that Eren is okay, but quickly becomes annoyed when the youth simply signals for him to focus on his work. Though he is upset that Eren would treat a superior officer in such a callous way, Hannes deduces from Eren's demeanor that Mikasa and Armin are also alright, and begins to wonder why Eren is walking with the commander as they leave.

Clash of the Titans arc
Hannes appears once more apparently giving a report to Dot Pixis when a Garrison member bursts in and informs them that Wall Rose has been breached. He is the commander of the Wall Rose counter squad and heads out to find the breach. Hannes is surprised to find no sign of a breach and in fact, no Titans near the Wall itself. After relaying this information to Hange Zoë, who is equally surprised, he begins to leave.

Hannes is unable to leave because he becomes involved in the battle with the revealed Armored Titan and Colossus Titan, and expresses shock once he witnesses Eren in his Titan form for the first time. He tries to warn Eren about the falling Colossus Titan but Eren reacts too late. In the aftermath, he is one of the few commanding officers left unharmed and helps to reassure the distressed Armin and Mikasa. Together, the three remember their formerly peaceful lives in Shiganshina and Hannes states his desire to return to such peaceful times. Along with Erwin and a commander from the Military Police, he helps lead the joint mission by the three military branches to rescue Eren. When they arrive at the Titan Forest, Hannes commands his forces and joins those heading into the forest in search of the traitors. Their arrival is too late, and he quickly takes to horseback in pursuit of the fleeing Armored Titan. He swears that he will rescue Eren, even if it costs him his life.

As the confrontation becomes more chaotic, he ends up separated from Armin and Mikasa. He later arrives at the feet of the Armored Titan, and shouts a warning to the former members of the 104th that Erwin has set up a trap. Along with them, he retreats from the oncoming Titan horde and watches in horror as they attack the traitors.

After Eren is retrieved successfully, he is among the soldiers who attempt to flee to safety when the Armored Titan begins to hurl other Titans at them. He comes to the rescue of Eren and Mikasa, when the same Titan that killed their mother 5 years prior attacks them once more. He proclaims that he has dreamed of this day, and promises to kill it. However, his efforts are ultimately in vain and the two children he once rescued are forced to watch as he is bitten in half and devoured by the Titan.

In the aftermath of the battle, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin grieve his death while they recall their childhood spent with him.

The Uprising arc
While speaking to Historia under the Reiss Chapel, Eren mentions Hannes as being among the victims he and Grisha Yeager are responsible for killing by stealing the power of the Titans.

Return to Shiganshina arc
The night before the reconquest of Wall Maria, Eren, Armin, and Mikasa mistake an old Garrison soldier for Hannes, which makes them think about the past.

Relationships

 * Eren Yeager - Hannes knew Eren for most, if not all, of Eren's childhood, as he was friends with his father, Grisha Yeager, and they both lived in Shiganshina prior to its fall in 845. Eren was often infuriated by Hannes' laid-back attitude towards his job, but Hannes was more amused than offended by his attitude. Hannes placed tremendous faith in Eren's determination. When Eren was abducted by Reiner and Bertolt, Hannes was the one to reassure Mikasa and Armin that Eren would hold out until the Survey Corps arrived.


 * Mikasa Ackerman - Hannes met Mikasa after she was adopted by the Yeager family. He referred to her as one of the best fighters he had ever seen and remembered her for fending off neighborhood bullies with ease. When Eren was abducted by Reiner and Bertolt, Hannes reassured Mikasa that Eren would be fine, stating that the days he spent with the three of them in Shiganshina were among the best in his life, and that he would not stop fighting until he brought them back.


 * Armin Arlert - Hannes and Armin both lived in Shiganshina prior to its fall in 845. Hannes has described Armin as a genius and believed him, along with Eren and Mikasa, to be capable of surviving through dangerous situations. When Eren was abducted by Reiner and Bertolt, Hannes reassured Armin that Eren would be back with them soon. Hannes would not stop fighting until the three of them were together as they had been in the "good old days."


 * Grisha Yeager - Hannes met Grisha soon after the latter first set foot in the Walls. Later on, Hannes became very grateful towards Grisha for developing a cure that saved his wife, and remained on friendly terms with the Yeager family ever since.


 * Keith Shadis - Hannes seemed to have known Shadis for a long time, as he spoke with him back when Shadis first found Grisha. The two exchanged slight banter and discussed what do do about Grisha.

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