Jean Kirstein - Attack on Titan
Jean Kirstein is a highly skilled and talented soldier, though he has an arrogant side. He graduated highly, 6th in his class of the 104th Training Corps. Due to their completely different ideologies and ways of thinking, Jean is often seen butting heads with Eren Jaeger. Through the countless arguments and fights between the two, Jean finds Eren impossible to get close to, as he is “incomprehensible” (Guidebook p. 44) from his own point of view. The two simply can’t get along with each other because of their opposing personalities.
While Jean is realistic and took careful precautions to make the best of the situation, Eren is often brash and impulsive, usually acting on a whim rather than a strategy.
Jean was born in Trost District, and at first, he was not interested in being on the front lines and risking his life for what he thought was a futile cause. Jean dreamed of living a safe and stable life by joining the Military Police Brigade, which would ensure his safety as he would live in the interior of the walls [Episode 3, Volume 1]. However, after the death of his friend Marco during the retaking of Trost District, Jean had vowed to fight the Titans as vengeance for his dear friend even though he qualified for the Military Police Brigade and could have lived the life he had dreamed of. He joined the Survey Corps shortly after Chapter 18 (Volume 4)
Profile
- Name: Jean Kirstein
- Date of Birth: April 7
- Height: 175 cm
- Weight: 65 kg
- Birthplace: Trost District
- Appearance: Short, brownish-gray hair with an undercut style. His face is often described as long, yet stern. When in uniform, he dons a tan shirt with a short brown Survey coat. When wearing more casual attire, however, Jean wears a white collared shirt with a black vest.
Personality
With his skill and competency, Jean is described as a natural born leader. However, Jean comes across as an arrogant, cocky, and blunt person. He and Eren often fight every time they make contact.
In Season 1, Episode 3, he admits that he wanted to join the Military Police to live a life of luxury and peace in the interior walls. In this episode, as Eren proclaims his desire to join the Survey Corps, Jean was following while resting his head with one of his hands with a smug grin on his face:
“Hey, are you crazy or something? Not that it’s my business, but signing up for the Survey Corp is like a death sentence.”
“Look, I’m just speaking honestly here, kid. I think it’s better than being some loud-mouthed braggart tough-guy wannabe pretending he’s not as piss-scared as the rest of us. Huh?”
Although he criticizes Eren, Jean quickly apologizes to, as he notices that his words have made Eren angry. This shows emotional intelligence and a level of pragmatism. However, he often is seen losing his temper through physical aggression. Jean is also fairly competitive, as he attempts to outrank Eren. Soon after their graduation, however, Jean ends up joining the Survey Corps himself.
In Season 3 Episode 12, Jean and Eren get into a fight in a full cafeteria as Jean calls Eren a “suicidal maniac”. When Eren replies by calling him a “coward” with a “horse face”, they exchange blows to the body, avoiding punches to the face. They fight until exhaustion until Captain Levi shows up to discipline them heavily.
Although selfish and self-serving at first, Marco’s death after the battle of Trost had changed him significantly, as Jean became a reliable person who deeply cared about his comrades, even Eren, despite their rivalry. Throughout the series, Jean develops into a more determined and cooperative team player with a strong heart.
Motivations
Earlier in the series, we see Jean as a fresh recruit in the 104th Training Corp with his close friend Marco. However, Jean finds Marco’s remains after the battle of Trost in Season 1, Episode 13 (Attack on Trost Part 9). Marco’s death is shrouded in mystery to Jean, as Marco was the Captain of Squad 19. Jean is baffled as he did not expect that his friend would die in such a way. He asks if anyone had seen Marco’s death, but gets no answer.
Details of Marco’s death are revealed later in Season 3, Episode 15 (Descent). Jean accidentally overhears Reiner and Bertolt talking about their “5 year plan”, referring to Operation Pardis. Since they saw Marco as an immediate threat, the trio Bertholdt, Reiner, and Annie decided to get rid of him before he could complicate things for them.
Annie is ordered to take off Marco’s vertical maneuvering gear and strands him on a roof during the attack. While a Titan approached, Marco is left helpless without a chance to escape and is eaten. The three watch him die in regret, though they knew that they must not allow emotions to get in the way of their mission.
For Jean, Marco’s death was one of the major motivations for joining the Survey Corps, as he deeply cared for his friend.