app: luceti

PLAYER

Name: Allie
Journal Username: specters
E-mail: lelelait@gmail.com
AIM/PLURK: aim: le_lait / lelait
Current Characters at Luceti: N/A


CHARACTER

Name: Erwin Smith
Canon: Attack on Titan
Gender: Male
Age: unspecified; speculated mid-to-late thirties
Wing Color: Mottled grey.

Canon Point: Chapter 59
Canon Point Explanation: Most recent canon point.

History: Growing up, Erwin was the son of a local schoolteacher. After asking his father a question about humanity's history that he couldn't answer during class, his father later told him what he truly suspected: that the government and the monarchy had a hand in altering the memories of citizens within the walls as well as forbidding knowledge of the outside world. This theory, of course, was heretical and dangerous. However, a child at the time, Erwin was not aware of this and began to spread the idea to other children in the area, until the Military Police's 1st brigade approached him about his father's ideas. Soon after, word came that his father had been killed in an accident. Erwin knew that wasn't the case. His father had been taken by the Military Police and killed for his ideas. Feeling as though his own foolish actions were the cause of his father's death, Erwin became determined to prove his father's theories correct. He joined the military, and later the Survey Corps, seeking to liberate humanity from not only the walls, but the corrupt government. It is clear that even before becoming Commander he was well-respected by his peers. As a Squad Leader, he developed a long-range scouting technique which would ultimately save the lives of many soldiers, and the Commander at the time recognized his potential—as did many others, namely high-standing officials in the capital who thought Erwin an upstart with dangerous ideas, and as such wanted him dead. Erwin was able to avoid this fate, as two of his would-be assassins were killed by Titans, and the other—Levi—opted to follow him loyally rather than kill him, despite the fact that it was Erwin who had forced him into the Survey Corps to begin with after capturing him in the underground slums of the capital.

A summary of Erwin’s part in events that take place during the course of the manga’s main storyline can be found HERE.

Personality: Erwin Smith has dedicated his very life to the betterment of humanity’s position in the war against the Titans, and this goal is the very core of his being. He will sacrifice anything in order to ensure the welfare of the human population, and has more than earned his reputation as ‘a man who will stain his hands with blood.’ He is an austere man, but his passion for humanity is so intense that it’s even broken the veneer of the calm, collected leader he seeks to uphold at all times, hands trembling and eyes intense as he exclaims that he will—and must—use any means necessary to rid the world of the Titans, in order to preserve humanity and everything they have achieved. And that is precisely what he does. He is willing to use illegal methods in order to sway members of the nobility and parliament into continuing to fund the Survey Corps and allow expeditions. He is equally as willing to sacrifice hundreds of his own soldiers on the battlefield if it means they can achieve something that will benefit humanity as a whole, and he will do this without hesitation, and without remorse.

As the (now former) Commander of the Survey Corps, the military branch on the front lines of humanity’s war, there is a heavy burden placed upon him. There is a duality to his position, and to that of the Survey Corps in general; while some regard them as the hope of humanity, as they are the ones who journey beyond the walls to learn more about the Titans (and, more recently, to pave a way back to Wall Maria), and Erwin himself is revered by some members of the populous. But still more believe the opposite, that the Survey Corps is a waste of resources, as they never seem to learn anything significant, and yet lose so many soldiers with every expedition (30% each time), and many, if not most, blame Erwin for this. Erwin remains equally impassive in the face of both praise and criticism, as both are equally as insignificant when only he can see the goals he has set for himself and the path he is paving in order to reach them. He does not seek to be loved or to be hated, or to be anything at all; he only wishes to achieve his goals for the sake of humanity. He does not reveal his plans to others unless it is necessary to do so.

It is observed by some of those who know him best (Levi, Mike) as well as other intuitive characters (Pixis) that Erwin is a man who is always thinking many steps ahead of everyone else, and that he always has a plan. But he has the capacity to be surprising. As a leader with years of experience, Erwin is well aware of how plans can fall apart in an instant in the chaos of battle, and is known to come up with extensive back-up plans as well, though even that is often not enough, as with the plan to capture the Female Titan in Stohess. Luckily he is also a gifted improviser, able to assess a situation quickly and determine the best course of action. When the Titan research specimens are killed, Erwin comes to the conclusion straightaway that it may have been an ally of the Titans, as opposed to someone who hated Titans, as everyone else seemed to think. He immediately began to formulate a plan to flush out the traitor in their ranks. Even as those around him panic, Erwin keeps a clear and level head, most obviously demonstrated in the way he acts during expeditions beyond the walls, where even the hardiest of men are prone to succumb to terror when facing the Titans. Erwin does not, and constantly leads with decisiveness, courage, and stoicism. This has earned him the respect of many and the ire of many others. He appears heartless, making judgments that will kill his soldiers with not so much as the blink of an eye. In truth, he has the utmost respect for those who have chosen to serve humanity by joining the Survey Corps. He cares about their wellbeing, treats them with warmth, and puts himself in the same danger every time he leads them beyond the walls. He does what he can to minimize deaths among his troops, including implementing his new scouting formation, for example, which has cut losses significantly.

But he has indeed purposefully distanced himself from other people. He has, in a way, given up his own humanity for the sake of others. As is noted several times in the series, one must be willing to sacrifice their own humanity in order to defeat monsters. Erwin is known for his ruthlessness, and he is weighted each day with the knowledge of the cost of that ruthlessness. Even a single mistake on his part could—and has—cost many more lives than necessary, as with the disastrous attempt to capture the Female Titan in the forest of giant trees, which resulted in nothing but death and very little information gained. He believes that he deserves to “pay [his] debts in Hell” as recompense for the many lives that have been lost at his command. Yet despite the heavy weight of them, he will continue to make those difficult decisions, as he believes that they must be made for the good of humanity as a whole. As a leader, Erwin must be able to support his soldiers and yet also be ready to sacrifice them if need be. As a result, he constantly wears the mask of the infallible leader to not only keep up the morale of his men, but also to separate himself, to prevent himself from becoming too involved with other people. He can’t afford to be seen as a mere mortal man with weaknesses and human attachments. He resigns himself to the loneliness that inevitably brings. It is only what he deserves, his guilty mind tells him, for all the suffering he causes others, and the wrongdoings of his past; his guilt over his perceived role in his father's death continues to haunt him, one of his biggest motivating factors in seeking the truth of the Titans being to prove his father's theories correct.

As a man who frequently witnesses the gruesome deaths of comrades and subordinates, he has no illusions as to his own mortality, though he knows his own value to humanity's cause, he also recognizes that there are others who are far more important than himself, and is willing to sacrifice even himself for the sake of strategy. “There is a replacement for me,” he tells one of his soldiers on the battlefield when it seems his own survival is not likely, and urges the soldier to concentrate instead on what he considers the more immediate and more important goal of saving Eren, who Erwin believes to be the key to liberating humanity. More recently, he even steps down from his position as Commander, passing it along to Hange, when he feels that he is no longer in an ideal position to lead--though he continues to act as Commander in public, allowing the Military Police to arrest him while Hange escapes, effectively choosing this time to sacrifice himself.

While he is very realistic about their situation, despite everything Erwin still believes that humanity can triumph. If he did not have that grim resolve, he would not be able to fight every day for that goal. He is merely attempting to do his part in order to bring this end about. Even if he strives to appear as more than a man, he is only human in the end, an imperfect creature with doubts and misgivings, who makes mistakes and does his best to carry a heavy burden. But Erwin is perhaps one of the few who could do what he does. Not only does he shoulder the blame and the hatred of those who lost loved ones to his orders, but also the hopes of those who still desperately believe in the Survey Corps, while continuing to lead his men with determination and strength through what is the most trying time in recent human history.

Strengths

Physical: Erwin has no “supernatural” abilities; all of his abilities are a result of natural aptitude and years of training. Though he is not considered the most adept soldier, his mastery of the use of three-dimensional maneuver gear (3DMG)—the standard military tool for fighting titans, a complicated set of machinery which propels the wearer through the air with the use of grappling hooks and gas power—is more than notable (on a scale of one to ten, his battle skill is rated a nine). 3DMG requires an incredible amount of balance, spatial awareness, and stamina. Most obviously, Erwin has a tall and muscular frame, and the brute strength to go with it. This, however, is all preceding a majory injury he sustained: the complete loss of his right arm above the elbow. This will be detailed under 'weaknesses.'

Mental: Possessing incredible fortitude, acuity, and intellect, Erwin’s greatest strength without a doubt is his mind. He has a gift for making both carefully-laid plans and spur-of-the-moment decisions as well as for seeing things that may not be obvious to others. He is an expert manipulator who has been keeping the Survey Corps afloat for years through the use of underhanded scheming and influencing those in power. He is also a gifted speaker, and his enthusiasm for his cause is clear in his words when he makes a speech to cadets intending to choose which military branch to join. He doesn’t sugarcoat the facts, but he colors them in a light such that one could see the benefit in joining the Survey Corps, despite the risk.

Emotional: Erwin is an emotional fortress. He has been strengthening his emotional walls for years, isolating himself from his own feelings as much as he can in order to make himself a more effective commander. This is a strength in that it enables him to do his job without dwelling so much on the atrocities he’s committed that it would cripple him, yet it is also a weakness, as will be outlined below. He is also able to inspire great loyalty in others through both word and deed, and with the magnetism of his personality. He is a natural leader. Others follow him and his example as if it were a natural progression. No doubt his tenacity and passion are motivating factors, as well.

Weaknesses

Physical: A human man with no special attributes, Erwin is susceptible to physical injuries and ailments just as any other normal human would be. He also recently lost his right arm above the elbow. As his right was his dominant hand, he's now forced to relearn even the most basic skills using his left hand. While he was able to operate his 3DMG just after the loss of his arm, under extreme duress, it isn't a feat he'll likely be able to repeat any time soon. His injury has essentially rendered him useless when it comes to physical combat.

Mental: It is impossible for Erwin to turn the manipulative part of his brain off. He is constantly scheming, constantly looking ahead, constantly on alert, and this can be a very tiresome practice. He is outright obsessed with his own goals, often to the exclusion of all else. He looks at people in terms of their usefulness first and foremost, weighs their strengths and weaknesses and their potential to be valuable to him as tools. It is difficult for him to remove the lens of his own objectives from his vision and simply see other people as only that: people.

Emotional: Erwin has a tendency, sometimes, to temporarily lose track of the negative effects of his decisions, especially in the face of a triumph. When they first captured the Female Titan in the forest, it was Levi who had to remind Erwin that they wouldn’t have been able to do so without the sacrifice of many soldiers. This is the biggest shortcoming of the emotional walls he’s built; he’s stepped so far away from his own humanity that he has the capacity to truly become a monster by forgetting the consequences of his actions.

Anything else?: This is a reapp--Erwin has been in Luceti before, and would be keeping his previous memories. And a related question: as he was a participant in the last draft, would these effects still apply to him?

SAMPLES 

First Person: Test drive comments.

Third Person:
Setting the pot to boil isn’t difficult. Handling large objects is nearly as easy to do with his left hand as his right. There are just a few more steps involved than he’d had to take previously: setting the pot down in the sink to turn the faucet on, for example, instead of merely holding it there with his other hand. Turning on the stove is easily accomplished with one hand as well. He’s familiar with cooking pasta by now; it isn’t a food he’d ever encountered before Luceti, but here it’s something he’s come to eat frequently. The preparation is fast and simple, the results satisfying. It’s just that he hasn’t attempted to cook it—or much of anything, really—since his return a number of weeks ago. But he has to readjust at some point. He’s not content to let others do him more favors than necessary.

Once the water begins to boil, he carefully settles the pasta into the pot, allowing time for it to soften and sink below the water before he replaces the cover. There. That was easy.

The sauce, however, is another matter. Originally he’d eaten pasta without much garnish—food at home is generally bland, and he’d never had a complaint about his rations. But since he had been introduced to the wonders of tomato sauce, he finds himself putting in the extra effort to prepare it more often than not. He used to chop fresh tomatoes for it—he’d been lent a good recipe, and though he never really did much cooking before Luceti, following the instructions on the list had been easy; a formula. Now, however, he resigns himself to opening a prepackaged can. Much like the preserves they keep at home, though the can itself is a great deal more difficult to open. Unnecessarily so, really. But sitting at the kitchen table with the can between his knees, he manages with the help of the specialized device made especially for this purpose (‘can-opener,’ appropriately named).

But all of this is little more than a distraction. Now that he knows it is possible to be returned home—nay, <i>probable</i> that they will be returned at some point, by no will of their own—the singular resolve he’d had during his previous stay in Luceti to find a way back to their own world himself has changed. It’s a matter of biding his time, he thinks, though certainly he will gladly do what he can to exacerbate the process. Time spent in Luceti, he now knows, is ultimately meaningless. He would rather return to where he should be, despite what waits for him there. He is not afraid. He can still be of use, and that is his intention.

The pot thankfully doesn’t quite boil over. He catches it in time, lifting the cover off and setting it safely aside. A cursory stir with a spoon tells him that the pasta, at least, is cooked. His left arm is more than strong enough alone to lift the pot to strain the water; he just has to set the strainer down in the sink first. He’s made enough food for several people, as he doesn’t intend to dine alone. Maintaining connections here is still important for the duration of his stay; Luceti is far from the paradise it seems to be, as he well remembers, and it isn’t in him to merely sit idly by while his own men and those who have become his allies continue to be subjected to such treatment.

The pasta is cooling. He begins to set the table.