Rivetra

"She (Petra) says she intends to devote herself to you completely..."

- Mr. Ral to Levi

Rivetra is the het ship between Levi Ackerman and Petra Ral from the Attack on Titan fandom.

Canon
Levi and Petra had an exceptionally close relationship. Levi being her captain and Petra being his subordinate.

The two had their first encounter when the newly formed Special Operations Squad held their first meeting after Levi personally handpicked Petra as one of his members. On the day she was supposed to meet him, Petra attempted to make herself presentable by washing her face with extra care, putting on light makeup, and cutting her fingernails short. She then explained it was a childish act out of her admiration for him. Finally meeting Levi up-close and personal, Petra was surprised to see how small he was and by how much boss-of-a-thug-gang energy he emitted. Following the meeting, Levi ordered them to take a break, making them treat themselves to a cup of tea. Levi noticed Petra's clean fingernails as she held her teacup up and praised her self-care awareness since keeping themselves as clean as possible is the best thing the soldiers could do to maintain the ideal condition for controlling the ODM gear and avoiding hygiene troubles.

Despite Petra being a member of the most elite squadron in the military and having the highest known Titan kills, Levi still tried his best to steer her away from danger by giving her tasks relatively safer than her other comrades. During the Battle of Trost District, even though Levi and Petra were already fighting side by side, he still had her call for reinforcements. After Eld and Gunther arrived, Levi ordered her to tend to the wounded soldiers on the ground but sent the others to attack the Titans on the right side. Petra was quick to object to his orders, but Levi ignored her and immediately left. In the Survey Corps’ 57th Expedition Outside the Walls, just as Eren thought to himself that the operation seemed to be going well, a soldier approached their squad with a verbal message that the right flank had been destroyed. Levi then ordered Petra to deliver this message to the rest of the scouts on the left, immediately putting her further away from the Female Titan’s grasp.

Petra, on the other hand, had continuously shown her tremendous respect and dedication to Levi. Oluo, one of Petra’s comrades, often imitated Levi to intimidate “newbie” Eren, but she would always be quick on her feet to berate him and defend their squad captain, frankly saying that Oluo has absolutely nothing in common with Levi. Trying to cheer up a disappointed Eren after Levi scolded him, Petra entered the room he was in and talked to him. She started by saying that his reaction towards Levi’s treatment was not unusual because, as Petra stated, the real Captain Levi is unexpectedly short, high-strung, ill-mannered, and unapproachable. She continued to fill him in about Levi’s notorious life underground before joining the Survey Corps. Not many people would have the guts to say anything wrong about Humanity’s Strongest Soldier; however, that did not stop Petra from telling Eren that their captain is not the perfect hero that most people expected him to be. Their conversation had shown how Petra saw Levi past his flaws and everyone’s expectations, despite knowing his true nature and upbringing.

At one time, for a plan devised by Levi, Eren was put at the bottom of a dry well to induce a transformation when given a signal. He repeatedly bit his hands, hoping the pain would cause the change, but nothing happened even after seriously injuring himself. During their break, Levi ordered Eren to do something about it and walked away. Petra instantly left her seat and followed an agitated Levi to calm him down. She was then seen happily talking to him while he drank his tea. At the same time, Eren tried to stir his drink but dropped the teaspoon due to his injuries. As he bent down to grab it, he explosively generated a muscular Titan arm from his hand, surprising everyone, including Levi. He found himself surrounded by his comrades, but he did not get a moment to tell them it was unintentional, with Eld, Gunther, and Oluo threatening him and demanding explanations. Being the strongest soldier inside the Walls, Levi did not need anyone to worry about his safety, but still, Petra was the only one concerned enough to yell at him and make him move away from Eren. They later questioned Eren about the transformation and, after confirming that it was not on purpose, they all bit their own hands to apologize for their actions.

Levi’s evident trust in Petra’s judgment was portrayed when they came to comfort the dying soldier he had her tend to during the Battle of Trost District. Levi approached Petra as she tried to revive the soldier but could not do so because of his heavy bleeding. After the soldier asked if his sacrifice were helpful to humanity, Levi took his hand and told him he had done more than enough, and his spirit would stay with him and make him stronger. Levi then swore that he would eradicate the Titans. As Petra announced the soldier’s death, Levi turned to her to ask if she believed the soldier had heard his words to the end. Petra reassured him that the soldier had because he looked like he was just sleeping peacefully.

The actual depth of their relationship was highlighted more after the Female Titan slaughtered the Special Operations Squad, including Petra. While he merely glanced at the others, Levi slowed down when he got to Petra’s broken body, making sure to get a glimpse of her face, which in return moved him as he did it with eyes full of regret and despair. His reaction heavily implied that Levi was most affected by Petra’s death amongst his squad, because after all, out of them four, he knew her the longest. Levi then released his anger while fighting with the Female Titan. Later, Levi walked towards a row of dead bodies collected onto an open field and stopped in front of who was allegedly Petra because of the body’s small frame and the bite mark on the hand. Levi mournfully knelt and took her Wings of Freedom patch as a memento to remember her and her sacrifice for humanity.

The expedition continued as the Survey Corps went home. However, it was revealed that two soldiers, named Dieter and Jurgen, did not follow orders and still tried to retrieve the corpse of their friend, Ivan, causing Titans to pursue them. After hearing the news from Erwin, Levi slowed down his horse to reach the last wagon where Petra’s body was at. Knowing that there were no trees or tall buildings nearby, their ODM gears were useless for fighting; hence it was suggested that he stayed back near the Titans in his attempt to protect her body. After a Titan killed Jurgen, it soon became apparent that they could not outrun them, so Levi ordered the soldiers to dump the corpses, including Petra’s, which would increase the wagon’s speed. After initial hesitation, the soldiers followed, and Levi watched as the bodies were disposed of one by one. As Petra was finally being thrown, Levi looked at her with the same look in the eyes that he had when he found her body in the forest. They were able to speed up and escape. The soldiers later took another break to figure out their route. While they were at it, Levi approached a grieving Dieter and was forced to give him Petra’s patch, the only memory he had of her, to somehow comfort him for his failed attempt at bringing Ivan back that also resulted in Jurgen's death.

When the Survey Corps returned to Wall Rose to face the civilians, an old man, who introduced himself as Petra's father, happily approached Levi and told him that her daughter had sent him a letter. It was revealed by Mr. Ral, still unaware of Petra's death, that she harbored a deep devotion for Levi and intended to sacrifice her life to him. Her closeness to Levi and what she expressed in her letter led her father to believe she was considering him for marriage since he told Levi that his daughter was still too young to be married. Despite everything that her father revealed, Levi didn’t say anything back but instead continued walking as he clenched his fists and looked sorrowful.

Levi often remembered his dead comrades, and Petra was always present in his mind when he did so. While in the forest guarding Zeke, he remembered the ones who sacrificed themselves for humanity and Eren's safety, and she was seen at the center of his memory, away from the rest of his squad members and in front of everyone. As the Alliance finally fought face to face with Eren, Levi pondered Zeke’s location. He thought about his promise to Erwin of slaying the Beast Titan and how he’d never failed any of his orders until this last one. He wondered about the reason why his veteran comrades devoted themselves and reminisced to the time when they shared a bonfire together. Petra was seen sitting on his left side. After Eren’s defeat and the breaking of the curse of Ymir, the deceased members of the Survey Corps appeared in front of Levi. While the others were seemingly sad, Petra was the only one smiling. She was once again standing in front of everyone, now alongside Hange and Erwin. Levi told them that what happened was the result of all of their devoted hearts. All of them saluted, and Levi did the same as a tear rolled down his face.

Behind the Scenes
Author

It was later revealed on Hajime Isayama's blog that he was the one that added all of the additional Levi and Petra scenes in the 22nd episode of Attack on Titan. Isayama had also recommended Shingeki no Kiseki, the concept album for Attack on Titan that contains The Light of Dual Wings, on the same blog.

Japanese Voice Actors "Regarding Levi, it's Petra that I'm concerned about."

- Kamiya Hiroshi, Levi's voice actor, during an interview

"Someone told me it would be exciting (moe) if the Captain pushes Petra against the wall (kabedon). I understand! Totally understand!"

- Natsuki Aikawa, Petra's voice actress

Kamiya Hiroshi once talked about Petra and how important she is to him while playing the Attack on Titan video game with Yui Ishikawa (Mikasa).

English Voice Actors "I personally just want—just like—one episode in Attack on Titan where Captain Levi dreams of dead Petra... just one, just one, please!"

- Caitlin Glass, Petra's voice actress

"I'm a huge Petra and Levi fan. I mean, it's super tragic and stuff but let's just pretend that didn't happen. Or just imagine everything before that happened that we never got see because it's too spicy to be animated. At least that's what I like to pretend. Yeah, I love Petra and Levi. It's a cool combo."

- Another quote from Caitlin Glass

During the Attack on Titan panel Q&A at KrakenCon 2014, Matthew Mercer and Caitlin Glass were asked to improvise a scene where Petra confesses her feelings to Levi.

During the SacAnime Winter 2015 - Attack on Titan Panel, the voice actors for Annie, Mikasa, Petra, Levi, and Armin were asked who they shipped in the show. Nobody knew how to answer the question until Lauren Landa (Annie) said, “I honestly can probably see - well, not anymore, but Petra and Levi.” Matthew Mercer (Levi) says, “Yeah, that's mine too. That's what made it hurt so much." Caitlin Glass (Petra) responded, “They would be like the cleaning King and Queen." Another question was asked about what would be a great night for the characters, and Caitlin Glass and Matthew Mercer made a joke as Petra and Levi.

Caitlin Glass once said on Twitter that she thinks Levi and Petra are the most canon out of all her ships. She also responded to a Rivetra fan account that posted a fanart of the two.

Others

"I think I thought about putting this song first before anyone else's. In fact, it ended up being very painful."

- Revo, the lead writer and composer of Shingeki no Kiseki, about Petra's song to Levi

GYAO! made an article about the 72nd episode of Attack on Titan, Children Of The Forest, and included the popular theory amongst the Rivetra fandom of Levi referring to Petra when he answers Zeke Jaeger's question about his popularity with women.

Songs
Official
 * The Light of Dual Wings

A song from Linked Horizon’s album, Shingeki no Kiseki, which sings about Petra's feelings toward Levi and her final moments before being killed.

Unofficial
 * Call Your Name

The instrumental version of the song played in the background as Levi knelt down to take Petra's patch.

Fanon
Levi consistently dominates fan popularity polls in both Japan and the West. Thus, it has become one of the more popular pairings of the franchise and is also widely considered one of the most popular het ships in the Attack on Titan fandom. Petra is also one of the most popular female characters in the fandom, which got them to rank within the top 5 ships in the fandom when the anime had just started releasing. Presently, the ship is still included within the top 10 AoT ships with the most fan arts on Pixiv.

Rivetra currently has over 1,200 works on AO3 under the Levi/Petra and Levi & Petra tags combined. It is the 4th most popular ship for Levi and the most popular ship for Petra.

A running joke that runs in the Rivetra fandom is that Nobara Kugisaki from Jujutsu Kaisen is Levi and Petra's daughter because of how she looks and acts, having the same ginger hair and amber eyes as Petra, and being 5'3", the same height as Levi. There is also an anthology book about Rivetra made by the Korean fandom. The book consists of 2 illustrations, 4 works of manhwa and 5 works of writing, along with mugs and cookies with Levi and Petra on them.

As of this year - Levi and Petra have a placing on the list of most popular anime ships in Japan, ranking 27th. Recently gaining more popularity through the Korean fandom, the Japanese fandom of the pairing is still largely active in creating content such as books and doujins.

Many fans also cite parallels between Rivetra and Eremika. Hajime Isayama said that he drew Mikasa more beautiful in Eren's point of view because that's how he actually sees her, while for Petra, Isayama agreed with the question that Levi thinks she's cute. Many fans noticed how Mikasa and Petra both appear cute and beautiful looking when in their point of views, and how both of them are always front and center of Levi and Eren's minds. It is not rare to see many Eremika shippers who ship Rivetra too.

In the manga after squad Levi's death, Levi and Eren talk together in the same room the squad was once seen. Many Rivetra fans caught onto the detail that the only chair pulled out from the table is the chair that Petra sat it in, Levi glances at it for a second before looking away. An empty chair is intended as a reminder of loss, absence and a memory of someone dear who has now gone.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Levi/Petra tag on FanFiction.net
 * Levi/Petra tag on FanFiction.net
 * Levi/Petra tag on FanFiction.net

TUMBLR

PIXIV

Trivia

 * The two had teas together late at night.
 * In the Attack on Titan TACTICS game, it was revealed that Levi would usually put everyone in his squad through a special intense cleaning training session except for Petra.
 * Petra once was the one who picked out Levi’s clothes for her birthday.
 * For the Wings of Counterattack’s 2015 Valentine’s Day event, Levi can be seen opening his gift from Petra as she stands next to him, blushing.
 * In the AoT AU Smartpass, Eld once teased Petra by asking her, “Disappointed it’s not Captain Levi you’re with right now?” while they were taking cover from the heavy rain. It was also revealed there that Petra got placed in the same squad with Levi a lot.
 * In the original/Japanese version of the Attack on Titan manga, when Petra’s father approached Levi, he used the kanji “惚気,” when talking about Petra’s letter about Levi, which means “fondly talking about one’s love, going on about one's love, etc." The kanji “惚” itself means “to fall in love with” or admire.
 * In Spoof on Titan, the spin-off version of Attack on Titan, Petra is seen writing down a “Love Umbrella!” or an “Ai-Ai-Gasa!” with her name alongside Levi. An “Ai-Ai Gasa” is how people in Japan write heart initials. The kasa changes to gasa as an instance of rendaku, and 相合傘 has a strong romantic implication, stemming in part from a play on words. The first two characters are pronounced あい (ai), the same as the word 愛 (love), and thus the connotation is that both people under the umbrella are in love.
 * In an Attack on Titan magazine, Levi and Petra were placed in the third place by the writer on his Personal Best 3 Pairings (first being EreMika, and second being Springles.) They also mentioned the popular Levi and Petra as secret lovers theory by fans.
 * In the official Attack on Titan “Chibi Puzzle Fever” game, Petra gave Levi chocolates in a heart-shaped box on Valentine's Day. Later on White Day, Levi returns the sentiment with a bouquet of candy and flowers.
 * Levi once thought about Petra's encouraging words and how he made the right choice picking her to be in his squad.
 * One night, Levi awakened from his nightmare. He was alone in a room with Petra, who was on watch duty taking care of him.
 * Petra's version of 'Round About Midnight, an Attack on Titan AU Smartpass, was posted on Levi's birthday, December 25th.
 * The English version of Chapter 112, where Levi remembered Petra at the front and center of his vision, came out on her birthday, December 6th.
 * In the Attack On Titan video game by Koei Tecmo, Levi once said that he had his full trust in Petra. Petra's response was that she would risk her life any day for Levi.
 * In the Wings of Counterattack game, it was revealed that Petra taught Levi how to make sweets.
 * In a Spoof On Titan chapter named “Petra's Day Off” when Petra prepares to head into the town with a new dress, she thinks about how it would be better if Levi were with her.
 * In Attack On Titan's Volume 7 explanation, it was said that there might have been mutual feelings between Levi and Petra. And that Petra's admiration for him was in the form of love.
 * In one of the official interviews for Linked Horizon's album, for Souyoku no Hikari was written: “Souyoku no Hikari is a beautiful song that expresses Petra's love for Levi. Which has reached the most miserable end of the work. The depictions of Levi in the last both songs are different but they go through the heart the same way.”
 * Kamiya Hiroshi once talked about how Petra's death and words hung on to him, he also added that Petra's feelings for Levi were changed in the anime, since in the manga it indicated 'love' while in the anime it was 'admiration' Kamiya Hiroshi also thought that the change in feelings wasn't intentional.
 * Levi and Petra were showcased in the Attack On Titan exhibition in 2021. It was shown through Levi's own route and his eyes. Surprisingly, frames of Petra were shown the most in Levi's route.
 * Kamiya Hiroshi said in an interview: "Petra understood Levi about himself deeply, so she stayed with him."
 * In 2021, on Japan's best anime ships list Levi and Petra took 27th place.
 * When Attack On Titan's official cosmetics were released, Levi and Petra came in a pair. On Levi's was written "The Fragrance of The Strongest Human" while on Petra's was written "The Fragrance of The Bride".
 * The lead singer of Petra's song for Levi MANAMI, wrote on her blog that she had inspired the song off of having a crush on her husband and eventually confessing. She also said that in Petra's song, Petra decided to sing about her best love.
 * A detail in Petra's written and live performance song that many Rivetra fans have noticed, is that when Petra says "There's just one thing, the feelings I've always wanted to convey.." she uses the kanji "想い" while saying "feelings". The kanji "想い" means feelings, desire, thoughts, and love. What Petra was going to tell Levi, and what her last thought was “In the end, theres just one thing, the feelings/desires/thoughts/love I wanted to convey..”
 * There is an explanation of Petra understanding Levi's true feelings from the original manga and official panels.
 * Rivetra was showcased alongside Eremika, a canonical ship in the Attack On Titan animation gallery.
 * Levi and Petra have many promotional valentines day and white day official arts, as well as cards.
 * Eld once said in the official Attack On Titan game that Petra was the only one who met Levi's cleaning standards. It was also revealed through a Smartpass AU that Petra thought Levi's handwriting was neat as she tried to compliment him.
 * MANAMI, Petra's lead singer said on Twitter that she had tried her best to convey Petra's feelings for Levi in the song.
 * Caitlin Glass talked about why Rivetra was her favorite ship. And even said that she has a Levi x Petra bracelet. Lauren Landa (Annie's English VA) and Bryce Papenbrook (Eren's English VA) are also big fans of the ship too, as Lauren Landa said that she could see Levi and Petra together.
 * Matthew Mercer said that his favorite ship in Attack On Titan is Rivetra, and also talked about seeing many beautiful fanarts of the two. The ship also makes him emotional.
 * In the official "Attack On Titan: Tactics!" game when Petra talks to Eren about Levi's unusual tendency to be clean, she says that it's certainly not out of love for cleanliness. As she's held his dirty bloodied hands herself.