EruRi/Tropes

EruRi
tropes

A

Act of True Love

Levi desperately wanted Erwin to live and not go to the Retake of Shiganshina's mission. But he left his deepest desire aside, and decided to let Erwin rest. While making his choice, Levi once again remembered Erwin’s final peaceful smile to him. In the end, Levi chose to preserve the last smile Erwin only showed to him, and to treat him as a human, by letting him go, as the biggest act of true love.

Affectionate Nickname

Levi's affectionate nickname for Erwin is "blondie."

Always Save the Boy

When the Beast Titan starts attacking Erwin and the recruits, Erwin seems paralyzed, unable to make any more decisions that might cause more deaths. So Levi takes the lead and proposes a plan of withdrawal to keep Erwin safe: wake up Eren who’s all sprawled out over the wall, let him carry Erwin and any survivors there, and retreat. Then, the new recruits and the survivors of Hange’s squad get on horses and ride in all directions to act as bait for the Beast Titan to get distracted, so Erwin can get on Eren and escape alive. In that unprecedented desperate situation, Levi was willing to sacrifice the new recruits, Hange and their squad during the mission, which were also part of Levi's new squad, in order to take Erwin to safety.

Anger Born of Worry

Losing Erwin is something Levi tries to prevent so hard to the point of even threatening to break his legs. Levi begs Erwin to stay behind because he doesn't want him to die during the mission.

B

Battle Couple

Levi and Erwin are not only each other's most trusted person, but they perfectly team up and fight together during missions.

Big Damn Reunion

When the two of them have their first reunion after being separated in one of their hardest times, after Erwin had been beaten up by the Military Police, considering they have never separated like this before, they are immediately able to feel each other approaching in the dark. Levi instantly feels Erwin approaching and recognizes him in the dark and Erwin approaches Levi and his Squad, as soon as he hears Levi’s voice.

Birds of a Feather

Erwin and Levi share the same life goals, values and dreams. In fact, they share the same life philosophy of “No Regrets” in each decision they take.

Brains and Brawn

Despite the fact that Erwin is also very strong, and that Levi's intuition shows he's also very intelligent, Erwin is highly intelligent and strategic and as the commander, he's in charge of planning and decision-making. While Levi is superhumanly strong.

Bridal Carry

In a heartbreaking example of this trope, Levi "bridal carried" Erwin's dead body all the way from Shiganshina, all by himself, to give him special burial.

Brooding Boy, Gentle Boy

While Levi is the more brooding, angsty one of the two, Erwin is the gentler, sweeter one. Erwin can be very brooding too, but overall he’s softer than Levi in most occasions and canon versions of the two.

C

The Confidant

Levi is the only person who knows about Erwin's father's theory and Erwin's dream of proving his father's theories right. And Erwin trusts Levi so much that he is the only person he has ever been vulnerable and open with. Erwin, on his part, is also the only person who knows Levi the most. This is evident by how Eren and Petra mention that no one knows about Levi's past but Erwin. In official interviews, like the Smartpass one, it's revealed that Erwin is the only one who knows Levi's warmhearted side.

Conflicting Loyalty

Before deciding on letting Erwin rest, Levi was willing to fight anyone that would get in his way to take the serum, his only chance of saving Erwin, from him. But Levi's loyalty and devotion was always towards Erwin and no one else, which usually conflicted with the military, the Survey Corps and even his own comrades.

Criminally Attractive

Despite the fact that Levi was considered to be one of the most powerful "criminals" of the Underground, Erwin was instantly fascinated and captivated by him from their first encounter.

Crusading Widow

After Zeke ends up killing Erwin, Levi not only carries his promise to Erwin "in his heart," throughout the entirety of his final arc until the end of the story as the one goal that keeps him going (as stated in the Attack on Titan Character Encyclopedia FINAL), but he fiercely remembers and always thinks about said promise, which involves killing Zeke.

D

Declaration of Protection

Devoted to You

As per the last trope, Levi is canonically bonded to Erwin, and as he is the most important person for him, he's devoted to him and his protection. However, Erwin deeply cares about Levi too, often going out of his way to make sure Levi is safe.

Do You Trust Me?

Erwin has really risky and bold plans and each and every single time, Levi trusts his judgement. Because Levi vow to trust and follow Erwin everywhere.

E

Enemies To Lovers

Erwin and Levi's story embodies this trope as Levi’s attitude towards Erwin changes dramatically over the course of it. He goes from hating Erwin and wanting to kill him, to finding himself following him to hell without any regrets. Levi’s hatred for Erwin at first only makes their bond more poignant and inexplicable. To pass from a stage of detestation to that of absolute trust shows something very strong happened in him. As for Erwin, though, he never seemed any signs of hating Levi, and was in fact captivated and admired by him since they first met, so the trope is more one-sided from Levi's side.

Everyone Can See It

The bond they've formed is so apparent, multiple people have commented on their relationship, some supportive and others not so much. Not only in-universe, but in a more meta sense, Hajime Isayama, the author, his editor, both characters' voice actors, other main characters' voice actors, and official anime staff have commented on it.

F

Fate Drives us Together

In the Third Season (Part One)'s opening, a little Erwin crosses paths with Levi and an Isayama sketch of the manga showed a little Levi in Erwin's classroom, showing that they might knew each other when they were little. Later, they crossed paths again as adults.

G

Grand Romantic Gesture

Erwin blackmails the Military Police into getting regular shipments of fine black tea, ignoring the risk this takes, exclusively just for Levi. Because he knows just how much Levi loves tea and finds it a luxury.

H

Hair Contrast Duo

Erwin has blond hair, while Levi has black hair.

Held Gaze

Holding Hands

During a Q&A and Autograph Event the author did in his hometown, he confirmed that it's normal for Erwin and Levi's hands to touch.

L

Like an Old Married Couple

The two of them shared candle-lit dinners after training, had breaks from work late the night, as Erwin "with captain Levi he heal his heart in a brief break," and shared many intimate moments together, despite the hostile world they live in.

Longing Look

There are several instances of this, mostly by Levi.

The Lost Lenore

Erwin is the Lost Lenore who, after his death, becomes a crucial part of Lei's arc for the remaining part of his story. Levi has recurring flashbacks to his vow to Erwin, has entire monologues talking to him on his mind, as if he was still alive, and his vow to Erwin remains as his main motivation to keep going throughout the entirety of his last arc after Erwin's death.

M

The Mourning After

If it wasn't already obvious while Erwin was alive, after his death, Levi proves just how devoted he was to him by going above and beyond in order to fulfill his vow to Erwin, despite the fact Erwin never ordered him to do anything, and therefore, his last arc becomes all about this vow to Erwin Levi carries in his heart.

O

One Head Taller

While Erwin is 188 cm (6'2"), Levi is 160cm (5'3").

The Only One I Trust

In the middle of the desperate situation they were in when Zeke started attacking them in Shiganshina, Erwin shows Levi his vulnerable side and Levi becomes the only person to know about Erwin's fears and his dream.

Opposites Attract

Before deeply bonding the way they did, Erwin and Levi came from seemingly totally opposite places, and seemed to be on totally different sides. However, overtime, as they grew closer together, they realized that they were birds of a feather, and as the author himself stated, total equals.

One True Love

The author unequivocally stated on the Character Encyclopedia (2017) that Erwin was Levi's most important person, an irreplaceable existence for him, that Levi had fulfilled his purpose by being there for Erwin’s last moments, and that all that remained for him after Erwin's death was to fulfill his vow to kill the Beast Titan.

P

Please Don't Leave Me

Levi desperately begs Erwin to stay away from danger because he desperately wants him to live, so he plans to have a private conversation with him alone at his office, to beg him to stay.

The Promise

Levi's promise to Erwin became a central point in Levi's entire character arc from Erwin's death to the end of the story. In fact, Levi's profile in "Character Encyclopedia FINAL" proves this, and even goes as far as to state that Levi carried The Promise in his heart.

R

Red Oni, Blue Oni

Revenge Before Reason

Levi goes as far as torturing Zeke with his blades, which ultimately leads to Levi being fatally wounded and on the verge of dying. Aside from this, he still helps the Alliance to fight the greater threat of Eren's Rumbling, but still finds a way to work it with his vow to Erwin, when he proposes to The Alliance that the key to stop the Rumbling is killing Zeke.

S

Strong Boy, Smart Guy

A variation of Brains and Brawn.

Ship Tease

T

True Companions

Levi and Erwin's bond is so complex that it goes beyond comrades, beyond friends, beyond romantic love even. The 2014 Official Guidebook calls Erwin Levi's "chosen one."

V

Violently Protective Boyfriend

Levi is extremely protective of Erwin, even violently, due to his superhuman strength. Despite the fact that Erwin is very strong as well, Levi doesn't tolerate anyone even threatening to harm Erwin. An example of this happens during the Royal Government Arc, when a Military Police officer tries to rile Levi up, by mentioning Erwin's safety being in danger, saying he will be the first one to get hanged by the Royal rulers. Levi protectively snaps, twisting and breaking the MP's arm, as the officer screams in tears.

Y

You Are Better Than You Think You Are

In the desperate situation they found themselves in when Zeke started attacking them in Shiganshina, after Erwin shares a vulnerable moment with Levi, talking about his dream, he asks him if all of this it's just nothing more than his own childish delusions, raising his head awaiting Levi’s reaction. And Levi has a soft and devastated look on his face as he’s watching Erwin being so vulnerable in front of him. Immediately, Levi gets down on one knee in front of Erwin and responds, not thinking Erwin is selfish, not with disappointment, but with praise and gratitude. He reassures Erwin that he's fought a good fight and that they were only able to come this far thanks to him.

You Are Worth Hell

In Levi's character monologue, he states that he has absolutely no regrets about choosing Erwin, and that he would follow him even if that led him to hell.