Why Did Levi Kill Zeke in Attack on Titan? Explained

The ending of Attack on Titan is littered with major moments, but one of the most significant is Zeke’s death at the hand of Levi. If you find yourself pondering why this happened, then follow along below, as we have all the information you’ll need to understand why this death unfolded the way it did.

Was There a Reason Levi Killed Zeke in Attack on Titan? Answered

Levi and Zeke have had a hostile rivalry for quite some time, with Levi harboring a hatred for Eren’s half-brother due to him wiping out all but a handful of the entire Scout force during a battle in Shiganshima. This caused Levi to take a personal vow to act in revenge for the fallen, making killing the Zeke, the Beast Titan Shifter, one of his primary goals. This is because, over everything, Levi wanted to bring meaning to the deaths of those who had perished at the Beast Titan’s hand.

However, Levi’s reason for killing Zeke in the finale of Attack on Titan isn’t quite so straightforward, with his death having a much more significant cause than revenge for the fallen. Essentially, Zeke sacrificed himself to ensure the Rumbling was stopped, as this would remove Eren’s ability to use the Founding Titan.

Though Levi was still the one to kill him off, Zeke went out rather willingly, knowing what was needed to be done to ensure the survival of the remaining Scouts and give them the chance to defeat Eren and put a stop to his grand plan.

While killing Zeke had still been one of Levi’s goals, it can be argued that Levi did not kill Zeke simply out of revenge, but more so to stop the Rumbling. This made it less an act of vengeance and more so one meant to save humanity, wrapping up Levi’s character arc by allowing him to escape a vendetta that cost him so much.

This certainly does not make up for the lives lost to Zeke along the way, but it does finally bring Levi closure toward carrying the burden of the deceased Scouts, finally enabling him to make peace with these horrific events.

That’s everything you need to know about why Levi killed Zeke in Attack on Titan. For more helpful guides, check out the rest of our content here at Twinfinite. We have plenty more topics that can answer your burning questions following the series finale, such as who was the mysterious boy shown in the post-credits scene.