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Many of these discussions revolve around the decisions of the characters in the show, their final fates, and even the growth in skill certain characters exhibit. The Titan shifters of the show are a popular topic, as most of the show’s plot revolves around them and their usefulness to opposite sides of the war in later seasons. While every Titan has a unique ability and purpose that can be utilized in a fight, there are definitely some that stand out over others in terms of combat. Here, we’ll take a look at the Titan shifters ranked by their power, potential, and overall usefulness throughout Attack on Titan.
9) Cart Titan
The Cart Titan is easily the physically weakest of the Nine Titans, but could be much higher on the list when it comes to actual utility and transport abilities. Despite not being incredibly useful in a fight, the Cart Titan is depicted as an excellent scout, rescue operative, and cargo holder. The primary holder in possession of the Cart Titan throughout the anime is Pieck Finger, a shifter who makes full use of her Titan’s potential.
Skills the Cart Titan possesses include its durability, speed, and long-term endurance. Unique from the other Titans, its form allows the Cart Titan to carry weapons and cargo on its back in bulk amounts, even acting as a mobile weapon when equipped with armor or artillery. Pieck is also able to speak when transformed into her Titan form, an unusual ability that can make communication with her allies easy and streamlined.
8) Jaw Titan
One of the Titans that passes around the most throughout Attack on Titan’s plot is the Jaw Titan. Initially possessed by Ymir, who gained it from eating the original Titan warrior chosen by Marley, it then passed on to Porco Galliard, and finally to Falco Grice in the anime. As one of the smallest of the Nine Titans, the Jaw Titan is notably quicker and more agile than other shifters, something its holders take advantage of in both offensive and defensive fighting maneuvers.
Besides its speed, the Jaw Titan’s main power is its namesake: the crushing power of its bite. Not only are the Jaw Titan’s teeth incredibly strong, but its claws tend to also be highly destructive weapons. The anime depicts the Jaw Titan as able to chew or shred through structures, terrain, and other Titans, such as the crystal cocoon the Warhammer Titan produces for its host. Certain holders of the Jaw Titan also formulate armor-like masks that grant additional protection in battle.
7) Female Titan
Our first prolonged look at an enemy Titan shifter in the anime was the Female Titan, possessed by Annie Leonhart. She was a formidable opponent for the Survey Corps who still struggled with fighting Pure Titans— this was aided by the fact Annie herself was a proficient fighter and heavily trained in combat skills. While the Female Titan’s powers aren’t as advanced or useful as some of the other Nine Titans on this list, she still remains a memorable shifter that can cause widespread damage if utilized correctly by the holder.
The Female Titan has enhanced speed, agility, and durability in a fight, which gives her an edge in raw strength and power. Most interesting is the Female Titan’s Scream which attracts Pure Titans to her location in a frenzied wave. While the Scream is handy for drawing Titans to create a distraction, the Female Titan can’t actually control or manipulate them like the Founding Titan. There are also hints that the Female Titan is able to vaguely mimic certain characteristics of other Titans if she consumes part of their flesh, though exactly how much mimicry is limited.
6) Armored Titan
The Armored Titan holds a lower spot on this list because of the development of the Thunder Spear by the Survey Corps to capture and restrain Reiner in his Titan form, effectively nerfing his best advantage. Thunder Spears are explosives attached to spear-like mechanics that can pierce the Armored Titan’s weak links centered mainly around its face and joints, which proved crucial in later Survey Corps fights against shifters. Despite this adaptation making the Armored Titan less contentious than its original appearance at the start of the anime, it still holds a valuable ability in combat and infiltration compared to the other Nine Titans.
As its name suggests, the Armored Titan’s primary power is the armor-like skin hardened over its body to provide defense against attacks. The holder is also able to specifically soften or enhance key spots on their body to aid in tasks like grappling, climbing, and running. This Titan power was especially useful before the development of anti-Titan artillery, as there was little to counter the Armored Titan or remove the shifter from its nape, essentially making it an overpowered fighter with strong defense capabilities.
5) Attack Titan
The Attack Titan is easily the most recognizable Titan from Attack on Titan due to the protagonist, Eren Yeager, inheriting it from his father as a child. Its iconic scream and roars are some of the most memorable transformation scenes from the anime, an audible testament to Eren’s rage and willingness to fight to live and win. Besides the Titan’s physical attributes, it has some of the best abilities among the Nine Titans that boost it above the rest in terms of strength and importance.
Perhaps the key strength the Attack Titan has is its ability to resist the Founding Titans control and manipulation over memory due to its innate desire to fight for freedom. Additionally, the Attack Titan is able to access the past and future memories of users which lends an edge in foresight and understanding. It’s this skill that lets Eren change and influence events from the past and future to his agenda. The Attack Titan is also shown to have decent combat boosts like enhanced speed and strength that give it a leg-up on some of the Titans lower down on this list.
