If you are a fan of Attack on Titan, you might be wondering how is Zeke related to Eren, the main protagonist and antagonist of the series. Zeke and Eren are half-brothers, sharing blood via their father, Grisha Jaeger. Zeke is the older of the two and has royal blood from his mother, Dina Fritz. Eren’s mother was Carla Jaeger, who lived on Paradis Island. In this article, we will explain the backstory of their relationship and how it affects the plot of Attack on Titan.
Grisha Jaeger’s Two Families
The story of Zeke and Eren begins with their father, Grisha Jaeger. Grisha was born in the Liberio internment camp, where Eldians were oppressed by the Marleyan government. He witnessed the death of his sister Faye, who was killed by Marleyan soldiers for leaving the camp without permission. This sparked his hatred for Marley and his desire to free the Eldian people.
Grisha joined the Eldian Restorationists, a rebel group that wanted to restore the Eldian Empire. He married Dina Fritz, a descendant of the royal family that once ruled over the Eldians. They had a son, Zeke, whom they planned to make a Warrior candidate and infiltrate the Marleyan military.
However, their plan backfired when Zeke betrayed them to the authorities. Grisha and Dina were sentenced to be turned into mindless Titans and sent to Paradis Island. Grisha was saved by a mysterious man named Kruger, who revealed himself to be the Owl, a spy for the Restorationists. Kruger gave Grisha his Titan power, the Attack Titan, and told him to infiltrate the walls on Paradis Island and find the Founding Titan.
Grisha followed Kruger’s instructions and arrived at Shiganshina District, where he met Keith Shadis, an instructor of the Survey Corps. He pretended to have lost his memory and was taken in by Shadis. He became a doctor and married Carla, a waitress at a local tavern. They had a son, Eren, whom Grisha loved dearly.
The Clash of Titans
Grisha’s peaceful life was shattered when the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan attacked Shiganshina District and broke the outer wall. Grisha rushed to his home, only to find Carla trapped under debris. He entrusted Eren to his friend Hannes and left with his basement key.
Grisha went to the Reiss Chapel, where he found Frieda Reiss, the holder of the Founding Titan. He fought her and devoured her, gaining her power. He also killed most of her family members, except for Rod Reiss, who escaped. He then returned to Shiganshina District and found Eren near a tree. He injected him with Titan serum and made him eat him, passing on both the Attack Titan and the Founding Titan to him.
Meanwhile, Zeke grew up as a Warrior of Marley and inherited the Beast Titan from Tom Ksaver, his mentor and friend. He became the leader of the Warrior Unit and participated in several wars against other nations. He also devised a plan to end the Eldian curse by using his royal blood and the Founding Titan to sterilize all Eldians.
Zeke first met Eren during the Battle of Shiganshina District, where he led an assault on the Survey Corps. He recognized Eren as his half-brother when he saw him transform into a Titan. He tried to capture him and persuade him to join his cause, but failed.
Zeke later met Eren again in Marley, where he pretended to be an enemy but secretly allied with him. They planned to use their combined powers to activate the Rumbling, a cataclysmic event that would unleash millions of Colossus Titans from within the walls and destroy the world.
The Final Conflict
Zeke and Eren’s plan was opposed by many factions, including their former comrades from Paradis Island, who wanted to find another way to end the war without genocide. Zeke was captured by Levi Ackerman and held prisoner in a forest until Eren came to rescue him.
However, Eren betrayed Zeke at the last moment and revealed that he had his own agenda. He wanted to use the Rumbling not only as a deterrent but also as a means to free all Eldians from their oppression and ensure their survival. He also wanted to end the cycle of hatred and violence by killing all his enemies.
Zeke tried to stop Eren by entering his mind and showing him their father’s memories. He hoped to convince Eren that their father was wrong and that they should accept their fate as Eldians. However, Eren resisted Zeke’s influence and asserted his will to live and fight.
Zeke was eventually killed by Levi, who used a Thunder Spear to blow up his nape. His death severed Eren’s connection to the Founding Titan and stopped the Rumbling. Eren was then killed by Mikasa Ackerman, who decapitated him and kissed him goodbye.
Zeke and Eren’s relationship was tragic and complex. They were half-brothers who shared a father but had different mothers, goals, and ideologies. They were both victims of their circumstances and tried to change the world in their own ways. They were also both driven by their love for their respective families and friends. In the end, they both died without achieving their dreams, but left a lasting impact on the world and the people they cared about.
