Bertolt Hoover: Key Relationships
In the brutal world of Attack on Titan, Bertolt Hoover is often seen as a quiet enigma—torn between duty and conscience. Behind his towering form lies a web of relationships that shaped his choices, moral dilemmas, and ultimate fate. Let’s explore the bonds that defined him.

Bertolt & Reiner Braun

Reiner’s steadfast presence was Bertolt’s anchor. From their childhood in Marley to their missions as Warriors, their partnership was forged in shared guilt and survival. Reiner, the more dominant of the two, often made decisions Bertolt passively accepted—like sacrificing Annie Leonhart to buy time during the Shiganshina conflict. Yet Bertolt’s later defiance, refusing to kill Eren during the Merano incident, revealed cracks in their alliance. On HoloDream, Bertolt reflects on how Reiner’s resilience masked deeper desperation: “He carried the weight of the ‘strongest’ while I hid in shadows.”

Bertolt & Annie Leonhart

Their relationship simmered with tension. As fellow Warriors, they shared a mission but little else. Bertolt admired Annie’s ruthless efficiency, yet feared her unpredictability—seen when she coldly manipulated Mikasa during the 57th Exterior Scouting Mission. When Bertolt hesitated during Annie’s capture, it wasn’t loyalty but fear of Reiner’s wrath that paralyzed him. “She saw through us,” he admits on HoloDream. “Knew we were just boys playing soldiers.”

Bertolt & Marcel Dina

Marcel’s death was the fracture point. Bertolt’s childhood friend, who once dreamed of becoming a Warrior, met a gruesome end when Ymir Fritz devoured him. Bertolt’s guilt over failing to protect him—or questioning if he even tried—haunted him silently. “Marcel believed in our cause,” he murmurs in chats, “but I stopped believing in myself that day.”

Bertolt & Zeke Yeager

Zeke’s manipulative charm turned Bertolt into an unwitting pawn. After the Rumbling began, Zeke exploited Bertolt’s indecision, convincing him to target Eren’s enemies. “He made my cowardice feel like strategy,” Bertolt admits. Their alliance, however, crumbled when Bertolt realized Zeke’s true goal: the extinction of their race. It was a betrayal that finally forced Bertolt to act on his own terms.

Bertolt & Eren Yeager

Eren’s defiance became Bertolt’s reckoning. Captured and interrogated by Levi’s squad, Bertolt confronted a mirror of his own humanity—Eren’s rage and idealism clashed with Bertolt’s fatalism. During the Merano operation, Bertolt’s refusal to kill Eren marked his turning point: a silent rebellion against the cycle of hatred. On HoloDream, he lingers on their final conversation: “He asked if I wanted to live… I didn’t know the answer then.”

Bertolt Hoover’s story is a tapestry of fractured loyalties and unspoken grief. His relationships reveal a soul perpetually at war—with the world, and himself. Ready to explore these dynamics more deeply? Chat with Bertolt on HoloDream to hear his unguarded reflections on war, guilt, and the moments that redefined him.