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How romantic tropes are displayed in SnK, and how Levihan totally fits the bill: a comprehensive (and *very* long) thread (…so long I separated it in two parts, the second part will be published another time).
#Levihan
#Levihan
Disclaimers:
- I’ll only use manga, because I’m one of these people who consider only the original author as canon. I& #39;ll add later some bonuses though.
- I apologize in advance for the countless english mistakes I’ll inevitably make.
- I’ll only use manga, because I’m one of these people who consider only the original author as canon. I& #39;ll add later some bonuses though.
- I apologize in advance for the countless english mistakes I’ll inevitably make.
So this is it. Levi/Han got, in 126, a very romantic and intimate scene, but the fandom at large refuses to acknowledge it. Well, this is not that simple (fandom at large… really?), but, yeah, there’s a total denial about Levi/Han.
“They are bros, totally bros, I-I swear!”. “I only see friendship”. “Only Levi/Han fans see this scene as romantic.” And my personal favorite: “There’s nothing romantic in this scene” (+ some surreal coping arguments after).
This thread has for purpose to expose the denial about Levi/Han and, above all, to prove this ship is, in reality, a total romantic (and probably future endgame) ship established by Isayama, even before 126, and from both sides.
I’m used to shounen tropes, and, without bragging, I’ve always won my pairing wars. It’s not that hard, really. But one of the most efficient way to deduce the final winner(s) is to carefully observe the author’s patterns, his way to show romance.
Because of course there’s romance in SnK – a lot, even. A lot of one-sided crushes, especially, but I knew since the beginning some of those one-side crushes would come to fruition at the end, plus some other ships.
Isayama is not avaricious or subtle with romance. Isayama is avaricious and subtle with romance *manifestations”, and it’s different.
So, how exactly romance is displayed in SnK? I’ve always had the desire to write this, even before 126, because - let’s be real - the ship was hinted way before even without real romance tropes and I could see Isayama’s patterns at work before this chapter.
So, let’s see. I don’t consider a lot of tropes as romantic, but, sometimes, it can be interesting to use them when they overlap with real romance ones. So I’ll separate this thread and tropes in two parts:
the indirect and not definite romance tropes, and the *real* ones, the real deal, the same ones that lack badly for these rivals Levi/han ships (the same that, ironically, deny us the romantic dimension.)
Let’s see.
Let’s see.
1)Indirect proofs
I’d start with this one: the desire to be with the other, simply. It’s a thing in SnK. Look at Mikasa wanting to be with Eren. Look at Ymir wanting to be with Historia. Therefore, in a legit pair, one character wants to share their time with the other.
I’d start with this one: the desire to be with the other, simply. It’s a thing in SnK. Look at Mikasa wanting to be with Eren. Look at Ymir wanting to be with Historia. Therefore, in a legit pair, one character wants to share their time with the other.
Does Levi/Han fits the bill? Of course it fits. And from *Levi’s* part (because we’ll see Levi/Han is *not* unilateral). We all know here all these times when Levi wants Hanji’s attention (and often fails).
On a more meta way, notice Levi and Hanji were introduced together like other prominent ships (Mikasa/Eren and Ymir/Historia again)...
...and share their most panel time together contrary to an urban legend spread by you-know-who that says Levi spends all his spare time with Erwin. It’s false. Levi spends his panel time with *Hanji*, and not always because plot reasons.
Second indirect proof: the communication and the understanding, and, wider, the acceptation of the other for who they are, the acceptation of the *flaws*. Armin is winning Annie’s heart right now because he was the first to see over the cold-blood murderer.
Ymir/Historia is entirely built around this trope: seeing beyond the appearances and the lies, accepting the other hidden behind layers of dissimulation and, more than that, *loving* them, *preferring* them.
… Is it necessary to call back again the superior Levi/Han communication skills, ranging from translation to telepathy? Or the total acceptation – I’d even say love – for the other’s flaws?
Clean-freak!Levi is eager to spend a lot of (spare) time with dirty!Hanji. Hanji is not bothered by Levi inability to express himself.
Third would be the caring, protectiveness, and, in the extreme end, the lifesaving. Pretty self-explanatory: it’s a prominent theme in SnK, and lifesaving scenes are hardly an originality (hence why I don’t consider that as intrinsically romance tropes).
… But it’s still a thing. And what’s interesting in Levi/Han is the fact it’s mutual. Levi is overall inexpressive when it comes to show sorrow, concern and grieving, and yet he did several times for Hanji (… contrary to what’s said in certain corners of the fandom!).
Above all, Hanji is the only one for whom he worries for an *imaginary* danger.
From Hanji’s part, do I need to remind 115? You know, this part of SnK I’ve never seen addressed by certain parts of the fandom… Putting her life in line, but also her responsibilities as a commander, all of that for a crippled, now useless, soldier.
I know the Levi/Han lifesaving is not the only one in SnK. I’ve seen “B-but Hanji was saved by Mobl*t and Jean!”. Yeah, of course. But what about the emphasis put on the Levi/Han’s scene and not the others?
What about Hanji ready to sacrifice everything, whereas Jean’s move looks like just a soldier’s reflex? What about 115 opening an entire Levi/Han subplot followed by 126 (and still ongoing)? What about Isayama twisting the plot to…
…put Hanji in position to find Levi and saving him, while it would have been simpler to make him found by another character(s)? What about this big Levi/Han scene being at the end of the work – this is never a hasard, scenes placements are narrative clues)?
To conclude with these indirect proofs, I’d add some other patterns used by Isayama: for example, the habit to make some of his couples bantering. Hitch/Marlowe, notably, is built around their constant bickering, just like Levi/Han.
Also Ymir/Historia: and I find very telling this parallel between Ymir and Levi, both characterized as soft tsunderes. Both of them admitted they are prone to render service… because, like that, the one being helped will *owe* them something (this can be found in a SmartPass).
But more telling and interesting is, for me, how Isayama builds his pairs in a meta way. I call this “facing characterization” and it’s very telling. It means Isayama literally thought and constructed one character with another in mind – it can’t be another way.
And it’s especially obvious with Levi/Han: there’s no way it’s a coincidence Isayama made Levi a clean-freak and Hanji a slob. There’s no way, Levi is 11/10 brawns and Hanji is 11/10 brain. There’s no way Levi’s orientation is unknown while Hanji’s gender is unknown.
And guess what? Another (canon) pair was built the same way: it’s Nicolo/Sasha. Nicolo/Sacha revolves about the sole fact Sasha is a glutton, and Nicolo a cooker.
(… To be continued in another tweet for the real romance tropes because this is definitely too long)
(… To be continued in another tweet for the real romance tropes because this is definitely too long)
