Yes, you read that right. I truly believe Yelena is the most important character of season 4 in Attack on Titan, and that’s not just because I love her. Her sarcasm, wit, and intelligence are only the surface as to why she’s crucial. Whether you love her or hate her, I’m here to go through all the reasons why she is completely underrated and why she is a crucial character to the plot.
It goes without saying that there will be spoilers for pretty much the entire Attack on Titan plot. Read at your own risk! Before we get into it, did you know the Attack on Titan Murder Mystery Game Has Been Announced? It’s very exciting!
At the time of writing this, it’s the 21st of January, 2026. Happy birthday, Yelena <3
She Lied… So?
Okay, I know the heading is a stretch, as the lies she told were big ones. But hear me out for a second.
When everyone sits around the campfire eating Hange’s stew (which looked yummy), we find out that she lied about who she is and where she came from, and that she is actually from Marley. She explains that she wanted to be seen as a hero who could save the world… and who wouldn’t?
Although lying about her background, it’s fair to give her the benefit of the doubt. She originally comes from a country filled with war. After meeting Zeke, whom she views as a ‘God’, she finally had the motivation to want to make a difference and a change to the world. She truly wanted to help the Eldian people. While euthanising them into extinction isn’t the best way to go, she found meaning and a will to go on in the circumstances she was given.
When she arrived at Paradis with the other volunteers, she sat with Hange and Levi and explained the situation and why Marley released all of the Pure Titans. She goes on to talk about the technological advancements Marley has made, and that Eldia is years behind.
We know she and the other volunteers spent years on the island helping the Eldians. From building train tracks to even getting them new weapons. Yelena only wants to help people, and I believe that her seeing Zeke as a God, all she wanted was to have the same impact on the Eldians and be a hero.
The Marlyean Mikasa
Like Mikasa, Yelena is completely devoted to Zeke… another Jaeger. Mikasa has always been beside Eren and has supported him, and Yelena is the same with Zeke. Mikasa does eventually go against Eren to stop the Rumbling, and Yelena does do something similar with Zeke.
By the end, Yelena is aware that Zeke is manipulating her. With Yelena’s plan gone down the drain, both the Jaeger brothers ignoring her, she’s faced with regret and nothing else to fight for. Which leads me to…
The Redemption Arc
A lot of the characters change throughout the show. For example, Gabi realises that ‘There were never any devils on the island, only people’. Also, Jean steps up as a huge main character towards the end of season 4. I could write a whole feature on him as a character and how Marco greatly influenced him to become the hero he didn’t know he could be. But, I’ll save that for another time.
Yelena is the same, and you may not realise it at first. As the Rumbling begins and everything goes downhill, she realises her plan is ruined. She changes as a character, and her snarky and confident demeanour is no more. Personally, I first noticed this when she called out to Eren to stop right before he went against Reiner. He ignored her, and continued.
From this moment, she turns quiet, and her determination for the euthanasia plan disappears. She has no fight left in her and even tells Floch to ‘just get it over with’ while he holds a gun to her head… Which says enough.
She also finally gives the Survey Corps the information they were asking her about, where Eren is heading with the Rumbling, which is information she refused to give for most of the show.
One of the final scenes shows her and Onyankapon in Marley, cleaning up the destruction the Rumbling had caused. If you look closely, you’ll see she’s even crying before she turns around to speak to him.
With her finally helping the Survey Corps and likely living with the guilt of her plan, I truly believe she feels regret. This is why she stayed in Marley to help with the aftermath of what the Rumbling did.
