Every Titan And Their Special Ability

Summary

• Nine titans possess serious Attack on Titan powers, passed down from Ymir Fritz, making each one unique.
• Pure Titans rely on ravenous hunger, posing a threat despite having no special powers.
• Founding Titan possesses control over Titans and memories, crucial to the series’ end despite its late appearance.

At the start of Attack on Titan, there was much mystery surrounding the origin of the Titans. However, as the series progressed, the bigger mystery was centered around the Titan Shifters—how these titans were different from the pure titans and what made each of them special.

According to the history revealed in the story, after the death of the first titan, Ymir Fritz, her soul was split into nine titans, passed from generation to generation unto the current titan shifters in the story. These nine titans possess some serious Attack on Titan powers that make each titan powerful in its own right.

Updated on December 23, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Attack on Titan is one of the greatest shonen anime ever made, featuring one of the best stories in this medium that tackles moral quandaries and complex themes. Even characters that seem one-dimensional at first glance can reveal a unique side to their character that is a joy to witness as Isayama shows the depths of his brilliance. Attack on Titan ended with a bang and let fans enjoy some of the best anime episodes ever made, with all Nine Titans being a joy to witness on-screen. Both these special Titans and the regular Titans play a major role in the series as humanity tries to fight against them, only for the residents of Paradis Island to uncover something horrible in the process.

12

Pure Titan

No Special Powers To Speak Of

There was a time when the sight of a Pure Titan alone was enough to strike fear in the hearts of most fans. It was hard to see how these monstrosities could be defeated without significant human casualties. Even if people like Levi and Mikasa were adept when it came to cutting down these titans, relying on a single hero when a whole squad is required to take out a single titan was a ridiculous notion that needed to be put to bed.

These titans lack any special powers and prefer to just let their ravenous hunger do the talking instead. They do not need nutrition, making their relentless hunt for humans even more barbaric. As the scope of the series expanded over time, Pure Titans became easier to deal with for the Survey Corps, but one should never write them off. Underestimating any titan can have serious consequences for anyone, making the Pure Titan a nightmare to deal with despite their lack of any Attack on Titan powers.

11

Abnormal Titan

Erratic And Unpredictable Behavior

The first time fans saw an Abnormal Titan, they couldn’t help but laugh at their goofy expressions and erratic movements. All of this changed when these unpredictable titans showed why they’re such a pain to deal with, boasting immense speed despite their massive statures and keeping people guessing as they zigzag their way to their prey. It’s a horrifying sight that people like Levi know firsthand, especially since he lost two of his closest comrades to this threat.

An Abnormal Titan can move in weird ways that can make it hard to predict its movement. Anyone zeroing in for a kill should have the reflexes to avoid any killing blows or zero in on their nape after the titan commits to a ridiculous move. Not taking any of these instances into account will lead to a human dying in record time if the Abnormal Titan senses their presence. Despite not having the usual Attack on Titan powers one would expect, this class of titan is no joke and is horrifying to take on for any Survey Corps member.

10

Wall Titan

Massive Titans With The Power To Harden And Form A Wall

Watching the Wall Titan’s face at the end of the first season was a chilling sight, and fans wondered what the implication of this sight was. However, it wasn’t until the final season came out that fans finally realized the true purpose of these titans. The threat of the Rumbling involved unleashing the power of these Colossal Titans on the entire world, flattening everything in their path and causing genocide on an unprecedented scale.

These Wall Titans used their Attack on Titan powers and formed the three walls in Paradis Island, protecting the residents from the threat of the rogue titans that gallivanted in the countryside. After Eren triggered the Rumbling, the Wall Titans were finally freed and went on a mindless rampage as they killed 80% of the human population and brought about one of the most apocalyptic events in anime history. While the Rumbling eventually ended after Mikasa beheaded Eren, the damage was done. While Eldians managed to escape the cycle of hatred they were stuck in for years, it came at a huge cost to humanity. As the ending showed, this cycle was bound to repeat after humanity rebuilt itself and waged wars on each other once again.

9

Founding Titan

Control Over Titans and Eldians

The Founding Titan can be seen as the most powerful of the nine titans because of the full control it has over other titans using its screams. It is also capable of altering the minds, memories, and even the biological makeup of Ymir’s descendants. The full power of the founding titan can only be accessed by a member of the royal Fritz family, or Reiss family as they were renamed after seeking refuge behind the walls.

If a member of the royal family possesses the Founding Titan, it comes with the consequence of inheriting the memories and ideologies of Carl Fritz, preventing them from using the powers. However, Eren Yeager can use the Founding Titan’s ability even without being of royal blood. This happens when he touches Dina Fritz, a member of the royal family. With Ymir’s help, Eren’s Founding Titan could summon the Titans of previous Shifters to fight on his behalf.

The Founding Titan did not appear until the very end of the series, and its power was used to trigger the Rumbling – which resulted in 80% of humanity being killed. Fortunately, the surviving members of the Survey Corps and the remaining Titan Shifters were able to defeat the Founding Titan – saving the last remnants of humanity. The Founding Titan dies, and every Titan goes with it. That being said, the final scene of the anime seems to indicate that the centipede-like creature that produces the Founding Titan has returned due to humanity’s violent actions.

8

Colossal Titan

Mass Destruction

The Colossal Titan, known as the “god of destruction”, is formidable, standing sixty meters tall. It is most known for its power to create powerful explosions. The Colossus Titan, as it is referred to in the manga, is powerful enough to destroy Wall Maria with a single kick. Apart from this incredible ability, this titan is also able to produce hot steam to deter others—even skilled users of vertical maneuvering equipment—from approaching it, serving as a form of both attack and defense. The Colossal Titan can also evaporate quickly, creating a cover of steam for the user to escape.

However, this power comes with certain downsides. Because of its size, it is a slow titan. The high amount of energy it uses causes it to burn out faster, meaning it can’t be used for long periods of time. This makes the Colossal Titan more effective in battles that can be ended with a surge of power since other nimble Titans and ODM gear users can get the jump on this form because of how clumsy its movements are.

For most of the series, the Colossal Titan is a symbol of death and destruction, but in the final conflict, it is used to help save humanity from the Rumbling. Armin uses the Colossal Titan to battle Eren’s Founding Titan. Armin is overwhelmed, but he is still able to hold Eren long enough for Mikasa to get the killing blow. Once the Founding Titan dies, the Colossal Titan ceases to exist as well.

7

Armored Titan

Skin Hardening

The Armored Titan is the expert in armor and wears armor plates continually on its body. Most of the Titans can learn how to harden certain areas of their skin, but the Armored Titan is covered in this hardened skin and can shed some of its armor for speed at the expense of defense.

This titan’s blows can also be intensified by the armored skin on its fists, creating a deadly attack. It is also the most protected titan, proven by its ability to withstand the Colossal Titan’s explosive power without receiving significant damage. This is a huge benefit, allowing skilled users of the Armored Titan to become a force to be reckoned with in battle.

The Armored Titan was used to terrorize the people of Paradis Island, but Reiner later used it to help stop the Rumbling. It battles a score of previous Warhammer Titans that were spawned to protect Eren’s Founding Titan. When the Founding Titan’s nape is destroyed, the Centipede-like creature that resides inside of it attempts to escape, and Reiner uses the Armored Titan to hold it back until Eren is killed. When Eren dies, the Armored Titan disappears.

6

Attack Titan

Glimpsing The Future

The Attack Titan is great at close combat, having significant strength and agility. With Eren as its possessor, it was able to defeat the Armored Titan and perform the feat of lifting a heavy boulder while walking. While the strength of the Attack Titan is undeniable, it possesses the more interesting ability to see into the future.

Although all Nine Titans share the ability to connect with previous Shifters, the Attack Titan can go both ways. By getting access to the memories of its future possessors, the Attack Titan can see the future and move toward it. It’s one of the most important revelations regarding the Attack Titan’s powers that doesn’t rear its head until the Final Season, where it’s used to great effect by manipulating events behind the scenes to function as per Eren’s grand plan.

The Attack Titan proved to be the most important Titan other than the Founding Titan. Eren used its ability to connect with previous Shifters to set up a chain of events that led to the Rumbling. Its final appearance came when Marley attacked Paradis Island – where it fought the Jaw and Armored Titans at the same time. The Attack Titan defeats the Jaw Titan, and its final act involves using hardening to trap the Armored Titan. It disappears as soon as the Founding Titan dies.

5

Female Titan

Pure Titan Control & Adaptability

The Female Titan, possessed by Annie Leonhart, is defined by stamina. The first time this titan appeared, it was able to sprint with the Survey Corps’ horses for an extended period. The Female Titan can control Pure Titans to a certain degree by screaming. The Pure Titans will rush to the Female’s location, but they will attack and eat its body when they arrive.

In addition to this, the Female Titan can harden areas of its skin to defend itself, climb walls, or land heavy blows. Outside of her titan form, Annie was able to protect herself with a shell of hardened material. Even more impressive is the Female Titan’s ability to selectively regenerate its body parts quickly and to call on pure titans within hearing distance. The Female Titan’s true power is adaptation, and it is the reason why it can use abilities that are similar to the other Nine Titans. For this to occur, the Female Titan needs to consume parts of the other Titans.

The Female Titan killed many of the Survey Corps’ strongest fighters, but she goes on to help save humanity with the others. She fought the Yeagerists who were guarding a harbor, and she used her body to protect the Azumabito engineers who prepped the airplane that flew the remaining Survey Corps members and Titan Shifters to the Founding Titan. In the final battle, the Female Titan helps to restrain the centipede creature, and it later disappears when the Founding Titan dies.

4

Jaw Titan

Speed & A Strong Jaw

This titan is relatively small but for good reasons. Standing only five meters tall, the Jaw Titan can move with great speed, making it better suited for fast-paced assaults. It also has sharp nails and a strong jaw capable of crushing almost anything. It may not look like much, but one need only look at the Jaw Titan in action to see what it brings to the table in a tactical combat scenario.

The Jaw Titan comes in handy several times on the battlefield, making use of its speed to disorient its opponents. It is also better than the other eight in certain locations, like the Titan Forest, where its size gives it a huge advantage over its enemies. However, it could be easily overpowered by another titan in a drawn-out battle.

The Jaw Titan tried to stop Eren on Paradis island, and it later saved the Armored and Female Titan from the Yeagerists and their thunder spears. The last time the Jaw Titan appeared it could fly, and it delivered the Female Titan to the final battlefield near Fort Salta. When the centipede creature emerges, the Jaw Titan brings Mikasa and Levi to deliver the final blow to Eren. It ceases to exist when the Founding Titan dies.

3

Beast Titan

Animal Characteristics & Titan Creation

The Beast Titan always possesses the features and characteristics of a specific animal, and the animal changes with each new inheritor. Zeke’s Beast Titan is seventeen meters tall, and it looks like an ape because it has long arms and skin covered with hair-like fur. The Beast Titan can throw things like rocks with incredible force and accuracy from a vast distance.

While in Zeke Yeager’s possession, the Beast Titan has been shown to harden his skin like many other shifters, although he was unable to do this against Levi Ackerman’s speed. Due to his royal blood, Zeke can turn humans into titans with his scream if they have received his spinal fluid. He can do this even without being in his titan form.

The Beast Titan was allied with Eren, but even Zeke did not expect Eren to trigger the Rumbling. It was essentially absorbed by Eren’s Founding Titan, and it was used to attack the remnants of the Survey Corps and the Armored and Cart Titans. The Beast Titan ultimately disappeared when the Founding Titan died, but it was killed a bit earlier when Levi successfully decapitated Zeke.

2

Cart Titan

Endurance & The Ability To Transform Multiple Times A Day

The Cart Titan’s very high endurance makes it ideal for lengthy missions. It can be used as a weapon with arms loaded on its back. Due to its ability to move around on all fours, the Cart Titan is also known as the Quadruple Titan. Because it can keep its form for a long time, the shifter may need time to readjust to two legs after changing back to human form.

This titan is also fast due to its quadruple nature and can speak coherently in this form, like the Beast Titan and the War Hammer Titan. Thanks to the Cart Titan’s endurance, the inheritor can perform hundreds of consecutive transformations without getting tired. The only downside is the fact that the inheritor heals slower than the other Titan Shifters.

The Cart Titan played a major role in the final battle to save humanity from Eren and the Rumbling. Thanks to its consecutive transformation ability, the Cart Titan was able to fight many of the previous Titan Shifters that were summoned by Eren. It managed to defeat several of these Shifters. The Cart Titan was also responsible for placing the explosives around the Founding Titan’s neck. When these explosives caused the centipede creature to emerge, the Cart Titan helped to restrain it until Eren’s death. It later disappeared with the rest of the Titans.

1

War Hammer Titan

Creating Weapons With Hardened Skin

The War Hammer Titan was the last to be revealed, and worth the wait. It is exceptional in its ability to create weaponry from its hardened skin. With its long war hammer, it can reach over a long distance to inflict damage. It can also manipulate the earth and forge single or multiple spikes that can pierce opponents.

In addition to this, the war hammer titan has a unique ability to be controlled remotely, with its shifter protected in a hardened shell, making it useful for more clever forms of attack. The War Hammer Titan did not get much screen time – it was killed shortly after it was introduced, and its power was absorbed by Eren. It’s a shame, but its powers made Eren stronger than ever before as he used the powers of multiple Titans to single-handedly enact a genocide on the entire world.

Fans were glad to see the War Hammer Titan make a return later on during the battle for Heaven and Earth in Attack on Titan. Past versions of this imposing Titan defended Eren from the other Titan Shifters and Survey Corps members. While it was hard to discern which Titan forms encompassed this role, it still played a major role during Attack on Titan‘s final battle. Eventually, its power was lost along with every other special Titan form when the Founding Titan was killed at Mikasa’s hands, ending the genocide at a great cost.