Attack on Titan’s story has come a long way since the first episode. The once simple story about fighting titans has evolved into one involving world wars, modern politics and royalty.
The importance of people’s ancestors grows the more the story develops, and those descended from royalty hold the keys to many of the show's plots. However, how do you know who has royal blood in Attack on Titan? By reading this article, of course!
What Does Having Royal Blood Mean in Attack on Titan?
Characters that have royal blood are believed to be from the direct family lineage of King Fritz, the original king of Eldia and husband of Ymir Fritz, the first Founding Titan.
The notion of having ‘royal blood’ starts to appear in the anime around the end of season two and becomes prominent in season three. However, royal blood in this sense relates to those descending from King Fritz and is not blood-related in the same way as the Subjects of Ymir (see below). Royal blood also provides different advantages compared to the Subjects of Ymir.
Related: How Did Ymir Fritz Become a Titan?
The Difference Between Royal Blood and Subjects of Ymir
Another key part of the Attack on Titan story is the Subjects of Ymir. It can be confusing because royal blood and Subjects of Ymir share many similarities, but there are some key differences, too.
There is a longer explanation below, but ultimately, the Subjects of Ymir include almost all Eldians through blood, while ‘royal blood’ refers to familial descendants of King Fritz.
The Subjects of Ymir are people whose lineage can be traced back to Ymir Fritz through blood. When she died, Ymir’s body was fed to her children, who carried on the ‘tradition’ to share her titan powers through the population.
Over 2,000 years later, almost all of the Eldian population can be traced back to Ymir Fritz, and are referred to as Subjects of Ymir. Only these descendants can become titans, as they have a small part of her power inside them.
Royal blood is different as, while Subjects of Ymir are blood-related, royalty is based on family lines. Ymir Fritz, still creating titans from the Path, follows the will of anybody that carries the Fritz name or who can trace their family lineage through to King Fritz.
As an example, Ymir Fritz had three children. If only one of these was declared heir to the throne and the other two got married into different families, then all three would be Subjects of Ymir but only one would be seen as ‘of royal blood’.
What Power Does Royal Blood Have in Attack on Titan?
Royal blood is necessary to unlock the ultimate power of the titans, including the Rumbling which is talked about intensely near the end of the series.
The original Founding Titan controlled by Ymir had incredible power beyond that seen in the nine titans from the show. In particular, she could precisely control other titans, allowing her and King Fritz to create an army of titans.
In the series, Eren Yeager is in control of the Founding Titan, but can’t use its full power. To unlock this and cause the Rumbling, he needs to at least be in contact with someone with royal blood.
What Characters Have Royal Blood in Attack on Titan?
In the story’s modern-day, royal blood includes both the Fritz and Reiss family lines; the Reiss family broke off after the Great Titan War, but are considered part of the now-extinct Fritz lineage.
The biggest example of royal blood is Historia Reiss. Originally the illegitimate child of Rod Reiss, she emerges as having royal blood and becomes the Queen of the Walls when she is the last Reiss alive.
Another big player in the royal blood story is Zeke Yeager. Zeke does have royal blood, as his mother was Dina Fritz. However, as he’s not seen as a direct descendant, his powers are limited. He can turn people into titans but only if they had some of his spinal fluid first. Also, his control over titans isn’t absolute like Ymir’s.
Eren Yeager, while half-related to Zeke, has a different mother. As a result, he doesn’t have royal blood.
None of the other main characters in the series have royal blood. For example, Mikasa doesn’t have royal blood as she and Levi are from the Ackerman family line.
Hopefully, this explains royal blood a bit more clearly. Regardless of whether you’re investing in the show’s lore or simply enjoying the action, we hope you’re loving the series as much as we are!
Related: Where to Watch Attack on Titan Season 4, Part 2
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