“Attack On Titan Embraces Controversial Character, Raising Eyebrows” – awesome

Attack on Titan‘s Gabi is far from Hajime Isayama’s most popular creation following her actions earlier in season 4 – and the anime anger is sure to intensify following her latest piece of sharpshooting. From the deadly obsessive cleanliness of Levi Ackerman, to the unhinged scientific curiosity of Hange Zoë, Attack on Titan isn’t exactly short on beloved and popular characters. Gabi Braun cannot be considered one of them.

Introduced in Attack on Titan season 4’s premiere episode, Gabi is one of the young Marleyan Warrior Candidates vying for a chance to inherit the Armored Titan. Gabi’s blend of supreme confidence, top-of-the-class heroics, and unshakable belief that the residents of Paradis Island are all “devils” immediately made her rather annoying to Attack on Titan‘s audience. Alas, frustration from her slightly grating personality blossomed into full-blown rage when Gabi shot and killed Sasha Braus – one of Attack on Titan‘s true fan-favorites – in cold, potato-flavored blood. Murdering Sasha instantly transformed Gabi into the biggest villain of Attack on Titan thus far.

Since murdering Sasha, Gabi has spent Attack on Titan season 4 discovering how wrong she was – meeting Sasha’s kindhearted family, realizing the Eldians of Paradis Island aren’t devils after all, acknowledging Marley manipulated her, etc. By humbly facing facts, Gabi started to quell the burning hatred viewers had felt since she punctured a hole through Sasha’s stomach… until Attack on Titan season 4’s “Two Brothers” episode, that is, where the youngster incites an angry mob all over again – this time shooting off Eren Jaeger’s head. As the Marleyan invasion of Shiganshina reaches its climax, Eren is making a mad dash for his brother, Zeke. Physical contact will trigger the Rumbling to swing the war in Eldia’s favor, and the Survey Corps swoop in dramatically to protect Eren as he runs. Who ruins Eren’s sprint toward freedom? Of course… it had to be Gabi.

In fairness, Gabi killing Eren Jaeger is undoubtedly the lesser of her crimes. Defying orders and firing a surprise bullet at the Survey Corps retreating out of Liberio is one thing, but Gabi is now part of a larger resistance against the Jaeger brothers. Eren is inches away from triggering an event that could potentially wipe out all humanity, so regardless of her beliefs, alignment, or habit of being incredibly annoying, Gabi is fully justified taking a shot at Eren Jaeger to stop him potentially killing millions. Murdering Sasha, on the other hand, was an act of childish, misguided vengeance that didn’t save anyone.

Nevertheless, Gabi gets the unenviable job of becoming Attack on Titan‘s resident heat-magnet once again. His turn toward villainy notwithstanding, Eren remains immensely popular with Attack on Titan‘s audience, and backed-up by Mikasa, Armin, and the other Survey Corps faithful, viewers would’ve been cheering the floppy-haired protagonist forward as he charged towards Zeke… only for their smiles to drop upon spotting Gabi in the distance holding a massive no-nonsense rifle.

Gabi Braun may inspire unbridled rage among many Attack on Titan fans, but that’s sort of the point behind her character. The youngster begins as an impatient know-it-all who makes everything worse, but slowly discovers the truth when actually meeting the folk she was trained to hate. By depriving Eren of his head, Gabi would’ve upset many an Attack on Titan viewer, but her character development is clear for all to see. Shooting Sasha, Gabi wanted to prove herself and hit back at the “Eldian devils.” Shooting Eren, she just wants to protect the people she loves.

Attack on Titan season 4 streams Sundays on Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.