# Reiner Braun: Attack on Titan's Tragic Second Protagonist Reiner Braun is one of anime's most complex characters—a child soldier whose fractured identity serves as Attack on Titan's ultimate exploration of trauma. As the Armored Titan, he set the plot in motion by breaching Wall Maria. Yet, creator Hajime Isayama named Reiner his favorite character, framing him as a "second protagonist" who mirrors Eren Yeager. The Soldier's Two Lives Born in Marley's Liberio Internment Zone, Reiner became a Warrior candidate to earn "honorary Marleyan" status. At age 10, he infiltrated Paradis Island alongside Bertolt, Annie, and Marcel. When Marcel was devoured by a Titan to save him, a traumatized Reiner adopted Marcel's dominant persona to force the mission forward. This fracture deepened during three years in the 104th Training Corps. He graduated second in his class, revered as a dependable "big brother," while genuinely growing to love the classmates he was destined to destroy. A Mind at War with Itself Living among his targets triggered Dissociative Identity Disorder. Reiner's psyche split into a selfless "Soldier" protecting his comrades and a ruthless "Warrior" serving Marley, switching without shared memory. During Marco Bott's death, Reiner ordered Annie to strip Marco's gear to protect their secret. Moments later, watching Marco get eaten, he asked in genuine horror, "Why is Marco being eaten?" completely detached from his own actions. This mental deterioration culminated in his casual, bizarre confession of his identity to Eren. The Weight of Guilt Returning to Marley, Reiner succumbed to severe depression and suicidal tendencies, nearly taking his own life until the young Warrior candidates—including his cousin Gabi—gave him a reason to live. When Eren later confronted him in a Liberio basement, Reiner broke down, begging for death and accepting total responsibility for his crimes without making excuses. Resilience and Peace The Armored Titan's defining trait—hardened armor—proved ironic. Repeatedly shattered in battle, Reiner survived over twenty near-death experiences, earning the fan moniker the "Plot Armored Titan." When Eren initiated the global genocide of the Rumbling, Reiner allied with his former Paradis enemies to stop him, enduring Jean's physical wrath after confessing his role in Marco's death. After Titan powers were permanently erased, Reiner finally found peace. Three years later, he serves as a peace ambassador to Paradis. His journey from zealous child warrior to exhausted peacemaker embodies the series' core thesis: monsters are created, not born, and humanity exists on both sides of the wall.