Hange Zoë — a Powerful Leader Icon in the Attack on Titan Series
Hange Zoë is undoubtedly one of the most important characters in Attack On Titan. She is distinguished by her intelligence, leadership, innovation, empathy, strength, charming personality and many other qualities making her an all-time favorite throughout the series for many people.
She’s the one from the Scouts who spends the most time studying and researching the Titans. Hange Zoë’s research on the Titans reveals many important details about them that helps humanity to survive. For instance, the fact that most Titans rely on sunlight and slow down at night is important insight. Not only that, but she didn’t assume all Titans are incapable of speech by attempting to communicate every time. And yet despite her babying and treating them affectionately like one would a pet, she never underestimates them or hesitates in killing something she never fails to see as dangerous.
Surrounded by all the more experienced people (such as everyone’s favorite leader, Erwin), they named Hange as a commander due to her incredible intelligence, clever and quick decision making, immensely useful abilities and incredible fighting skills. Because of this, she’s great commander material. Compared to Levi she is more big picture-oriented and is more capable of creating plans for the entire division.
As a commander, Hange is adept at identifying and solving the Titans’ problems; that’s something that makes her a stronger leader than any other. If they have to fight against the Titans, no one knows them better than Hange. It was she who has the most experience and capability to devise the strategies to set up a trap for Titans and defeat them.
Hange holds the status of the best leader along with other leaders in the series. To simply say that she is only a good scientist is pointless and senseless. We can clearly see that she is more than a scientist; she has proven it many times.
Hange has always cared for humanity; she uses her intelligence to help people and the Titans which is certainly huge magnanimity from her.
Season Four and Manga Spoilers Ahead:
Being a leader and planning missions is one thing, taking care of each soldier is another. Hange has both of these and that’s something that makes her the best lead in the entire anime. For instance, it was she who saves Levi’s life after he was wounded by Zeke by grabbing him and jumping into a body of water at gunpoint, and she’s also the one to dress his wounds. She also sees the potential in her fellow soldiers, giving Armin special recognition and passing leadership onto him before her untimely death.
Just because she doesn’t say “Shinzo wo sasageyo” to the army doesn’t mean she gives any less motivation to Scouts or is a less powerful leader. And while Mikasa Ackerman is known as being AOT’s leading badass woman, readers and watchers alike should never forget that Hange is just as powerful of a force.
