Discussion What do we know about Jean?

[riccaXX]

I feel the need to discuss this character, or more his part in SnK.
I get the impression most people believe Jean is a good guy without question. But I wonder.. is Jean a "good" guy or does he have a hidden agenda? They made him seem like a hero in the anime and I wonder if that is the reason why I can't find any discussions..

I havn't analyzed the manga but I did find some things that seemed strange..
He's from Trost but did we ever see him mourn what happened to his hometown? Or worry about family and childhood friends? I didn't notice anything. We did see Connie's reaction to what happened to his village and Sasha's regarding her home..

Jean can be quite the drama queen, but sometimes he get pretty serious..

Spoiler

It makes me wonder if his overreactions are just bad acting..

And I wonder why he wanted to join the military police. He did give an explanation in the manga/anime, but was it his true reason?

Does anyone have any thoughts or maybe theories? Maybe noticed something in the manga that may be a hint/clue?

 

[BobobVanBlob]

If you want Jean's background, there is this text I posted in another thread, and it comes from a blog focusing on Jean, it may interest you, maybe?

“Three years ago, when I decided to enlist into military training, everyone in Trost laughs at me – friends, acquaintances, everyone. They saw me as a joke. Saying how I must have been crazy to decide joining the military. No, that must be how most in the world think, simply going with the flow. ‘It’s true being a farmer’s backbreaking labour. Even though (we’ll) still be poor with all the hard work, but at least (we) won’t be titans food’, those people would say.
Don’t * with me. I’ll join the MP to “fight back”. I’ll become MP, and live peacefully, lavishly in the inner lands. I’ll become MP and say to those people, “Just you see.” Then I earned the qualification to become MP; without help from anyone, all accomplished by my own strength.
But I’ve chosen (to join) the Scouting Legion. Why… “

Sauce here

 

[riccaXX]

That was new information for me thank you!

I still wonder what his part is in the story.. He can't just be Eren's body double XD Does he have knowledge they will need or something..?

 

[nesean]

I don't think he holds secrets to anything, but he has capabilities and skills the team would need. Nothing wrong with him being normal; everyone else in the current Levi's squad are already "too special".
The upcoming OVA (even though it's anime original material), might expand on his character.

 

[riccaXX]

I don't think he holds secrets to anything, but he has capabilities and skills the team would need. Nothing wrong with him being normal; everyone else in the current Levi's squad are already "too special".
The upcoming OVA (even though it's anime original material), might expand on his character.

If he was "normal" he wouldn't have been an important character. And he would probably already be dead..
But he's in this special squad, seen in all chapters (or almost all), so there must be something more to him.

I just noticed something in chapter 56 that may be a hint..

Spoiler

After Historia agrees on being the queen, Levi looks at Jean for some reason..

 

[nesean]

If he was "normal" he wouldn't have been an important character. And he would probably already be dead..
But he's in this special squad, seen in all chapters (or almost all), so there must be something more to him.

I just noticed something in chapter 56 that may be a hint..

Spoiler

After Historia agrees on being the queen, Levi looks at Jean for some reason..

If you've read Isayama's reason of why Jean's one of his favourites in the story, then you'd know how he can be "important" to the story without having secrets/mysteries to him; he is unique, just like everyone else in new Levi squad. In some way I wish for him to be more relevant to the overall plot, but I also came to accept he's at least relevant to the key characters - which is just as good.

oh, an it's April 7th, so a happy birthday to Mr. horse face.

---------- Post added at 10:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:51 AM ----------

oh..and that page in chapter 56 - I think it's more like he's glaring at all the 104th; and Connie and Sasha are also in the same panel;

Spoiler

at least Jean's expression doesn't look suspicious to me. Connie on the other hand, ...

 

[TheOwl]

If he was "normal" he wouldn't have been an important character. And he would probably already be dead..
But he's in this special squad, seen in all chapters (or almost all), so there must be something more to him.

I just noticed something in chapter 56 that may be a hint..

Spoiler

After Historia agrees on being the queen, Levi looks at Jean for some reason..

To be honest, I've always thought that Jean was a normal guy with a relatively normal background and the reason why he didn't mourn the destruction of his hometown was probably because his family was well and alive and because he was mourning for Marco and wasn't thinking of his hometown. Now that thanks to BobvanBlob I know his exact background story. He still is one of the most 'normal' main characters though.

To be honest I think that Levi is looking at all three of them (Connie, Sasha and Jean). Jean just happens to be in the center of the trio and looks like there's more focus on him. And there might be. Just a few months ago we were speculating who would be Levi's second in command now that his team is eliminated. Most thought that it would be Jean since he is thought to be a good leader. Considering how Levi will be leaving or pretending to leave the SL, it might be that Jean will be taking over the command of the Special Operations Squad.

 

[riccaXX]

oh..and that page in chapter 56 - I think it's more like he's glaring at all the 104th; and Connie and Sasha are also in the same panel;

Spoiler

at least Jean's expression doesn't look suspicious to me. Connie on the other hand, ...

Remember how Isayama hinted things with the titan trio.. I'm not gonna overlook small details in this manga

 

[nesean]

Remember how Isayama hinted things with the titan trio.. I'm not gonna overlook small details in this manga

but still, I can't think of any mysteries or secrets Jean can hold. lol... perhaps you could share some?

I reread that page - so the what follows Levi's glare, are Connie, Jean and Sasha, then Mikasa, Eren and Armin, then some other members of the SL.

 

[riccaXX]

but still, I can't think of any mysteries or secrets Jean can hold. lol... perhaps you could share some?

I reread that page - so the what follows Levi's glare, are Connie, Jean and Sasha, then Mikasa, Eren and Armin, then some other members of the SL.

But we only clearly see Levi's eyes when he looks at Jean and Jean is looking down while Sasha and Connie looks else where.
I'm not sure what his secret is, but maybe it has ties to MP/the king? That's the only connection I can think of.. Jean was gonna join MP with Marco and he speaks of conspiracy..
I hope someone can bring up a good theory here XD

 

[BobobVanBlob]

But we only clearly see Levi's eyes when he looks at Jean and Jean is looking down while Sasha and Connie looks else where.
I'm not sure what his secret is, but maybe it has ties to MP/the king? That's the only connection I can think of.. Jean was gonna join MP with Marco and he speaks of conspiracy..
I hope someone can bring up a good theory here XD

Jean is the only normal in a land of special snowflakes, stop thinking he will betray anything or anyone, he is a cool dude, the only thing he could do would be to have a mental breakdown when having to kill someone in the 1stMP division.

 

[riccaXX]

Jean is the only normal in a land of special snowflakes, stop thinking he will betray anything or anyone, he is a cool dude, the only thing he could do would be to have a mental breakdown when having to kill someone in the 1stMP division.

So that's why no one wants to speculate? Because it may mean he isn't a good guy? I didn't say he would betray anyone, just that he has to have something that ties him to the plot. If he hasn't one he would already be dead. So there must be something.

 

[BobobVanBlob]

So that's why no one wants to speculate? Because it may mean he isn't a good guy? I didn't say he would betray anyone, just that he has to have something that ties him to the plot. If he hasn't one he would already be dead. So there must be something.

Isayama already answered that he just has a normal past, he doesn't really have any exceptional things to do except taking part in the big things happening in his world and then (maybe?) become a hero or a leading figure.

Just look at FMA, all of Roy's squad are pretty much normals without any weird background story and they still were relevant at some point.

He may be leading Connie and Sasha during the next operation, while Levi takes care of Cptn Ackerman.

---------- Post added April 09, 2014 at 01:57 PM ---------- Previous post was April 07, 2014 at 08:22 PM ----------

So, Jean can use aftereffects/photoshop/whatever you need, and he is starting his own serie.

Spoiler

 

[nesean]

---------- Post added April 09, 2014 at 01:57 PM ---------- Previous post was April 07, 2014 at 08:22 PM ----------

So, Jean can use aftereffects/photoshop/whatever you need, and he is starting his own serie.

Spoiler

It's like one of those fanmade OP modifications, except with much higher quality since it's really made by anime staff. (too bad it wasn't released on April 1. Lol.. )

 

[PIXISSUUU]

So that's why no one wants to speculate? Because it may mean he isn't a good guy? I didn't say he would betray anyone, just that he has to have something that ties him to the plot. If he hasn't one he would already be dead. So there must be something.

I think Jean represents the guy who is scared shitless but doesn't have a breakdown like Daz or Armin. In a way, he's the most believable "hero." among them. I don't think he needs a crazy backstory to be important because his story carries alot of emotional weight. Lets be honest, most of us are manga nerds and would never have the guts to make it through training as a cadet or facing the titans. We'd all shit our pants. Jean is the guy that shits his pants, but then somehow manages to be a badass, so we can relate to him the best.

He's also proven himself to be the 104th's best battle commander (lead resupply, convinces top 10 to join the Scouts, leads attack on the Megata, so on). Don't die Jean! We want to see you make out with Mikasa at least once before you get eaten!

 

[riccaXX]

I think Jean represents the guy who is scared shitless but doesn't have a breakdown like Daz or Armin. In a way, he's the most believable "hero." among them. I don't think he needs a crazy backstory to be important because his story carries alot of emotional weight. Lets be honest, most of us are manga nerds and would never have the guts to make it through training as a cadet or facing the titans. We'd all shit our pants. Jean is the guy that shits his pants, but then somehow manages to be a badass, so we can relate to him the best.

He's also proven himself to be the 104th's best battle commander (lead resupply, convinces top 10 to join the Scouts, leads attack on the Megata, so on). Don't die Jean! We want to see you make out with Mikasa at least once before you get eaten!

We kind of have two different versions of Jean. I agree with you if we look at the anime Jean, but he isn't this awesome hero in the manga. His role is much smaller and much of the stuff we see him do in the anime arn't in the manga. I really like the anime Jean and it was the first version I got introduced to.

After reading the manga I wondered why they made him seem so good in the anime, he isn't the protagonist.
They made Eren look like this stupid kid with anger issues..
Why choose to make a smaller character more likeable? Jean was almost the hero in the anime. I just don't understand..

Anyway, only time will tell who the manga Jean is. If he's just a plain"good guy" or if he's hiding something, which could be both good and bad.

 

[BobobVanBlob]

We kind of have two different versions of Jean. I agree with you if we look at the anime Jean, but he isn't this awesome hero in the manga. His role is much smaller and much of the stuff we see him do in the anime arn't in the manga. I really like the anime Jean and it was the first version I got introduced to.

After reading the manga I wondered why they made him seem so good in the anime, he isn't the protagonist.
They made Eren look like this stupid kid with anger issues..
Why choose to make a smaller character more likeable? Jean was almost the hero in the anime. I just don't understand..

Anyway, only time will tell who the manga Jean is. If he's just a plain"good guy" or if he's hiding something, which could be both good and bad.

I started with the manga, and I'm always telling people that I liked Jean from his very first appearance (even though I thought he was going to be the first to die, because being opposed to the Hero's way of thinking is a deathflag in itself). But well I'm okay with both of them, anime Jean is a hero because of all the extra material making him super important time wise in it. In the manga he is more like this guy you'll get to see everywhere but not in the foreground and of course not a good guy at all, the only good things he is doing are out of guilt, he'll never be a 100% goody good, but for now he is the most righteous character in the cast (which is a really terrifying thought).

If Jean was hiding something really important plotwise it would feel a bit like a huge joke, because he was always presented as a normal character. But eyh, Bertholdt was a background character and was actually the colossal titan, so...

Jean is the HorseTitan?

 

[nesean]

...If Jean was hiding something really important plotwise it would feel a bit like a huge joke, because he was always presented as a normal character. But eyh, Bertholdt was a background character and was actually the colossal titan, so...

Jean is the HorseTitan?

Jean is too loud to have any sort of suspicion on himself. Then, we have always heard Jean's head thoughts, but never Bertholdt's. Maybe Reiner is a better comparison?

 

[riccaXX]

I re-read some chapters and realised something. I don't know why but I thought Jean was in Castle Utgard with the others.. but he wasn't, and he wasn’t with Eren, Armin, Levi, Hange and Mikasa either. (He did turn up in Trost with SL though)
So he was never treated as a shifter-suspect (which I find strange) nor a trustworthy ally. How could they be so sure he wasn't working with Annie? I mean the rest of the recruits were either suspects or part of the trio.

I got this crazy theory. What if Jean is the king’s bastard and Erwin knows about it and plans to use it somehow?
It could explain Jean’s reaction and why they kept the information regarding the real queen from Levi’s new squad. And it would explain why Jean wasn’t a suspect but still not considered a trustworthy ally.

 

[nesean]

I re-read some chapters and realised something. I don't know why but I thought Jean was in Castle Utgard with the others.. but he wasn't, and he wasn’t with Eren, Armin, Levi, Hange and Mikasa either. (He did turn up in Trost with SL though)
So he was never treated as a shifter-suspect (which I find strange) nor a trustworthy ally. How could they be so sure he wasn't working with Annie? I mean the rest of the recruits were either suspects or part of the trio.

I don't think we know how much influence Armin had on those decisions. It makes sense for Armin to include just Eren and Mikasa. (Although, now I think of it, it would have been quite risky if they did listen to Armin and the EMA trio were the "bad guys" instead of the other three) But also because in our minds, it is considered "normal" for Jean, who is not part of the trio, to be absent from the Utgard rescue.
Maybe the SL really had no clue at all and Armin could only clear Jean as a normal based on deductions?