Application

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player.
NAME/HANDLE: Ashley
PERSONAL JOURNAL: cardioid
ARE YOU 16 OR OVER?: Yes
CONTACT: nipponpon
OTHER CHARACTERS: Zelos Wilder luxuriant

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FOR ATTACK ON TITAN. I'm taking him from an earlier canon point, but I'll be using all time points to explain his character.

character.
CHARACTER NAME: Armin Arlert
SERIES: Attack on Titan (Wiki)
CANON POINT: Being thrown off his horse in the fight with the Female Titan
AGE: 15
APPEARANCE: Here

PERSONALITY:

Starting from a young age, Armin's personality begins as someone who is very hopeful about seeing the outside world but also very realistic about things. He's the one person who seems to express any doubt for the walls staying up for so long, and it's differing opinions like these that get him bullied by other children constantly. He's shown to understand why people are afraid of his talk about wanting to leave the walls and have mankind live outside, but it's not something he thinks excuses them. This is why he'll talk back and get bullied in the first place, honestly-- being unafraid of speaking his mind and stating his opinions or his dreams of seeing the outside world, and his stating that peace within the walls can't last forever. Because of this constant bullying and having to be rescued by his two best friends, Eren and Mikasa, Armin grew up with a very low opinion of himself. He was constantly worried that Eren and Mikasa viewed him as a burden, or as someone they always had to come and help out but never returned the favor.

Whether it's his fear of being a burden to others or his fear of titans or of dying, Armin has a lot of emotional issues that are shown in the manga based on him growing up with these thoughts. He's frail and physically weak, especially for a soldier, and is shown to freeze in place when a titan approaches him. He would have died if it weren't for Eren freeing him and killing the titan there afterwards. His strength doesn't improve even as hard as he tries, and he's not generally assigned to the frontlines for this reason. We rarely get to see him use his 3DMG due to his less than average battle skills. In the middle of battle, though he is brave, there is a lot of fear as motivation. It makes him shake and freeze in place and get emotional, but it also leads to very quick thinking and a strong, determined way about things. Even without realizing it all along, Armin was someone who when pushed and given the opportunities could show exceptional intelligence and put it to work to help those around him. He first discovers this while facing down a crowd of soldiers with Eren and Mikasa, their words assuring him that he'd never been a burden and had always helped them out. Once he was able to realize that they had such unwavering confidence in him in turn, there was a huge shift in his development and personality.

He begins to realize that no matter how much he may feel like a burden or worry about his own worth to the world or his friends, there are people who count on him and believe in him, and he has to be strong for their sake. That so long as he tries his best, it counts, and that he can and does make a difference with every action he makes. From that point onward, he was able to truly discover his own level of intelligence and grow as a person. He became more outspoken in his observations of others. Though Armin does have a tendency to keep quiet and think over things until he's certain an idea or thought train is solid, with the faith of his friends he's able to eventually speak up with the things he's noticed. This is how each of the titan shifters ended up being discovered-- his observations and ability to connect the dots.

A large part of this is his noteable perceptiveness. He's a character who's able to make note and remember many things that most others wouldn't think to, and it leads to him being able to solve things steps and steps ahead of most anyone else. He recognizes immediately that Annie is using Marco's equipment at inspection, for example, after just having cleaned it with him previously and recalling the unique dents or markings it had sustained. In Eren's trial, he's able to spot enough subtle cues to understand that Mikasa shouldn't go out and aid Eren while Levi was roughing him up. The more he encounters, the more he's able to discover and add onto his pile of intelligence. For example, the mission with the Female Titan has him noticing things left and right: that it's a human in titan flesh, that it matches up enough to possibly be someone, and that from saying a line he can confirm it is in fact that person. His perceptiveness is really on another level from those around him.

Below his intelligence and newfound confidence, Armin has always been someone who was kind. He cares about his friends in such a way that it shows in every action he makes around them (like how he completely spaces out when Eren is eaten in front of him, or when he's shown sobbing and holding Eren's hand the minute he realizes he's back and alive). His two closest friends aren't the only ones he's shown to have a connection with, either. Armin is a character who seems to be friendly with each of his squadmates through training, and have rather close friendships with them. Not only is he friendly, but he's deeply loyal to those he has friendships with. Eren and Mikasa, of course, are two people he'd willingly die for, and even risked his own life to defend them against all of the soldiers defensive about Eren's transformation. He's also defensive of Reiner at first, having considered him a close friend, and denies his being a spy right up until he finds proof himself that it's likely he is.

Which brings us to the point that Armin may be kind and loyal, but he is in no way naive. He hopes for the best and holds his friendships close, but he has a very strong opinion of things and has no issue with anything from using emotional manipulation to trick someone to selling out information on past friends to higher ups. He'll always work hard for what's best for mankind and his friends as a whole rather than just one friend going down a path that can't be explained as right. He may have tried very hard to be proven wrong and say Annie and Reiner weren't what they were, but the moment it's solidified, he's determined and ready to fight against them no matter his own feelings on the matter. Aside from larger things like that, there's even the fact that he can be quite blunt about situations. He's never been afraid to speak his mind, no matter the consequences, and so that's something that continues on through his journey as a character.

This trait of his also leads to a rather unique approach in how he thinks of things, and how he works out solutions in his mind. His plans always seem to be made from an extreme out of the box type thinking that he lives with. Armin can incoorporate the skills of everyone with him at a given moment and bend it to the scene to work for their advantage (like the plan to refill their gas tanks, or the one to distract the Titans rather than fight them head on). While others may just immediately think of fighting things head on, Armin always tries to find the best way around things in order to have the most secure ending. The best results, basically. Even if there are risks, he makes sure that they're risks made for the greater good of humanity. His way of thinking is a large part of his understanding Erwin's moves (to a point) in the arc a little further from when I'll be taking him. When Jean voices his worry, Armin is quick to explain that leaders have to make difficult choices, and it's not as simple as saying 'should have' and discounting them. Armin's someone who's been able to make choices like that regarding those around him and the sake of humanity and will continue to do so as he grows as a character.

All in all, Armin is an intelligent boy with a strong set of opinions who constantly tries his best at everything he goes for. He's someone who started out frail and afraid but with the love and support of friends was able to gain confidence and grow as a person, facing the world head on and adapting to it with his skills as he goes.

ABILITIES:

Unlike Mikasa and Eren, Armin didn't graduate in the top ten ranks. This is because his ability in battle is one of his lowest points, and he's physically among the weakest of the soldiers. What he lacks in physical strength and combat ability, though, he makes up for in intelligence and strategic prowess.

His intelligence doesn't end at simply being book smart. Armin has a keen eye for observation for things that most people would skim over without a blink. He can pick up on small details and recall earlier ones in order to piece things together, and this is the way he's able to point out each of the human titan shifters in canon. He can think up of a great strategy whether he plans for it or has to make a quick decision in the heat of battle, and it's shown that even experienced leaders and strategists listen to his opinions and take them seriously.

The main part of his success in strategy is likely a combination of his observation skills and the unique way he implements them. It's shown various times in canon that he's willing to use emotional manipulation to trick people into working into his plan, and many of his plans can be quite dangerous, made in the heat of things. (He voices himself that they're a bit crazy, but after realizing how much faith Eren and Mikasa had in him, his confidence in himself has risen incredibly.)

His determination to not be a burden for anyone else and to keep up with his friends is another strong trait of his I'd consider an ability. Even when he's clearly struggling in training, he works his hardest to keep up, and refuses an offer to have his things carried for him.

Aside from that, there are basic skills he's learned from training to be a soldier. 3DMG usage, though he tries not to rely on it too much, is something he's capable of. He understands the basics of combat and everything a soldier would be expected to know in a world infested with Titans.

POSSESSIONS: Uniform + cloak. No gear or anything else.


samples.
JOURNAL ENTRY SAMPLE:

(Using that deadly sandstorm plot thing for this sample. Assuming Armin's been in game a few weeks for this.)

[When the video first clicks on, there's a shaky but wide view of the museum. The winds are harsh and the sand is visible at this point, but Armin keeps that shot in view as long as he deems necessary before panning the watch around to show its suroundings. Eventually the video is pointed back at himself, one hand holding his hood over his head firmly as he moves back towards the museum.]

The area that was recently found under the museum seems to be safe from the dangerous weather we've been having. [Cutting straight to the chase, Armin doesn't see any real need to introduce himself. This is urgent, after all! Those winds and that sand cuts, and things only seem to be getting worse.]

It's still dangerous, but it's our only chance of surviving right now. Get to the museum as quickly as you can and go to the cavern beneath it! If anyone is unsure of how to get here, I can give you directions. [With that last serious note, he gives a sort of nod to the camera.] Be careful.

[And ends the feed.]

THIRD-PERSON SAMPLE: Have this just in case