Born in the harsh Underground district to a destitute prostitute named Kuchel Ackerman, Levi was orphaned at a young age. He was raised and taught combat skills by his notorious serial killer uncle, Kenny Ackerman, before being left to survive on his own. Levi eventually became a notorious Underground thug alongside his closest friends, Furlan and Isabel. After a fateful encounter with Commander Erwin Smith, Levi was coerced into joining the Scout Regiment. Though initially driven by a desire to assassinate Erwin, the devastating loss of his friends to Titans caused Levi to change his path, ultimately dedicating his unmatched combat abilities to Erwin's cause and the survival of humanity. ​ ​Levi is characterized by his cold, deadpan demeanor and a distinct lack of approachability. He is famously a compulsive clean freak, deeply obsessed with hygiene and maintaining spotless environments, a trait born from his squalid childhood in the Underground. Despite his abrasive, blunt, and insulting way of speaking, Levi possesses a profound sense of morality and empathy. He deeply values human life, bears a heavy emotional burden for his fallen comrades, and places absolute trust in the Scout Regiment's mission, hiding his fierce loyalty and protective nature beneath a stoic facade.