The Hidden Hand: Unmasking the "Fake" Royal Family in Attack on Titan
For fans of the hit anime and manga series, Attack on Titan (often abbreviated as AOT), the question of who the "fake" royal family was is a crucial one for understanding the intricate plot and the true power dynamics within the walls of Paradis. The answer, in short, is the **Reiss family**, who posed as the legitimate rulers of the Eldian people for generations while secretly serving a far more sinister purpose.
The Illusion of Power: The Reiss Family's Reign
For over a century, the Reiss family held the reins of power within the Kingdom of Eldia, residing in a seemingly impenetrable underground chapel. They were presented to the populace as the descendants of the ancient kings, the rightful heirs to the throne, and the protectors of the people. Their lineage was steeped in tradition and reverence, meticulously maintained to project an image of unwavering authority and divine right.
However, this elaborate facade hid a dark secret. The Reiss family were not the true rulers; they were, in essence, puppets of the true power: the **Founding Titan**. The King of the Reiss family was not a descendant of the original Eldian royalty who established the kingdom. Instead, they inherited the Founding Titan, the most powerful of the Nine Titans, through a specific bloodline that traced back to Ymir Fritz, the original Titan.
The Founding Titan: The Real Seat of Power
The Founding Titan possessed the ability to control all Eldians, manipulate memories, and even alter the very biology of the Eldian race. This immense power was the true source of control over the people within the walls. The Reiss family, as the current holders of the Founding Titan, dictated the will of the Eldian people through its influence.
To maintain their control and prevent the Founding Titan from falling into the wrong hands, or to prevent its true power from being unleashed upon the world, the Reiss family implemented a policy of **amnesia**. They would use the Founding Titan's powers to wipe the memories of the vast majority of the population, forcing them to live in ignorance of the world outside the walls and the true history of their people. This ensured a compliant and unaware populace, easily managed and controlled.
The Cycle of Control: Inheriting the Founding Titan
The Reiss family's "rule" was not one of active governance or policy-making in the traditional sense. Their primary duty was to safeguard and wield the Founding Titan. This was a hereditary burden, passed down from one Reiss family member to another. The current King would select a successor, often a child, who would then be imbued with the Founding Titan's power.
This succession process involved a ritualistic consumption of the previous King's spinal fluid, allowing the new inheritor to absorb the memories and powers of their predecessors. This created a continuous chain of knowledge and power, ensuring that the Founding Titan remained within the Reiss bloodline. However, this also meant that the individual holding the Founding Titan was often deeply influenced by the weight of generations of responsibility and the ingrained ideology of the Reiss family.
The Shepherd and the Sheep: A Deceptive Harmony
The Reiss family's ultimate goal was to maintain the status quo. They believed that by keeping the Eldian people ignorant and confined within the walls, they were protecting them from the vengeful world outside and preventing the devastating power of the Titans from being unleashed further. They saw themselves as shepherds, guiding their flock of unknowing sheep towards a false peace.
This self-proclaimed role led them to suppress any threats to their carefully constructed reality. This included suppressing the knowledge of the world outside, preventing any attempts to leave the walls, and, most importantly, maintaining the absolute secrecy of the Founding Titan's existence and their role as its custodians. Their actions, while driven by a twisted sense of protection, were ultimately a form of tyranny, built on deception and the denial of truth.
The Unveiling: Eren Yeager and the Truth
The truth about the Reiss family's deception began to unravel with the arrival of Eren Yeager. Through a series of events, including his encounter with the Attack Titan and his subsequent interaction with the Reiss family, Eren gradually uncovered the horrifying reality of their control. The military police and the higher echelons of the government were complicit in this deception, actively working to maintain the Reiss family's power and the ignorance of the masses.
The confrontation with Rod Reiss, the father of the legitimate heir Frieda Reiss, and his ultimate descent into madness, exposed the rotten core of the Reiss dynasty. Eren's realization of the true nature of the Founding Titan and the Reiss family's manipulation was a pivotal moment in the series, igniting his desire for freedom and his determination to shatter the cycle of oppression.
The Legacy of Lies
The Reiss family, therefore, were the "fake" royal family in Attack on Titan not because they lacked lineage, but because their entire reign was a meticulously crafted lie. They were not the true rulers, but rather the caretakers of a weapon of mass destruction, using it to enforce a fabricated peace built on ignorance. Their legacy is one of control, manipulation, and the tragic suppression of truth, a deception that ultimately fueled Eren's revolutionary path.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How did the Reiss family maintain their deception for so long?
The Reiss family maintained their deception through the immense power of the Founding Titan. They used its abilities to erase the memories of the Eldian populace, forcing them to live in ignorance of the outside world and their true history. This widespread amnesia made it impossible for any significant dissent or questioning of their authority to arise.
Why did the Reiss family keep the Eldians ignorant?
The Reiss family believed that by keeping the Eldians ignorant, they were protecting them. They feared that the outside world, which was aware of the existence of Titans, would destroy Paradis if its true strength and history were revealed. They saw ignorance as a shield against annihilation and the devastating power of the Titans.
What was the true power the Reiss family held?
The true power the Reiss family held was the Founding Titan. This was the most potent of the Nine Titans, possessing the ability to control all Eldians, manipulate their memories, and alter their biology. Their "royal" status was a facade; their real authority stemmed from their possession and control of the Founding Titan.
Who was the legitimate royal family before the Reiss family took over?
The Reiss family were indeed the legitimate royal family in terms of lineage. The deception lay in their role as "rulers." While they were the descendants of the royal bloodline, their "rule" was dictated by the need to control the Founding Titan. The true deception was in the narrative they presented – that they were actively governing, rather than passively guarding and wielding the Founding Titan for their specific agenda.
What happened to the Reiss family in the end?
Most of the Reiss family members met tragic ends. Rod Reiss, the father, died after being burned by his own Titan form. His children, including Historia Reiss (who eventually became Queen), survived. Historia, however, broke away from the manipulative ideology of her father and the previous Reiss family members, choosing a different path for the Eldians.
