Summary

• The Bad Boy spin-off manga reveals Levi Ackerman's tragic past and how he awakened his powers, shedding light on a major Attack on Titan mystery.
• Levi's love for tea stems from memories of his mother, explaining his unique way of holding cups in a heart-wrenching revelation.
• The one-shot provides deeper insight into Levi's character and the Ackerman clan's powers, tying back to their struggle for survival.

Warning: SPOILERS for Attack on Titan: Bad BoyAttack on Titan’s spin-off Bad Boy was included in the official 200-page color art book of the series, Attack on Titan Artbook: Fly, and is a new manga about Levi Ackerman's past. The art book was released in Japan on April 30, 2024, and unfortunately there is no official English version scheduled anytime soon. Bad Boy is an 18-page one-shot that shows a new perspective on the background of one of the strongest characters in Attack on Titan, and finally explains a huge Levi Ackerman mystery.

The upbringing of Levi Ackerman was already glimpsed in Attack on Titan’s manga, showing that he grew up in the Underground and was raised by Kenny Ackerman. Also, the spin-off Attack on Titan: No Regrets covers Levi’s past as a criminal before his induction into the Survey Corps by Erwin Smith.

However, Bad Boy reveals something that wasn’t shown in the previous installments of Isayama's work and explains one of Attack on Titan's biggest mysteries: how Levi Ackerman awakened his powers, why he loves tea so much, and why he has that particular way of holding cups.

The Reason Why Levi Awakened His Powers

Levi's Tragic Past Activated the Ackerman Clan's True Power

Bad Boy shows Levi Ackerman as a child being beaten by a group of criminals of the Underground from whom he tried to steal something, as he remembers drinking tea with his mother, Kuchel Ackerman, before she passed away. Levi asks the criminals to return his mother's belongings. As he is brutally beaten, Levi thinks that he just wants to rebel and "spit on this rotten world." This awakens Levi's power, and he kills the criminals following his instincts. This confirms a secret of the Ackermans' clan: they awaken their powers when they struggle for their lives.

In the main story of Attack on Titan, Eren lies to Mikasa that she awakened her powers because the Ackermans were natural-born slaves. But what really awakened Mikasa's power was her desire to save Eren and herself. She realized that the world is cruel, and you have to fight to survive. Both Mikasa and Levi realized the injustice of this world, abandoned all inhibitions, and started to act solely on instinct. They also tried to protect something valuable to them. Mikasa tried to save Eren and Levi tried to save the last memory he had of his mother.

Levi Ackerman Likes To Drink Tea Because It Reminds Him of His Mother

Levi’s Particular Way of Holding Cups Has a Sad Reason.

Levi remembered his mother fondly. He thought the Underground was dirty, and the air was rotten, but he thought his mother was elegant. Levi fought with the criminals to recover his mother's tea set, because after Kenny disappeared, the only thing he had left was the memories of his mother. Levi returns home and prepares tea and just as he is about to drink it, the handle of the cup breaks, and the cup falls to the floor. That's why he vowed to never hold a cup handle again.

The Bad Boy one-shot revealed more about Levi’s childhood and his connection with his mother. The manga also offers more backstory to the tragic Survey Corps Captain's past, confirms how the Ackermans awaken their powers, and finally explains a huge Levi mystery that Attack on Titan's fans always thought was just a personality trait of the character, showing how a little detail can mean so much in a masterfully-crafted story.