Surma

Surma keeps his dark hair shaved nearly to the scalp and looks out through small, oval-shaped glasses. He runs on the tall side and dresses in the standard uniform of the Training Corps. By the year 857 the buzz cut has grown out somewhat, and his coat carries the redesigned emblem of the Eldian military.

Radical politics sit at the core of Surma's character. He defends the Yeagerists' campaign of terror without embarrassment and argues openly that Eldia needs a strong leader unafraid of merciless decisions, naming Eren Yeager as that man. Cruelty does not come naturally to him, though; he takes no pleasure in the faction's treatment of Keith Shadis and carries real remorse over the beating he gave his old instructor.

While trainees assemble for drills, Surma unsettles his classmates during an argument over Keith Shadis's harsh methods by voicing full-throated support for everything the Yeagerists have done. The faction itself arrives moments later; Floch Forster announces they have come recruiting, with arrest waiting for anyone who refuses. Surma volunteers at once, and though the demand that recruits prove their loyalty by beating Shadis catches him off guard, he goes through with it without hesitating.

When Marleyan forces descend on Shiganshina District, the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers begin freeing captive soldiers to help defend Eren Yeager. Surma moves to block the fleeing prisoners until Jean Kirstein spells out in blunt terms how much danger Eren and everyone else is in, at which point he stands aside. Zeke Yeager's scream soon floods the military's headquarters with Pure Titans, and one of them, the Titan that was once Roeg, comes within moments of devouring him. Shadis saves the trainees and rallies them to fight, leading the Titans loose in Shiganshina toward headquarters, where waiting soldiers destroy them.

Once the battle ends, Surma urges Shadis to flee headquarters and stay out of the Yeagerists' reach. The old instructor refuses, and though Surma swears to protect him, Shadis orders the trainees not to endanger themselves by defying the faction.