In the hit manga-turned anime series, Attack on Titan, colossal monstrosities known as Titans run amok eating anyone in their path, and in a chapter set near the back end of the series, the weirdest versions of these giants are based on popular Game of Thrones characters! And no, a Night King Titan didn’t make the cut, but fans will be surprised at who did.
Written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama, Attack on Titan follows the adventures of Eren Yeager and the loyal crew in the Survey Corps — a special unit that’s tasked with eliminating any Titan they can stick their swords in. Protecting the remaining populace living within the rings of towering walls that put New York City skyscrapers to shame, Eren Yeager has made it his mission to destroy all Titans he comes across as he wants to exact revenge on them for the inciting incident that was the death of his mother and the utter annihilation of his hometown of Shiganshina.
Flashing back to a time that reveals exactly what happened in the lead-up to the aforementioned opening moments of the series, Chapter 96: “The Door of Hope,” focuses on three characters that fans already know aren’t who they seem. Following Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, and Annie Leonhart aka the Armored Titan, Colossus Titan, and Female Titan respectively, this chapter focuses on the trio just after their close friend Marcel Galliard is eaten by a Titan, setting up the appearance of some Game of Thrones-looking Titans shortly after.
Drawing a large crowd of Titans towards Wall Maria, Annie — as the Female Titan — keeps well ahead of the stampede, and in the next panel, it’s revealed that some familiar faces of Westeros are in hot pursuit. Revealing the vast array of naked giants following them, eagle-eyed fans can spot a handful of Titans that have been illustrated to resemble some of the characters from HBO’s Game of Thrones. Seen from left to right, Margaery Tyrell, Tyrion Lannister, Grey Worm, and his main squeeze Missandei are clearly the base model for these Titans, while Eddison Tollett, Petyr Baelish aka Little Finger, Lord Varys, and the one and only Arya Stark round out the rest of the panel.
Known to be a fan of the show, Isayama penciling in homages to an HBO series that’s adored the world over isn't exactly a surprise. Telling fans in the past that binge watching all episodes available at the time helped him in ways that would eventually influence how the manga would end, Isayama putting in some Titans that resemble George R.R. Martin’s beloved characters acts as the ultimate nerd move that fans of both series can appreciate.
So while the adventures of Eren and his friends continue well past this chapter, these cameos are a fun addition to the story that only die-hard Westeros fans would notice. Winter might not be coming to the Attack on Titan universe anytime soon, but weird-looking Titans resembling iconic Game of Throne characters certainly are.