| “ | Dita Ness: Another one? What the hell are the right flank Scouts doing? Luke Siss: Well, if it ignored them and is just coming this way… it’s probably another Abnormal. |
„ |
| ~ Dita and Luke about encountering the Female Titan, moments before their deaths. |
| “ | You came back for me, huh…? That’s my girl! | „ |
| ~ Dita to his horse Charette. |
Dita Ness is a character in the manga and anime, Attack on Titan. He was an elite soldier in the Survey Corps who was the leader of his own Team. He participated in the Survey Corps’ 57thexpedition, where he would lose his life while trying to fight the Female Titan.
Appearance
Dita Ness was a middle-aged man of average height. He had brown hair on the back and sides of his head, while on the top he had a bald spot. He covered said spot with a large white bandana that sheltered most of his head. Dita had a thin mustache and a thinned beard that connected to his sideburns, together with having brown eyes.
He wore the standard Survey Corpse uniform and green cloak during the expeditions, with a greyish shirt underneath.
Personality
Dita Ness was a brave, thoughtful, and cheerful man, who cared greatly for the new recruits working under him. While also being very responsible and cautious during the expedition, showing in his dislike for fighting the Titans as he did with encountering an Abnormal, where he quickly thought off the complications that could happen. Although going through with it due to not wanting Armin Arlert to already experience fighting the Titans and because of the potential harm to the Survey Corpse’ formation, which furthermore shows Dita’s care for his comrades. Dita was also very fond and kind to his horse Charette, talking nicely and even thanking her when she came back for him.
Story
Past
Dita Ness was born on September 20th in an unknown year, somewhere within Wall Rose. At some point in his youth, Dita joined the military and would likely spend most of his time in an unknown branch until he eventually joined the Survey Corps. Dita participated in numerous expeditions in the Titan infested Wall Maria, with him showing great skill and going upwards in the ranks, earning the title of Team Leader, where he have Luke Siss under his command who became an close comrade to him. It is unknown who Dita’s Squad Leader was, however.
Eve of the Counterattack arc
During the Survey Corps appliance ceremony, Erwin Smith explains to the trainees about the Survey Corps’s future goal, while Dita and other Survey Corps soldiers watch Erwin’s speech from the sidelines.
Female Titan arc
Dita was seen welcoming the new Survey Corps recruits, introducing himself and his horse who embarrasses him in front of the recruits by biting on his bandana.
Dita was appointed to teach the new recruits about the Long-Distance Enemy Scouting Formation.
On the next day, Dita departs with all the other Survey Corps soldiers for the 57th expedition. Dita and his Team, consisting of Luke and Armin, would be placed in the right flank relay squad. Dita and his comrades kept moving forward, not seeing any red flares for a strangely long amount of time. Suddenly, they notice a black flare in the distance. An Abnormal Titan appears and is trying to head for the center of the formation. Dita orders Luke to go for the neck while he will make it stop moving. Dita is, however, not optimistic about fighting, mainly due to the lack of large objects making Vertical Maneuvering very difficult, as well as the possibility of getting separated from the rest of the formation. Yet knowing the danger that the Abnormal can cause is enough motivation for Dita to kill it. Dita jumps off his horse and attaches his wire to the Titan’s foot, then slices open the Titan’s Achilles tendon. The Titan falls to the ground and is quickly finished off by Luke. Dita gets up and is happy to see his horse having come back for him. Dita and his Team briefly continue with the expedition, until they suddenly notice yet another Titan coming towards them for the distance. Dita is annoyed by the right flank scouts lack of attentiveness, but Luke believes that the Titan ignored them, meaning that it’s another Abnormal. Understanding this, Dita tells Luke to use same strategy as before, while internally being annoyed by the situation, Dita’s thoughts are quickly cut off as the Titan’s fast speed made it so it already caught up to them. Dita and Luke are nearly crushed as Titan runs past the soldiers, but Dita sees that it is going in Armin’s direction. Not wanting a recruit to already face this dangerous foe, Dita orders Luke to launch them attack. They both go after the Titan’s nape simultaneously, only is Luke caught and immediately crushed in the Titan’s hand. Dita, barely having time to react, has his wire caught by the Titan who whips it, causing Dita to be slammed on the ground which such force that he dies immediately.
Trivia
- Altough never implicitly stated, considering the fact that Dita was unable to understand the possibility of the Female Titan being a Titan Shifter, gives the idea that Dita isn't one of the senior Survey Corps soldiers who was in the branch for over 5 years. But because Dita is clearly an older man, he was presumably in a different branch and switched after the fall of Wall Maria.
 Heroes
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Shiganshina trio Paradis Island Marley Hizuru | ||